Should the PGA Championship return to Kiawah?

[Howard Riefs]

Let's see...

PROs
TOC well-received by pros (other than Friday)
PGA can use a 2nd public/resort course in rota after Whistling Straits
Course looks great on TV
Support of sponsors/business community

CONs
Logistics
Logistics
Logistics
Iffy weather in August


Kiawah and the state are clearly pulling for the 2019 PGA, which is the next opening on the schedule.  

The golf media, who complained incessantly about taking a 75+ minute bus shuttle from the Charleston harbor, would rather have a root canal.  

A few related articles below.

What say you?


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Charleston Post Courier
http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20120813/PC16/120819655/1165/pga-a-stroke-of-good-fortune

ESPN
http://espn.go.com/golf/pgachampionship12/story/_/id/8265238/2012-pga-championship-south-carolina-kiawah-leaders-seek-2nd-major

SI/Golf.com
http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/pga-tour-confidential-rory-mcilroy-wins-pga-championship-eight-shots?page=3

The (Columbia) State
http://www.thestate.com/2012/08/13/2398233/iconic-destination-needs-easier.html#.UClyt6FlTn0

[Jay Flemma]

It was 2-1/2 hours sometimes, even worse at others.  And some fans had four hours to get out.  It was absolutely brutal.  2019 is waaaaaay too soon. They need a highway.

2019 is too soon. 

[Garland Bayley]

Contrary to what the writers at golf.com can understand, the course is fair. The question is whether any player is smart enough to play it in the wind, and whether the writers would even recognize smart play. The course is hard in the wind. Golf is not easy. Unfortunately, it seems everyone thinks for tour players it is easy. Well, let the wind blow at the ocean course and see how hard golf is even for the tour players.

[Ronald Montesano]

This is a great template for those who say "Bring it to Sand Hills" or some other remote location. We're finding attention drawn away from the golf course and placed on logistics. If logistics matters so much, you can guess the answer.

[Matthew Petersen]

Contrary to what the writers at golf.com can understand, the course is fair. The question is whether any player is smart enough to play it in the wind, and whether the writers would even recognize smart play. The course is hard in the wind. Golf is not easy. Unfortunately, it seems everyone thinks for tour players it is easy. Well, let the wind blow at the ocean course and see how hard golf is even for the tour players.

I agree.

At the end yesterday, Nantz was talking about Rory's great play "if you take out that 75 on Friday." And Faldo rightly stepped in and corrected him, noting that the 75 was also several shots below the average round for that day and well could have been a higher number. He said under the circumstances that was also a very good round, even though it looks like the outlier when you see 67-75-67-66.

[Michael George]

Love the venue and would want it to return as soon as possible.  What is par should mean nothing.  Identifying the person playing the best should be everything.  Ocean Course certainly did that last week.

However, it has to be more convenient for the fans.  Commutes like that are simply ridiculous and I would be seriously upset having to live through it.   

So unless the PGA wants to lessen attendance, not until the infrastructure improves is the answer.

[PCCraig]

Absolutely. A great seaside Pete Dye course that features a ton of risk reward and sits in a beautiful setting that produces a worthy Champion...sounds like a nice host to me.

The fact that the Golf media is complaining about long commutes to the golf course, and that that is somehow supposed to hamper the course's chances of hosting further tournaments, is beyond dumb. I know for a fact that there were plenty of opportunities to rent condos or rooms on Kiawah and Seabrook islands.

If anything we should applaud Kiawah and the PGA for hosting a championship on a unique & interesting site, and making a sacrifice in ticket sales to do so. Of course no one here will, but I'm sure it'll happen next year when the USGA goes to Merion.

Besides, what is the other option? A return trip to Atlanta Athletic?  

[Garland Bayley]

...
If anything we should applaud Kiawah and the PGA for hosting a championship on a unique & interesting site, and making a sacrifice in ticket sales to do so. Of course no one here will...

Au Contraire! I applaud them! I also applaud them for having the most major major! I applaud them for having the best field of any of the so called majors.

[Will Lozier]

This is a great template for those who say "Bring it to Sand Hills" or some other remote location. We're finding attention drawn away from the golf course and placed on logistics. If logistics matters so much, you can guess the answer.

Well said.

[Mark Pritchett]

Yes! 

[Mike Benham]

In 2019, it will be 21 years since the PGA of America hosted the Championship on the West Coast, which makes no sense.

If the USGA and Mike Davis don't want Torrey Pines, the PGA should jump on it.

Or if everyone involved is willing to accept the logistics issue at Kiawah, then Bandon would be a perfect West Coast counterpart.

[Joel Zuckerman]

I don't see how the logistics of getting to and from the venue can be improved.  It is a residential community with a winding two lane road, And because of the residential nature of the entire island it is a solid 20 minutes even by car to get from the main gate all the way out to the Ocean course.

I would be very curious to hear of a very clever solution to get spectators, fans, media, etc. out to the venue without all the inherent hassles that have been discussed in detail over the last few days.

[Mark Bourgeois]

No!

[Ronald Montesano]

What course at Bandon would the pros not eat alive? The resort wasn't built for the pros.

[Tim Martin]

Yes!  

+1
 Bring it back as soon as possible!

[Mac Plumart]

From a golf perspective, YES!  I love the course, I really enjoyed watching the pros play it, and it was beautiful to look at.

From a logistics stand point, I can't comment as I didn't attend.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Everyone who wants Kiawah back as soon as possible: what if the choice were between Kiawah and Riviera? Or -- dare we say it -- LACC? Or even another Dye like Crooked Stick?

It's all about the opportunity cost. Tell us what you'd pick Kiawah over.

By the way, I do think it should go back -- after they build highway capacity.

[Mac Plumart]

Mark...

I'd pick it over almost any Classic golf course as I don't want to see those older gems bastardized to accomdate the length of the modern game.

[Michael George]

From experience, if the media is having these kind of travel problems, the general spectator had it much more difficult.  The media usually books their hotel rooms well in advance so they are usually closer than the general public.  Also, they usually have preferred shuttles to expedite the travel.

Again, great venue, but have to work out logistics issues for the fans (not the media).

[Bruce Wellmon]

I don't see how the logistics of getting to and from the venue can be improved.  It is a residential community with a winding two lane road, And because of the residential nature of the entire island it is a solid 20 minutes even by car to get from the main gate all the way out to the Ocean course.

I would be very curious to hear of a very clever solution to get spectators, fans, media, etc. out to the venue without all the inherent hassles that have been discussed in detail over the last few days.

It took us 2 hours from the gate to Bohicket marina Saturday night via the shuttle. So, my hypothetical idea is boat/ferry from Charleston to some sort of temporary dock at TOC. Because you can't change getting from the course to the other end of the island short of adding a third lane and making the third lane reversable on that road. Then you could use one lane for buses only, one lane for the "local" traffic only and the opposite lane for "return" bus traffic.
It was just brutal getting out Saturday.  And it was $20 to park.
But, let me add the logistics was my only complaint of the entire day.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Mac,

I think the damage has already been done at Riviera (not that there's not more being done / to be done but that's all occurred in the absence of a major), LACC's reno/resto has been very well-received, and I trust Dye with CS, which is a modern course anyway.

Michael, an excellent point.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

If Majors were made for the media, they'd want a course with parking on-site with a quality hotel nearby for them.  The world does not work that way.  Many of the great course that would challenge the world's greatest players don't have convenient parking and hotels for the media.  
sorry...  Majors are for the those who love the game watching the greatest players in the world taking on a challenging course.  I love the idea of a Sand Hill Major.  However, corporate hospitality dictates having it near an area that can support corporate sponsorship.  There is a fine line on which venues can host majors.  Kiawah made a good profit for the PGA with hospitality, concessions, merchandise admission sales.  It provided good television with good ratings.  That's the bottom line of whether a major is successful...

[Mac Plumart]

I think the damage has already been done at Riviera (not that there's not more being done / to be done but that's all occurred in the absence of a major),

 

Mark...you just reinforced my point with your Riviera example, which can be extrapolated to include all other Classic courses which have been damaged or will be damaged if the Pro's play on them...major championship or regular event.  I believe modern pros using modern equipment should be played on modern courses that were built to accomodate the modern game. 

[Jason Topp]

It was at least an hour to get to Hazeltine for me and I live 15 minutes away.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Mac, I could see that for a place like Merion or Inverness, which haven't hosted Tour events in a while, but as far as Riviera that horse is out the barn. And the LACC reno/resto is done, too.

I take it you're okay with Crooked Stick.