Family-friendly pricing, activities featured at championship hosted by SentryWorld
What’s the event schedule? Where’s the best parking? How can I get autographs? Is there something for my kids to do? Find answers to these questions and more in the newly published official U.S. Senior Open Fan Guide. This comprehensive guide is the essential one-stop resource for everything connected to the U.S. Senior Open.
The 2023 U.S. Senior Open will be played at SentryWorld June 27–July 2. More than 50,000 visitors are expected to descend upon central Wisconsin for the championship, the biggest sporting event ever to come to the area. While top-notch golf will be the main draw, there will be family-friendly activities that fans of all ages can enjoy.
“Our guests can expect a high-energy great time, with old-fashioned Midwest hospitality,” said Mike James, SentryWorld General Manager and Vice Chair of the 43rd U.S. Senior Open. “We want families to feel welcome and engaged, and to experience not just world-class golf, but also the many other fun and affordable activities available at the championship.”
Experience Wisconsin, First Tee activities offer something for everyone
Here’s what U.S. Senior Open spectators will find onsite at SentryWorld during the event:
The Experience Wisconsin Fan Village is free to enter and offers themed activities, food, and beverages from local partners including:
- Aspirus Health (blood pressure screening)
- First Tee (golf putt, coloring wall, snow cones)
- Harley-Davidson (motorcycle display)
- John Deere (hole-in-one golf simulator)
- Stevens Point Brewery
- Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association
- Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association
Visitors can upgrade their tickets for access to the Experience Wisconsin Pavilion—a shaded hospitality area with views of the 1st and 10th tee boxes and practice green. This will give fans up-close-and-personal access to the competition, with some protection from the elements and the convenience of having food and beverage (think cheese curds, brats, and local craft brews) nearby. There will also be a full-service bar for Pavilion ticket holders.
First Tee, a national youth development organization that teaches life skills and helps kids and teens build their strength of character through golf, will host interactive activities at its Game Changers Pavilion within Experience Wisconsin. Young fans will be able to enjoy a mini putting activity, coloring wall, and snow cones. SentryWorld is owned and operated by Sentry Insurance, which serves as a First Tee trustee.
A large jumbotron for public viewing, lawn games, and umbrella tables for shaded seating within the Experience Wisconsin Fan Village will allow fans to keep up with the action while taking a break from the fairways. Adjacent to the warmup range, the designated autograph area will also provide junior fans (those ages 17 and under) the opportunity to meet players, while the Merchandise Pavilion, covering 8,000 square feet, will be a must-visit for U.S. Senior Open fans looking to take home a piece of history.
Easily accessible and affordable family fun
The U.S. Senior Open is easily accessible off Interstate 39 for those looking to attend for one day or the entire championship. All parking is located just over a mile from the championship grounds at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point’s parking lot Q. Parking is complimentary, and shuttle transportation will run continuously throughout the event. Once on the course, fans and families will find SentryWorld is an easily walkable course, which allows spectators to get up close to the world’s top players at every hole.
Tickets for the event are available through the duration of the championship at ussenioropen.com, sentryworld.com, and at the gate. Among the most affordable marquee sporting events, daily gallery passes start at just $25. Juniors aged 17 and under can visit Will Call to request a complimentary gallery ticket for any day of the event with a ticketed adult.
Fast facts
- The championship will be broadcast in approximately 96 countries.
- NBCUniversal will provide live broadcast coverage of all four rounds of the championship.
- Championship officials will utilize the help of more than 2,000 volunteers, covering everything from marshals to scoring and transportation.
- More than 250 vendors and contractors will prepare and staff the grounds for the championship.
- It’s anticipated that more than 50,000 people will attend.
- The purse is the highest in senior golf; the 2022 champion earned $720,000 of the $4,000,000 purse.
- In addition to Steve Stricker, Wisconsinites are also excited to cheer on fellow Madison area native Jerry Kelly, plus a dozen other U.S. Senior Open champions in the field of 156 players.
- This will be the second U.S. Senior Open in Wisconsin and the first since 2007.
About the U.S. Senior Open
The 43rd U.S. Senior Open, conducted by the United States Golf Association, will be held June 27–July 2, 2023, at SentryWorld, in Stevens Point, Wis., and will feature a field of 156 of the world’s best professional and amateur senior golfers (over the age of 50). Players who are eligible to compete include Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Retief Goosen, Jerry Kelly, and Steve Stricker. This U.S. Senior Open will be the third USGA championship held at SentryWorld. NBCUniversal will provide live broadcast coverage of all four rounds of the championship.
About the USGA
The USGA is a nonprofit organization that celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, the USGA conducts many of golf’s premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open. With The R&A, the USGA governs the sport via a global set of playing, equipment, handicapping, and amateur status rules. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association’s Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world’s most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.
SOURCE Sentry Insurance