Corporate hospitality areas at this week's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits are "right on the course" after being "located away from the action" the two previous times the course has hosted the tournament, according to a front-page piece by Bill Glauber of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Hospitality venues "are located on holes 1, 9, 15, 16, 17 and 18," and around 100 companies, including Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo and Kohler, "will be strutting their stuff." That is "up from around 70 the last time the PGA hit Whistling Straits" in '10. Kohler Co. President & CEO David Kohler, whose company owns the course, said, "It's part of our whole strategy of new, better, different -- how we make this the best PGA ever. We wanted corporate hospitality to be in the action, out on the course." Glauber notes there are 34 chalets "on the course, with seating from 50 to 100." Prices start at $35,000 per company for four days of "seating, drinking and dining at a 10-person table in the Champions Club at the first tee." Corporations also can "pony up $165,000 to entertain 50 people -- or $270,000 for 100 people -- in chalets at the ninth, 17th and 18th holes." With those prices "come a right-of-first refusal for an on-course hospitality chalet" for the '20 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. Wisconsin-based American Family Insurance "has a spot in a 50-person chalet overlooking the 17th." American Family Media Relations Dir Ken Muth noted the company does not "normally do sponsorships like this," but he said, "This is an opportunity to support a great event in our home state." Glauber notes it also "helps that the firm signed up" golfer and Wisconsin native Steve Stricker as a brand ambassador in '13. Kohler said that he "wasn't worried that the corporate hospitality would squeeze viewing areas for the tens of thousands of spectators who had grounds passes." Kohler: "There is so much space on the course, actually, and we've also expanded the bleachers for the general public. There is no shortage of great viewing" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/12).
