(Updated: January 28, 2020 with just a few additions)
While most of the country has been shoveling snow and scraping windshields for the last month, Arizona has been dealing with one of the warmest winters in its history. Did you know it’s supposed to be in the 80s this entire week in Scottsdale? That means one thing and one thing only; 2018 will be the most attended Waste Management Phoenix Open in the history of the event, with some expecting to see upwards of 800,000 people through the gates this week at TPC Scottsdale (last year saw 655,434 people come out, with a record 204,906 stumble around on Saturday for the third round).
It’s the greatest show on grass for a reason, and with the course in great shape and the field full of one-named guys (Jordan, Justin, Phil, Hideki, Rickie), you must be prepared if you want to enjoy the week. Here are my tips for a great week on and off the course.
How do I get into the 16th?Â
With just over 3,000 general admission seats, landing a spot on the 16th without a fancy ticket can be tough, so the key is to go and go early. The lines start to swell around 10 AM, so if you want to land a spot there you better be ready to hustle and you best not snooze that alarm.
Make heading to the 16th your first goal of the day and if you want drinks, buy them quickly before heading up. If you get a seat, snuggle up and enjoy because it’ll be a while before golfers come through (Even those that tee off on the 10th), but getting a seat is the priority. If you wait until lunchtime, you’ll see lines to get in around the 2-3 hour mark. No thank you.
If not the 16th, where?
If you’re lucky enough to land a ticket to the Cove on the 17th, protect it like you would a winning Powerball ticket because that’ll be the best spot of the week in my opinion. Amazing views not just of the course but of Pinnacle Peak and the McDowell Mountains with one of the most exciting par-4s on the PGA Tour right in front of you, this new addition to the penultimate hole is going to be a great one.
If you’re general admission, get out of the craziness and head to a couple of the more remote areas at the Waste Management.
The Ridge is located just west of the par-3 12th, on one of those famous TPC hills that were actually flattened over the summer so this area could expand and accommodate more fans. Margaritas, tacos, cold beers … it’s a perfect spot to watch a few golf holes and won’t feel as busy as anything over by the 16th and they doubled the square footage of this area in 2020 to give general admission customers a better spot to view a lot of golf shots and enjoy a very relaxed atmosphere perfect for a group of buddies, golf-obsessed fans and families.
A new spot this year that I’m excited about is the Craft Beer Haus on the 7th, an added spot by the Thunderbirds to promote fans getting away from the congested area and enjoying the entire golf course. The 5th is one of the best par-4s on the course, and then you can circle around to watch Nos. 6 and 7 while enjoying a nice beer without having to elbow other people for a spot in the concession line. I’d post up here if I was out to enjoy the day.
What’s around TPC Scottsdale if we want to head out but grab a drink close by?
Within walking distance of TPC Scottsdale is O.H.S.O. Distillery, a great place to have a local Arizona beer and a snack (burgers are A+). Basically next door is a Four Peaks Grill, which promotes the Four Peaks beers including Kilt Lifter (the most popular) and the Sunbru (a good one after a long day in the sun).
Kierland Commons is a short Uber drive from the course and has plenty happening including a lot of food and drink options so if you need to get away from it all but don’t want to spend $50 on a Lyft, that’s the way to go.
If you want to get a little divey, play some pool and catch some of the golf on the television, head to Shea and Scottsdale and look for a place called Ernie’s, a favorite of the locals in that area and a place you won’t feel will be packed with people rocking Waste Management badges.
What about Old Town?
Old Town is, of course, the most popular bar area in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area. Everyone asks about this place because it is where they’ve been told to go, with dozens of bars all trying to one-up each other with more TVs, louder music and for this week, longer lines. I’m a little aged out of Old Town at this point, but the Bevvy is a great spot in the Circle of Hangover Doom that is an area just east of the W Hotel where a ton of bars sit next to each other (the Bevvy has OTB, which is basically why we like it).
The nice thing about these bars is if you start the day here, plenty of them are offering a shuttle service to and from the Waste Management, so it’ll save you the $25-30 that an Uber/Lyft would cost.
Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers in Old Town is the best place to watch sports and grab a burger (trust me on this – the Peanut Butter/Jelly/Bacon Burger is out of this world, even if it doesn’t sound like it).
DJ’s, Old Town Tavern and the Montauk are a couple of the chill bars in the area if you aren’t looking for music to reverberate off the inners of your soul, so give those a look if you’re a little older and just want a cocktail and a chat with your buddies.
If you have one meal to knock out in Old Town, go to The Mission. It’s some of the best Mexican food in the entire city, with knock-your-socks-off margaritas and a vibe that fits the mood of the week. A simple and healthy option if you’re in a hurry and just want to grab something is Chop Shop, with smoothies and juices and all that to cure whatever you’re dealing with after a long night a the Bird’s Nest.
What about golf?
If I had one round to play in Scottsdale it would be at We Ko Pa’s Saguaro course, one of the most fun and fair desert experiences in all of Arizona. Whirlwind is a bit of a drive but both courses are always in mint condition, especially after hosting final stage of Web.com Q-School late last year. Quintero is a hike but the views are worth it. Southern Dunes is the other way but it’s a fantastic 18 holes. I never pass up a round at Troon North Pinnacle or Camelback Ambiente, and don’t sleep on Mountain Shadows, a par-3 course that will test your short game like no other course in Phoenix (if you shoot your handicap here, everyone in your group should be buying you a round). Papago is the municipal course in the center of town you see when you’re flying in, and it’s one of the most underrated golf courses in the entire state if you ask me. One piece of advice if playing Papago; if you want to play the tips, that’s fine, but play the par-3s one tee up, as three of the four par-3s lasers in the 220-260 yard range.
Anything else?
There is a Topgolf in Scottsdale that’ll be a hot spot as it has the last few years. Lines will be long but if you’ve never been, the Scottsdale Topgolf is one of their signature spots and gives a very cool view of the Talking Stick resort that lights up at night and brings up hazy memories of your last Vegas trip.
Have fun, see as much golf as you can and soak in the sun. I truly believe that the finishing stretch at TPC Scottsdale is up there as the most fun all year on the PGA Tour, and the tournament always seems to bring the goods. Cheer for the good shots, do what you want for a bad one and lather in sunscreen if you’ve been bundled up inside the last four months.