Bringing the U.S. Open to one of the “cathedrals of golf,” as USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer referred to Los Angeles Country Club, hasn’t been without its challenges. For one, due to the course’s footprint and exclusivity, only about 22,000 tickets will be distributed per day when the world’s best invade the City of Angels.
And since the USGA prides itself on being inclusive, the everyman’s golf organization, having only an elite few enjoying the spectacle seemed contradictory.
So how could organizers get more folks involved without selling them a ticket for the George Thomas masterpiece?
A party, that’s how. Positioned just across the street from the action.
USGA officials puffed their chests a bit in announcing the first off-site festival, which is free to the public. The event will take place at Century City, a mall complex sitting on the other side of Santa Monica Boulevard.
“We wanted to do more in terms of the fan experience, off-site, to be able to accommodate those who perhaps couldn’t get a ticket to the championship and still wanted to touch and feel and be a part of the U.S. Open,” said Jon Podany, the chief commercial officer for the USGA.
Give the planners credit, they made this an experience that should be worthwhile. Among the events planned over five days at the U.S. Open Fan Festival are live podcasts — including one with the Fried Egg hosting designer Gil Hanse — and a Q&A with the producers of the Netflix “Full Swing” series.
LA sports fans, mark your calendars!
During #USOpen week, come hang out at our fan festival at @WestfieldCC. The free-to-attend event includes live music, a comedy show and more!
Full schedule and details: https://t.co/C8uI1Hqphj pic.twitter.com/28S2VJVuvO
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 9, 2023
The festivities will also include interactive club-in-hand experiences, a U.S. Open merchandise pop-up shop, a First Tee Game Changers exhibit and several interactive experiences, including a trophy tour.
“It’ll give us a way to kind of spread out the love of the U.S. Open,” Bodani said.
Of course, this isn’t the first time L.A. has held the event. It was held at Riviera Country Club in 1948 and won by Ben Hogan. And LACC has seen some major events, as well, with the 1930 U.S. Women’s Amateur, the 1954 U.S. Junior Amateur and the 2017 Walker Cup Match.
LACC becomes just the seventh venue to make its U.S. Open debut over the last 50 years, joining Atlanta Athletic Club (1976), Pinehurst (1999), Bethpage (2002), Torrey Pines (2008), Chambers Bay (2015) and Erin Hills (2017).