By Fred Altvater
Since golfers were called off the course during The PLAYERS Championship last March, professional golf tournaments have been played with either a very minimal number of fans in attendance, or no fans whatsoever.
While it is a treat to be able to see the golf courses as they were meant to be during televised events, it is unusual for the pros, who enjoy performing live for adoring fans. They are not able to feed off the energy, when in the hunt on Sunday, and it is an eerie experience to be plying their trade on empty golf courses.
Two West Coast Swing events the American Express Championship and the AT&T National Pro Am were played in January and February without amateurs accompanying the pros.
The Waste Management Phoenix Open, which annually welcomes 700,000 fans for the week will limit attendance to 5,000 fans per day. Normally the par 3 16th hole accommodates over 16,000 rowdy fans every day of the tournament, but not this year.
As the tour moves to Florida, tournaments are beginning to be allowed to permit a limited number of fans to attend PGA Tour events.
The WGC at Concession, formerly the WGC Mexico, will be held February 25-28 and will kick off the ‘Florida Swing.’ It was moved to Florida from Mexico due to COVID travel concerns for the players and early reports are that it will return to Mexico in 2022.
I would not bet on that actually happening, however. This may present an opportunity for the new European Tour/PGA Tour Strategic Alliance to move a WGC event to Europe, or possibly the Middle East, where the Saudis are waiting with very deep pockets and yearn for a big professional golf tournament.
The Arnold Palmer Invitational, to be held at Arnie’s beloved Bay Hill, March 4-7, will be the second leg of the Florida Swing and it has announced that it will accept 25% of the normal number of fans on the grounds through daily passes only.
The PLAYERS Championship has already announced they will allow fans through the gates, but just how many has yet to be determined.
The Honda Classic is also allowing fans inside and are still assessing the maximum number that can be allowed tickets. They were voted the ‘Most Fan Friendly’ event on tour and are working to keep that distinction.
Augusta National announced that the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip & Putt competitions will be held the week prior to the Masters. The Masters itself will be held April 8-10, but only a portion of patrons will be permitted to attend. Letters of regret have already been sent to patrons, who had prepaid for their passes with the assurance refunds would be forthcoming.
