For local golf enthusiasts, few events are better than the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, which returns Wednesday through Saturday, Jan. 22-25.
But in the eyes of the Century Club of San Diego — the nonprofit host organization for the tournament — the event is just as appealing to people who aren’t interested in golf.
Marty Gorsich, the Century Club’s chief executive, said only about 4% of the tournament’s visitors are “die-hard golf fans” and only 8% are “golf-interested.” The rest attend for the experience as a whole, he said.
“I don’t view us as running a golf tournament, I think of it as a lifestyle event,” Gorsich said. “It’s experiential. If you want to follow golfers, you can. But if you don’t, we have lounges with the Pacific Ocean in the backdrop, places to eat and drink and socialize, and chances to walk around. We built this around having a great time. There are people that hang out on the course for hours and don’t watch a swing of golf.”
Gorsich, who has been with the Century Club for 14 years, said management once focused just on the golf aspect of the event, but in recent years, it has dedicated more time to accessory offerings.
“When I started, we were for golf purists and … it was not as integrated,” Gorsich said. “So we did a lot of tinkering and trying new concepts and moving things around.
“About four years ago, we hit this point where things started to change. People asked where different attractions were because people were looking forward to them. Guests had started building traditions around how they spend their day at the event. So we became more intentional about what we changed so those that had a great time last year can have a great time every year.”
“We always want to be like the Masters Tournament or Disneyland, which has those traditions and the things people associate with us,” he added. “There are some activations and fixtures that, if we were to move, there would be riots. So we’re trying to maintain what is well-received vs. thinking we need to offer some shiny new thing. Now when people come, they know what they are g up for. It’s not a whole new animal every year.”
Among the attractions are lounges and “fan villages” with concessions and sponsors such as Vuori apparel and Bushmills Irish Whiskey; tents with signature cocktails; a practice putting green to watch the professionals before they play a round; an autograph area and more.
“A lot of people say ‘I’m not into golf, so I shouldn’t go,’ but this is a big lifestyle event,” Gorsich said. “When you come, especially someone that is not into golf, you don’t worry about rules or etiquette and can just relax.
“But I see it often that someone will hear the roar of the spectators, so it gets their attention and then they maybe watch a few shots. I’ve also heard from those that went to the event and then hit the driving range for the first time afterward. It goes beyond watching golf.”
That said, for those who enjoy golf, watching a tournament at Torrey Pines comes with its own thrill, Gorsich said.
“To win here is a big honor, so that brings the best golfers,” he said. “To say you won a tournament at Torrey Pines is a resumé builder. They want to come out and test themselves. For the golf fan, they know they can count on seeing top players. Tiger Woods won eight times here, and people who grew up watching the Masters Tournament know certain holes here because amazing things have happened there. Torrey Pines has a few of them. They are excited to see that hole live.”
Players who have committed to this year’s Farmers Insurance Open so far include two-time Farmers winners Jason Day and Brant Snedeker, defending champion Matthieu Pavon, 2022 winner Luke List, 2021 Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama, 2013 U.S. Open and 2019 Farmers winner Justin Rose and 2019 U.S. Open winner Gary Woodland. Several other players have San Diego ties. The field will be finalized Friday, Jan. 17.
Torrey Pines Golf Course is at 11480 N. Torrey Pines Road. For Farmers schedule and ticket information, visit farmersinsuranceopen.com. ♦
