Going to watch my first tourny at Bay Hill

[sandwedge]

I just got a 4 day pass for the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week. I am going on Friday and probably again on Sunday. I am excited since I have never been to a tournament before.

Does anybody that has been to a tournament have any suggestions on how to get the most from it? I would love to watch Tiger but I don't know if I want to get into all that chaos of following him around all day. Is it better to just pick a spot and watch everyone come through? I have also heard it is worth it to go watch these guys warm up on the range for a while too.

[bryank]

I'd love to go, I'm just over in Melbourne, but can't swing it this year. Have fun! Wish I could help, but I've never been to one before either

[SCGolfer]

SW, it is all preference and how much walking you want to do. I have sat in one spot and watched all the groups come thru on a par 3 or by a green. It's ok if you are just hanging out with someone drinking a beer. You can pick a less crowded group to follow around during the round. Or my personel favorite......if you go in after some groups are on the course......I like to go around backwards watching a few groups play a hole and then move on until getting back to number 1 and pick up a group and go back around the right way. I don't like sitting still all that much. One of my coworkers is headed down for sundays round......I sure would like to go but I have vacation tied up.....2 days at augusta....2 days at the heritage and friday at the wachovia......but as I said it is just personal preference lots of walking or lots of sitting. have fun!!

[cypressperch]

when the tournament was in progress. They spend a lot of time at each green, hitting all kinds of chips, pitches, bunker shots, and putts. Some will have a "portable cup" that they put at all the general locations where cups might be put on the greens. Yes, the range and practice areas, including putting green, are good places to go and see how it is really done. I will never forget watching Jose Maria Olasabal practicing ten foot putts. He was making close to 19 out of every 20!

During the practice round the golfers sign far more autographs between holes if you are into that sort of thing. If you get something nice at one of the shops they set up, more golfers will sign that than if you ask for them to sign something like a free program. The less well know golfers seem to get into this more than those that are currently hot and perhaps tired of being in the spotlight. Jack Nicklaus had many talking about how disgusted they were with his behavior and comments. I will admit he was exceedingly blunt, but perhaps he was having a bad day. He was playing with Freddie Couples (this was at the Memorial), and seemed to be in good spirits, but then after walking by a row of worshippers, he turned and said, "Hey! I don't sign anything during the round. I might do some signatures at the range after the round." He did not go to the range at all, and a good many of us did go over there. It worked out OK though because I got to see David Toms hitting his "skimmer pitch shots." One hop, roll a couple of feet and then stop on a dime like it ran into something and stuck into it somehow.

I would follow someone you admire for awhile and then stay in one spot for a while and let them come to you. You have to see El Tigre so you can tell your grandchildren you saw him in his prime. I could watch Retief or Ernie or Freddie the whole round just to witness their unbelievable tempo and rhythm.

Have fun. Cypressperch.