A guide to the PGA Championship in the Philadelphia area
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The world's best golfers will compete for the Wanamaker Trophy this weekend at Aronimink Golf Club. Photo: Courtesy of PGA of America
The golfing world comes to the Philadelphia region this week as Aronimink Golf Club hosts the PGA Championship.
Why it matters: Hosting one of golf's four majors brings the best players in the world to Philly's doorstep, plus prestige, tourists (with a few celebrities potentially in the mix) and revenue for the region.
State of play: Practice rounds at the Newtown Square golf course kick off today and run through Wednesday.
- The big show: Championship rounds are Thursday–Sunday.
1 big thing: Monday is the first time golf fans get a glimpse of Aronimink's newly designed course, which was closed to its members in November to prep for the major.
- Tee boxes have been pushed back, fairways narrowed and rough raised.
Flashback: The last time Aronimink hosted a men's PGA major was 1962.
By the numbers: 156 golfers will compete.
- The par-70 course stretches about 7,400 yards.
- The tourney is expected to bring roughly 200,000 people to the region.
- Estimated economic impact: $125 million.
- Roughly 3,200 volunteers will keep things running.
Here's your cheat sheet for the week:
🎟️ Tickets: Grounds tickets (Championship+) for practice rounds are still available ($91+).
- What you get: Access to the grounds, a few food items included, and free access for up to two kids 15 and younger per ticket.
🏆 Championship rounds: You'll have to hit the resale market to get these Championship+ tickets, with tickets ranging from $157 to $259, depending on the day.
✨ Plus: Pricier daily Club PGA tickets are still available for the championship rounds ($1,200+).
- Perks: This ticket includes access to an open-air deck with views of several holes and a climate-controlled venue, open bar and restrooms.
🅿️ Transportation: The event has two prepaid parking lots at Delaware County Veterans Memorial and Delaware County Community College ($25+).
- Shuttles are available from the parking lots to the course.
🚕 Rideshare pick-ups and drop-offs must be done at 15 Campus Blvd. in Newtown Square.
🚇 SEPTA is adding more service along the Paoli/Thorndale Regional Rail line during the tourney.
- Fans can catch a free shuttle from the Paoli station to Aronimink.
👀 What to watch for: Look to these holes as key turning points and prime viewing spots during the tourney, Jeff Kiddie, Aronimink's head golf professional, said in a news release.
- Hole 3: Bunkers line both sides of the hole that will test players early
- Hole 16: A reachable par-5 and golden opportunity for a late-game charge
- Hole 17: This long par-3 is treacherous, with a green wedged between a pond and bunkers (seen below)
- Hole 18 (of course): A challenging final test filled with bunkers and trees, along with an uphill approach to the green
👕 What to wear: Spectators should dress the part, opting for outfits and footwear made for walking hours on the course.
- Check out the pop-up PGA Shops store on-site for polo shirts, hats, hoodies and more.
- No-nos: Backpacks and drawstring bags are prohibited, along with bags larger than 10-by-10-by-10 inches.