August 10th, 2012 
(Photo Credit: exclusiveresorts.com)
Practice rounds are over and the 94th Annual PGA Championship held out on Kiawah Island has finally begun. If the course itself isn’t challenging enough, champions also have to factor in unruly conditions such as extreme heat, humidity, storms, mosquitoes, sand flies and unfamiliar seashore grass called paspalum. The course was switched over to paspalum grass in 2003 in order to better upkeep the course thanks to its unforgiving neighbor, the Atlantic Ocean. However, it’s also the ocean that spectators can thank for the mild breeze.
The breeze didn’t quite cut it for me, however. I was only able to walk the front nine holes before retreating to the Wanamaker Tent for air conditioning and BBQ nachos, then to Red’s Ice House to get a glimpse of Tiger Woods’ yacht, The Privacy. I’m sure with over 210,000 tournament tickets sold, I wasn’t the only one attracted to this event not really knowing what to expect from golf’s final major championship of the season.
I used the 30 minute bus ride from Freshfields Village to the Ocean Course to research not only which of the world’s greatest golfers I was about to see for the first time, but what I could expect when it comes to the sports protocol and etiquette. So for both players and spectators, here are a few tips that you might find helpful next time you’re on the course.
As far as cell phones go, this is only the second time ever, the PGA Championship is letting guests bring phones out to the course. However, they must be set to silent of vibrate. There will be designated phone zones in order to not disrupt any of the action. Pictures were allowed Monday through Wednesday and now Thursday through Sunday, there are no photos allowed. There is no video allowed at any time.
WHEN: August 6 – 12, 2012 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
WHERE: Ocean Course, Kiawah Island
INFORMATION: PGA or Kiawah Resort
