Friday At LIV Golf Michigan

Friday At LIV Golf Michigan

This weekend, there are two competing skilled golf tournaments in Michigan: the PGAT Champions Ally Problem at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc and LIV Golf Michigan at The Cardinal in Plymouth.

Apparently, each are three-round affairs.

I made a decision to attend the LIV Golf event, as I’ve beforehand been to the Ally Problem. There’s loads of buzz about LIV — each destructive and constructive — so I wished to expertise it myself.

(Read GolfBlogger’s Review of The Cardinal)

LIV Golf Michigan is the tour’s Group Championship — the ultimate occasion of a 14-tournament season. As with the others, it’s a three-round, shotgun begin format. In contrast to the others, nonetheless, it’s match play.

I really like match play.

LIV has 13 groups, so on the earlier Wednesday, the Twelfth and thirteenth ranked groups held a single elimination match play. The Majesticks and Iron Heads had been in these spots; The Majesticks made it by.

Within the Friday matches, every group contest consisted of two singles matches and one alternate-shot (foursomes) match, with a complete of three factors accessible. The winner of every match was the primary group to 2 factors.

On Saturday, the six successful groups superior to the Championship Bracket, whereas the six shedding groups proceed to play within the Rankings Bracket. The format stays the identical.

Sunday’s rounds are stroke play, with every group’s rating coming from all 4 gamers scores on th group.

Groups earn closing positions based mostly on their finishes within the respective tiers.

• 1st-Third – Championship Bracket Finalists
• 4th-Sixth – Dropping groups from the Championship Bracket Semifinals
• Seventh-Ninth – Successful groups from the Rankings Bracket
• Tenth-Twelfth – Dropping groups from the Rankings Bracket

The group with the bottom whole rating within the Championship Bracket is the 2025 LIV Golf group champion.

I believe the PGA TOUR ought to take notes on this. The rap on match play for the PGA Tour has been that the most well-liked gamers wouldn’t be enjoying on the weekend. LIV Golf’s format ensures that each one 48 are nonetheless enjoying on the finish. I’m undecided I just like the sudden change to stroke play, although. It appears to me that the losers may simply proceed to play as groups for closing positions.

As a “fan,” the expertise at LIV Golf is notably completely different from a PGAT occasion.

I put the phrase “fan” in quotes as a result of I’m technically on the occasion as a member of the media. I don’t intend to spend so much of time overlaying the scores, although. There are greater than sufficient shops reporting on scores, pictures and participant quotes. I’m extra focused on speaking in some vogue what it feels prefer to be a paying spectator.

The very first thing I observed — even earlier than coming into the gates — is that it’s noisy. LIV has it proper when it says “Golf However Louder.” Audio system are all over the place and all are enjoying a kind of (to my ears) inoffensive pop rock. I didn’t acknowledge any of the bands, however I’m previous. Youthful folks in all probability know them.

I additionally famous that the signage on the course was higher than different tournaments I’ve attended. I used to be by no means at a loss for instructions. There are indicators with QR Codes for maps and the LIV scoring app.

Humorously, there have been loads of indicators that stated “FORE!” and instructed spectators that in the event that they heard the decision to cowl their heads.

Or maybe that’s not humorous. It could be true that LIV Golf is perhaps extra more likely to entice individuals who have little expertise with golf or golf tournaments.

Most of the PGAT, LPGA and USGA tournaments I’ve attended have had “fan expertise” areas with meals, drink, video games and different ancillary actions. The Rocket Mortgage event I attended had a really good one, with a lot of cover tents representing native companies that had been providing reveals or actions.

LIV’s “Fan Village” additionally was spectacular, however leaned into the actions. Among the many choices had been placing areas, a “seated soccer” desk, basketball, and a dunk tank.

Elsewhere, there was a “Household Fairway” part, with actions for the tykes. Subsequent to an ice cream truck, in fact.

As with different tournaments I’ve attended, the Cardinal has a confluence of tee bins, greens and grandstands that attracted essentially the most followers. On this case, it’s the central space close to the primary, fourth, fourteenth and seventeenth inexperienced, and the second, eighth and sixteenth tee bins. They’re all in orbit across the midway home.

The largest and most rowdy level was the Birdie Shack grandstands and meals venue across the par 3 fifteenth (usually the eighth; the course has been rerouted for the competitors). The Birdie Shack is an up-priced ticket, nonetheless, and is bought out.

Away from that core space, as you would possibly anticipate, crowds had been way more sparse. Some teams, such because the Mickelson group, attracted bigger crowds, however I by no means discovered it multiple fan deep.

I don’t suppose that LIV Michigan on Friday was as nicely attended as any of the PGAT occasions I’ve lined. I’d put it extra on a par with an LPGA occasion. Outdoors of the core areas at PGAT occasions, premier teams normally are two to a few deep with followers around the tee bins and greens. To get good photographs, I’ve needed to go contained in the ropes with my media cross. That wasn’t the case at LIV Michigan on Friday. I used to be all the time in a position to get proper as much as the ropes outdoors of the central district.

That’s each a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing for followers who need to get near the motion. It doubtless is a curse for event organizers who want to have extra paying patrons.

I don’t suppose we’ll ever get correct each day attendance figures for LIV Michigan, any greater than we get correct attendance figures from PGAT occasions.

The Cardinal was immaculate, with completely clean greens, pristine fairways and thick, 4 inch tough. I had a chat with course architect Ray Hearn, who stated {that a} course superintendent could make or break an architect’s design. He had nothing however reward for the Cardinal’s grounds crew.

It’s a very fairly course, and well-suited to internet hosting a excessive degree event, with loads of house betwen holes for grandstands and different venues. I requested Hearn about that, and he stated that leaving such house betwen holes was certainly a consideration within the design.

The spaciousness of the Cardinal (18 holes over terrain as soon as occupied by 27) let LIV house its facilities to keep away from lengthy strains. The event map exhibits eleven restroom areas and 5 meals and beverage collections.

Refreshments had been costly, although. A Michelob Extremely or Guiness had been $13. That’s MLB ballpark costs.

As with ballparks, there truly had been roving drink distributors.

And talking of pricey, objects within the merch tent had been priced at a premium with $150 polos and so forth. Nonetheless, in case you are a Vary Goats superfan, I suppose you’d be keen to take out a second mortgage to get a few of their branded merch.

I’m very a lot focused on seeing how Saturday shapes up. I believe it doubtless that the crowds will likely be bigger, as it’s a weekend. There is also the added attraction of an Think about Dragons live performance after the competitors.

I’ll have extra tomorrow.