New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp talks LIV Golf
Brian Rolapp discussed LIV Golf is his opening press conference
- From parachuters to dunk tanks, LIV Golf’s Michigan Team Championship used music and lots of innovative features to present an excellent experience.
- If you plan on buying food or merchandise at The Cardinal at Saint John’s in Plymouth Township, bring your wallet and get ready to rack up those credit-card points.
- The Cardinal is in fantastic shape and presented some challenge with deep rough. But at 6,980 yards, it’s significantly shorter than most championship courses the pros play.
- Bryson DeChambeau said the course fits “perfect for my wedge game,” after a singles match win over Lee Westwood.
If a team of stunt parachuters dropping from the sky with smoke in their wake and landing on the first hole as AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” blaring over massive speakers doesn’t tell you this golf tournament is going to be wildly different from any golf tournament you’ve ever seen, maybe nothing will.
Shortly after the parachuters landed, Tyrrell Hatton of the Legion XIII team teed off on the first hole — to his own blaring walkup music: “Mood” by 24kGoldn. No need for “Quiet” signs on this hole.
I’ve had my reservations about LIV Golf, primarily for political and conscientious reasons over their funding from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
But if you don’t care about that and all you care about is a unique, fun and relaxed golf tournament experience, I can assure you can’t beat what LIV Golf presented Friday, Aug. 22, in the opening quarterfinals of the Michigan Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s in Plymouth Township.
One of the keys to making the tournament more fan-friendly is the proximity fans have to golfers. At the driving range, fans get to stand just a few feet from the golfers warming up. There was a swarm of people gathered to watch the players, and waiting for autographs, just before the tournament kicked off as, again, music blared.
The constant music is a theme at the tournament. It not only leads to a more lively atmosphere, but also a more relaxed one that signals a less-stuffy experience in a sport traditionally known for stuffiness.
PGA Tour events, like the Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club, are moving toward providing a better fan experience with the Area 313 fan zone that features food, cocktails, lounges with covered seating and kids’ games.
But fan zone at The Cardinal easily surpassed what the Rocket Classic offers. There were tons of games for kids, like basketball pop shots, a bumpy slide reminiscent of bad boy at Belle Isle, putting games and the showstopper: a dunk tank. Yes, a dunk tank.
Bring your wallet
The grandstands, course signage and viewing areas are well-marked, and look nice with black coverings. The fan amenities are well organized and spread out just enough to avoid logjams.
The liveliest area was the Birdie Shack pavilion near the eighth and 15th tees. The ticket for that pavilion is sold out, but it was rocking with music and people who looked like they were well hydrated and having fun watching the action from their elevated viewing area.
But if you plan on buying food or merchandise, bring your wallet and get ready to rack up those credit-card points.
One lady said it all as I stood nearby and she looked at a woman’s golf shirt.
“Oh, my God,” she said quietly as she looked at the price tag: $148.
There were similarly priced men’s golf shirts, though there were some golf shirts that cost as little as $80, with a range in between. T-shirts and hats started at $40. And if you wanted a beer, Michelob Ultra ran $13 and a bottle of Dasani water was $5.
But hey, it’s a golf crowd. If there’s one fanbase that carries stuffed wallets, it’s this one. And at the very least, the off-site parking is free.
Warm reception
Judging by the flood of fans who swarmed the course, the first day was a big hit. There could be even more for the semifinals on Saturday, Aug. 23, with the added bonus of pop group Imagine Dragons performing a concert after the round.
Michigan golf fans are typically a faithful and knowledgeable bunch with numerous pro tournaments played around the state, and a history of championship golf at Oakland Hills Country Club.
“Yeah, it was fantastic,” said Bryson DeChambeau, who won his match and helped Crushers GC advance to the semis. “There was a lot of people out there supporting. I had a great time interacting with the fans. They were loud, which is good. Today it was fun just seeing their interactions and how positive they were.”
The Cardinal was in fantastic shape and presented some challenge with the rough up. But at just 6,980 yards, it’s quite a bit shorter than most championship courses the pros play. The PGA Tour Championship is being played this week at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, with the yardage at 7,440 yards.
“Yeah, it fits perfect for my wedge game,” said DeChambeau, who made six birdies in a 4-and-2 win over Lee Westwood. “It’s a perfect challenge for my wedge game.
“No, but it’s fun. There’s holes you can get after it, but there’s a couple holes that are tough.”
DeChambeau, one of the longest hitters in golf, was certainly playing bomb-and-gouge golf effectively. But he did note the challenge of tighter fairways on the 12th and 13th holes.
“For the most part, it’s a pretty easy, gettable golf course, fun to play,” he said. “I think we can make a lot of birdies, and that’s what makes it exciting for the team side of the coin.”
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on X @cmonarrez.
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