PGA at Whistling Straits: Thoughts on attending my first major

[Spiethismyhero]

The other thread has gotten too unwieldy so I thought I'd start something new. I got home early this morning after 3 days or so at the PGA Championship. I have a thousand thoughts swirling around in my head (and please ask any questions if you're interested). I'm afraid I'm going to come across too negatively but since I'm sitting here exhausted, pains in both my legs, sunburned in places I didn't know I had skin, and generally feel like I need a week in a spa it's slightly hard to feel good about the event!

First, it's not for the feint of heart. I didn't realize how bad my physical state was until I attended this event. It was well over 90 all 3 days, no trees, no shade, no breeze, no nothing as they say. It was easy to get exhausted after 7 or 8 hours on your feet. And that was part of the problem. Other than the few grandstands (which were almost always full), there is literally no where to sit down. I was surprised that even in the "core" of the venue around the clubhouse and shops, there was no where to sit down. No benches, chairs, nothing. And, from a spectator standpoint, I felt this was a very poorly organized event. Everyone knew what the heat was going to be like so you would have thought they would make sure that people were not made so uncomfortable, even dangerously so. I saw people in serious medical distress especially on Friday and nothing could be done for them because once you were far out on the front nine (especially) there was nothing around for miles: no food, no water, and when first aid tried to get carts through to attend to people they couldn't get through the crush of people. This event needs better management in regards to things like food and water and restrooms.

Second, it was all very low tech, even primitively so. A few leaderboards here and there but they were set so far back you couldn't see them without X ray vision. And they were all done manually so by the time they were updated they were obsolete. Even more surprising was in the "core" of the course there was no signage telling you what was going on on the course or who was where. They wanted you to use their app but it was crap. It rarely worked, the alert system was sporadic and the wi-fi was terrible. Adding to the problem was NO charging stations for your phone or Ipad unless you had a Samsung Android and that station was in one place at the front. They can't expect people to use their app all day and have your phone not die. This was a major problem. I heard people complaining all day about it.

Third, on this course, you couldn't get very close to the greens so without binoculars you saw little golf. I finally realized you didn't come here to actually SEE golf, you came just for the experience. I was surprised at how many people were leaving in droves mid way through the day. The conditions were tough and people faded quickly. I found 18 especially disappointing. You literally can't get anywhere near the green on ground level. Not even close. What a contrast with St. Andrews and Augusta. The grandstands there seem so high up that you can barely make out the golfers. And after 5 pm as the sun heads into the west, the entire 18th green is shaded and the area becomes dark and you can't see much. It's not like it is on TV was a refrain I heard over and over again.

People commented "they're so much smaller than I expected." That's true at all of these kinds of events. The only guys who look their size on TV were Phil, Dustin, and Matt Kuchar. Everyone else seems smaller and thinner (which is good for them!).

I managed to follow Jordan for a good portion of Friday before I settled into a grandstand at 18. I saw his first 3 holes on Saturday and then most of his back nine before heading to the grandstand on 18. On Sunday, following Jordan and Jason was near impossible. I managed to hook up with Jordan's mother and sister and walked the first few holes with them (nope, not even they got inside the ropes and had to walk like the rest of us -- surprising). So I saw the first few holes before falling back. Watched the finish from 18. All of THAT was AMAZING and, in the end, made it worth it despite all the struggles of doing. I'll pay for it all week ... but .... it was very exciting at that point.

I'd say Jordan had the biggest following and cheers, followed by Rory, then Dustin. I heard some loutish behavior from some fans (and who ever invented "in the hole" should be shot) but it wasn't too bad.

Probably a lot more but the sun has gotten to my brain. Bottom line, if conditions and terrain are like Whistling Straits you have to be in very good shape to get through this. If, like me, you consider 75 hot then it's probably not for you. I've been told by people who've attended the Masters and this event that the Masters is far superior and more fan-friendly partly because they limit the number of attendees. On Sunday, there were simply too many people at the PGA. There were times you literally couldn't even move. At all. And 1 cooling station (that was hidden away) for that many people? C'mon. PGA should do better than that.

So I'm still going to keep trying for the Masters and the Open Championship but unless they start playing the US Open and the PGA in Canada or the fall I can't see going back. Conditions are just not good for me in those circumstances.

So it was a mixed experience, it was great to be a part of golf history, just wish it had been easier and not so taxing on the system.

Fire away.

[Mr. Desmond]

When a course hosts a PGA Tour Event once every 6 years or so, I think one cannot expect the luxuries of an annual event. The cost is prohibitive. It is better seen on television, or at the course in a tent with a brew and giant hi def television.

[JoeMal]

Watching the end at 18 would be cool, congrats for that.

But your 'primitive' explanation of the event does sound poorly planned.  No charging stations and an app/server that was bogged down makes for a miserable 'smart' experience.  Next time bring a battery backup that you can charge your phone with!  (Or several and charge people $10 per fill-up... )

Sounds like some other sporting events I've been to - nothing like what you see on TV.  Sometimes that is good.  Other times, you just wish you were at home watching your own TV.

[DaveP043]

I've worked as a Marshall for 4 US Opens, most recently at Pinehurst last summer.  At that time, cell phones were not allowed in, so all you had was the "manual" leaderboards.  At least at that event, there was a leaderboard and thru-board (for the group currently on the hole) near every green.  I worked on one of the thru-boards for two of the tournaments.  The folks on the board get regular electronic updates telling them exactly what the board should look like, but it does take a minute or two to post the updated info, and we had to be careful about the timing of our movements so close to the greens.   It was dang hot in Pinehurst that year, and I remember at least 3 different first aid stations around the course.  I understand a bit of the problem at Whistling Straits, there's simply no natural shade on the course, and not a lot of room between holes to use to house grandstands.  But the truth of the matter is as has been said, you'll never SEE enough by attending any event to justify going.  I know we saw Payne Stewart's win in a tavern in Raleigh, and watched the end of Martin Kaymer's romp in the bar at the MidSouth club.  However, the experience of being there can make it special.

[MSchott]

When a course hosts a PGA Tour Event once every 6 years or so, I think one cannot expect the luxuries of an annual event. The cost is prohibitive. It is better seen on television, or at the course in a tent with a brew and giant hi def television.

I disagree about the costs. I guarantee that Whistling Straits and the surrounding community made huge amounts of money this past week. They could sacrifice some of this and provide better amenities. It's not the first time they've hosted a major and should know how to do this right.

I think the larger issue are the venues used for some of the majors this year. Both Whistling Straits and Chamber's Bay are artificial courses built on severe land with lots of waste areas. The terrain makes it hard on spectators and limits grandstands. I've attended majors at Oakland Hills which is a classic parkland course and due to the traditional setting, grandstands are plentiful as are concession stands.

I'm no fan of "stadium golf" which is beloved by the PGA and USGA but they are conducive to the spectator experience. Newer "links look" courses are the antithesis of this concept. Then again, Herb Kohler is a rich and powerful man and has made sure the PGA and LPGA come to pay homage on a regular basis. And the powers to be on these tours gladly follow the money.

[DaveP043]

When a course hosts a PGA Tour Event once every 6 years or so, I think one cannot expect the luxuries of an annual event. The cost is prohibitive. It is better seen on television, or at the course in a tent with a brew and giant hi def television.

In this case, I believe it is the PGA itself that decides just what should be done.  They do spend a ton of money setting up and tearing down the small city that a golf tournament requires, but there's always something else that COULD have been done.  The Masters isn't really a fair comparison, since they've been hosting the tournament on the same course for nearly 80 years, and have refined the experience a little every year.  The Masters, I'd guess, has just about limitless resources.  The town of Sheboygan, and the Whistling Straits golf club certainly benefit, but I'm sure they don't get to call too many of the shots.  This may be the first time the PGA has allowed, or actually encouraged, the use of cell phones for tournament updates, so the need for charging stations may have slipped through the cracks.  But can you imagine the demand, with tens of thousands of fans on the grounds?  This is definitely the time to carry a small battery back-up.  Obviously they reviewed and revised the grandstand requirements.  They built a new grandstand on top of the bunker that led to Dustin Johnson's downfall the last time here.  At the end of the day, I'd still say that you have to be there for the experience more than for the chance to see some actual golf.

[Mr. Desmond]

In this case, I believe it is the PGA itself that decides just what should be done.  They do spend a ton of money setting up and tearing down the small city that a golf tournament requires, but there's always something else that COULD have been done.  The Masters isn't really a fair comparison, since they've been hosting the tournament on the same course for nearly 80 years, and have refined the experience a little every year.  The Masters, I'd guess, has just about limitless resources.  The town of Sheboygan, and the Whistling Straits golf club certainly benefit, but I'm sure they don't get to call too many of the shots.  This may be the first time the PGA has allowed, or actually encouraged, the use of cell phones for tournament updates, so the need for charging stations may have slipped through the cracks.  But can you imagine the demand, with tens of thousands of fans on the grounds?  This is definitely the time to carry a small battery back-up.  Obviously they reviewed and revised the grandstand requirements.  They built a new grandstand on top of the bunker that led to Dustin Johnson's downfall the last time here.  At the end of the day, I'd still say that you have to be there for the experience more than for the chance to see some actual golf.

In that "heat," no wonder Herb Kohler looked comatose during his interview with Nance.

[weedsnager]

First, it's not for the feint of heart. I didn't realize how bad my physical state was until I attended this event. It was well over 90 all 3 days, no trees, no shade, no breeze, no nothing as they say. It was easy to get exhausted after 7 or 8 hours on your feet. And that was part of the problem. Other than the few grandstands (which were almost always full), there is literally no where to sit down. I was surprised that even in the "core" of the venue around the clubhouse and shops, there was no where to sit down. No benches, chairs, nothing. And, from a spectator standpoint, I felt this was a very poorly organized event. Everyone knew what the heat was going to be like so you would have thought they would make sure that people were not made so uncomfortable, even dangerously so. I saw people in serious medical distress especially on Friday and nothing could be done for them because once you were far out on the front nine (especially) there was nothing around for miles: no food, no water, and when first aid tried to get carts through to attend to people they couldn't get through the crush of people. This event needs better management in regards to things like food and water and restrooms Probably a lot more but the sun has gotten to my brain. Bottom line, if conditions and terrain are like Whistling Straits you have to be in very good shape to get through this. If, like me, you consider 75 hot then it's probably not for you. I've been told by people who've attended the Masters and this event that the Masters is far superior and more fan-friendly partly because they limit the number of attendees. On Sunday, there were simply too many people at the PGA. There were times you literally couldn't even move. At all. And 1 cooling station (that was hidden away) for that many people? C'mon. PGA should do better than that. So I'm still going to keep trying for the Masters and the Open Championship but unless they start playing the US Open and the PGA in Canada or the fall I can't see going back. Conditions are just not good for me in those circumstances. So it was a mixed experience, it was great to be a part of golf history, just wish it had been easier and not so taxing on the system. Fire away.

No where to sit down???? Did you think you were going to Disneyland or golf course?? We went in the wannmaker tent, there were hundreds of tables and padded benches to sit on......air conditioned. We were there on Tuesday, I was there with my 74 year old father, he didn't have any problems. We were in cancun a few years ago, we went out in a boat and went snorkeling. They were people out there claiming the couldn't handle it anymore and they wanted the guides to tow them around the reef cause they were to lazy to kick their feet ( we all had life jackets on) If you never seen the course in your life before and thought you were going to a flat cookie cutter golf course, then I could understand. But the places is hilly and there aren't very many flat places on the course, but being out of shape and making statements like "make sure that people were not made so uncomfortable, even dangerously so. " is absurd

[Infamous 273]

It doesn't help that 1/2 the course borders water - that essentially cuts off 50% of the standing room. RBC provided radio earbuds at the 2011 PGA Championship, which linked directly to the live satellite radio broadcast. I'm surprised something like that wasn't made available - perhaps lack of corporate sponsorship? My experience with golf events are that the practice rounds are the most enjoyable. Save the tournament rounds for your living room.

[Spiethismyhero]

When a course hosts a PGA Tour Event once every 6 years or so, I think one cannot expect the luxuries of an annual event. The cost is prohibitive. It is better seen on television, or at the course in a tent with a brew and giant hi def television.

I still haven't figured out how to "multi quote" so forgive me if I post more than once. I hardly think you can call water, food, and accessibility "luxuries." I've been to a lot of events -- the LA Olympics in 1984 which hadn't been held there in 50 some years. They provided all the things that the PGA didn't at Whistling Straits.

Furthermore, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Whistling Straits specially built to attract PGA and other top golf events? If so, then there is really no excuse for such poor management and so few facilities. I've been to lots of big public events and when it's at heat index of 100 or more -- like this one -- they are handing out free bottles of water to keep people from getting sick. Not making them wait in line to pay $3 for water. Shame on the PGA.

[Spiethismyhero]

I've worked as a Marshall for 4 US Opens, most recently at Pinehurst last summer.  At that time, cell phones were not allowed in, so all you had was the "manual" leaderboards.  At least at that event, there was a leaderboard and thru-board (for the group currently on the hole) near every green.  I worked on one of the thru-boards for two of the tournaments.  The folks on the board get regular electronic updates telling them exactly what the board should look like, but it does take a minute or two to post the updated info, and we had to be careful about the timing of our movements so close to the greens.   It was dang hot in Pinehurst that year, and I remember at least 3 different first aid stations around the course.  I understand a bit of the problem at Whistling Straits, there's simply no natural shade on the course, and not a lot of room between holes to use to house grandstands.  But the truth of the matter is as has been said, you'll never SEE enough by attending any event to justify going.  I know we saw Payne Stewart's win in a tavern in Raleigh, and watched the end of Martin Kaymer's romp in the bar at the MidSouth club.  However, the experience of being there can make it special.

Looking back after a day, I'm still glad I saw what I did. It was great to see these guys up close and in action in person. Perhaps if I got in better physical shape it would be more enjoyable. But I know I don't really like being outside in that kind of weather for 5 minutes yet alone 5 hours. I have always respected what these guys do and how hard it is but when you attend something like this you get an even better appreciation for what they do in all sorts of conditions.

I was saddened to see some of the "fan" behavior. People were yelling "you're better than Rory" at Jordan. I thought that was inappropriate. And those few yelling "choke choke" at Jason Day coming down the fairways made me ashamed. That kind of stuff belongs in the National Felon League (NFL) not in golf.

[Spiethismyhero]

No where to sit down???? Did you think you were going to Disneyland or golf course?? We went in the wannmaker tent, there were hundreds of tables and padded benches to sit on......air conditioned. We were there on Tuesday, I was there with my 74 year old father, he didn't have any problems.

We were in cancun a few years ago, we went out in a boat and went snorkeling. They were people out there claiming the couldn't handle it anymore and they wanted the guides to tow them around the reef cause they were to lazy to kick their feet ( we all had life jackets on)

If you never seen the course in your life before and thought you were going to a flat cookie cutter golf course, then I could understand. But the places is hilly and there aren't very many flat places on the course, but being out of shape and making statements like

"make sure that people were not made so uncomfortable, even dangerously so. " is absurd

I kinda expected that one. I guess you failed (or are showing abject selfishness) to understand that I was describing the experience I -- and many of the other 99% there had -- and not the experience of the 1% who had access to clubs, skyboxes, donor suites, and the like. Heck it's always more comfortable when you do that way. But 99% of the people there didn't have that option. No doubt the PGA made sure that 1% of the people had everything they needed and the hell with the other 99%. Is that the way to play it? I doubt they intended it that way but that's how it turned out. Tuesday? Seriously? There were no people there on Tuesday compared to the weekend and it wasn't 100 degrees.

Yes, the tournament has a responsibility to make sure people are comfortable to some degree. Allowing you to bring in only one bottle of water and then making no water available at multiple points throughout the entire course which causes you to walk an hour or more back to the core of the course, wait 30 minutes to buy more water ... is what is absurd. There's no excuse for that kind of lack of planning.

[newtogolf]

I kinda expected that one. I guess you failed (or are showing abject selfishness) to understand that I was describing the experience I -- and many of the other 99% there had -- and not the experience of the 1% who had access to clubs, skyboxes, donor suites, and the like. Heck it's always more comfortable when you do that way. But 99% of the people there didn't have that option. No doubt the PGA made sure that 1% of the people had everything they needed and the hell with the other 99%. Is that the way to play it? I doubt they intended it that way but that's how it turned out. Tuesday? Seriously? There were no people there on Tuesday compared to the weekend and it wasn't 100 degrees.

Yes, the tournament has a responsibility to make sure people are comfortable to some degree. Allowing you to bring in only one bottle of water and then making no water available at multiple points throughout the entire course which causes you to walk an hour or more back to the core of the course, wait 30 minutes to buy more water ... is what is absurd. There's no excuse for that kind of lack of planning.

While the PGA and course might have been able to do things better it seems part of the problem was that you're itinerary was contrary to what the PGA expected based on how inconvenienced your were with access to amenities.

I'm sure if your experience was the common one there will be something written by the reporters / bloggers covering the event that criticize the PGA and course management for doing such a poor job, if not then it's possible you had unrealistic expectations going in.

[boogielicious]

@Spiethismyhero To multi quote, hit multi on the first post you want to quote, then quote on the second. For more than two, hit multi on all but the last post, then quote on the last.

[iacas]

@Spiethismyhero To multi quote, hit multi on the first post you want to quote, then quote on the second. For more than two, hit multi on all but the last post, then quote on the last.

Yes, please figure it out. It's not difficult.

I've been to several majors, including some put on by the PGA. I doubt they did something very different this year. Nowhere to sit? Why not on the ground? Or in one of the grandstands? If you're out of shape, maybe you shouldn't have walked around so much.

[laconic517]

I was there on Sunday. First time attending a major. Immediately when i arrived i thought a lot of the elderly or extremely out of shape people were in trouble with the heat and all of the hills. That said, that isnt the courses fault and people should know better before attending. I think the hills actually helped because you could sit down ontop of them and see quite a bit of action. My only beefs with the event were the lack of scoreboards and screens and that they did not think through their water distribution very well. In that heat every hole should have had a water station on it. Quite frequently you would have to walk 3 holes back in to get water unless you ran into one of the very few carts out there selling beverages.

[Calvin]

If, like me, you consider 75 hot then it's probably not for you.

I don't think anyplace in the US in mid-August is going to be under 75, so if that's the comfort requirement, then outdoor summer events are simply not for you (in fact, I think most late spring and fall stadium events would fail this test).

I think the Masters will always be a uniquely "private" experience, whereas the USO and PGA will always be a more public throng, with all that entails. I can see the merit in some of your comments for future large events, although I have attended some regular tour events at "non-stadium" courses and the same points apply (such as lack of seating) so I think it's less a WS issue and more of a general golf spectating comment. I can tell you that the physical set-up (tents, grandstands, media center, etc.) at WS had already been underway for many weeks at least a month before the event, so as someone else said, if it's not a permanent location like the Masters there's a limit on how much infrastructure can be put in place.

[ccotenj]

[QUOTE name="Spiethismyhero" url="/t/83889/pga-at-whistling-straits-thoughts-on-attending-my-first-major#post_1186080"]  If, like me, you consider 75 hot then it's probably not for you. [/QUOTE] I don't think anyplace in the US in mid-August is going to be under 75, so if that's the comfort requirement, then outdoor summer events are simply not for you (in fact, I think most late spring and fall stadium events would fail this test).

true... also when i think "pga", one of the first things that comes to mind is hot sweaty weather... it is one of the defining characteristics of the event, seeing guys drenched with sweat on the course...