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How to make your way around the 2017 Quicken Loans National

Noah Frank | nfrank@wtop.com

June 28, 2017, 2:04 AM

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POTOMAC, Md. — Tiger Woods’ absence from the PGA Tour is always felt more strongly at the Quicken Loans National, which he will not participate in this week. There are plenty of other storylines — Billy Hurley III’s return home to the place of his dramatic, emotional first-tour victory; a PGA event returning to TPC Potomac for the first time since 2006 — but the event has an unmistakably different feel.

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A big part of that is the course itself, which is far less centralized golf-wise, but far more so in terms of both hospitality and proximity to the player practice areas. The front nine stretches way up out from and back down to the clubhouse, while the back nine loops through houses, including a dramatic elevation change of its own. It’s a long and physically challenging path to walk to follow the action hole-by-hole. But if you’re there more for just the experience, there’s plenty to see and do around the final three holes of the course.

See the photos below for a guide through the best viewing spots out on the course, as well as other features that will be on display this week.

The entrance to the Quicken Loans National takes you right to the Shot for Heroes, a chance to win $10,000 for charity and for yourself. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
The entrance to the Quicken Loans National takes you right to the Shot for Heroes, a chance to win $10,000 for charity and for yourself. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
If you're planning to head out and walk the course at all away from the main hospitality areas, be sure to take a map with you as holes stretch far away from the clubhouse on both the front and back nine. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
If you’re planning to head out and walk the course at all, away from the main hospitality areas, be sure to take a map with you as holes stretch far away from the clubhouse on both the front and back nine. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
Both the driving range (pictured) and main putting green are easily accessible to fans, a change from the layout at Congressional Country Club. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
Both the driving range (pictured) and main putting green are easily accessible to fans, a change from the layout at Congressional Country Club. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
From just off the tee box of Hole #1, fans can see the green for the par 3 ninth. This is also just off to the side of the putting green, which will likely make this a popular and highly-trafficked area this week. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
Above the eighth green, you'll have views of the approach, as well as Hole #1 on the right-hand side. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
If you’re willing to hike the hill up above the eighth green, you’ll have views of the approach, as well as Hole #1 on the right-hand side. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
There’s no spectator access between the holes on #2 and #7 as they pass each other, but you can still get a pretty good view of both from mid-fairway. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
Along the par 3 3rd hole, the Michelob Ultra Grove provides an outdoor seating area with views of the green, also serving as a de facto end point for most spectators. You can keep going across the road to holes 4 and 5, but most won't. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
Along the par 3 3rd hole, the Michelob Ultra Grove provides an outdoor seating area with views of the green, also serving as a de facto end point for many spectators. You can keep going across the road to holes 4 and 5, but most won’t. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
One of the best views on the front nine is from above the tee box on the par 3 9th, looking down to the green below. You can even see all the way down to where players are teeing off on the 10th hole, down to the right. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
The marathon par 5 10th hole offers plenty of room along the rope line, but the best vantage point is at the rise about midway down the hole, offering a view of every shot. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
The marathon par 5 10th hole offers plenty of room along the rope line, but the best vantage point is at the rise about midway down the hole, offering a view of every shot. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
There's a footbridge over a creek that offers a nice, unobstructed view back to the 11th green, which is also the last chance you'll have to turn back to the clubhouse on the back nine before hitting some pretty steep hills. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
There’s a footbridge over a creek that offers a nice, unobstructed view back to the 11th green, which is also the last chance you’ll have to turn back to the clubhouse on the back nine before hitting some pretty steep hills. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
If you're willing to hike all the way up 12 and 13, there's a tight spot by the TV tower above the 13th green that offers views going back down the fairway and a look at the 14th tee box as well. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
If you’re willing to hike all the way up 12 and 13, there’s a tight spot by the TV tower above the 13th green that offers views going back down the fairway and a look at the 14th tee box as well. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
The finishing three holes are both dramatic and bound to be popular spots, starting with the heavily bunkered approach into the granstand bowl at 16. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
The finishing three holes are both dramatic and bound to be popular spots, starting with the heavily bunkered approach into the grandstand bowl at 16. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
You can take in the par 3 17th from above or from the green below, but you needn't follow the action down the hill to make it to 18, which you can reach by cutting behind the grandstand on the right. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
You can take in the par 3 17th from above or from the public grandstand by the green below, but you needn’t follow the action down the hill to make it to 18, which you can reach by cutting behind the grandstand on the right. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
There's a decent amount of room and a couple lines of wooden chairs for spectators along the approach to 18, offering plenty of options other than just the bleachers above the green. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
There’s a decent amount of room and a couple lines of wooden chairs for spectators along the approach to 18, offering plenty of options other than just the bleachers above the green. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
WTOP/Noah Frank
(1/14)
The entrance to the Quicken Loans National takes you right to the Shot for Heroes, a chance to win $10,000 for charity and for yourself. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
If you're planning to head out and walk the course at all away from the main hospitality areas, be sure to take a map with you as holes stretch far away from the clubhouse on both the front and back nine. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
Both the driving range (pictured) and main putting green are easily accessible to fans, a change from the layout at Congressional Country Club. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
Above the eighth green, you'll have views of the approach, as well as Hole #1 on the right-hand side. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
Along the par 3 3rd hole, the Michelob Ultra Grove provides an outdoor seating area with views of the green, also serving as a de facto end point for most spectators. You can keep going across the road to holes 4 and 5, but most won't. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
The marathon par 5 10th hole offers plenty of room along the rope line, but the best vantage point is at the rise about midway down the hole, offering a view of every shot. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
There's a footbridge over a creek that offers a nice, unobstructed view back to the 11th green, which is also the last chance you'll have to turn back to the clubhouse on the back nine before hitting some pretty steep hills. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
If you're willing to hike all the way up 12 and 13, there's a tight spot by the TV tower above the 13th green that offers views going back down the fairway and a look at the 14th tee box as well. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
The finishing three holes are both dramatic and bound to be popular spots, starting with the heavily bunkered approach into the granstand bowl at 16. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
You can take in the par 3 17th from above or from the green below, but you needn't follow the action down the hill to make it to 18, which you can reach by cutting behind the grandstand on the right. (WTOP/Noah Frank)
There's a decent amount of room and a couple lines of wooden chairs for spectators along the approach to 18, offering plenty of options other than just the bleachers above the green. (WTOP/Noah Frank)

Tickets

Wednesday practice rounds: $20

Thursday/Friday: $45

Saturday/Sunday: $50

College students: $25

Kids 13-17: $10

Kids 12 & under: Free with ticketed adult

See more about parking and other logistics here.

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