Each year I keep saying I am going to get a ticket to the Phoenix Open so I can experience exactly what the 16th hole at the TPC of Scottsdale is like during that event. Well, Maybe one day. Until then I guess I, like millions of you, will have to reside to the next best thing, watching the event on TV.
Something Different
Was it me, or was there a feel of less excitement for this year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open? Oh, yaw, there were the moments but over all it seemed like the crowd at the 16th hole was just not as pumped on Sunday as they usually get.
Is the 16th Hole of the Phoenix Open losing its hold on being the loudest hole in golf?
Its understood the dank weather this past Sunday in Scottsdale probably did not help things. Plus, having the event covered by the uninteresting Golf Channel probably did not help either. Having the USA Olympic Hockey team playing Canada for the Gold Medal may have played a big factor. And of course, the bleeding from the head wound golf received from an Escalade hitting a fire hydrant really did not help.
Golf sure needs the 16th Hole of the Phoenix Open. It is the few times when being rowdy is tolerated during a golf tournament. Its reputation is famous and every tour player knows that if they receive the honor of playing in the Phoenix Open they have to face “16”. Could it be that intimidation factor keeps a few of the top players from attending?
Did Poulter help or Hurt the 16th Hole?
Seems Ian Poulter, (my now biggest golf fan on Twitter), let off a little steam on the 16th in a way more suiting a Hockey player. The crowd can rub the players the wrong way. Yes, the price a player has to pay at the 16th Hole of the Phoenix Open.
Maybe we should all just plan on attending next year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open and support the Loudest Hole in Golf. I’m in, or you? Let me know how I can help.
Yes, attendance was down this year, and for some of the reasons you mentioned — it rained until mid-morning Sunday, most likely scaring off some final round spectators. Crowds the other three days seemed pretty good, especially Saturday — I got caught in more than one spectator traffic jam trying to make my way around the course — but numbers were down from previous years. Lack of major network coverage didn't help tournament visibility, and having it a month later might have affected awareness of the event and attendance too. Plus let's not forget the economy's lingering effects, I think people are still cutting fringe expenses — but is attending a professional golf tournament a frivolous expense? I say no!! 😉
Don't think the Tiger thing relates as he doesn't usually play this tournament anymore, hasn't since the late 90's I think. One of my favorite memories was witnessing Tiger's hole-in-one in 1997 from the north side of the green, where you used to be able to stand before they put the skyboxes in around the green a few years back.
I've attended this tournament every year since 1993, usually go Thursday (to watch golf) and Saturday (to watch golf early, and the crazy spectators late). It's usually the same each year, the tourney/party reaches a peak on Saturday night — this year was the same, The Bird's Nest even oversold tickets on Saturday night and was turning away people at the door. On Sunday most of the party crowd slept in and the golf crowd carried the tourney to it's conclusion on Sunday afternoon. Next year when (I think) the event returns to it's normal slot in the last week of January, look for numbers to be back up. Let's do our part, I'll be there on Thursday and Saturday again.
Hope to see you there next year Scot!