NFL stadium transformed into nine-hole golf course
By Yash Padhye
Transforming an NFL stadium into a 9-hole par-3 track may be one of those things that happens only in California!
Playing nine holes is not an uncommon sight for recreational golfers. After all, ours is a flexible game that can be adapted to many different lifestyles. But for 2,400 golfers those nine holes just got very special. They played their nine holes inside an NFL stadium, the 49ers stadium, to be precise.
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California was transformed into a nine-hole golf course. StadiumLinks completed the transformation of the football stadium and according to CBSSports.com reporter John Breech,
"The course was 1,370 yards long and consisted of nine holes with each hole ranging from 100 to 180 yards."
StadiumLinks founder Jon Stephens told the Silicon Valley Business Journal,
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"You really can’t replicate these golf shots anywhere else on the planet. Think about the elevation of the shot, the angles of the shot and each stadium is so different you really create a one-of-a-kind golf course."
Since the golf course was only 1,370 yards, each hole was a par 3. According to the Silicon Business Valley Journal article,
"Shots into the cup are a hole-in-one, within the painted circle around the flag are birdies, on the green are pars, anywhere else in the grass are bogies and anywhere else in the stadium are double bogies."
Some 49ers players even joined the action, including kicker Robbie Gould.
The tees were put up on different levels and different sides of the stadium. Because it was a stadium, the tees were placed on mats to simulate the feeling of real grass.
Sunday funday @49ers @LevisStadium @StadiumlinksHQ pic.twitter.com/clztwtVQhM
— Robbie Gould (@RobbieGould09) July 9, 2017
How much was it to play?
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A greens fee of $90 got players into this event. Because the company wanted to simulate the feeling of playing on a real golf course, players had the option of choosing between twosomes and foursomes for their round.
According to the StadiumLinks website, In addition to the green fees, players could also purchase the VIP package. For an additional $55 dollars participants gained access to private warm up bays, nine additional golf balls, and access to the Levi’s Stadium’s VIP lounge.
When it was all said and done, the person with the lowest round won $500. According to the Silicon Valley business journal, there were also separate chipping and putting challenges. The prizes for those events included $250 and 49ers preseason tickets.
I think we can assume a good time was had by all! I wonder if this variation on the game will find traction outside the Bay Area?
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Golf is a very versatile sport, as StadiumLinks had demonstrated. You can take a nine-hole golf course and put it inside a football stadium.