The Links at Petco Park, the joint "brainchild" between the Padres and Callaway, opens to the public today and includes nine par-3 holes "with golf balls and laughter spraying from all corners of the park," according to Bryce Miller of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Callaway Senior VP/Marketing Harry Arnett said, "The beginning idea was pretty pedestrian, maybe just letting fans hit a few golf balls inside Petco. Then we decided to get extreme with our thinking." Miller notes each hole on the course "is themed, including 'Bad Weather Hole' No. 4 -- with upturned umbrellas and a snow machine flinging flakes near the elevated tee." The 7th hole is based on golf movies and lets Carl Spackler from "Caddyshack" "split time" with Happy Gilmore. The first public tee times "sold out in three hours," and two days "were added from the 1,000 parked on a waiting list -- meaning 1,600 golfers will swing and smile through a one-of-a-kind tour" of an MLB facility. The Padres deserve credit for "embracing the goofy and wrapping their arms around the wonderful weirdness." Rather than "wringing hands in worry about the outfield grass, facilities personnel re-sodded 'greens' so the color and texture appeared even more real." Arnett said that a number of MLB teams "have been in contact about possible events," including the Rangers and Red Sox. The phone "also has been ringing from NBA and NHL teams, hunting for something off beat for fans" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 11/5). MLB.com's Corey Brock reported this is the "first year of a multiyear partnership between the Padres and Callaway." Padres President & CEO Mike Dee said of every tee time being filled, "It surprised me a little, but I thought it would be popular -- that people would dig the novelty of it." He added, "We hope to do this every year. It's cool to play" (MLB.com, 11/4).
COURSE LAYOUT: ESPN.com's Eric Williams noted Callaway reps "did several walk-throughs, bringing with them artificial turf mats and hitting shots from all different areas of the park, with safety and uniqueness of shots at the forefront in the planning of the course." Golfers "start with a few warm-up swings in the Padres' batting cage, followed by a walk through the dugout to the opening tee box at home plate, a 110-yard hole that plays to center field." From there, golfers "stroll through the Padres clubhouse and head up to the second level, playing holes two through eight from the right-field foul pole to left field." The finishing hole "is a 144-yard shot that plays from the rooftop of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in left field." The main attraction "is the majestic view offered at the unique venue of Petco Park and hitting golf shots from the stands, something most golfers dream about" (ESPN.com, 11/4). Golf World’s Geoff Shackelford played The Links at Petco Park yesterday and said the 9th hole is “easily the most dramatic par-3 I’ve ever played.” Shackelford: “I don’t like the 4th hole. ... You look at the flag atop the Sempra Energy Building to decide how the wind’s blowing.” He added, “We’ve really struggled with kind of what’s playing off of the buildings and what’s going on on the flagpoles, and then the flags on the green are doing a different thing than the flags on the buildings” (“Morning Drive,” Golf Channel, 11/5).
