“Selected as the host site for the 2012 PGA Championship, The Ocean Course is one of Pete Dye’s most superb designs. It first received worldwide attention as the host of the dramatic 1991 Ryder Cup Matches. In 2007, it hosted the Senior PGA Championship. Named by Golf Digest as “America’s Toughest Course,” this 7,356-yard course offers spectacular views along two and one half miles of Atlantic Ocean.
The superbly manicured fairways and greens challenge professionals and amateurs alike. The Ocean Course is one of only 24 “5-star” courses in North America in Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play” reader’s poll.
Owned and operated by Kiawah Island Golf Resort, The Ocean Course is walking only before 12:00 p.m. daily. A caddie will assist you with your game. There is a $65.00 recommended gratuity. Walkers may also carry their own bags if they choose not to take caddies. After 12:00 p.m. carts are optional. Forecaddies are sent with each group. A $25.00 gratuity is recommended.
The PGA of America and Kiawah Island Golf Resort communicated a
clear message regarding the 2012 PGA Championship that will be played
on the famed Ocean Course: those interested in attending the first
major golf championship ever contested in South Carolina should act
this year and purchase tickets early.
At a downtown Charleston news conference, PGA of America and Kiawah
Island officials explained that in order to ensure spectators have the
best possible experience during South Carolina’s biggest sporting and
social event of 2012, tickets will be limited to a level nearly 30
percent less than those typically allocated for a PGA Championship.
With limited tickets, it will be more important than ever for those
interested in attending to act fast.
The PGA has instituted a unique procedure whereby fans can visit
www.pga2012.com to pre-register to participate in a six-week sales
window between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31, 2010. All pre-registrants will be
reminded in early fall of their opportunity to buy tickets during the
2010 pre-sale.
Further encouraging early registration is a system that rewards
pre-registrants with tiered priority access when sales open Nov. 15.
The new ticketing procedure allows for the 2012 PGA Championship to
manage the unprecedented early interest it has received thus far for
the limited supply of tickets.
“Consumers’ access to buy tickets will be assigned based on how
early they have pre-registered,” said 2012 PGA Championship Director
Brett Sterba. “Registrants can purchase tickets as soon as their
assigned tier’s exclusive sales window opens. This represents a
different procedure than past PGA Championships, but with smaller
galleries, we want to give potential spectators some control over their
opportunity to obtain the tickets they want.”
These smaller galleries will experience easier movement throughout
The Ocean Course, site of the 2012 PGA Championship. Smaller crowds
also will mean better sightlines and enable spectators to feel closer
to the action. In addition, by limiting tickets, The PGA of America
intends to create a more intimate atmosphere for business professionals
for client hospitality and entertainment.
“In terms of international appeal and media exposure, the 2012 PGA
Championship will be the highest-profile sporting event held in South
Carolina since we hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup,” said Roger Warren,
president, Kiawah Island Golf Resort. “It is important to us to make
sure the people who attend this event feel as though their tickets
provide major championship-level value.”
The PGA Championship, the season’s final major, boasts the
strongest field in professional golf. On average, 97 of the top 100
ranked players in the Official World Golf Rankings participate in the
PGA Championship. Adding to the excitement in 2012 not only is the fact
that it represents the first time a major championship will be
contested in South Carolina, but that the Ocean Course is known as one
of the most challenging tests in golf. Among those likely to qualify
for the 2012 field are a number of professionals hailing from South
Carolina.
“To have the opportunity to play in a major championship in my home
state, on such a renowned golf course and in such a beautiful and
historic location will definitely provide added motivation,” said
Dustin Johnson, a three-time PGA TOUR winner, former Coastal Carolina
University All-American golfer and Myrtle Beach, S.C. resident.
Political leaders from across the state also touted the appeal of major championship golf in South Carolina.
“South Carolina is a state rich in opportunities for golf
enthusiasts, with top courses throughout the Palmetto State landscape,”
said Rep. Bobby Harrell, Speaker of the South Carolina House of
Representatives and co-chair of the 2012 PGA Championship Champions
Committee. “With the eyes of the world on this great event, the
first-ever major championship in South Carolina will generate exposure
for our state like never before and will serve as a great showpiece for
South Carolina pride and hospitality.”
About the PGA Championship
Since 1916, golf’s premier professionals have been competing for
the PGA Championship’s Wanamaker Trophy. Past Champions span the
greatest names of golf over 90 years, including: Walter Hagen, Gene
Sarazen, Sam Snead, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Davis Love III, Tiger
Woods, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson.
The PGA Championship is one of the premier golf events conducted by
The PGA of America, a list that includes the Ryder Cup, the Senior PGA
Championship and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which brings together
winners of golf’s four major championships.
