Talking.Golf · Wisconsin.Golf

Gary & Rob on WM Phoenix Open chaos, golf charity, college golf, Randy Warobick

·59 min·5 clips

Rob Hernandez reveals how fans belly-flopped down muddy hills at the WM Phoenix Open, turning the course into a quagmire.

This episode of Talking.Golf features hosts Gary D'Amato and Rob Hernandez analyzing the chaotic conditions and crowd behavior at the recent Waste Management Phoenix Open. Hernandez, reporting from Arizona, and D'Amato, in Wisconsin, contrast the unusual cold, wet weather in Phoenix with early-season course openings back home. They detail how relentless rain turned the TPC Scottsdale grounds into a muddy quagmire, leading to canceled pro-ams and delayed tournament rounds. The hosts describe patrons belly-flopping down slick hills and overcrowded cart paths due to the conditions. Hernandez notes the tournament drew massive Sunday crowds despite not being a PGA Tour "elevated" event, with base tickets costing $75 and suite packages including food and drink. They reference a Golf.com study showing TPC Scottsdale's average green fee has risen to around $551, comparing it to high-end Wisconsin courses like Whistling Straits. D'Amato contrasts the Phoenix Open's party atmosphere with the more reserved crowds at the Masters, which he has attended 31 times. Hernandez observed limited access to the famous 16th hole due to crowds and mentioned security halting gate entries and beer sales on Saturday because of overcrowding. The conversation shifts to the significant charitable impact of golf, highlighting D'Amato's reporting on the U.S. Venture Open, which has raised $65 million since 1986 to fight poverty in Northeast Wisconsin. They also discuss the MACC Fund, started by John McLaughlin and Eddie Doucette, which has contributed to childhood cancer survival rates improving from 20% to 85%. The hosts note the American Family Insurance Championship, led by Steve Stricker, raised over $2 million for charity last year. D'Amato and Hernandez express concern that player complaints about fan behavior, including heckling directed at Zach Johnson, could force tournament organizers to find a new balance between fundraising and safety. They speculate the upcoming move of the AmFam Championship to TPC Wisconsin will involve studying these crowd management challenges. The episode has a conversational and analytical tone, blending firsthand observation with broader industry commentary. Listeners interested in PGA Tour event operations, golf economics, and the sport's philanthropic side would enjoy this episode. Those seeking only swing tips or game improvement advice might find it less relevant.

As heard by us

A steady Wisconsin golf conversation about keeping tournament energy in bounds.

Gary D'Amato and Rob Hernandez spend this Talking.Golf episode on a problem every big tournament runs into: how to keep the energy up without letting the whole thing tip into chaos.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for a Wisconsin golf chat that moves from Phoenix Open crowd control to spring course openings.

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