Anthony Lo and Christopher Pennant
| Special for The Republic
Phoenix Open fans gather before sunrise for race to rowdy 16th hole
Golf fans gather at TPC Scottsdale at 3 a.m. on Feb. 7, 2025, to grab the best seats at the rowdy 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Waste Management promotes the Phoenix Open as the Greenest Show on Grass, a nod to its extensive eco-friendly initiatives throughout the weeklong competition. But this year’s “green” might be less about compostable utensils and more about the substantial price tag for admission and VIP experiences, leaving some locals wondering if the tournament’s biggest impact is on their wallets.
The 2025 tournament’s costs have increased significantly from last year, from entry fees to merchandise to food and beverages. In some cases, prices have gone up 60%. Additionally, lavish VIP packages have been advertised, such as a $250,000 hotel package in which tournament goers are flown in via private jet and have access to other “luxury” amenities.
The most notable addition this year are the special seats next to the tee box of the famous 16th hole. Patrons get access to a separate entrance tunnel directly next to the players’ tunnel and an unlimited hospitality package throughout the day.
The price? $24,000 per seat, per day.
Dan Fox, a longtime member of the Thunderbirds, a charitable organization that operates the tournament, has managed the 16th hole since 2008 and says the tournament is just following a trend.
“This is becoming the hottest thing to put on at all the other venues,” Fox said. “They wanted to make it like courtside of a Lakers game.”
Even for the not-so-weatlhy golf fan, the price of entry at “The People’s Open” has gone up. In 2020, general admission for all four days of the tournament totaled $210. This year, it’s $400.
“As an Arizona native, it’s disappointing knowing my dad used to come here (in 1990) for $24, and he could sit in the (16th hole Skybox seats) for 50 bucks,” said Cody Clark, 35, an Arizona native.
Last year, Clark and his wife, Allie, decided to shell out $800 for two Skybox seats at No. 16, but the weekend’s rain washed out most of the tournament. This year, they paid $150 for two bleacher seats at 16. They had a good view of the action, they said, but no shelter from the sun.
2025 WM Phoenix Open: Scenes from Day 1 at legendary 16th hole
In spite of changes meant to curb shenanigans, a boisterous crowd turned out at the Phoenix Open’s infamous, 20-seat 16th hole, know as “The Coliseum.”
“(Last year) was in that price range where we, a nurse and a firefighter, could kind of afford it but not really, and it got rained out,” he said. “This year is out of our price range. We got different passes, different everything because we couldn’t afford to go over there.”
Those same seats on the 16th hole for Saturday sold for more than $2,000 through ticket reseller Vividseats. Fans were treated to unlimited portions of braised short ribs and garlic parmesan chicken, along with an open bar.
On the other side, general admission attendees had to pay for pedestrian food options, which consisted of $8 hot dogs, $15 chicken tenders and french fries. Nachos were $16. Available beverages included $14 beers, $15 cocktails and $6 sodas.
Some folks have found creative ways to save money. At last year’s WM Phoenix Open, Spencer Lash found his ticket to the rest of the tournament and viral fame through a cactus costume.
“Somebody wore this to the course but it got all muddy and they left it there on the side of the fairway because they didn’t want to deal with it anymore,” Lash said. “I found it, I put it on and I posted up with my arms up next to a cactus for like, 45 minutes without moving. And soon enough, a giant crowd was all around me.”
Lash said he got free tickets to the rest of the tournament from “random” fans and took the suit on the road, even going skiing in it. He pulled out the cactus getup again this year, but only for Wednesday’s Pro-Am.
Other people haven’t been as lucky as Lash at gaining entry.
“We can’t afford to bring our kids,” said Allie Clark. “I would if I felt like it was financially feasible, but it would definitely put us in a bad place if we did.”
When asked if she thought the tournament’s nickname, “The People’s Open,” was still appropriate, Allie Clark summed up her thoughts succinctly.
“It’s the rich people’s Open,” she said.
Anthony Lo and Christopher Pennant are graduate students at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism.
