TOWN OF MOSEL, WI (WHBL) - The PGA Championship doesn’t start at Whistling Straits until Monday, but you can get the chance to walk part of the grounds this weekend. The tournament has its “Grand Opening Weekend” for its 36-thousand square foot merchandise tent this Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 6.
Michael Quirk, the PGA’s Senior Director of Merchandising and Licensing, tells WHBL News they have everything a golfer and golf fan needs in their tent, which is slightly larger than a football field. "Products from all the top licensees in the industry, PGA championship logo product, and the small exclusive Ryder Cup line to celebrate 2020 coming to Whistling Straits."
If golf clothes or accessories are not your thing, you can shop around to get anything from shot glasses, bouncy balls, umbrellas, artwork, and woodwork with the Whistling Straits logo.
You can also take a picture with the Wanamaker Trophy, given to next week’s winner, and the Ryder Cup, which will be played for at the course in 2020.
Quirk says the event is free to anyone who wants to come. "Really a time for anyone who doesn’t have a ticket to come out because this really is their only time to come out. Even those folks that do have a ticket, we kind of encourage them to come out this weekend, beat the rush, shop at your own leisure, and focus on the golf next week."
Quirk says its take six full time employees to put together a merchandise tent for the PGA Championship, working on getting the products that will be sold during the tournament.
Once on site, it takes two months to put up and take down the tent, and there will be around 600 volunteers to run the tent during the nine days its open to the public.
Anyone who does come will park in the south public parking lot off Lakeshore Road, which is free for this weekend, and a shuttle will help transport people back and forth from the tent.