No wild beasts, but No. 16 sure feels like the Colosseum

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This year, the hole will be entirely closed in -- a true stadium format.

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This year, the 16th hole will be entirely closed in -- a true stadium format.

Jan. 29, 2009
By Special to PGATOUR.COM

In ancient Rome, trained gladiators used swords and shields to try to win their freedom by defeating lions, tigers, leopards and even rhinos in battle as spectators cheered -- filling the Colosseum with a deafening roar. Replace the gladiators with some of the best golfers in the world, the swords with precision golf clubs and the throngs of boisterous spectators with ... well, throngs of boisterous spectators, and what you have is the infamous 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course during the FBR Open.

The resemblance of No. 16 to the world-famous Roman amphitheater will be even more striking during the 2009 edition of the FBR Open thanks to the addition of 3,000 new general admission bleacher seats behind and to the right of the green on the 162-yard, par-3 hole -- making it the PGA TOUR's first fully-enclosed stadium golf hole. The new stadium seating, also known as "tip-up" seats, joins bleachers and 153 corporate skyboxes behind the tee and down the left and right sides of the hole, now accommodating between 15,000 and 20,000 fans in all.

While the Colosseum of Rome segregated spectators according to their rank, social class and gender, with the rich and well-connected receiving choice ringside seats and commoners the less desirable seats, the new bleacher seats will be open to all fans on a first come, first-serve basis in the same way that hillside space was previously available. Regardless of where they sit, fans will have enhanced viewing of all the action via an enormous new 51-foot by 19-foot video display board located behind the tee box.

Like the word "Colosseum," which originates from the Roman word for gigantic, everything about the FBR Open is big -- especially the crowds. Each year, more than 500,000 fans spread out along TPC Scottsdale's trademark spectator mounding to witness history-making moments by the world's greatest golfers. PGA TOUR players are forewarned of the intensity of the 16th hole long before they reach it, as the sound of the crowd can often be heard as far away as the third hole.

In 1997, Tiger Woods elevated No. 16 to an entirely new decibel level (and the tournament to legendary status) when he aced the hole with what was dubbed "the shot heard round the world." The crowd howled from the moment he took his backswing until the ball landed in the cup for a hole-in-one, finally reaching an ear-splitting crescendo as Tiger retrieved the ball and raised it above his head.

PGA TOUR players who have played No. 16 during the FBR Open describe a scene similar to what the gladiators must have experienced upon entering the ancient arena, albeit without the snarling beasts and prospects of an untimely death. Still, the stakes at the FBR Open are high, with a $1.08 million first place prize purse on the line, along with the opportunity to move up in the FedExCup point standings.

Players approach the tee box through a tunnel that runs underneath the skyboxes from the 15th green as rowdy crowds taunt and cheer, and exit through a new tunnel that has been added beneath the bleacher seats from the 16th tee to the 17th green. In between, it's sheer trepidation, even for the most seasoned players.

Paul Azinger, who has won 12 TOUR tournaments including the 1993 PGA Championship and the 1992 TOUR Championship, calls the 16th hole "the coolest thing I've ever seen in golf. We'll see how I do when you put 30,000 people around it. I hope I can hit the green."

Kevin Streelman, who had four top-10 finishes and eight top-25 finishes as a TOUR rookie in 2008, says No. 16 is "one of the coolest-looking holes on TOUR." Streelman adds, "the only other hole close to this one would be No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass." As for how he will prepare mentally for the crowds on the 16th this year, Streelman says, "I plan to have as much fun with the crowd as I possibly can. I am planning something special for the fans this year along with my sponsor. I can't wait!"

Three-time TOUR winner and Scottsdale resident Kirk Triplett adds, "The atmosphere on No. 16 during the FBR Open is unlike anything else on the PGA TOUR. Each time I play it, I feel as if I've arrived at a golf tournament but ended up at the Super Bowl. The crowds can be very intimidating but also force you to be at the top of your game."

The FBR Open is a study in superlatives. Not only is the tournament the largest spectator golf event in the world, the excitement stratospheric, the prize money among the highest on the 2009 PGA TOUR schedule ($6 million total), the tournament also annually contributes millions of dollars to hundreds of Scottsdale-area charities on behalf of its host tournament organization, The Thunderbirds. In 2008, the FBR Open set an all-time PGA TOUR record by raising $8,652,542 for charity, bringing the total raised for charity by the tournament since its inception to more than $61.7 million -- including $33.6 million during the last five years alone.

Even the setup of the FBR Open is colossal, encompassing approximately 200 skyboxes, 37 corporate village tents, miles of stadium-style bleacher seating, innumerable food and beverage kiosks and merchandising outlets, and the renowned Coors Light Bird's Nest, a spectacular 320,000 square-foot party tent where jubilant fans can enjoy live music performed by top bands on a daily basis. One of the largest teams of volunteers on the PGA TOUR, 4,000 in all, are needed to prepare for and run the tournament, which has been operated by The Thunderbirds since 1939.

In addition to the sheer magnitude of its size and spectacle, the FBR Open has set many precedents for engaging fans and creating interest in golf from a broad spectrum of people, from corporate executives and college students to families. Just as the spectators in ancient Rome sometimes became part of the show at the Colosseum -- with glory-seeking individuals entering the arena in search of fame and fortune alongside the criminals and prisoners of war, who were forced to compete -- up to 30 local community "heroes," celebrities and key tournament supporters will have the opportunity to make their own mark on the 16th hole by competing in the FBR Open's second annual "Shot At Glory."

Scheduled to be held immediately following the FBR/Xerox Pro-Am, "Shot At Glory" will enable selected amateurs to compete in a closest-to-the-pin contest on the 16th hole, with the prize money donated to the player's favorite charity. A whopping $40,000 will be donated to charity for first place, $25,000 for second and $15,000 for third, with $1,000 donated to charity for every participant entered. And, just as Roman emperors were prone to tossing unsuspecting spectators into the Colosseum arena, one lucky golf fan will be randomly chosen from the audience to participate in the closest-to-the-pin contest, allowing them to achieve their own glory, or face the raucous disdain of the crowd -- just like the pros.

For more information on the 74th FBR Open at the PGA TOUR's beautiful TPC Scottsdale, or to purchase tickets, please visit www.pheonixopen.com. For more information on tee times and vacation packages at TPC Scottsdale, please visit www.tpc.com/vacations.