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Attending 1st pro event, any advice?

drdan524

drdan524

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In July I am taking my 7 year old daughter to our first pro golf tournament. We will be watching the LPGA U.S. Open in Bedminster, NJ. I have never been to a golf tournament before so I am looking for advice or suggestions on what to do. We got the Trophy Club tickets which is, if I remember correctly, between the 17th and 18th hole. She is learning to play golf and really enjoying it so I am looking to make it a great experience for her. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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drdan524 said:
In July I am taking my 7 year old daughter to our first pro golf tournament. We will be watching the LPGA U.S. Open in Bedminster, NJ. I have never been to a golf tournament before so I am looking for advice or suggestions on what to do. We got the Trophy Club tickets which is, if I remember correctly, between the 17th and 18th hole. She is learning to play golf and really enjoying it so I am looking to make it a great experience for her. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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I've only been to a few events, but just have fun. If you have the opportunity to follow a favorite golfer for a little bit, do it. I find it fun to see how they approach (and in some cases just dismantle) a course. The dress is your typical golf attire, although you will likely see plenty of people in just a tee shirt and shorts. I've never brought a young one, so I can't help there but it can be a lot of walking if you are following a group - FYI.
 
I used to take my son to Doral every year. At that age they get tired in the heat and bored easily so keep her hydrated and look for a kids zone to keep it fun.
 
That should be a fun experience!

I first took my son when he was 8 to TPC Boston, we spent a lot of time around the practice green and range. Players were very friendly and would say hi and chat with him. We walked around a bit but spent a lot of time sitting so he wouldn't get too tired. Lots of water & sunscreen is a must.
 
If you're there for the whole day I'd recommend following one group all the way around in the morning and then moving between holes and groups in the afternoon.
 
LPGA events are great fan experiences. The ladies are more inclined to interact. Your daughter will have a blast getting autographs and pictures
 
I like to pick a group and follow them. That way you get to see a whole round put together by them, which is pretty awe inspiring to watch. Sometimes one hole can be fun though depending on the layout or if there is a specific thing you want to watch (tee shots/putting/approach shots)/or if it's a difficult hole and you want to see what goes down. Most of the time I'll pick a group to follow at first and then stop at one of the later holes to watch the rest come through until another group I want to see finish out comes along.
 
My only advice is spend plenty of time on the practice ground. You will get nice and close, you can see how the players interact with their caddies and other players and you can use your phone.


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One thing I like doing is to follow a bunch of groups for a few holes. Walk 2-3 holes, then pick up the next group for a few, then the next. That way you can rest every once in a while and watch several players and see the whole course. Being an LPGA event, shouldn't have a huge crowd so might be easy to move around see a lot.

Par 3 greens in the shade are a good spot to sit and watch if you want to watch several groups come through. Get to see the tee shot coming​ and then the putts.
 
Would think the US Open would be pretty crowded, especially on weekends even though it is the LPGA. I prefer following a group. With a younger kid best bet might be follow for 4-5 holes, take a rest then pick up another group. Look ahead of time to see how the course is laid out so you know where you can pick up other groups if the one you are following. I have never watched the girls play but I imagine it will consist of head shaking on how straight they hit compared to the head shaking of how high the guys can hit. Will probably be easier to follow the ball as well especially for a kid. Have fun
 
The best advice I can give is make the day entirely about her. She'll probably want to leave early, and that's ok. Sunscreen and a hat to keep her comfortable will help you get to watch longer. Definitely watch a practice group. It is mesmerizing to see how methodically they work and still pure almost every shot. Their putting drills are fun to watch too. I stole a few from my sons favorite golfer to help improve his game. Hearing "Remember when we saw Jordan Spieth doing this drill?" gets him into it. Other than that, just have fun and enjoy the experience. When she does decide it's time to leave, it's gonna be hard to say ok. Prepare yourself beforehand. lol
 
Only thing I would suggest if you plan on following a group, try to get ahead of the crowd to get some great views. IE after an approach shot into the green, try getting to the next tee while the group putts, you will get a great view for her off the tee.
 
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