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2021 PGA

WhatTheHeel?

All-American
Mar 31, 2002
2,065
1,280
113
Any of you going?

My cousin and I have a friends place at Kiawah reserved. Haven't gotten tickets yet, though.

I've never been to a PGA event, just the Senior PGA event they used to have at Rock Barn in Hickory. I was a walking scorer, which is one of the cooler volunteer positions as you follow a group from hole to hole, right down the middle of the fairways.
 
I'll be there...in my new Trump shirt to protest the decision to not hold next year's PGA Championship at the Trump property in NY as was originally agreed. And just to hopefully piss some people off.

But yeah, I have a buddy who has a house at Folly Beach. We'll take his boat down to Kiawah for each round. Probably a 20 minute boat ride. I promised him I'd help him get some work done on his house (new decking boards, paint, etc) so we probably won't make all 4 rounds.

I worked a celebrity event at Kiawah when I lived in Charleston 20 years ago. That day, the participants were playing the River Course, which is private. Not as spectacular as the Ocean Course but still awesome. I've never been out on the Ocean Course. Looking forward to it.
 
I'll be there...in my new Trump shirt to protest the decision to not hold next year's PGA Championship at the Trump property in NY as was originally agreed. And just to hopefully piss some people off.

But yeah, I have a buddy who has a house at Folly Beach. We'll take his boat down to Kiawah for each round. Probably a 20 minute boat ride. I promised him I'd help him get some work done on his house (new decking boards, paint, etc) so we probably won't make all 4 rounds.

I worked a celebrity event at Kiawah when I lived in Charleston 20 years ago. That day, the participants were playing the River Course, which is private. Not as spectacular as the Ocean Course but still awesome. I've never been out on the Ocean Course. Looking forward to it.

That's cool. Where do you dock in/near Kiawah? I've never noticed public docks down there, but I've never actually looked for them either.
 
That's cool. Where do you dock in/near Kiawah? I've never noticed public docks down there, but I've never actually looked for them either.

I have no idea. This plan was put together by my buddy who has the house on Folly. I've never taken a boat to Kiawah but he suggested it and I just figured that it could be done. If you're saying it can't, then we need to come up with a different plan of how to get down there each day. It's only about a 30 minute ride from Folly in a car. But we were just hoping to avoid the traffic issue.
 
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Ocean Course is on my 10 or so bucket list courses to play even since watching that 2012 PGA.

My buddies and I do a golf trip south every year and Kiawah was supposed to be 2020 but we couldn't get flights after they got cancelled due to Covid. Trying to rebook it for 2022.
 
Any of you going?

My cousin and I have a friends place at Kiawah reserved. Haven't gotten tickets yet, though.

I've never been to a PGA event, just the Senior PGA event they used to have at Rock Barn in Hickory. I was a walking scorer, which is one of the cooler volunteer positions as you follow a group from hole to hole, right down the middle of the fairways.
I've been to a few events. Was able to score some tickets for the PGA championship in 2011.
 
Yep I'm taking my son Thursday to Saturday, we're going to haul the camper down there and bunk up at a campground that's 30 minutes or so from Kiawah. I'm fortunate as a PGA member we get in for free.

I just played the Ocean course a month ago and will back down there 3 weeks before the PGA Championship to play the PGA REACH Pro-Am ... should be super cool with the course major-ready, grandstands, etc. Cant wait.

Regarding the quality of golf down there, yes every golfer should play the Ocean course if given the opportunity (and expect to shoot at least 15 strokes higher than their handicap the first time around) ... but honestly, if I had to pick a Kiawah course to play regularly it would be Cougar Point - it is INCREDIBLE, IMO. Osprey is great too.
 
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Regarding the quality of golf down there, yes every golfer should play the Ocean course if given the opportunity (and expect to shoot at least 15 strokes higher than their handicap the first time around)

That's awesome you got to play it this summer.

I find it varies based on how they have the course set up that day. I've played Bethpage Black and shot high 80s (I'm usually low 80s). Played Shinnecock and shot 96 and played well, that course is a freaking beast. Played Torrey 3 weeks after the 2008 US Open and shot 101 because they still had the rough up and greens running fast and bumpy. Shot 78 at Royal County Down in Ireland.

Are you an instructor?
 
That's awesome you got to play it this summer.

I find it varies based on how they have the course set up that day. I've played Bethpage Black and shot high 80s (I'm usually low 80s). Played Shinnecock and shot 96 and played well, that course is a freaking beast. Played Torrey 3 weeks after the 2008 US Open and shot 101 because they still had the rough up and greens running fast and bumpy. Shot 78 at Royal County Down in Ireland.

Are you an instructor?

i could not believe how difficult it was to make pars at the Ocean course the first time i played it. and because the nines go in opposite direction and run parallel to the ocean, you almost always have a right to left wind on the front, then the opposite on the back .. so for me, about the time i figure out my ball flight and get comfortable, it completely flips. i've played it 8 times and still have not made a PAR on #17 .. but i have birdied #18 four times .. go figure. i've only played the "tournament" tees once (7,800 yards IIRC) - brutal.

yeah i've been a PGA member since 2002, used to be in the business full time but i now i just teach part time throughout the year at a local course near our house and help out in the shop during the busy season. i'll always keep my PGA card though, primarily so i can play pretty much anywhere and of course to be able to attend the majors/Ryder Cup and with my family.
 
Lucked out and got tickets for 1st round.... Got tickets for 2017 at Quail Hollow so always get email before tickets go on sale, we were hoping to go Friday and Saturday but by the time I was allowed to purchase only had Thursday tickets left!!! Looking forward to it and after today’s announcement from Augusta hoping and praying PGA at Kiawah won’t be effected the same way this year!!!
 
i could not believe how difficult it was to make pars at the Ocean course the first time i played it. and because the nines go in opposite direction and run parallel to the ocean, you almost always have a right to left wind on the front, then the opposite on the back .. so for me, about the time i figure out my ball flight and get comfortable, it completely flips. i've played it 8 times and still have not made a PAR on #17 .. but i have birdied #18 four times .. go figure. i've only played the "tournament" tees once (7,800 yards IIRC) - brutal.

yeah i've been a PGA member since 2002, used to be in the business full time but i now i just teach part time throughout the year at a local course near our house and help out in the shop during the busy season. i'll always keep my PGA card though, primarily so i can play pretty much anywhere and of course to be able to attend the majors/Ryder Cup and with my family.

That’s very cool and I’m very jealous.
 
should be awesome, especially if you’ve never been...the atmosphere is great, scenery is obviously spectacular, the course, etc...i’ve been, played it, and it’s a monster, especially in the winter...when i was with the scga, it was an annual trip.

honestly though, the traffic issue is so frustrating...it’s worse than hilton head or pinehurst...i hope they’ve figured it for this event...kinda surprised they got it again after 2012...the residents weren’t thrilled.
 
honestly though, the traffic issue is so frustrating...it’s worse than hilton head or pinehurst...i hope they’ve figured it for this event...kinda surprised they got it again after 2012...the residents weren’t thrilled.

IMO the whole 2012 traffic thing got overblown bc of the one day (Saturday i believe) where rain moved in midday and they tried to bus all of the spectators and media off the island at one time .. it was HORRIBLE (and the media folks made sure everyone on earth knew of their trials and tribulations) ... other than that it really wasnt that bad throughout the week.
 
IMO the whole 2012 traffic thing got overblown bc of the one day (Saturday i believe) where rain moved in midday and they tried to bus all of the spectators and media off the island at one time .. it was HORRIBLE (and the media folks made sure everyone on earth knew of their trials and tribulations) ... other than that it really wasnt that bad throughout the week.

it was bad beginning saturday, true...logistically though, it’s a difficult area overall...hopefully people have worked on it.
 
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We're staying on the island, but it looks to be a long haul if we wanted to walk to the course--it's the furthest one from where we'll be. I guess there will be some sort of on-island shuttle.

Tickets I just found out are sold out (should have realized) so I have to go through the exchange. Man they are expensive. Maybe its normal pricing, but I'll probably skip the weekend. The day doesn't really matter to me. Might do the practice round and Thursday/Friday.

You can get tickets for Monday and Tuesday. What happens on those days?
 
We're staying on the island, but it looks to be a long haul if we wanted to walk to the course--it's the furthest one from where we'll be. I guess there will be some sort of on-island shuttle.

Tickets I just found out are sold out (should have realized) so I have to go through the exchange. Man they are expensive. Maybe its normal pricing, but I'll probably skip the weekend. The day doesn't really matter to me. Might do the practice round and Thursday/Friday.

You can get tickets for Monday and Tuesday. What happens on those days?

just practice and practice rounds ... best chance to get autographs.
 
it was bad beginning saturday, true...logistically though, it’s a difficult area overall...hopefully people have worked on it.

when i was down there recently the PGA was on the island mapping out some stuff. i talked with a rep and she said they dont really have great travel options bc there is still only one way in and out of the OC. she said they planned to increase the frequency of the bus trips (assuming normal attendance allowance, which i doubt will happen) and they were working on an additional drop off point that would be out near #8 green. i guess we'll see.

Kiawah is almost finished with 4 incredible cottages being built along the practice range, facing the range/ocean. talk about a bucket list trip, staying in one of those. they'll go for around $3k/night with golf included.
 
PGA Tour announces June event at Congaree (just north of Savannah) to take calendar spot for cancelled Canadian Open. If you can get spectator ticket, go. Trust me.
 
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PGA Tour announces June event at Congaree (just north of Savannah) to take calendar spot for cancelled Canadian Open. If you can get spectator ticket, go. Trust me.

nice track...missed out because of weather...and i’m not exaggerating when i say this club is in the poorest location in sc, and maybe in the entire south.

bob mcnair was involved in this so no expense spared in sc.
 
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