Summary
On a first visit to Wentworth, the 1st tee, jump to The 1st tee lets you watch players begin their round. The 14th, jump to The 14th gives you a short hole to follow, while the 18th, jump to The 18th offers approaches and putts beside the water. Time beside the course fits around breaks in your hospitality space. Grandstand access depends on the experience you're attending.
The West Course is the course used for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in Surrey. During championship play, groups move from hole to hole throughout the day. Staying beside one green lets you see different players tackle the same shot. Following a group gives you a better sense of how its round develops, though it involves more walking.
For most first visits, a mixture works well. A few holes with one group give you someone to follow on the leaderboard. Time in one place then lets you see more of the field without spending the whole day on your feet.
Where does your day fit around the golf?
The Ballroom, the dining room inside Wentworth's clubhouse, gives you a base between spells on the course. The Friday 18 September experience pairs the Ballroom with 18th Green Grandstand access for the second round of the 2026 championship. Saturday 19 September, the third round, is the Ballroom experience. The grandstand addition is specified for Friday only.
Both Ballroom arrangements include breakfast, a three-course lunch and afternoon food. That suits guests who want a seated meal as part of the day, with time outside to watch the golf. Your hospitality space and your viewing position serve different purposes: dining in the clubhouse doesn't mean watching every shot from your table.
The organiser's Ballroom guidance allows guests to come and go using a wristband. You can spend part of the day following play and return for a meal, rather than needing to stay in the room. Which viewing areas you can enter still depends on your confirmed access.
What can you see from the 1st tee?
The 1st tee is the starting point of the first hole. On championship days, it's one place to watch groups begin their rounds. It suits a first visit because you can see a group set off before deciding whether to follow it further.
In 2026, Thursday and Friday use starts from both the 1st and 9th holes. Groups starting at the 9th don't finish their round at the 18th. On Saturday and Sunday, groups start at the 1st and finish at the 18th.
Wentworth's clubhouse, practice range and putting green are in this part of the site. The range is where players warm up by hitting a series of shots. The putting green is for practising the shorter strokes used to finish a hole. Seeing those preparations can be interesting if you want to understand what happens before a player appears on the leaderboard.
The tee suits you if you want to watch several groups set off. For a longer look at how one group plays, the spectator routes continue out around the course. Access around practice areas follows the marked spectator boundaries.
Why spend time at the 14th?
The 14th is an uphill par three. Par is the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to take, so here the usual aim is to reach the green with the opening shot and finish with two putts.
It's a useful hole for someone who is new to watching golf because the first shot is aimed directly at the green. You can compare where successive players land the ball and how that changes the putt they face. There is less of the hole to follow than on a long par five, where the players may take several shots before reaching the green.
The green has a sloping front that can send a short shot back down the hill. That gives you something specific to watch: whether the ball stays on the putting surface or leaves the player another shot uphill.
The official map places the 14th away from the clubhouse and Championship Village, the area of food outlets and facilities near the finish. It makes sense as part of a walk around the course if your group enjoys being on foot. For guests who prefer shorter outings between meals, the 1st and 18th keep the day closer to the clubhouse area.
What makes the 18th worth watching?
The 18th is a par five with water beside the green. A player who reaches the putting surface in two strokes has a chance of an eagle, meaning two under par, with the next putt. A ball in the water can turn the same hole into a very different score.
From around the green, you're watching shots into the putting surface and the putts that follow. It suits guests who want to settle for a while and see a succession of players. You won't see every earlier shot that brought them there, so the nearby leaderboard and screen help put their scores in context.
The grandstand is the tiered seating beside the green. For the 2026 championship, the organiser advises guests with grandstand access to be seated before 4pm. After that, seating becomes unreserved and a place is no longer guaranteed. Grandstand access shouldn't be read as a promise that the same seat will be held throughout the afternoon.
For the Friday Ballroom and 18th Green Grandstand experience, that timing matters when dividing the day between lunch and the golf.
How much walking should you expect?
Following a group for several holes involves walking over outdoor ground, which can be uneven. It also means stopping while players take their shots and waiting at controlled crossing points. A route that looks short on a map won't always be quick while play is under way.
Comfortable shoes with grip make more sense than footwear chosen only for lunch. The Ballroom guidance recommends smart casual clothing, permits shorts and excludes ripped denim and metal spikes. A light waterproof layer is useful for time away from the room.
The course marshals manage where spectators cross and stand. Staying behind the ropes, keeping your phone silent and remaining still during shots lets everyone follow the play. For a group with different levels of interest in golf, shorter walks with a shared return to the hospitality space are a practical way to spend the day.
Is Wednesday the same as a championship day?
Wednesday 16 September is the 2026 Celebrity Pro-Am, when professionals play alongside amateurs. The championship itself runs from Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 September. Those are the tournament dates, rather than a statement that every day forms part of your experience.
The Wednesday experience is based in the 72 Lounge, a hospitality space in the Championship Village, with course access. It's a different day from the Friday and Saturday Ballroom arrangements described here. If the celebrity teams are the main attraction for your group, the Wentworth Pro-Am guide explains that format in more detail.
Chloe Burchell
Event Manager
Event Manager at Imperial Corporate Events. She’s hosted clients at everything from the Six Nations to the Eastern & Oriental Express, and she’s good company on the day.
