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I love golf. I play (not great, but I enjoy it) and I follow the pro’s each year. The Masters is on the way soon and to me that really is the start when I pay attention to the PGA Tour. But for the past two years I have enjoyed something I never thought I would – that is, being able to attend and watch the pro’s on points in a Sarazen suite that costs $115,000 to rent for the event.
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You can take a peek at my review of the 2015 PGA Championship Whistling Straits the first time I enjoyed a SPG Moments event and the following year the 2016 PGA Championship Baltusrol. Both events were VERY nice.
The tickets normally go on sale sometime mid-April so getting either of the SPG cards with the HUGE increased sign-up bonus would be perfect timing (if you hurry and get the spend done) to get the points to get tickets. In the past they have gone for:
- 10,000 for Thursday
- 15,000 for Friday
- 20,000 for Saturday
- 25,000 for Sunday
That is for two people to attend and included a parking pass, all food and drinks (including adult beverage) and some SPG SWAG as well. What has not been included but I will be asking about this year is the chance to get tickets for the PRO-AM event or other practice days pre-PGA event since SPG gets these as part of the fee for the Sarazen Suite.
Now know this, SPG has NOT yet confirmed they are doing this again this year it is just my speculation but, after the merger with Marriott, if they do it again this could be the last year they include such a golf event on points. Or, they may keep it and change it over to a Marriott event. Who knows but I want a shot to go one more time if I can so I am banking enough SPG points to get that done when and “IF” tickets do go on sale in about 1 month from now as they have in past years.
SPG Points are still one of the most valuable travel currencies in the travel space and if you are talking about sending them to Delta or using them for hotel stays or amazing events like these you can see just why I say this!
Are you hoping to attend the 2017 PGA event on SPG points if they go on sale again? – René
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You are absolutely correct that using SPG points for golf events can be a great value and an incredible experience. I used to do the golf tournaments with SPG points quite often, but have been hoarding them the last couple of years or using them for Korean Air first class.
I attended a couple of the Player’s Championships at TPC Sawgrass including the one where Ricky made that amazing charge to win. Also was at Kiawah for Rory’s PGA win and at a suite on the 18th green for the Wells Fargo championship at Quail Hollow thanks to SPG.
In addition I’ve done a couple of corporate outing type deals. One was a clinic with D. A. Points at the Ballantyne Hotel and golf course here in Charlotte. It was during Wells Fargo week. There were only two other people in the clinic. After the clinic D. A. threw in a bonus by playing nine holes with us!
The other “outing” was with Paul Goydos at his home course in Orange County south of LA. There were several foursomes and ours got four holes with Paul. Btw, because of irops delta didn’t get my clubs there in time and I had to borrow a set for that one.
But that’s not all. Thanks to SPG points, I even played in a couple of pro ams (Macau Open on the Asian Tour and Tiger’s tournament, the AT&T, the year it was moved to Aronimink because the US Open was at Congressional). The pro ams were auctions. The AT&T cost me 90,000 points but I got into the Macau Open for only 3,000 and I could have actually scored it for less! I’m sure that these days those auctions would go much much higher.
The really, really neat thing about the pro ams is not only do you get to play 18 with a pro but you also get to use the same driving range (there’s a section for the ams) and locker room!
Since Charlotte is my home base you have rekindled my interest and prompted this long-winded comment. I hope I spot this “Moment” when it first comes out because the tickets will no doubt go very quickly.
Is there rain in the forecast?
‘Rain’ or ‘Texas Tears’ ?
@Texas Yankee, Yes, there is rain in the forecast at some point in the future. 🙂 If it rains that’s when having access to a suite with hot food, cold beverages, air conditioning and TVs can really save the day.
Rene,
Are these tickets put in your name or are they just a pass into the SPG tent? I have friends going that got regular grounds tickets but my window was already sold out by the time it got to me. I assume these tickets also include general grounds access if I wanted to walk around with my friends.
@Watson – They are full grounds access yes but only you and your 1 guest can come into the PVT tent for food and drink etc.
Hi Rene,
Any insight you can offer now that we’re only a month out and I can’t find anything mentioning the PGA Championship on the SPG website? I already have grounds tickets for Saturday but would love to purchase suite access with points if I’m able to.
Thanks,
Stan
@Stan – It looks like SPG passed this year. No idea why but my guess is Marriott impact. Our SPGlife keeps on dying bit by bit.