TOP 5 REASONS TO ATTEND A PGA TOUR EVENT

Top 5 Reasons To Attend a PGA Tour Event:

1. Chance to see your favorite player - I’ve been to a PGA Tour event before (Viking Classic in Madison, MS) but nothing like the Zurich Classic. I got to see my favorite player Bubba Watson, along with a bunch of other top golfers including Rickie Fowler (who was wearing purple and gold - Geaux Tigers!), Luke Donald, K.J. Choi, Tommy “Two-Gloves” Gainey, Steve Stricker, Chris DiMarco and Camilo Villlegas. I got to see everyone I wanted - minus the person who was the reason I planned to go Graeme McDowell - he missed the cut by five strokes. A couple buddies of mine saw Rickie Friday night with his caddie eating dinner at Dominica in New Orleans. Apparently, a lot of players and tournament officials were staying at the hotel next door to the restaurant.


2. The courses are even more spectacular in person - By far, TPC Louisiana is the nicest course I’ve seen. Every inch of the place was just perfect. The fairways were freshly cut, the bunkers were neatly raked with the fluffiest sand you can imagine and I’ve never seen greens with as many angulations. My home course is typically in good condition, but being in tournament condition is entirely different.
   
   I almost got to play TPC Louisiana last summer for a friends bachelor party. We drove out to Avondale and were warming up when a typical South Louisiana summer storm rolled in. We retreated to the club house when lightening started to strike. We were hoping it would just blow over and we could still play so we waited an hour and a half in the club house. Unfortunately, it only got worse.


3. 325+ yard bombs don't translate well on TV - Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson are known as the “big hitters” on Tour, but ALL the players on Tour can rip it! I got to see Bubba tee off on hole 1, hole 2, hole 7, hole 13 and hole 18 and every single time, he absolutely crushed it! There is honestly nothing quite as impressive as seeing someone like Bubba launch the ball out of sight - literally. As bright as it was outside, after Bubba’s ball traveled about 200 yards, I could not longer see it. The longest drive I ever hit was 346 yards, downhill, WITH the wind, on dirt pan. On Thursday of the tournament, Bubba Watson averaged 345 yards.


4. You get to see some WAGs - The wives’ and girlfriends of the players try to blend in with the crowd, but you can pick them out from a mile away. I got to see several attractive ladies follwoing in the crowd including Angie Watson, Bubba’s wife. But the best WAG I saw was Jason Dufner’s significant other. She was dressed to kill (foxy lady!) and she was giving Jason looks with the same tenacity. After Jason hit his tee shot on 13, he started walking and his girlfriend was walking side by side along the rope and it appeared she was silently yelling at him, pointing her finger aggressively. We have not idea what she was saying, but all Jason could do was let his head sink in despair. My friend made the comment “He does not look happy today”. Maybe it was the bogey on the twelve?


5. Yelling “Get in the hole” - If you think the fans who yell "get in the hole" are annoying, then you've never had the opportunity to yell it! The 13th hole at TPC Louisiana is set up as a driveable par 4, especially for a leftie who prefers to play a power-fade (know anyone?). I was able to stand right by the tee box to see Camilo, K.J., Luke, Tommy “2-Gloves”, Steve, and Webb hit their tee shot. But, I was really only waiting to see Bubba. By the time Bubba got to the 13th, a small crowd had built up around the tee box waiting in anticipation. Everyone in the group I was with agreed to yell “Get in the hole” as soon as Bubba hit his tee shot. As soon as the green cleared, Bubba placed his ball, stretched his club out, lined up for the green on hole seven (playing the fade) and took a rip! As agreed, we yelled “Get in the hole” with delight. Andrew was watching on TV and knew I was at the Zurich Classic, but he didn’t know what hole I was on. When he heard the gallery yell “Get in the hole” after Bubba’s tee shot, he texted me and told me he heard me. So, essentially, I’m famous.
   
   I also got to yell “Luuuuuuuke” at Luke Donald as he was walking to his approach shot on hole 7. You hear people on TV yelling that all the time. Who knew Luke wouldn’t like it? He refused to acknowledge my chant of endearment so I (borderline) heckled him by saying “What, no wave? No tip of the cap? Come on!” I was shocked he didn’t make any sort of gesture to acknowledge his fans in the crowd, which totalled 7 at the time - me and my friends. I saw Luke again on hole 13 in the round and tried to get the lady next to me to yell “Luuuke” to see if he would acknowledge her. But she was too bashful. My theory is/was he would have acknowledged a woman.