Nicklaus' Muirfield Village a Great Spectator Course for Presidents Cup

One thing is sure about the 2013 Presidents Cup.

Those who attend will be able to see most every shot—especially on the back nine—because Muirfield Village Golf Club had stadium golf before there was stadium golf.

This dawn of a new era for spectators started in 1974 when the course opened.

As Nicklaus wrote about Muirfield Village in Jack Nicklaus—My Story :

“In designing the course, I had done everything in my power to make it not only challenging for the tournament professionals, but accessible and enjoyable for everyone watching them. This involved either laying the holes through existing valleys or producing valley effects by creating elevation along the perimeters of the playing areas. We called it  'amphitheatering....”

Two years later, in 1976, what Nicklaus considers the first real stadium golf course took a bow. That was Glen Abbey GC in Ontario, Canada. It has been site of the Canadian Open on many occasions. Glen Abbey is where Tiger Woods hit the impossible 5-iron out of the bunker, over the water, on to the green for eventual victory in 2000. That’s Glen Abbey.

Now, as Muirfield Village debuted The Memorial Tournament in 1976 and as Glen Abbey opened, former PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman was paying attention. He liked what he saw in Nicklaus’ design work as it related to the golf fan.

Beman was planning to build a headquarters and PGA Tour course in Ponte Vedra.

For this course, which would host the PGA Tour’s most prestigious event, Beman and Pete Dye borrowed the “amphitheatering” concept.

But Beman coined the term “Stadium Golf,” and the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Golf ® Course became a reality. Stadium Golf would be subsequently trademarked by the PGA Tour.

TPC Sawgrass was first used for the 1982 Players Championship, then called the TPC. TPC Sawgrass begat 30 other TPC courses in the US, all of which are spectator friendly, but some of which are now private.

If you have never been to a professional golf tournament, at an old style course it is nearly impossible to follow a round where Tiger Woods is playing and actually see Tiger Woods hit a golf shot. The only way is to stake out your viewing spot early in the day and stay there whether you want to or not. Bathroom breaks would be tag-teamed with a friend. Ditto beer runs and sandwich forays. You cannot leave your spot because someone will sit or stand in your spot, and your view will be gone.

At courses like Pinehurst #2 and other very old style courses with push up greens, if you can see the player, most of the time, you can’t see the hole. You can’t see putts fall when even if you are near the green, unless you are an NBA player. At those courses, you have to find the one or two holes that allow you to see your favorites—then find and guard your turf.

Rivera CC is like that, as is Harbour Town, Colonial CC, Doral’s Blue Monster, Torrey Pines and many holes at Bay Hill CC, to name just a few.

This year’s US Open at Pebble Beach will have the same issues, with rare exception, such as the right side of number eight.

I often wonder why major championship venues don’t create some spectator mounds, even temporarily. Haul some dirt in, sod it. Haul it out later, or sell it for garden soil to the community.

With Stadium Golf you can walk holes with the stars of the day and actually see them hit shots. In many instances, you can see all or at least 85% of the entire round. Even if people have their spots identified early, at a stadium course, there’s enough room for you to find a mound and see over the person in front of you.

In some places, like the 16th and 17th holes at TPC Sawgrass, thousands can be accommodated. Everybody has a great view of the action.

From a fan friendly standpoint Muirfield Village GC was groundbreaking.

Starting at the first, second and third holes, there are viewing locations. Okay, there are perhaps four holes on the course that are tough watches: four, six, seven, ten and the 13th.

The rest are spectator heaven, although the walking can be a little tough in places.

The best spots at Muirfield Village are as well known to television fans as those in the gallery: the par four 9th, the par five 11th, the par three 12th, the par four 14th, the par five 15th, and the magnificent finishing hole with a spectator bowl behind the green.

Wherever Jack Nicklaus got the idea for “amphitheatering” golf, whether it was from Amen Corner at Augusta National or the 18th hole at Riviera CC (the only place on that course with a view) or some other track he played, Nicklaus' idea to improve viewing for the fan changed the way we want to watch golf in person.