I attended my first PGA Championship. From the affordable tickets to free cocktails at the 15th green, here's what it's really like.

A first PGA Championship visit in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, brought surprise at the amount of walking, the availability of free drinks, and the fashion-forward look of attendees. The experience converted a longtime sports fan who previously knew little about golf, beyond watching Tiger Woods. The trip was made with a brother who had tried for years to build interest in the sport. The PGA Championship is held at Aronimink Golf Club. Championship+ general admission tickets cost about $199 to $299 depending on the day, and public ticket sales avoid lotteries or special connections. Championship rounds sell out quickly, but a first-day general admission ticket was obtained. Practice-round passes cost about $79, offering a lower-cost entry point.

"I went to my first PGA Championship in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. I was surprised by the amount of walking, the free drinks, and how fashionable the attendees were. I wasn't a huge golf fan, but now I'm sold. I should've listened to my brother sooner. Did I have attending the PGA Championship on my bingo card for 2026? Absolutely not. Was it one of the best sporting events I've ever attended? Also yes."

"I consider myself to be an all-around sports girl. I've been to the Super Bowl, the All-Star Game, the US Open, and countless MLB and soccer games throughout my lifetime. But me and golf? Still a learning curve there. I'd grown up watching Tiger Woods like most millennials, but that was the extent of my golf knowledge. Honestly, the sport and the culture felt out of reach. Still, my brother has spent years trying to get me interested in golf, so we trekked together to Aronimink Golf Club, the private country club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, where the PGA Championship is held annually."

"Unlike the Masters, getting into the PGA Championship doesn't require winning a lottery or knowing the right people. Tickets go on sale to the public, and while championship rounds sell out fast, I nabbed a general admission ticket for last Thursday, the first day of the championship, which retails for about $199. Still, if that's too steep, practice-round passes are also a genuinely affordable way in. At $79, whic"

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