Hazeltine National Hopes to Continue Championship Success

In addition to its distinction as a premier championship course, Hazeltine National Golf Club also has earned a reputation for its success as a venue for major championship golf events.  Financial success – combined with strong fan support among Minnesotans – is one of the reasons that tournaments like the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship continue to return to Hazeltine.

Each major golf championship held in Minnesota has shown positive returns, and when the PGA Championship comes to Hazeltine next month, it will bring with it thousands of spectators eager for souvenirs and memorabilia from the historic tournament.  Hazeltine and the PGA of America are confident the record-setting precedent set during past championships will continue this year.

Minnesota – a golf destination
With more golfers per capita than any other state, Minnesotans have a history of supporting the national championships that are played in the state. In fact the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine set attendance records that stood for four years.

“We enjoy coming to Hazeltine, in part because of the enthusiastic support we receive from the people of Chaska, Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and the surrounding communities,” said Kerry Haigh, PGA of America’s Managing Director of Championships. “People continue to come out and support major championships and create an unbelievable atmosphere that the players and the PGA of America really appreciate and enjoy.”

Hazeltine sets the trend
Hazeltine’s approach to merchandising changed the way the PGA and USGA handled sales at their tournaments. That stemmed from record sales during the 1991 U.S. Open at Hazeltine. When the Open came to Hazeltine in 1991, head golf professional Mike Schultz had several ideas for changing the merchandise process to a true shopping experience.

“My wife and I had visited several championships in the years prior to the 1991 tournament and thought that it would make more sense to run the merchandise tent like a department store, where people attending the event are free to peruse souvenirs at their leisure,” said Schultz.

Record-breaking sales
Although his idea was met with resistance from some professionals at other host clubs, who suggested that the shrinkage and theft that would result from a department store format would be more costly than it was worth, Schultz renovated the merchandise tent – and with great success. The 1991 U.S. Open broke the tournament’s existing sales record.  More than twice the merchandise was sold at Hazeltine National Golf Club compared to the previous year at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill.  Since then, every major championship has adopted Hazeltine’s format.

In addition to record sales in 1991 – which stood until the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage – Hazeltine also set a PGA Championship sales record in 2002, which was held until the 2004 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Strong sales expected this year
Although Schultz doesn’t anticipate sales to take a huge hit this year, he is considering the economic climate in the merchandise preparations.  “We think we’ll sell a higher quantity of less-expensive items – things like t-shirts, caps and souvenir golf balls,” said Schultz. “So we’ve been sure to stock up on items like that, while still keeping a supply of the higher end merchandise as well.”

Tags: 1991 U.S. Open, 2002 PGA Championship, golf, hazeltine national golf club, Mike Schultz, Minnesota, Payne Stewart, PGA, PGA Championship, PGA of America, USGA

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