Buick Open Tickets

Starting out as purely a sales and publicity promotion, The Buick Open became one of the most hospitable, memorable tourneys in golf history'”and a template for future PGA tournament sponsorship programs. Buick quickly became one of the most bountiful corporate contributors in the tournament history of golf. They opened the rich lode of potential dollars to be made by tapping into the publicity and incentive behind sports sponsorship deals. It is easy to forget that in the wake of all things Detroit.

To refer to the Greenbrier as upscale or posh is an understatement. Since the Truman days, every Presidential Administration has stayed there. It is an opulent resort. The golf is duly respected. The Alexander Findlay-designed course has remarkable history. The first Ryder Cup was held there. Its two emeritus pros have been Snead and Watson, both legends of golf. The Greenbrier Classic is replacing the Buick Open for many good reasons. It is a beautiful course. It has a dense, rich golf history. It is also a course that has produced similar high excitement moments in the spirit of the Buick Open'”minus the borderline frat house atmosphere. This PGA tournament has changed its drink, informally, from Michigan beer to West Virginian bourbon. The Old White Course at the Greenbrier hopes to prove a worthy replacement. July 29, 2010 is the first time this brand new tournament will be played. Attendees will enjoy a PGA first time Classic with a long-time history. The expected first-year purse for the event is just under 7 million dollars.

A close look at the scoring averages on the PGA tour reveals what narrow margins separate the top and bottom of the money list. Does this mean if anyone just improved by a couple of strokes they'd be #1? Not exactly, but low scores help get awfully close. Each course, too, has a lot to do with overall score. Before General Motors' demise, the Buick Open was a popular tournament at which to obtain low scores. In its heyday, winning scores at the tournament averaged 17 under. Golfers used the Buick Open to ameliorate their season's stats before the Championship series began. The Buick Open is no more. Golfers long used it as a last chance to beef-up their numbers before season's end. It is remembered as a rowdy place'”thanks to the rock and roll atmosphere of its 17th hole, where Flint Michigan fans would shout, cheer, and often jeer certain golfers. The Open was also a long ball hitter's paradise. It was a beloved golf tournament until its last year, 2009. The tournament started in 1958. It was played at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc, Michigan. The PGA replaced this tournament with the Greenbrier Classic, starting in 2010.