For Bob King of San Antonio, Texas, attending next week’s 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Course, was one of the items on his bucket list.

King, who is recovering from brain cancer, had hoped to made the 1,200-mile drive north to escape the hot Texas summer and take in some professional golf. His oncologist had other plans, however. “I was planning on coming for sure, but my oncologist has more treatment in mind for me that week,” he wrote in an e-mail. “Maybe next year.”

Although King won’t be at this year’s PGA Championship, plenty of others share his passion. PGA officials expect to see 300,000 people at the course over the six days of the tournament.

What that flood of people will mean for Chaska, remains to be seen.

“Our experience says there’s no large economic impact,” said Chaska City Administrator Matt Podhradsky. “Other than setting foot at the golf course, [attendees] don’t really set foot in town.”

With most ticket holders taking advantage of the free parking and shuttle bus at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, it becomes a challenge for Chaska to capture any tourism revenue from the tournament.

Mit Shah, owner and operator of the Best Western River Inn and Suites in downtown Chaska, said the hotel hasn’t seen a big increase in occupancy for next week.

“It’s similar to last year,” said Shah, who noted that August is one of their busiest months in general due to Valleyfair and Renaissance Festival goers.

“We’re at about 90 percent,” he said. “But we still have plenty of room for those going to the PGA.”

Town Course

Unlike the 2006 U.S. Amateur, the Chaska Town Course isn’t co-hosting this golf tournament and Town Course golf professional John Kellin isn’t quite sure what impact the PGA Championship will have on its greens, less than two miles away.

“I am curious to find out,” said Kellin in an e-mail.  “I was not here in 2002,” he continued. “But I do know that the golf course was not full.”

This year, they are booking corporate outings during the tournament.

“We started booking corporate golf outings for PGA week at the beginning of the year and are happy with the numbers,” he said.

Tee times for the week of the PGA have already been made by plenty of out-of-towners, Kellin noted.

“We expect an increase in calls each day as the event draws closer,” he said.

The Town Course will have some involvement with the PGA during the championship week. Some 220 volunteers from the Town Course will marshal the first hole at Hazeltine throughout the PGA Championship.

The Town Course is also working with the PGA on a Play Golf America Junior Clinic at the Par 30 on Monday morning and a demonstration and clinic at the Town Course on Monday night. Both events allow golfers to pick up tips from Minnesota PGA professionals.

Kellin thinks that, overall, hosting the PGA will be a good thing for Chaska and its resident golf courses.

“Looking at after the event, we hope that new golfers discover what we have here and go home and tell there friends about Chaska, Minnesota,” he said.

Preparations

Marlyn Puppe remembers the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine and he’s convinced this year’s tournament is already shaping up to be better.

“It’s much bigger this year than in 2002,” he said.

“This time it’s more upgraded,” he continued. “I can tell.”

Puppe’s got a prime vantage point for making such observations. His Oriole Lane home has a great view of the sixth hole at Hazeltine.

He’s spent the last few weeks watching with interest as crews have worked to get Hazeltine up to snuff for the PGA Championship.

“We’ve had activity like you wouldn’t believe,” he said.

Monday morning, he watched as a helicopter flew up and down the course with a camera attached to the front.

“It went up and down, must have been 20 times,” he said. “They must be taking video of the whole course.”

He’s also watched as they’ve mowed the greens and gotten rid of the algae in the pond. With the pond clean, he observed a pair of divers spend two full days fishing golf balls out of the deep part of the pond.

“They said they got 2,000 golf balls,” he said. “That thing was just loaded.”

Having a vantage point like Puppe has isn’t just good for watching the preparations, he noted. It also makes you a very popular person come PGA time. “I’ve got all kinds of people coming,” he said.

At the 2002 PGA, Puppe rented out his home to a hospitality group. This time around, he’s got the house all to himself, leaving him and his wife Maureen able to host friends and family for the week.

With guests preparing to descend on their home next week, the Puppes are just as busy getting their home ready for the PGA as crews are getting the course ready. Shrubs are being trimmed, windows are being washed and pool liners are being replaced.

“We’re looking forward to it a lot,” he said. “Wonderful times with good friends.”

-Mollee Francisco, staff writer