[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

I'd like to get an overall opinion of GCA on Kiawah's PGA Championship - Not what you've read, what you saw on TV or, for those of you who attended, what you experienced on the course and getting to and from. 

[RJ_Daley]

The TV was great IMO.  How could the visuals not be given the location?  I read the comments of those I'd give great credence to as far as their personal experience and logistics, and have to say it sounds like something I wouldn't put myself through as a spectator on the ground.  For the TV viewer of a major golf tournament, it is always fun to watch the coverage on a course one has played and compare what you see on the tube with what you remember, seeing a shot played from perhaps where you might remember you played from, etc. 

The only comparison I can make is that I attended the PGA at Medinah some years ago.  On the logistics there, a bus ride was the mode of getting into the golf course, where we parked quite a ways away at Arlington Park racetrack, but the buses were plentiful and the ride was quick and without traffic delay.  The walk into the golf property was not bad at all. 

I attended both the US Womens Open at Black Wolf, and both PGAs at Whistling.  Again, the buses were quick (and the fields that we parked in were not far from the courses).   The rope lines at BWR were well laid out and the course was easy to get around.  WS of course is a bit of a hike among the steep manufactured dunes, but with the internal walk and service roads, not really that much of a bother. 

I guess I'd put it to Jay Flemma (who won the writers walking contest where they all wore pedometers) to say what the walking about the grounds comparability factor was, once one actually endured the trip to and from the venue.

[Bruce Wellmon]

I went Saturday. My ONLY complaint was logistics (the bus).
The course just looked spectacular. I don't think it could have been in better shape.
I had no trouble finding concessions stands, walking around, the Wannamaker Pavilion, etc. All Good.
Grade A. Inside the gates.
Grade F, logistics outside the gate. As I said in the other thread it took 2 hours from the front gate to Bohicket. I am certainly not an expert in mass transprtation, but, something was just plain wrong with that. And honestly I think $20 to park is overpriced.
But, should TOC host another Major? Absolutely. It is a unique, beautiful, fantastic venue.     

[Tom ORourke]

Positives - the course.
Negatives - not enough seating, not enough viewing areas, exiting parking lots.

My wife and I were there Thursday and Friday. We stayed up around Charleston and the ride at an early hour was not a big deal. Both days we arrived around 6:30 so getting there was not an issue. The bus was not even full when we rode in. The bus ride was a bit of a hike but nothing that should be an issue. Getting out in the afternoon was a bit of a different story but I thought the issue was not leaving the course and getting on the bus. They seemed to have that down. Getting out of the lot was a bit of an issue but once out of the lot there was not a problem. I heard tales of long waits coming in for those who slept in but it was not an issue if you got there early. Maybe some off, of island parking would help to reduce the number of cars coming into the lots? Park out closer to rte. 17 and have a bus lane directly in with no waiting?
I have played the course a few years ago, and we had been at the 91 Ryder Cup. The changes to the course have made it much easier to walk. The long walk from 9 to 10 is a pain. We were walking with the wives of David Lynn and Daryl Kestner. The players jumped into carts on Friday after 9, were zipped to 10, and their wives were left behind. They had the same thing happen to them on Thursday from 18 to 1. You might want one more cart available for spouses.
Overall I would rate it highly except for the lack of seating in many areas. Once you left the grandstand on one you had no seating for the rest of the front nine. I know some areas are tight, and there are probably environmental concerns, but you could have taken some 4 row bleachers out of the local grammar school gym and set them behind the fourth and fifth greens just so people did not have to sit down in the sand if they got tired. Some of the tees were so far away it was tough to see who was hitting, never mind where the ball was, but that is the nature of that course. I think the quality of the course makes it worth having some drawbacks in spectating. I can see how we could not get over to the 11th tee but you could not get anywhere near the 14th tee, and that would have been neat to see. When the tee was back you could not follow the ball very well from 40 yards away and that is a shot worth watching. I think building some more spectating areas around some of the tees would make a big difference in viewing.
I would go back again if an event was held there. I would love to see it there on an Olympic year with the event pushed back to September because of the Olympics. There would be more wind then and that would be really fun to watch, if not to play. I give this year a B and I think some changes can be made to make it better next time.

[Jud_T]

I thought it was a great TV venue, particularly on Friday when the wind blew.  It was unfortunate that you had so much rain and that it wasn't a close finish.  Imagine very dry conditions, Friday's wind, and Rory and Tiger tied for the lead at the turn on Sunday and this course would rocket up many folks' list...

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

I'd like to get an overall opinion of GCA on Kiawah's PGA Championship - Not what you've read, what you saw on TV or, for those of you who attended, what you experienced on the course and getting to and from. 

So you want the opinion of those who attended but want them to refrain from commenting on logistics - correct? I wanted to clarify before commenting based on what I saw on telly

No.  I want your opinion on everything.  Can't correct if we don't know all of the challenges.  FYI, don't make the suggestion of busing people in from the N. Chas. Convention Center.  It's cost prohibitive...

[Cory Lewis]

More bleachers, especially on the front and perhaps some bleachers on 17 for those without VIP tickets.  Other than that everything was great!

[Pat Burke]

I'd like to get an overall opinion of GCA on Kiawah's PGA Championship - Not what you've read, what you saw on TV or, for those of you who attended, what you experienced on the course and getting to and from. 

Mike,
Sounded like the biggest complaints were coming from the press corp.
Maybe helicopters for them?  Bigger buffet?  Who knows.
Infrastructure can always be improved, and would likely be improved for another event.
I thought it was a type of course that was great for the PGA, which has had a checkered past in that regard.
Helps the tournament create it's identity a bit it seems

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

I'd like to get an overall opinion of GCA on Kiawah's PGA Championship - Not what you've read, what you saw on TV or, for those of you who attended, what you experienced on the course and getting to and from. 

Mike,
Sounded like the biggest complaints were coming from the press corp.
Maybe helicopters for them?  Bigger buffet?  Who knows.
Infrastructure can always be improved, and would likely be improved for another event.
I thought it was a type of course that was great for the PGA, which has had a checkered past in that regard.
Helps the tournament create it's identity a bit it seems

We had the chefs from the best Charleston restaurants preparing their meals in the media hotels.  Believe me, they ate really well....

[Bill_McBride]

I'd like to get an overall opinion of GCA on Kiawah's PGA Championship - Not what you've read, what you saw on TV or, for those of you who attended, what you experienced on the course and getting to and from. 

Mike,
Sounded like the biggest complaints were coming from the press corp.
Maybe helicopters for them?  Bigger buffet?  Who knows.
Infrastructure can always be improved, and would likely be improved for another event.
I thought it was a type of course that was great for the PGA, which has had a checkered past in that regard.
Helps the tournament create it's identity a bit it seems

We had the chefs from the best Charleston restaurants preparing their meals in the media hotels.  Believe me, they ate really well....

Plus an open bar I'll bet.   

[Carl Rogers]

1.  The through the green nature of the sandy area non-bunkers did not seem to make a difference in the play or outcome (noting that theses areas were raked and that the rakes were provided).  If the rakes were not provided, that might be interesting.  I wonder what will the conditions of play will be at the US Open at Pinehurst in 2014 for these areas.

2. The turf conditions at the green complexes seemed fairly slow.  It was not really links golf, IMO.  I do not know much about or have ever played on paspalum.  I do not recall any commentary on the amount of rainfall in the preceding days or weeks.

3.  I think the prestige of this event is on the decline as the game gets more globalized and there is a clamor or a force feed of another 'major' in the Pacific Rim or Asia.

4.  I would like to see another format, combination for stroke & match play event.

[Joel Zuckerman]

I was there on Friday and Saturday. The main road leading to the island at noon time on Friday was bumper-to-bumper, and a real nightmare.  It took the better part of an hour to traverse the last two or 3 miles as you got closer to the island..

I used a bicycle to get to the ocean course on Friday from the fresh Fields Village area, and that was a little bit of an ordeal.  It was a combination of the bike not being super up-to-date, and the fact that the bike path has a lot of twists, turns and road crossing bumps that make it a little bit more of an epic journey than one might consider an 8-mile bike ride would ever be.

I used the shuttle bus system on Saturday, leaving the Fresh Field parking lot at 6:25 AM, to get there, and then leaving the course around 2 PM, were both pretty simple.   I consider myself very lucky that I had a Media  obligation back out at fresh field, which got me off the golf course before the thunderstorms hit later that day.  Fact is, as I was driving back to Savannah, the skies darkened and it began pouring down rain, rain which shortly thereafter made its way to the Ocean course and suspended play later that afternoon.

In regards to being at the course itself, I think that for those who have mobility issues, are elderly, overweight, or susceptible to heat-related issues, got much more than they bargained for. It was a 10 minute walk just from the shuttle bus to the main pavilion area of the tournament, which is where there are plenty of concessions, but still a long way from the course itself.  definitely at least a 15 minute walk from the shuttle bus just to the driving range area, and depending on whether you want to go to the front nine or the back nine, at least another five minutes in either direction to see the course and live golf shots.  All in all, probably 20 minutes for most people just to get to a position where they could see the course, a hole, or a golfer actually on the course.

As others have stated, lack of seating, lack of shade, lack of sightlines, all contributed to the fact that you would have to really be a diehard golf fan to enjoy your afternoon on the Ocean course.  The ocean views are wonderful, and thankfully there was a steady breeze, but I admire the fortitude and the zealousness of those who spent hours and hours on the grounds without benefit of a hospitality tent.

[John Kavanaugh]

Could anyone explain the value of having golf writers on the grounds during a tounament? I duly understand a preview piece but can not fathom reading a report after the fact that could not have been garnered by watching TV. I say do away with their wasted space and give more room and access to the fans.

[Nigel Islam]

I thought the course and the tournament looked terrific on tv. Very intrigued until the back nine Sunday.

[John Shimp]

Course was too soft although no ones fault but rain.  Greens were perfect.  I thought the setup could have been more interesting in spots. 

Eg. Why play 14  with that great but severe green as a monster par 3 right after an 8 hole run into the wind culminating w hole 13 the hardest on the course?  That hole should be a mid iron at most.  I could say the same for hole 17. No need to have that hole be a 225 yd pitch out left. Make it 180 where they think they can stuff it in there. 

[Tom ORourke]

don't make the suggestion of busing people in from the N. Chas. Convention Center.  It's cost prohibitive...

I was not thinking about that. More like out at the airport that is nearby, there seem to be enough open areas fairly close by that would give additional parking, etc. My wife wondered if there were enough busses but I thought you had a fair amount. Joel is right - it is a 30 minute walk to a good viewing location once you get off the bus, so issues like that are not going to go away. The matter of $20 for parking, and $16 for 2 dogs and 2 sodas is another matter. I have come to expect that from the PGA. I still think the primary point is the entry and exit, not the course itself.

[Brian_Ewen]

Whats the PGA Championship 

[Matt MacIver]

Great event!

I attended Friday, drove from Folly and took the shuttle from Fresh Fields.  Brought my non-golfing family.  We all had a great time.  I was frustrated by the slow moving traffic on the way in, but it turned out a fender bender slowed us down.  I was shocked regarding the drive out Friday afternoon, bumper-bumper starting around 4:00.  It was what it was (wasn't it?). 

Seating - I would like to have had more grandstands scattered about since the dunes don't make great natural viewing areas and are often far outside the ropes. 

Food - long line for lunch at the 8th green during lunch, another stand would have helped but not sure how practical. 

Merchandise - great assortment, pricing, location, checkout. 

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I couldn't complain about much, although I too would have liked to see more grandstand areas.  I probably wouldnt have sat all day in them as the guy with me had never seen The Ocean Course so we walked it basically 1-18 in order pretty much to start the day.

Obviously Friday we may have gotten the best (and most entertaining) weather day of the week.   The wind was howling at some points, but it was awesome.  At one point it was blowing sand on us as we sat in the top row of the 12th green bleachers probably 40 ft up in the air.

Now the logistics.  We got pretty lucky, with some planning to pave the way...  When I lived in CA years ago I got used to planning ahead for traffic knowing that if you left the Bay area at the wrong time heading to Lake Tahoe or coming home you would sit in traffic for hours so we learned to drive in the middle of the night when all the normal people were sleeping.  We used that strategy to perfect advantage driving from the Upstate of SC arriving Thurs night about midnight and getting right through the gate.  Crashed at a friends house on Kiawah for a few hours and got up early getting on the first (or close to it) inter-island bus.  We were on the course by 8am and had the course almost to our selves for the entire front nine (some of the marquis names were going off 10), we turned to a more crowded back nine but other than 17 & 18 still the crowds werent so bad that sight lines were impossible.  Lines at concession stands were there around lunch time but that was about it, and even then I didnt think was out of line.  We finished walking 18 and sat for a while on 17th hole hillside, and bleachers behind 12 where we were able to get in the very top right corner and watch not only 12th hole, but stand up and watch (from above) the drives on 13th hole.  Which was an unbelievable perspective watching the best in the world hitting into that wind.  It was wild to see those guys ballooning big cut into that wind to a watery grave, or hitting low hooks left into the dunes to compensate.  I can see why hardly anyone hit that green on Friday because hardly anyone hit that fairway while we sat there early afternoon.

The exit from the island was easy as well.  We again planned ahead and left while Tiger was still finishing up his round to avoid the glut of people that would leave when he was done.  We left in time to get off the island before it got too crazy.  We sat in traffic heading out to 17, but it wasn't much worse than I have experienced when I play in a big charity tournament every spring at Seabrook Island and all couple hundred of us finish up the awards ceremony and leave Seabrook about the same time as the normal traffic flow off of Seabrook and Kiawah Islands.  I seriously was about the same back up maybe a little heavier.

I couldnt have been happier with the overall experience.  I originally wasnt sure if I was going to come down to any day of the events because I just love sitting in front of my HD tv with a beer fridge close and my own bathroom, and I knew TOC wouldnt rival TPC Sawgrass for viewing locations.  But in hind sight I am so glad that I did.  The viewing was actually so much better than I anticipated, I was thinking we would be relegated to the low lying waste areas, but was happy to see that the dunes lines were normally fair game for the crowds.  Actually Mike V, I was wanting to ask you how did the dunes and dune grass stand up to the crowds after all four days?  Was there extensive damage that will have to be reconstructed?  Just wondered.

But over all I saw Bravo to the first major here in SC!!!   I hope it comes back soon!!!

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