PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Freshly caught lobster, crab, shrimp and oysters. Specialized merchandise. A complimentary car wash. It\u2019s all part of the \u201cPlayers Club\u201d experience at TPC Sawgrass this week at the Players Championship, an $11,000, all-inclusive weekly pass that\u2019s become the PGA Tour\u2019s most premium ticket option for its marquee tournament.<\/p>\n
SBJ got a look inside the Players Club on Tuesday, from the entrance at the front of the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse to the bird\u2019s-eye view of the 17th tee.<\/p>\n
Players Club pass holders arrive at TPC Sawgrass — only 750 weekly passes are sold — and have valet parking before they\u2019re whisked to the very front of the clubhouse, where on Tuesday many players, agents, tour and tournament officials were milling about. Guests check in and have a number of options.<\/p>\n
There are three main tentpoles to the Players Club offering: clubhouse dining, both indoor and outdoor; Iron & Wedge, the new reserved-dining option on the 18th hole; and the all-inclusive open-air viewing deck above the par-3 17th hole, considered by many as one of the most famous holes in golf.<\/p>\n
Just inside the clubhouse entrance is not dining, but merchandise. TPC Sawgrass\u2019s pro shop is filled with specialized items that can only be purchased there. Among those spotted shopping on Tuesday included Rory McIlroy\u2019s manager, Sean O\u2019Flaherty.<\/p>\n
Most of the merchandise is adorned with a golden goat, a special logo exclusive to the clubhouse pro shop. The goat logo pays homage to TPC Sawgrass\u2019s opening in the 1980s, when a heard of goats helped clear unwanted brush. While not officially confirmed, the logo also is likely a play on what Augusta National Golf Club has done with its top hospitality option, Berckmans Place, which has its own specialized logo that can only be purchased in the venue that lines the fifth hole.<\/p>\n
Myriad food options are available in the clubhouse, which has large dining rooms as well as several tiers of outdoor decks that layer down to the golf course. Food options change day to day during Players week, and on Tuesday, there was a raw bar with fresh oysters, shrimp, crab and lobster along with many variations of steaks, sushi, vegetarian options and wood-fired pizza, not to mention an array of beer and mixed drinks.<\/p>\n
Food and beverage are all inclusive of the $11,000 weekly price (including tip). For comparison, Augusta National\u2019s Map & Flag hospitality offering across Washington Road from the golf course goes for about $17,000 for the week.<\/p>\n