The private Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey is playing host to the LPGA Tour's Sybase Classic this week. The golf course is right off of State Route 3, which makes it convenient for fans traveling to the tournament, and it's within earshot of New York City, so the players and the sponsor's guests have plenty to do when they're not at the golf course.
I roamed the course, which was relatively empty on Monday, and took some photos. It was a really nice day for golf, still a bit cold here in the Northeast but overall not bad. Bigger crowds will start to arrive tomorrow when the Pro-Am events are played. Monday is usually a very slow day at a professional golf tournament, unless it's The Masters, or any other major for that matter.
I was surprised that Natalie Gulbis showed up at Upper Montclair today after her appearance on last night's Celebrity Apprentice season finale. But it was reported by various news outlets that NBC chartered her a chopper to NYC, so she probably got a good night's sleep.
Check back for updates on the tournament and blogs this week. This is my first LPGA event ever so don't be disappointed if they're not very insightful as far as in-depth golf analysis goes.
I really want to focus on the make-up of the crowds; probably could have phrased that better when speaking about a women's golf tournament. There were more men in attendance on Monday, but that could change once the event begins. I'm also interested to talk to some of the Pro-Am participants and take a look at how sponsoring this event helps them do business.
I my opinion golf has continually and unfairly come under fire due to the sponsors of it's event in the wake of the little economic pickle we've got ourselves into. It would be silly for corporations doing terribly to sponsor a golf tournament if they're letting go their employees at the same time. But a company like Sybase that has done well has every right to gather and have a good time if they're financially stable and succeeding in spite of a financial crisis.
More on that over the next few days. Here are a few photos from the opening day of the tournament, mostly of the golf course. I should mention that Upper Montclair was designed by A.W. Tillinghast, who also designed Bethpage Black. His original design was completed in the late 1920s, and Robert Trent Jones did a major renovation in the 1950s that transformed an 18-hole course to the 27-hole course you would see today.
Upper Montclair Country Club is one of only a few country clubs world-wide known to have hosted tournaments for all three Professional Golf Associations
Editor's Note: GolfersGuide.com's Online Editor Brandon Underwood will be on site at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton New Jersey at this week's LPGA Sybase Classic. Check back for the latest blogs and tournament updates.
