PGA Tour making enhancements to better player, caddy experience at 2024 Signature Events
The PGA Tour sent a memo detailing improvements to the overall player and caddy experience at Signature Events in 2024.
At the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August, Jon Rahm had a request to the PGA Tour: get more port-a-potties on the course.
They clearly listened.
On Nov. 10, the tour sent a memo detailing improvements to the player and caddy experience for the Signature Events throughout the 2024 season, per Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal.
Should Rahm stay on the PGA Tour—rumors of his departure to LIV Golf are swirling—the Spaniard will now have access to eight bathrooms across the course, four on the front nine and four on the back.
The limited fields of the Signature and Playoff Events allow the PGA Tour flexibility to make these enhancements, including better parking, a courtesy car service, and a private location for players’ families to relax, eat, and use the restroom.
The memo called for tournaments to improve their food and beverage menu, emphasizing the need for players to have superb nutrition to help their overall health and wellness.
Each tournament will also have a designated location for cold plunge baths, which help players with their recovery after rounds. It often allows players to fight off inflammation, too.
Player support teams, such as agents, coaches, trainers, and, in some cases, interpreters, will be included in family dining. That will provide more people with better access and options instead of mingling around fans out on the course.
Furthermore, tournaments are now required to provide players with laundry and dry cleaning services as well as picture yardage books.
All of these enhancements come when the PGA Tour is negotiating with investors about its future. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) is obviously one of those, while Fenway Sports Group is another.
Nevertheless, Carpenter’s report notes that changes like this have never been implemented ‘to this extreme’ in years past.
Regardless, the players, caddies, and families will appreciate these positive changes.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.