David had the flu. Mother's Day weekend was not going the way I planned. And somewhere around 2pm on Sunday, I bought one StubHub ticket to the final round of the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow, packed a diaper bag, loaded Jamie into the stroller, and decided we were figuring it out.
It ended up being one of the better afternoons we've had in a while.
I've written before about how to do the Truist Championship with a baby or toddler - the parking situation, the stroller strategy, what to bring. (That post is here if you're starting from scratch.) This one is about something different: what it looks like to show up at 3pm on Sunday when most people are leaving, and why that might actually be the right call for your family.
The Truist Championship has been a fixture at Quail Hollow Club in south Charlotte since 2003, previously known as the Wells Fargo Championship. It's a PGA Tour Signature Event with a $20 million purse and a field that this year included Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Thomas, and eight of the top 10 players in the world rankings. The final round fell on Mother's Day, which was either very fitting or deeply ironic depending on how your weekend was going.
Every tip I've given before is about arriving early - cooler temps, lighter crowds, energy to actually cover the course. All of that is still true. But Sunday final round at 3pm is its own thing, and there's a case to be made for it.
By the time we walked in, a large portion of the crowd had already headed home. No line at the volunteer photo station. An empty refreshment tent where the concessions woman had time to hand us waters, dig out extra wipes for Jamie, and send us off with a couple of oranges without anyone behind us in line. No wait anywhere.
Last-minute StubHub tickets for a late Sunday arrival are also significantly more accessible. I bought one the morning of with no issues. Kids 15 and under get in free with a ticketed adult, so I only needed one.
The tradeoff is real: the merch tent is mostly picked over by then. I wanted to get Jamie a hat and walked away empty-handed. Everything left was either sold out in his size or honestly just not cute. The Fan Shop carries local brands like 704 Shop and Girl Tribe alongside standard tournament gear and is apparently four times bigger than it used to be - but you need to get there while inventory is intact. If merch matters, go earlier.
Skip the practice range - nobody's out there at 3pm on the final Sunday. Head straight to the 18th fairway. There's good shade on that stretch and the energy is right because everyone who's still there wants to be there. We planted ourselves, got food, and just let the afternoon happen around us.
My previous tip was the 11th green for shade and sightlines - and I still love that spot for earlier in the day. On Sunday afternoon, the 18th is where it's at. You can start closer to the cart path and inch your way forward as people clear out. By the time we'd been there an hour, we had a genuinely good view without having fought anyone for it.
The Inizio stand does an 8-inch pepperoni pizza for $16. Get it. We ate ours in the shade of the 18th fairway with some oranges the concessions woman gave us and it was a perfectly good lunch. The course has an app with an interactive map and live concession menus -- I didn't use it but wish I had for finding food faster.
Atrium Health sunscreen stations are free and everywhere on the course, so don't stress about packing it. Bring two stroller fans if you're going in May. Bring two empty water bottles to fill from a purchased water -- buying one large water and decanting works well regardless of whether you find the free refill stations.
Jamie ate his orange and his pizza, watched golfers with zero comprehension of what he was watching, and spent the better part of an hour flirting with every woman in a ten-foot radius. Big smile, hide his face in my shoulder, repeat. They thought it was adorable. I thought it was hilarious.
We saw Rickie Fowler (this year's runner-up), Tommy Fleetwood (my favorite), Justin Thomas, and Nick Taylor come through the 18th. Jamie had absolutely no idea who any of them were. I was thrilled.
We stayed about two and a half hours total - the exact right amount of time for a two-year-old and also for someone who is very pregnant and whose back had strong feelings about it on the drive home.
On the way out, I got a Dove ice cream bar, which is my standing Quail Hollow tradition and I will not be negotiating on this. Jamie wanted to hold it immediately. We passed the autograph zone and it looked completely empty, but there was shade right next to it so I stopped to eat my ice cream there.
Right as we finished, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler walked over to sign autographs.
I picked Jamie up. He held out his PGA Championship baseball cap. They both signed the underside of the brim. He had absolutely no idea what was happening. I was quietly losing my mind.
Stop at the autograph zone on your way out. Even if it looks empty. Especially if it looks empty. Stand in the shade and eat your ice cream and wait two minutes. It is worth it.
The tournament is at Quail Hollow annually through at least 2031. We will absolutely be back next year.