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The 2024 Solheim Cup — the women’s version of the Ryder Cup — began on Thursday morning at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia.
But when the first group teed off, there were hundreds of empty seats in the grandstands surrounding the opening tee.
However, that wasn’t due to a lack of interest. Instead, thousands of fans were stuck waiting for busses to shuttle them to the course.
.The bus lines for the @TheSolheimCup are absolutely atrocious. This is an embarrassment to the US right now. No busses here to pick up spectators. Fans have arrived at 5:00am and after an hour and a half, still standing here. #SolheimCup #Golf #lpga pic.twitter.com/pt0Fu4el2K
— JoeQuatt (@JoeQuatt) September 13, 2024
“The bus lines for the @TheSolheimCup are absolutely atrocious,” Twitter user @JoeQuatt said of the situation. “This is an embarrassment to the US right now. No busses here to pick up spectators. Fans have arrived at 5:00 a.m. and after an hour and a half, still standing here”
Quatt’s complaint was just the first of many.
“My son and I won tickets and drove up this morning. We’ve been to The Masters, PGA, US Open, and tons of every other sport. Never seen anything as screwed up logistically as the #SolheimCup,” @Rob_Huddleston wrote with a video showing massive lines in the parking lot.
My son and I won tickets and drove up this morning. We’ve been to The Masters, PGA, US Open, and tons of every other sport. Never seen anything as screwed up logistically as the #SolheimCup. pic.twitter.com/wYqqkknpkA
— Rob Huddleston (@Rob_Huddleston) September 13, 2024
For those who haven’t been to a professional golf tournament, it’s common for fans to park well away from the course at a place with the capacity to handle traffic. The tournament organizer then arranges shuttles to and from the course.
In this instance, it appears those shuttles either weren’t running or they did not have enough of them. Regardless of the issue, it’s a nightmare scenario for the event and a brutal look for the organizer.
The Solheim Cup was first played in 1990, and the U.S. holds a 10-8 lead all-time against Europe. Though the Europeans are the reigning championship, having retained the cup with a 14-14 tie in 2023 and winning the two prior events.
The United States has not won the Solheim Cup since 2017 at Des Moines Country Club in Iowa.