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PGA Tour Hits the Shades of Green

November 5th, 2008

This week the Professional Golf Association (PGA) tour pros arrived at the Shades of Green (SOG) to participate in the Children Miracle Network Classic golf tournament. This is the thirteenth year for the event and hearing some of the golfers talk about it in the lobby it is one they look forward to. Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Mark O’Meara are a few of the professionals who have laid claim to the championship trophy in years past.

Amateur golfers can also participate in the event. Discussing the subject with the wife of such a golfer she said there is about a $7500 entrance fee and everything is included – even the hybrid Cadillac Escalades with chauffeurs who drive you where ever you want to go.

The Shades of Green blocked off 70 rooms for the event for the golfers and tour administrators. It is the only time of year individuals not normally eligible to stay at this Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) can take up the brief residence.

The contract for the event is between Disney and the PGA. The golfers do not stay at the Shades of green for the military rate, I was told by a hotel representative the room charge is the same as a high end room at a local Disney Resort hotel. Disney collects from the PGA and distributes the earned funds for the rooms and conference center to the Shades of Green. The money is used towards the operating costs of SOG which obviously helps keep the costs down eligible service members.

If you like rubbing elbows with the golfing elite the Shades of Green is the place to be in November. Put it on your calender for 2009, this is great!

Also while your here you can of course take advantage of the large Mickey Mouse head shaped heated pool, play a round of golf on a PGA tour course for about $55, the many restaurants and the Disney theme parks. Shades of Green has a bus system to take you to the various parks or you can make the short walk just across the street to the Polynesian Resort and catch the monorail.

Staying at the Shades of Green affords you the same priviledges of those staying at the other resort hotels on the Disney property like “Extra time in the parks”. Each day different parks are selected for resort visitors to be able to enter the park up to an hour before or stay later up to three hours than the regular park visitor.

Each time I have stayed at the Shades of Green I have been disappointed about only one thing, the Army seems to be the only service to have gotten the word about this place out (I’m a little surprised the Air Force isn’t represented more than they are, arn’t they always on liberty?).  Help get the word out, don’t just sit at home the next time you take leave, get here and take advantage of this benefit.

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