If you’re local, get ready for six days of world-class energy in our own neighborhood. And if you’re one of the many families planning to travel in for it — welcome! I put this guide together as your trusted local friend on the ground, so you know exactly what to expect, where to stay, and how to make it a whole family trip instead of just a golf outing.
🎟️ Where to Buy Tickets
Tickets are on sale now directly through PresidentsCup.com, with official resale exclusively through Ticketmaster. Single-day grounds tickets are available for any day of the week, Tuesday practice rounds through Sunday singles (limit of 6 tickets per transaction). Prices start around $50 for practice-round days and climb from there for competition days and hospitality upgrades.
A friendly heads-up: buy only from PresidentsCup.com or the verified Ticketmaster exchange. Anything else — Facebook resale groups, random links — is a gamble the PGA Tour won’t help you out of.
Get Official Tickets →
👨👩👧👦 The Best Part: Kids Get In Free
Here’s the detail that makes this an actual family event and not just a bucket-list item for the golf lover in your house: two kids ages 15 and under get FREE grounds admission with every ticketed adult — no pre-registration required. That means a family of four (two adults, two kids under 15) can experience one of the biggest sporting events in the world for the price of two tickets. This is genuinely rare for an event at this level, so take advantage of it.
🎈 Family & Kids’ Activities On-Site
We’re Checking presidentscup.com/faq daily, to see what kind of programming is going on out there.
👕 What Should Everyone Wear?
You’re walking a golf course for hours, likely in late-September Chicago weather that could swing from 50°F mornings to 75°F afternoons. Here’s the family game plan:
- Shoes are everything. Comfortable, broken-in sneakers for everyone — you’ll easily walk several miles following the action. Skip sandals for the kids.
- Layers, layers, layers. A light jacket or pullover that can tie around a waist by afternoon.
- Hats and sunscreen — you’re out in open fairways with little shade for long stretches.
- Neutral, collared, or golf-casual tends to be the vibe (no need for anything fancy, but skip graphic tees with anything questionable — some hospitality venues do have dress codes).
- Small backpack or crossbody bag — check the bag policy on presidentscup.com before you go, as most PGA Tour events restrict bag size.
- Portable phone charger — you will be taking a lot of pictures.
I’m actually pulling together a Pinterest board of family outfit ideas for a PGA Tour event — comfortable-but-cute looks for moms, dads, and kids — so keep an eye on our Pinterest page for that soon!
🤫 Golf Etiquette 101 for Kids (and Honestly, All of Us)
A golf tournament is a different animal than a football game or a concert — the crowd goes dead silent the second a player is over the ball. A few ground rules to walk through with your kids before you go:
- Quiet during the swing. No talking, whispering, or crinkling snack wrappers while a player is addressing the ball. Practice a “freeze and hush” game with younger kids beforehand — it actually works.
- No running or chasing near the ropes. These are working fairways with real hazards, real crowds, and real golf balls flying.
- Phones on silent, always. A ringtone mid-swing will earn some very pointed stares.
- Hold hands or stay close in transition areas — crowds moving between holes can get tight and shuffle-y fast.
- Cheer big, but at the right time — after the shot, not during. Kids actually love learning this “wait for it” rhythm.
- Plan bathroom and snack breaks around hole transitions rather than mid-hole, since crowds can make moving around difficult once a group is playing through.
Set expectations in the car on the way there and most kids do great — this crowd tends to be family-friendly and patient with little ones learning the ropes (pun intended).
📍 Make It a Trip, Not Just a Tournament
If you’re traveling in from out of town, you’ve landed in one of the best pockets of family-friendly Chicagoland — and I happen to know it pretty well. A few things to add to your trip:…