I was more than a little nervous the first time my family went to The Players Championship Sawgrass — the ultimate golf event right down the road in Ponte Vedra.
At the time, we only had our little guy, who had just turned two, and I thought an upscale golf course — during its most important week of the year — might not work so well with a noisy, spirited toddler.
We were there for their Military Appreciation Ceremony, an awesome concert a few days before the official tournament began. I was amazed at the beautiful layout, the attention to detail, and the way they event managed to accommodate kids.
There were lots of kids there, in fact, dancing along to the live music — it was Tim McGraw that year — and oohing and ahhhing at the intense military fly-over. The grounds were very open and stroller-friendly. There were plenty of places to sit for a break, to get drinks or snacks, and to watch the action live and on big screens.
In 2012, it became even better, because they added a kids’ zone for ages 12 and under. There was an inflatable climbing wall, putt-putt golf, a golf ball hitting bay, face painting, bean bag toss and more. They also had a misting tent where you could cool off, get some food and watch the championship on large televisions while the kids played.
If you want to go:
When: TPC Sawgrass is in early May. Practice rounds are typically Monday-Wednesday, starting early in the morning, and then tournament rounds are Thursday through Sunday.
Where: TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Florida. The kids’ zone in the past was at the end of the Nicklaus Gate walkway (near the main parking lot) behind the No. 17 tee.
Tickets: Tickets are typically sold at Publix or Ticketmaster.com. Kids 18 and under get in free when they’re with a ticketed adult. Active duty, reserve and retired military and their dependents get in free all week, too. NOTE: You must buy an additional parking ticket.
For more information: Go to their website by clicking here.
One More Tip: Check their regulations about what you can and can’t bring onto the golf course ahead of time. I remember a lot of people had to make the long trek back to their cars when they tried to bring in items that weren’t allowed.
