How to Watch a Golf Tournament as a Spectator
Attending a golf tournament can be an exciting time. You’re at the venue, you’re packed and ready to go, ready to see your favorite golfers strutting around the links right in front of your eyes. There’s only one problem — you’re missing a central strategy, a general outline of how you’re going to watch the tournament play out and how to see all the action.
The truth is, many people attend golf tournaments without really knowing how to watch them, which can end up spelling problems throughout the day. To get the most out of your day at a golf tournament, it’s important to understand what usually works and some common pitfalls to avoid.
In this article, we take you through various strategies for how to successfully watch a golf tournament as a spectator.
1. Identify Your Priorities
Before you do anything, ask yourself, what do I really want out of this golf tournament? Maybe you want to get up close with your favorite golfers and follow them around for the entire day, watching their every shot and seeing how they operate during a tournament.
Or maybe you just want to keep up with the action, watching as everything plays out and the roars cascade over the greens. Be sure to think about what you want out of the tournament and consult with your group to find out what everyone wants to do.
If you have a large group and people want separate things, consider splitting up into pairs or trios and navigating the course that way — it will make everyone happier and also make it easier to sort through the crowds.
2. Create a General Strategy
Everyone should have a general strategy before they attend a golf tournament. Because once you get there, all hell breaks loose — you’re distracted by the beautiful venue, by the shiny new shirts in the pro shop, by the strutting Brooks Koepka teeing off on the third hole. That basic framework, even though it can definitely (and will be) flexible throughout the course of the day, is great to fall back on when you get into the chaos.
There are a few different strategies to consider when attending a golf tournament:
Follow the Action
The reason you see massive crowds around the leaders at golf tournaments is because people love following the action. Everyone wants to see the last pairing tee off and play, they want to see the big names (Tiger, Rory, Rahm, Scottie, etc.) strike the ball.
And it’s not a bad strategy to have. It can be electric following the gallery and feeling the tension start to mount as golfers jockey for first. But be aware that this strategy also comes with pitfalls. You may not get a good spot right in front of the ropes, and you may find yourself three or four rows deep trying to see through cracks in the crowd.
Still, it’s one of the more simpler and enjoyable strategies out there if you don’t mind crowds and some bad views once in a while.
Camp
If you want to get a good spot, you might consider “camping” on a hole, which basically means you’re going to go to a certain hole when it’s less crowded, find a great spot and wait for the big names to come through. Since you got there early, you’ll already have a spot and won’t have to fight for a view. If you’re willing to be patient, this is a great strategy to have.
You can get some really good looks at some awesome players and get a view of all the action right in front of your eyes. Before you go, identify some holes that might be worth camping out on — water holes, driveable par 4s, pars 3s. Consider getting there an hour or two before a top pairing comes through (or more, considering the tournament), and getting comfortable.
Jump Ahead
Sort of a mix of camping and following the action, the jump-ahead strategy will allow you to beat some of the crowd while also allowing you to see the action. This will also depend on the course layout, so be aware of this. But essentially what you’re doing is camping and then jumping ahead of the top pairing to go to another hole, getting a great spot and then waiting for them to come through.
So say you camp on hole six, watch the pairings come through, then jump ahead to hole 10, watch those pairings, jump to hole 13, camp, wait — you get the picture. This can actually be a very effective strategy, until you get to the back nine on Sunday, of course — then all bets are off.
The best strategy is likely a mix of all three of these. A lot of people also opt to simply walk the course when they get there. Golf tournaments are usually at some of the mos beautiful venues in the world, after all, so it can be awesome taking some time to take in all the splendor.
3. Obtain a Course Map
You’re going to want a course map. Navigating a golf course when you’re playing one might be easy enough, but when there are massive crowds involved, grandstands and ropes, it’s a whole different animal. If you can, try to obtain a map before attending. You can probably find it on the tournament or course website. If you want to get really specific, you could even draw out an outline of the path you’d like to follow once you get there, which holes you’d like to camp or how to plan to jump ahead to stay in front of the action.
This can be a really effective way to solidify a plan and keep everyone on the same page, even if someone from your group gets separated from the pack.
4. Get the Inside Scoop From Locals
If you’ve never been to the tournament course before, it can be overwhelming when you first get there. Golf courses are already sort of labyrinthine, with layouts twisting this way and that. As a spectator, we often have no idea how to get to the good spots or where to see the best action. Before the tournament, try to get some inside information from those who are in the know.
See if anyone in your network has worked at the course before, visited or played it or attended a tournament at the venue. Talk to locals or maintenance crew — these people have all the little golden nuggets for where to see the best action. Feel free to talk to others once you are there, as well. Some tournament chasers have been at this for years or even decades, and they’re usually more than willing to share where the good spots are and some strategies for getting there.
Just be kind, friendly and ask the right questions. You may just find yourself in a great spot watching all the action.
5. Look at Tee Times
Know the tee times before you attend. Write them down before you go, memorize them, whatever you have to do. This will help you know where you stand when you see someone hit or walk past, and you can plan your next move accordingly. It will also help you determine when you want to get to the course. Most tee times will start around mid-morning and the last pairing will tee off in the early afternoon.
6. Get a Hotspot or Download Tournament App
Be aware, some courses might have spotty services and shaky wifi. Depending on where you are on the course, you may not have any service at all. This can be challenging to navigate as you’d like to see when pairings are going to tee off or if there’s any action going on at other holes. You’ll also want to be able to communicate with other members of your group. If someone gets lost without service, it can be trouble.
Consider investing in a hotspot to ensure you have wifi throughout the day.
7. Stick Together
As the tournament gets tight and the stars come out, it can be very easy to lose the group you’re with. And once you lose them, it’s even harder to find them again. So be sure to do your best to stick together and create a plan for where to meet if someone does get lost.
8. Stay Ahead of the Game
As mentioned earlier, one of the best strategies for watching a golf tournament as a spectator is to stay ahead of the action and camp for a little bit to watch them come through. This will give you a great spot to see some of your favorite golfers up close and personal.
9. Prepare for the Sunday Back Nine
If you’re attending a golf tournament on a Sunday, you’re definitely going to want to be prepared. You’re in for a treat, but you’ll also want to have a strategy so you can find some good spots and follow the action.
If you want to get a good spot on the back nine — especially eighteen, consider camping out hours in advance. It’s going to be chaos. And if it’s tight late, you’ll be squeezing in to catch a glimpse of the action, hearing the roars wash over the course and feeling the tension build as the day wears on. There’s nothing quite like the back nine on Sunday.
10. Enjoy
Golf tournaments are awesome fun, and having a strategy in place can make them even better. You can see your favorite golfers, enjoy the action and take in the venue in all of its beauty.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about attending a golf tournament as a spectator.
How Long Is a Golf Tournament?
Professional golf tournaments will typically start on Thursday and end on Sunday. Tee times start in the morning, usually around 9 am, and the last pairing will go off in the early afternoon around 2 pm. One round will usually last a little over four hours for each pairing, so tournament days usually finish up around 7 pm.
What Should I Bring to a Golf Tournament?
Make sure to bring sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat to a golf tournament. Typically you’ll be standing outside under the sun for hours on end, so it’s important to protect yourself from sunburn. At most tournaments, they’ll have food and beverages at the venue. If you’re planning on camping out on a certain hole for a while, you could consider bringing folding chairs. Be sure to check the restrictions for the specific tournament you’re attending to see what you can bring.
How Early Should You Arrive at a Golf Tournament?
How early you arrive at a golf tournament will depend on your preferences. If it’s Sunday and you’re looking to get a good spot on the 18th, you’ll likely want to show up fairly early to grab a good spot before it fills up.
Watching a Golf Tournament as A Spectator: The Bottom Line
Whether you’re attending The Masters or a high school golf tournament, it’s important to have a general plan going in. Knowing your plan, you can relax and take it all in. Enjoy.