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Archive for January 2009

Free Admission to FBR Open

FREE Admission TO FBR OPEN for Anyone Wearing Cardinals
Gear on SUPER Bowl Sunday

More from my friends at the FBR Open …

FBR Open hosts The Thunderbirds are encouraging fans to wear Arizona Cardinals gear to the tournament on Super Bowl Sunday, and will offer free admission to any fan wearing official Cardinals jersey, hat, jacket or shirt.

 “We’d love for Sunday’s FBR Open to be a sea of Cardinal red, so anyone wearing any Cardinal gear on Sunday will receive free admission,” said FBR Open Tournament Chairman John Felix. “This is a huge week in Arizona sports history and we wanted to celebrate the Cardinals achievements this season.”

The FBR Open will also temporarily rename the ever popular Coors Light Birds Nest, to the “RedBirds Nest” for tournament week.

The FBR Open is the best-attended golf tournament in the world and has raised more than $61 million for charities, with more than $33 million generated in just the last four years. Annually sporting by far the largest crowds for any golfing event in the world, the FBR Open has gained legendary status for being a unique stop on the PGA TOUR. The 2009 edition, to be played January 26th through February 1st, will mark the 74th playing of the event, and the fifth as the FBR Open, making it one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR.

FBR Open Guide

My friends from the FBR Open provided me with this to help all of you that are attending the Tournament next week….A Fan’S guide to the 2009 FBR Open.  If you’d like to play golf during the Open, Arizona Golf Courses are all listed by following the link.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – With the 2009 FBR Open just a few days away, tournament officials want to ensure that all spectators coming to the TPC Scottsdale get to experience all the fun and excitement the Open has to offer.  With that in mind, FBR Open officials have created a list of helpful tips for first-timers and seasoned tournament goers.

Parking – FREE Public Parking is available (with free shuttle access to the tournament gates)

  • From the WEST, public parking is at Loop 101 and Hayden Road. Officials recommend that eastbound Loop 101 drivers exit at Hayden, and drive south to enter the parking lot on the west side of the road.

·         From the EAST, parking is at WestWorld. Officials recommend that drivers exit Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., drive north to Bell Road, turn east to just past 94th street, and turn south into the parking lot entrance.

·         The FREE shuttles will operate Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm; Wednesday through Saturday from 6:30 am to 11:00 pm; and Sunday from 6:30 am to 1 hour after the Super Bowl ends.

Taxis – Taxi cab service will be available just outside of the tournament and Birds Nest entrances throughout the week.   

Stop & Drop – Patrons being dropped off at the tournament should access the “Stop and Drop” on Hayden Road just south of Bell Road by heading north on Hayden from Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard.  The “Stop and Drop” is located on the east side of the road in the right hand turn lane.  Waiting in the “Stop & Drop” is prohibited.  “Stop and Drop” is not available when heading south on Hayden.        

Tickets – Daily general admission tickets can be purchased at the tournament entrance during the tournament or by logging on to www.ticketmaster.com or www.fbropen.com. To purchase remaining ticket packages log on to www.fbropen.com.

Spectator Tips: 

Want To Drink? Get Banded – Patrons of legal drinking age will be required to wear an age-verifying wrist band in order to be served any alcoholic beverages at the public concessions stands. There will be numerous wrist-banding stations located throughout the tournament including at the exit to the Expo tent, underneath the Hayden Road Bridge and at the eastside Food Court. ID scanners will be utilized at wrist-banding stations and at concession stands to verify identification. If you appear to be under 40 years of age, tournament officials suggest you get banded at one of the banding locations.  

Golf Etiquette 101 - Stay quiet and stand still when the players are about to hit the ball. Booing is inappropriate at any time. For your own safety, follow the directions of tournament marshals.   Spectators will be removed immediately without warning for:

  • Refusal to obey quiet signs or signals
  • Distracting or embarrassing a player
  • Making rude, vulgar or other inappropriate comments or gestures toward a player
  • Cheering or booing at inappropriate times

Check The Weather - Check the weather forecast before you visit the FBR Open and dress appropriately. Expect cool mornings and sunny afternoons, so dressing in layers is the best idea.

Must-Have Items - Sunscreen, hat, comfortable shoes, binoculars and a blanket to sit on.

Have A Plan - There are basically two ways to watch a golf tournament. “Parade Style,” where you pick a spot and watch the field pass by, or “Cross-Country Style,” where you follow a particular player or group around the course.

Arrive Early - Arrive early to reserve a spot, especially if you plan on watching the tournament “Parade Style.”  On Thursday and Friday, groups are simultaneously started on the first and 10th tees. Most people watch the action on the back nine, which may give you the opportunity to get a better view of the players on the front nine.

Autographs - Players are more receptive to requests for autographs after they have completed their round, so don’t interrupt them before or during their round. A good place to catch them is at the practice area, as most players will return there after finishing their round.

Food/Drinks/Souvenirs - Concession stands are located throughout the tournament grounds. For lunch or dinner, visit the Fry’s Food Courts. Souvenirs are located at the TPC Merchandise Tents, near the 1st tee and at the main entrance.

Daily Pairing Sheet & Map - Pick up a daily pairing sheet to find out when the players tee off and the order of the groups. Pairing sheets include a course map, and are available near the entrances and at selected other locations on the tournament grounds. The pros usually play in threesomes on Thursday and Friday and twosomes on the weekends. Check the scoreboards to find out who the leaders are and where they are on course. One way to tell the players from a distance is to look for their caddies, who wear color-coded vests (red, white or blue), which will be indicated on the daily pairing sheet.

Officials also ask that fans abide by all tournament rules and regulations, including this updated list of items that will not be permitted at the TPC Scottsdale.  With record-setting crowds expected once again, abiding by these guidelines will make it easier for everyone to get through the tournament entrance and allow all spectators to enjoy the 2009 FBR Open.

Tournament officials ask that you DO NOT bring the following items to the tournament site:

  • Weapons
  • Cell Phones (Thursday through Sunday)
  • Pagers
  • Purses or other containers larger than 6X6X6
  • Cameras (Thursday through Sunday)
  • Beverages (except clear sealed bottled water and special drinks, such as baby formula)
  • Food Items (unless pre-prepared in clear bags and carried by hand in a plastic grocery style bag.  SLICED fruit WILL be allowed)

Phone stations and concession stands will be available at various locations on the tournament site.  In addition, officials want to reiterate that the sale or give-away of tournament tickets and badges at the tournament site is prohibited except by Thunderbirds.

The FBR Open is the best-attended golf tournament in the world and has raised more than $61.7 million for charities, with more than $33.6 million generated in just the last five years alone. The 2008 FBR Open raised a PGA TOUR record $8,652,542 for charity. Annually sporting by far the largest crowds for any golfing event in the world, the FBR Open has gained legendary status for being a unique stop on the PGA TOUR. The 2009 edition, to be played January 26th through February 1st, will mark the 74th playing of the event, and the sixth as the FBR Open, making it one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR.

FBR Open Hole 16

A friend of mine sent us this information about the 16th hole at the FBR Open If you get a chance to go, it is a blast and like nothing else in golf.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ever wonder what it would be like to hit a shot on the famed par-3, 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale during the FBR Open? You just might get that chance…as a number of lucky golf fans along with a host of local media personalities and tournament sponsors will tee-it-up for charity in a unique closest-to-the-pin contest on Wednesday, January 28th, 2009. Dubbed the “Shot At Glory,” the friendly competition will feature roughly 30 participants and will take place following the completion of the FBR Open’s Silver Pro-Am at approximately 3:30 pm. The event is open to spectators – in fact FBR Open fans are encouraged to stick around and cheer-on the participants. Fans 21 and older that do stay for the competition will be rewarded with vouchers for 2 for 1 tickets to Wednesday (Jan 28) evening’s Coors Light Birds Nest featuring Zowie Bowie. 

 Tournament host The Thunderbirds will award more than $100,000 to the charities chosen by each competitor. Plus, if a participant makes a hole-in-one, $1,000,000 will be divided between the winner and the charity of their choice (paid in a multi-year annuity). If no one makes a hole-in-one, $40,000 will be donated to the charity of the participant who is closest-to-the-pin, while $25,000 and $15,000 will be donated to the 2nd and 3rd place finishers, respectively.  Each of the remaining participant’s charities will receive $1,000.    

Golf fans participating in the Shot At Glory will be chosen randomly by tournament officials on the day of the event and through contests/retail promotions by FBR Open sponsors such as Crescent Crown Distributing, Diageo and The Tilted Kilt.

2009 marks the second Shot At Glory competition at the FBR Open. In 2008, Mark Cannizzaro, who covers the NFL and golf for the New York Post, took home first place and won $40,000 for the Val Skinner Foundation for being closest-to-the-pin at 19 feet, 10 inches. NFL Hall of Fame running back John Riggins won $25,000 for his charity for being 30 feet from the pin. USA Today Golf Writer Steve DiMeglio took third place and $15,000 for the Gannett Foundation for being 36 feet from the pin.

The FBR Open is the best-attended golf tournament in the world and has raised more than $61.7 million for charities, with more than $33.6 million generated in just the last five years alone. The 2008 FBR Open raised a PGA TOUR record $8,652,542 for charity. Annually sporting by far the largest crowds for any golfing event in the world, the FBR Open has gained legendary status for being a unique stop on the PGA TOUR. The 2009 edition, to be played January 26th through February 1st, will mark the 74th playing of the event, and the sixth as the FBR Open, making it one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR.

FBR Open

Plenty of Activities to Go Along With Golf

Enjoy Valley Activities and Golf!

There are plenty of exciting events going on the Phoenix Scottsdale area in the coming weeks. The Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction kicked off the week with a huge gala featuring live music, food and drinks. The activities will go on throughout the week and next weekend

Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction

FBR Open

Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show

Cactus League Baseball

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