The 100th PGA Championship was held at Bellerive Country Club in St Louis.
The PGA Championship has traditionally been the 4th and final major championship in professional golf; but 2018 was the last year that the PGA was to be played in August. Beginning in 2019, the Championship will move to May. It was the perfect "guy trip" weekend, and the boys' first professional golf tournament. Our good friend Dr. Ray Parker joined us for a fantastic weekend of golf, capped off by Brooks Koepka winning his third major.
“ It was the perfect "guy trip" weekend...”
The city of St. Louis did a magnificent job of hosting the event. St Louis has always prided itself on being a "sports town", and this was no more evident as throngs of PGA fans turned out for the tournament.
WHERE TO STAY
The Hyatt Regency St Louis at The Arch is a great hotel, especially if you are going to see the Cardinals as it is steps away from Busch Stadium. And it was only a few blocks from the freeway on our way to the golf course. We highly recommend the Club level for morning breakfast as well as a pre-dinner cocktail. A recent multi-million dollar renovation has helped transform the hotel into a premier travel destination.
WHERE TO EAT
Charlie Gitto's "On The Hill" - no trip to St Louis is complete without going to The Hill for some wonderful Italian food. And the original Charlie Gitto's remains a landmark for some of the best Italian food in all of St. Louis. Our good friend Brett Norsworthy joined the boys, Dr. Parker and me for a great evening of food and stories of Yogi Berra, Joe Garigiola and other St Louis greats! The salads are unmatched anywhere, and the toasted ravioli is a signature St. Louis dish.
Tony's - literally a block away from our hotel, Tony's is another St. Louis tradition that remains the epitome for fine dining in the Mound City. Its accolades are rightly deserved as the food was outstanding, and the old-school service was impeccable. And Vince Bommarito, who's father (Tony) started the restaurant, still visits with patrons table-side.
Ruth's Chris - we arrived at the hotel in early evening, and Ruth's Chris in the Hyatt lobby was the perfect place for dinner. Certainly one of the best steak house franchises in the US, we enjoyed a superb but relaxed meal.
WHAT TO DO
The PGA Championship - we acquired tickets to the event through TicketmasterVIP, who also provided access to a Hospitality Tent at the 18th green. This was not only the perfect venue from which to watch the final hole of the tournament, but it also allowed us to have a "home base" after wandering the course and following several groups of players.
Busch Stadium - unfortunately the Cardinals were not in town while we were in St. Louis. However, the Hyatt-Arch is within walking distance to the stadium and will certainly be our first hotel choice the next time we travel to St. Louis to see a Cardinals' game.
The Gateway Arch - built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States, the 630-foot monument is the centerpiece of the newly redesigned Gateway Arch National Park and has become an internationally recognized symbol of St. Louis. It is literally right out the door of the Hyatt-Arch. And the unique tram will lift you to the top of the tallest man-made monument in the US.