The U.S. Open Golf Tournament is one of the four tournaments that make up the "grand slam," the four most important tournaments of each golf season. It is a tournament that has often produced golf's most exciting finishes, broken the most hearts of golfing greats, and launched unknown players into legendary status. Unlike the Masters, it is also accessible to anyone, but maximizing the experience requires planning.
Decide how far you are willing to travel to see the event. The U.S. Open is in a different city every year. Check the schedule for upcoming years on the Web site of the United States Golf Association (USGA).
Obtain tickets to the U.S. Open. A random drawing is held by the USGA for tickets each year. Associate membership in the USGA increases your chances of being successful in the drawing. Information about the drawing is available on the USGA Web site. Tickets are sold as week-long passes. Tickets may also be purchased through various ticket vendors as a week-long pass or as daily tickets. A week-long pass from a ticket vendor may be costly.
Secure a place to stay if the site of the Open is not close enough for you to stay at home. The Open draws a large number of fans and press--hotels and motels close to the golf course are often rented up to a year in advance.
Attend practice rounds Monday through Wednesday the week of the tournament. During the practice rounds it is easier to see the most popular players, and you can also become familiar with the golf course layout.
Explore the golf course to find the best spectator spots. Look for places where more than one hole may be viewed from the same spot, where it is possible to see the more exciting holes with water hazards or difficult greens, where amenities such as rest rooms and refreshments are close by or even simply places that have shade and will be a comfortable place to sit for several hours.
As the tournament unfolds, decide if you have a favorite player. Walking the entire round with a player is another way to watch the tournament. If the player is one of the leaders, this may require jumping ahead of the player by one or two holes so you can be in a position to view the action. This sort of experience is greatly enhanced if you have spent time getting to know the course.
Pack appropriate outdoor spectator gear. You will need binoculars, sunblock, comfortable walking shoes and a blanket to sit on.
