My wife and her folks went yesterday and had a great time. They said the course was amazing, the crowds were managable, and everything like drinks/food was pretty reasonably priced.

I even got to see them on tv for a split second!

Barclays 2013: Tiger Woods injures back, comes up just inches short at Liberty National

By Michael Wright/The Jersey Journal
August 25, 2013 at 7:20 PM

When Tiger Woods stepped up to the 13th hole earlier today, you could feel the sense that the top-ranked player in the world was prime to make a late run at The Barclays.

Woods was 2-under on the day and looking to gain even more ground on the leaders when he took his second shot on the par-5.

After making solid contact, Woods, who had been bothered by a bad back and neck all weekend, fell to his knees and grimaced in pain.

Woods would go on to bogey the hole that proved to be the difference in whether or not he would send The Barclays into a playoff, as the biggest name in golf finished the tournament at 10-under, just one stroke back of tournament champion Adam Scott.

"It [back pain] actually started the hole before, my little tee shot there started it, and 13 just kind of accentuated it," said Woods. "I felt great until that tee shot at 12, I was perfectly fine, I was playing pretty good, and I was hanging right there and at the time Kev [Chappell] made double at 11, and I was only one back."

Despite playing the final five holes in obvious pain, Woods was able to will himself through and make a late run.

After another bogey on the 15th hole seemingly dropped him out of contention, Woods came storming back with a pair of birdies on the 16th and 17th.

However, with the opportunity to tie Scott for the lead on the 18th, Woods' birdie put fell just inches short of the cup.

"I had a chance," said Woods. "I don't know how I hit that 8-iron that far [on the 18th hole], and I had 90 total and flew it almost to the flag, so a bit surprised by that."

"But I hit a good putt, thought I made it."

Despite his second place finish, Woods retains his spot atop the FedEx Cup standings.

However, with his back injury and the Deutsche Bank Open in Norton, Mass. less than a week away, Woods says that his future in this year's FedEx Cup playoffs remains unclear.

"That's [playing next week] all just hypothetical," said Woods. "I just got off [the course] and I'm not feeling my best right now."

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... ational.html#incart_river

There are busses going to the event from the corner of Newport Parkway and Washington St.

I love seeing all the old dudes roaming around the Richard st light rail looking dazed and confused lol

Quote:

Seriously, dude. Ticketmaster has them for $75 with a download. StubHub for $40 plus $5 for a download. I scored one yesterday at the main entrance (yes, the main entrance) off Caven Point for $30 cash.

Still feel like sarcasm?

PS - a great day yesterday. Followed Phil for a few holes and then just walked the course. It was not too crowded, so one could really get close to the action.

Its amazing but you can actually buy tickets on this place called the internet and printer them out on an amazing piece of modern technology called a printer. Sorry for the sarcasm but seriously?
PS. dont bring your big camera

I am going to try to buy a day ticket tomorrow morning. Does anyone know the location of the main gate where I can buy a ticket? Is it near the clubhouse/dock?

Barclays 2013: Despite the rain, spectators fawn over the beauty of Liberty National in Jersey City

August 22, 2013 at 6:02 PM

Although Liberty National Golf Course may not be the most popular course amongst players, it sure is getting rave reviews from the fans.

For the first time since 2009, The Barclays tournament is back in Jersey City, providing spectators with the rare treat of watching golf with the world famous New York City skyline serving as a backdrop.

Unfortunately for players and fans alike, today's morning and early afternoon was plagued by heavy rain and two separate suspensions of play.

However, following the second delay, the sun came out, the skies turned blue, and spectators were able to take in the true beauty of Liberty National's remarkable setting.

For many, the scenery was like nothing they'd ever seen on a golf course.

"I got goosebumps when I first walked out here this morning," said John Haran of Sea Girt. "I've been to Augusta [G.A.] and plenty of other beautiful courses to watch these guys, so I know that this one is top notch.

"It fabulous, as good as it gets."

When most New Jersey residents think of Jersey City, one of the last things that comes to mind is golf. As Frank Janda woke up this morning, he found it mind boggling that he was going to watch a major PGA Tour event just outside of Manhattan.

"The setting is magnificent," said Janda, who made the trip into Hudson County from Forked River. "It's really hard to believe how beautiful it is, despite being in the middle of a city.

"I would have never expected a place like this to be here."

However, despite the beauty and prime location of Liberty National, back in 2009, the course wasn't so well received by players, including golf's biggest name, Tiger Woods.

Following heavy criticism, Liberty National went to great lengths to assure that the course was more player friendly for the 2013 tournament. After making the greens more playable, creating wider landing areas, and altering some of the tee boxes, Woods gave his seal of approval, saying yesterday that the course "made some really nice improvements."

Ron Harris of Newton, who was in attendance earlier today, as well as in 2009, immediately noticed the adjustments that were made to benefit the players.

"I was here four years ago and right of the bat, you can tell that things are different now," said Harris, who made the trip to Jersey City along with three other friends. "The rough was much higher four years ago and I can tell the greens bunkers are different, so I hope the players are happy.

"They shouldn't be complaining, this is a beautiful course."

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... ys_2013.html#incart_river

Many stay at the Westin. You will see them dining at Fire and Oak. We met Angel Cabrera and his son at the bar last time. Could not have been more pleasant. And this was after he missed the cut.

They have some official Barclays BMW's around the Westin in Newport. Probably a lot of players staying there. The football teams from out of town stay there a lot.

Tiger punted on the back nine of the Pro Am, complaining of a sore neck/back from the hotel bed. Anyone know if he's staying local or in NYC?

For those interested, Steve Fulop is playing in the Pro-Am this afternoon with Bubba Watson. I had to leave after this morning's rounds, so I hope someone posts some photos.

Is there nothing our new Mayor won't try?...go Steve!

http://www.pgatour.com/news/2013/08/2 ... s-after-improvements.html

Liberty National hosting The Barclays after improvements

By Mike Mazur
PGATOUR.COM
August 20, 2013

When The Barclays returns to Liberty National this week, watch for a markedly different golf course to greet players than that of four years ago.

Not long after Heath Slocum won the 2009 event here, the PGA TOUR teamed up with club founder Paul Fireman, course construction company Heritage Links and architects Bob Cupp and Tom Kite to make the visually striking, waterfront layout even better.

?In a nutshell, the goal was to try and increase the playability of the course, primarily focusing on the greens? overall receptiveness to approach shots,? said Steve Wenzloff, the PGA TOUR?S vice president of design services and player liaison.

No one could ever deny the uniqueness of Liberty National. Once the site of a toxic landfill, the property is positioned along the New Jersey side of New York Harbor, offering gorgeous views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. But it became apparent during The Barclays 2009 that some softening of the 3-year-old track was necessary, as approach shots ? even good ones ? often repelled through the greens in a somewhat penal manner.

Some players were verbally critical of the track, despite the fact that it produced a truly exciting Sunday finish. There was no question that the course was immature and needed some work after the 2009 event. It wasn?t so much that the greens needed to be rebuilt, but rather that the greens required expansion and re-contouring to allow for more pin placements.

So Wenzloff and his team went to work, retooling a total of 12 greens and altering 12 tee boxes, which greatly increased set-up flexibility and spectator flow.

In addition, portions of 13 fairways were re-contoured at Liberty National, with numerous fairway bunkers repositioned and an intermediate cut of rough grown throughout the course to buffer its bent grass fairways from its blue fescue primary rough.

?In some cases, fairways were widened,? says Wenzloff. ?For instance, on the third hole, we moved the entire fairway bunker to the right to widen the landing area. It was one of the tightest on the course, flanked by fescues. It was too tight. And there wasn?t much intermediate rough on some holes. So we added that between the bent grass and the fescues. In fact, that?s the sort of thing we did on several holes.?

Wenzloff says the goal was not to change the course, but to make it more receptive to high-level competition. ?I think you should really see a big difference in the setup this year,? he says.

And that should result in a much more playable golf course for the field ? and a more spectator-friendly track for those following the action.

Thanks for all the helpful info Chester!

Looks like Sunday is going to be a perfect day to watch a match.... we didn't get any VIP stuff, but hopefully it'll still be fun....

Great time today!!! Took my 2 kids and they had a blast getting autographs (especially Phil's) and taking in the views. Very easy ride on the shuttle to and from Newport. All around great event for our city.

PGA partners with dozens of local charities to help them raise funds from The Barclays

By The Jersey Journal
August 19, 2013 at 9:41 AM
By GARRETT RASKO-MARTINIS
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

To organize and run a large-scale professional golf tournament takes hard work, a large group of people and cooperation. But it also takes the commitment and support of the local community to turn a tournament into something special.

Through the Professional Golf Association?s ?Tickets Fore Charity,? Hudson County charities will get a boost from The Barclays, which starts Thursday at the ultra-exclusive Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City.

The initiative is available to any charitable organizations in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area with a 501(c)(3) tax designation. These organizations sell as many tickets to the tournament as possible, with all proceeds benefitting charity.

A 75-percent majority of the proceeds goes to that individual charity, with the remaining money helping The First Tee of Metropolitan New York, a charitable initiative sponsored by The World Golf Foundation.

?It?s an extensive program that we use to help interact more with local charities,? PGA Tour Community Outreach program administrator Charlie Diamond said.

?Historically we?ve probably worked with over 300 individual charities, and many of those end up doing it over and over again.

?We try to find new partners every year and as we come back, try to reconnect with old ones.?

As of last Wednesday, around 90 charitable organizations have contributed to this year?s program, with approximately half of them coming from Hudson County ? including 13 from Jersey City ? Diamond said.

Whether it be The Jersey City Police Detective Community Fund, the program?s leading fundraiser and a returning participant, or a newcomer like Jersey City?s New City Kids, a program that benefits at-risk teens, Diamond praised the support flowing in from Hudson County.

?We had the tournament in Long Island last year, and not to bad mouth them, but we had to get a whole new group of charities,? he said.

?But our partners in northern New Jersey are unbelievable ? we?ve gotten such a great response.

"We certainly get maybe a fifth of our funds from New York City, but the vast majority are from Hudson County.?

While the first round of The Barclays gets underway Thursday, the program ended Friday. The charities receive their money within 60 days of the tournament?s conclusion.

For Diamond, this initiative is the PGA?s way of giving back to the communities that make these tournaments possible.

http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... s_of_lo.html#incart_river

They are running shuttles from the Newport light rail station... gate open at 7 but does anyone know when the shuttles start? 6:30?

The field is now finalized:

http://thebarclays.barclaysgolf.com/n ... yoffs-ready-to-begin.html

Every four years, actually. The rotation is with Bethpage, Ridgewood, and Plainfield. It will return here in 2017.

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FYI They didn't play here last year. The tournament is in JC every other year.

If you want to catch Tiger's practice round, it's usually on Tuesday as early as you can get in.

I watched him practice at the NEC Invitational in Seattle. It was just me and a handful of people. Very cool.

I was there last time (it was actually 2009) and enjoyed it. It was not overcrowded at all and there were opportunities to get great views of the golfers, including Tiger and Phil. On one tee we could practically reach out and touch the golfers. We wandered the course, as opposed to staying at one hole or following a certain player. It was really hot and muggy, but we had splurged for a private "lounge" area next to one of the fairways that was air conditioned and had a bar and bathroom. That helped us survive. The overall reviews were on the negative side from the golfers, but some thought a major could be held there one day. There is a very short par 3 (150 yard 14th) that was fun to watch as they all seemed to put the ball within a couple of feet of the hole. This hole is right along the water with the statue off to the right. The course has a European links feel to it in some areas, and of course the views from some are spectacular, but nothing us locals aren't used to.

I think the golfers complaint was that it felt tight and cramped, which is probably true for the players. It was wet and muggy and the grounds were kind of heavy and thick from it. Tiger and Vijay Singh were not crazy about it, but they complain about every damn thing. Padraig Harrington loved it, but he's used to tight Euro courses. As far as walking around and watching the players, the course, and the views, it was a lot of fun. We are going this year again and the weather outlook is ok so far.

Last time, all of the big names showed up. There is a free shuttle from the Newport light rail. I remember the shuttle working pretty well, but we left early on Sunday before the finish. There was no delay getting into the grounds at all. We showed up right around the opening.

There might still be specials on Ticketmaster of social media.

I disagree, I think they do a terrific job of cleaning up after the slobs who litter and don't pick up after themselves, which happens all over the park.

It's embarrassing how poorly Liberty State Park and the area around it is maintained. I run there regularly, and I know that after Sandy not one thing was fixed until the polo match this summer. Now with the Barclays the shores have finally been cleaned.

The historic train station is still closed and in disrepair. If we could get a yacht race to go by it, maybe something could be done.

Anyone go to this last year? We have tickets to the final day (Sunday) and are wondering what to expect.... It says gates open at 7 am, and tee off is at 8...

Debris cleared from shoreline in time for Barclays at Liberty National Golf Course

By Paige Morris/The Jersey Journal
August 16, 2013 at 8:08 PM

When PGA golfers tee off at the Liberty National Golf Course next week for the Barclays Tournament, they'll never know the amount of debris that sat for months just beyond the course.

That's because workers from the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission have spent the past few weeks pulling tires and other large items from the shore and shallow, murky water of New York Bay.

PVSC officials say the 60 cubic yards of debris, which included more than 300 large commercial tires, was left by superstorm Sandy last October. When TV cameras show an aerial view of the waterfront course during the first round of the PGA playoffs, viewers will see a pristine shoreline, PVSC officials said.

The restoration crew used "buffalos," specialized 6-wheel amphibious ATVs designed to get into water and difficult territory, and other specialized equipment to tackle the arduous work. Most of the work, however, was painstakingly performed by hand.

"The PGA Tour and the Barclays are important to the sport of golf and to our local economy. I'm very pleased that PVSC ? through our River Restoration Program ? has been able to remove all of these unsightly tires so that the players and spectators alike can enjoy the outstanding course at Liberty National and the breathtaking views of the New York skyline," said PVSC Executive Director Michael DeFrancisci.

The Barclays gets under way Thursday, with the final round scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 25

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... arclays.html#incart_river

I see no thread on this, so here goes:

Tiger Woods will tread JC's polluted soil...

http://www.nj.com/golf/index.ssf/2013 ... commits_to_play_th_1.html

Family Promise to benefit from Barclays PGA Tour in Jersey City

By Independent Press
on July 13, 2013 at 2:53 PM

PGA Tour fans interested in attending The Barclays golf tournament next month in Jersey City can benefit Family Promise by buying their tickets through a special website benefiting local charities.

Family Promise is a national nonprofit with 182 affiliates dedicated to helping homeless families. ?We are pleased to be a part of the unique fundraising effort organized by The Barclays 2013. Funds raised from the event will provide families with shelter, meals, housing and job opportunities,? said Karen Olson, president of Family Promise.

The Barclays, to be held Aug. 20-25 at Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, will feature the top 125 players on the PGA Tour. Golfers Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson, Luke Donald, Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker and Jason Day are some of the players who have qualified to play in the tournament.

Ticket buyers should go to www.buytfc.com, the website of the PGA Tour?s ?Tickets Fore Charity? program. Two types of tickets are available: a good-any-one-day grounds ticket for $55, and a weekly grounds ticket for $125. Seventy-five percent of the net proceeds from tournament ticket sales will benefit Family Promise when ticket buyers use the promotion code CLUBHOUSE13. The other 25 percent goes to The First Tee of Metropolitan New York ? an initiative of the World Golf Foundation aimed at positively impacting the lives of young people through the game of golf. Up to three youth, ages 18 and younger, are admitted free of charge when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

In 2011 and 2012, more than $470,000 was generated for local charities, and the tournament has set a goal of $350,000 for 2013. The PGA Tour, its players and tournaments support more than 3,000 charities nationwide. In 2012, The Barclays donated $1.4 million to local charities.

Founded in 1986 in Summit on the belief that Americans are compassionate people who want to make a difference, Family Promise today comprises 182 Affiliates across 41 states and engages 160,000 volunteers from coast to coast. The organization, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, has served more than 500,000 people since its inception. Nearly 80% of the families served secure permanent or transitional housing after leaving Family Promise. Family Promise?s vision is a nation in which every family has a home, a livelihood, and the chance to build a better future together. For more information about Family Promise, please visit www.familypromise.org

The Barclays has been a part of the PGA TOUR schedule since 1967 when Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural event at Westchester Country Club. Since that time, some of the greatest players in the game have earned the title including World Golf Hall of Famers Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Raymond Floyd, Seve Ballesteros, Hale Irwin and Curtis Strange. As the first of four playoff events, The Barclays plays a leading role in the FedExCup, the season-long competition that is the centerpiece of the PGA TOUR season. For tournament information, please visit www.thebarclaysgolf.com

http://www.nj.com/independentpress/in ... mise_to_benefit_from.html

http://thebarclays.barclaysgolf.com/index.html