Where Do Pro Golfers Stay During Tournaments?

Professional golfers move around a lot, attending tournaments all around the world. This amount of travel takes a lot of logistical planning and is generally the player’s responsibility. So, where do pro golfers stay during tournaments?

Pro golfers generally stay in hotels on-site or in rented homes nearby during major tournaments. Lesser-known players on minor tours typically stay in more modest accommodations, such as motels, an Airbnb, or even a large motor home.

Playing professional golf requires players to move from tournament to tournament. Pro golfers are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs plus those of their caddie, coach, and anybody else who travels with them.

Whether among the top players or lesser-known groups, accommodation ranges from exclusive luxury hotels and homes nearby to more humble motel accommodations. If you want to know more about where pro golfers stay during tournaments, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started!

Where Do Pro Golfers Stay During Tournaments? A Golf Hotel

What Types Of Accommodation Do Pro Golfers Stay In During Tournaments?

Pro golfers spend a lot of time on the road and in rented accommodation. Their choice of accommodation depends on their ranking, income, how many people travel with them, and their personal preference.

As with most sports, those who are more well-known and earn more from winnings and sponsorships tend to stay in more expensive luxurious accommodations. These include luxury hotels nearby to the tournament and rental homes in the vicinity.

Sometimes, pros will have sponsorship deals with specific hotels, and their accommodation will be paid for, or at least partially. However, players must arrange their accommodation, and where they choose to stay during a tournament is up to them.

Several factors influence this decision about where to stay. Proximity to the course is an issue of great importance. Players want to stay as close to the venue as possible and generally choose to stay within a two-hour drive of the tournament venue.

Pro golfers will generally opt for luxury hotel accommodation or a nearby luxury home rental, depending on where the tournament takes place. This is a personal preference, and all players are different in this regard.

Do you want to know where the biggest golf tournaments are? Check out this article, 11 Biggest Golf Tournaments In The World.

Hotel

Usually, the organizers will book blocks of rooms at nearby luxury hotels available to players, media, and staff for rental. Still, these rooms go fast, and there are not enough for everyone, especially at big tournaments like the Masters.

Pro players seem to prefer a place that is relatively quiet and secluded, with minimal foot traffic. They’ll organize their stay at the hotels, so there is little chance of being disturbed by members of the public. For example, they use the room service option frequently and travel in private transport with their driver.

Some pros are also known to stay in a rental with other players, thus reducing expenses.

The situation is different for lesser-known players, who are also required to shoulder their travel and accommodation expenses on a more limited budget than the prominent players. These players would typically drive themselves and stay in a nearby motel.

Although less costly than a luxury hotel or home, motel rates are known to triple during tournaments such as the Masters, so even this is an expensive exercise for players. As a result, some players even bring their own motorhomes, which works out cheaper than renting.

Hotel on Golf Course. What Types Of Accommodation Do Pro Golfers Stay In During Tournaments?

Do Pro Golf Players Stay In Rented Accommodation On Tour?

Generally, players opt to stay within a two-hour drive of the tournament and choose between hotels or rented accommodation depending on their personal preference, budget, and how many people are traveling with them.

Because some tournaments take place in remote areas that don’t have enough hotel accommodation for all the players, such as the Masters, which is held in the Augusta area, there is a shortage of luxury hotels in the area. As a result, many top players opt for rented accommodation in affluent homes nearby.

As rental prices are steep at that time of year, with many homeowners increasing the rental fee because of demand, players are known to rent properties as a group. This brings the cost of accommodation down per player. Most rentals are listed online, and players can select their accommodation and arrange it privately.

Typically, a dedicated housing committee inspects and approves homes available during the week using rigorous standards before the houses can be listed as potential places for players to rent.

To meet the criteria for renting to players, the houses must have a minimum of four bedrooms and three bathrooms. This varies and can go up to eight or even ten bedrooms.

Renting the property requires extensive preparation from homeowners, who start cleaning and doing home maintenance weeks in advance. Many have separate closets for sheets, pillowcases, towels, and duvets that are only used during the Masters.

In preparation for this event, homeowners plan their annual vacation during this time and move out, renting their homes for thousands of dollars. Many homeowners use part of the income towards improvements such as updating bathrooms or adding a wet bar.

Golf Course By The Sea

How Much Do Pro Golfers Travel For Tournaments?

Professional golfers must play a certain amount of tournaments to retain membership on the PGA tour. They must play in at least 15 events every season to maintain membership.

The regular season golf schedule includes 37 weeks of potential tournaments. The PGA Tour season spans from mid-September to August the following year. Major tournaments are spread throughout the year, and smaller ones happen almost every weekend.

The average PGA player will generally participate in between 20 to 30 tournaments annually. Factoring in the amount of time needed for traveling between tournaments, as well as rest time, and daily practices, is a full-time logistical requirement.

Related: How Long Does a Golf Tournament Last?

Pro golfers generally spend at least six hours a day practicing. This includes about three to four hours on the full swing and about three hours on the short game. It is estimated that a professional golfer will hit approximately 500 balls per day during practice, with only 50-100 of these being hit at the driving range.

Final Thoughts

Pro golfers are responsible for organizing their own travel and accommodation while on tour. This can be a large expense and requires a certain amount of planning. Whether they opt for a hotel or rental accommodation depends on what they can afford as well as their own personal preference.

And remember only players who make the cut get paid, a bad run of results can quickly eat into a golfer’s annual earnings which can ultimately influence where a pro golfer will stay during their next competition.

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