Rain prompts last minute adjustments for Region Tradition PGA Tournament

Yahoo

14-05-2025

GREYSTONE, Ala. (WIAT) – The rain is causing PGA officials and the Greystone Golf and Country Club to make last minute adjustments ahead of the Regions Tradition Golf Tournament.
'The rain we've had recently has certainly impacted the golf course and will impact the competition a little,' Eventive Sports President Gene Hallman said. 'But, for the most part it won't impact the fans.'
Parking is paved which allows fans to avoid mud in the area.
The tournament will also offer a shuttle from parking lots to the front of the course.
The only difference fans might see is how much time it takes for the golfers to finish a full round. One reason is because Wednesday is cart path only Hallman said.
Another reason is because the fairways are very saturated, the ball will sit where it lands.
'This place is usually firm and fast where we get a lot of rolls but it's not going to play that way, so it's going to play much longer than years past,' PGA Player Tag Ridings said.
The pros tee off on Thursday. It will be Ridings' first time competing in the Regions Tradition Golf Tournament.
'This is awesome for me,' Ridings said. 'This is a major championship on the champions tour.'
Bright greens, fresh sand, and scenic water features – it's a PGA wonderland right here in Alabama. While the rain put a damper on the grounds, it's not putting a damper on Ridings' outlook for the tournament.
'I think we've all gone through this before,' Ridings said. 'But Thursday and Friday look beautiful.'
As PGA golfers prepare for the tournament, the PGA National Champion Rules Official Joe Terry is making sure the greens are up to par for the Drummond Company Celebrity Pro-Am on Wednesday.
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'We're expecting a big crowd for with the celebrities that are coming to play, we've got to have a way we can route our golf carts through the course without going through the crowds,' Terry said.
Typically, the carts would just drive on the green, but because Wednesday will be cart path only – Terry had to think outside the tee box for a solution. He brought in mulch and sand to create temporary cart paths up to the tees.
'We've got to keep the carts on the hard surface, or we'll destroy the Greystone Golf Course, and we don't want to do that,' Terry said.
This marks Terry's 30th year as a PGA National Champion Rules Official.
'I cannot remember a tournament we did not have rain, it's just that time of the year,' Terry said. 'But this one has been maybe as severe as I can remember.'
Adjustments were also made to hole #13. The par 5 will be slightly shorter for the tournament.
'What we're going to do is use a lot of common sense, and experience in setting up the golf course to where we can give the players the best conditions possible considering what we're dealing with,' Terry said.
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