Coloradans revel in PGA Tour's return to Castle Pines with BMW Championship

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Under a cloudless blue sky, the world’s 50 highest-ranked golfers on Tuesday descended on Colorado’s Castle Pines Golf Club — and with them came legions of adoring fans hoping to catch a glimpse of greatness.

Crowds arrived bright and early to watch the pros play practice rounds in advance of this week’s 2024 BMW Championship, the first time since 2014 that Colorado has hosted the tournament — or any PGA Tour event.

Spectators gathered around the driving range and putting green, witnessing the precision and attention to detail that go into making a top-tier golfer.

“These are the outliers,” said Steve Babbitt, 76, as he watched the golfers hit their second shots along the fairway of the first hole. “These guys have put in their 10,000 hours.”

The Parker resident marveled at the players’ effortless swings. One golfer after another putting the ball exactly where they want it. It’s simply different seeing these guys in person, as opposed to watching on TV, he said.

“It’s real life,” Babbitt said. “They look almost pretend on television.”

His wife, Linda Babbitt, couldn’t look away as players honed their short game on the putting green, using levels and string to calculate even the slightest slope.

Nearby, Shea Curran took in his first PGA tournament.

The 36-year-old took up golf during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been hooked ever since. After recently relocating to Castle Rock, Curran made sure he made it Tuesday to Castle Pines.

“It’s the first thing I was really looking forward to after moving,” he said.

Members of the club had some advice for the visiting athletes: Stay on the fairway and beware of the altitude. The course sits 6,200 feet above sea level and measures more than 8,000 yards on the scorecard, with plenty of ups and downs. The rough is deep and will only get more unforgiving as the weekend progresses.

Attendees said the BMW Championship experience has been overwhelmingly positive: Well organized, easy parking, cordial and helpful volunteers, a beautiful course.

Grounds tickets were sold out well in advance for the final two days of the event on Saturday and Sunday, with organizers expecting more then 30,000 in attendance each day. Grounds tickets for Thursday remain available, though Friday is also sold out. Attendance for the entire week could exceed 150,000.

Down by the second tee box, the Cook brothers compared autographs from some of their heroes: Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa and Corey Conners.

Casson Cook, his hat covered in famous John Hancocks, said it’s his first time seeing professional golf. The 10-year-old first watched the Masters as a toddler in his grandparents’ living room. Now he gets to see the best in the world work on their putts just feet away.

“It’s really cool,” he said.