Every golf tournament should have a stadium hole
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The 17th hole at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship is the LPGA’s version of the 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. A par-3 that replicates the stadium atmosphere of a baseball game.
Click on the link below to view photos of the 17th hole at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, courtesy of @LPGA:
.@NWAChampionship fans are going "Hog Wild" on 17 which is known as the loudest hole on Tour. Check out the photos: http://t.co/GxvtYsDcqc
— LPGA (@LPGA) June 28, 2014
In my opinion, every golf tournament should have a hole like this. Marshals holding “get loud” signs and the fans cheering on good shots and booing poor shots. The casual sports fan can relate to the atmosphere, which is exactly what golf needs.
The only golfer who brings a stadium atmosphere to a tournament is Tiger Woods. He shot 74-75 to miss the cut at the Quicken Loans, and still had thousands following him along the fairways at Congressional Country Club. For every other golfer, the stadium constructed around a hole replicates the “Tiger Woods” effect, which is the greatest thing in golf since Arnie’s Army.
Take Patrick Reed for example. Reed is a exciting young golfer who has two wins this season. At the Quicken Loans National, he is tied for the lead at six-under, but absolutely no one was following him during the second round. If there was a “stadium” hole at Congressional, thousands of fans could cheer (or boo) Reed depending on the quality of his shot.
It works at the Waste Management and the Walmart NW, so why not make it work at all the tournaments on both Tours?