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For the players who competed in the 2015 US Women's Open at Lancaster Country Club, the memories of that magical summer are etched in their minds.
“A lot of them still look at Lancaster as a benchmark in terms of the crowd and the energy around the property,” said Bryan Megee, USGA championship director who works on the U.S. Women's Open. “There's a story that one of the members likes to tell that he was coming down the track on Sunday and there was a roar and one of the players turned around and said, 'We don't normally hear a roar.'”
Players and spectators will want a similar experience when the US Women's Open returns to Lancaster during Memorial Day week from May 28th to June 2nd. A record $12 million purse, the highest in women's golf and a dramatic increase from 2015's $4 million, was announced for the 79thTh US Women's Open.
But the tournament goes beyond sports. In addition to the unprecedented budget, there is also the financial impact the event will have on the local economy. According to the United States Golf Association (USGA), this championship will have an estimated $30 million impact on the Lancaster community and surrounding region.
Included in this estimate are:
- USGA provides approximately 400 nights of accommodation to staff, vendors, rules officials, players, etc.
- This number does not include USGA volunteers and fans traveling from across the country.
- Restaurants, stores and surrounding hotel properties will see an increase in business during championship week.
- USGA will bring suppliers on site for three months during construction.
- Increasing hotel occupancy, restaurant operations, airport travel and local shopping.
- Travel to Lancaster Township three years in advance to begin preparations for the championship.
- In 2024, select employees will temporarily live in Lancaster for 1-6 months depending on position.
- USGA will host events throughout the championship schedule.
Megee said it is rare for a golf course to host two women's Open tournaments in a decade. One of the reasons the championship is returning to Lancaster this summer is its success in 2015, when an estimated 100,000 people were at the Lancaster Country Club grounds throughout championship week.
One of the challenges facing the USGA this year is the timing of the tournament. In 2015 the championship took place in July, during the school holidays and was the highlight of the summer season. This year's tournament takes place during Memorial Day week, the traditional start of summer.
“We’re still hoping for the same turnout,” Megee said. “Ticket sales are going in the right direction, so we hope that we will have the same number of visitors, if not better, than in 2015. The community support has been incredible.”
Megee said the economic impact would occur several years in advance, noting that USGA employees have been traveling to Lancaster since 2021.
“It’s not just our employees who take care of the logistics and spend three, four, five nights a month there,” he said. “It’s our rules staff who come to look at the golf course and it’s our sales people who come to look at the property.”
Megee said the USGA is going through a three-part structure before the championship.
“We start April 1 and probably won’t finish until July 15,” he said. “These are all of our suppliers who travel with us across the country and come to Lancaster, secure hotel accommodations and fly to Harrisburg, Philadelphia or Baltimore. They eat out every night. The core of these economic figures comes from the three or four months surrounding the championship.”
Megee said the USGA books about 400 nights for employees, vendors, officials and players during the week of the championship. He pointed out that this number does not take into account the approximately 1,700 volunteers who traveled from all over the country for the championship.
“Restaurants, stores and hotel properties are seeing a significant increase in business during championship week and throughout this three-month buildup,” Megee said.
Additionally, the USGA strives to integrate into the community. It books local bands and local food trucks and hosts a volunteer party on site for an estimated 2,000 people.
“It really goes beyond those seven days,” Megee said. “It’s a two- to three-year project, with the bulk of it happening in the last four or five months.”
Megee pointed to the growth of the USGA and the Women's Open since 2015.
“We have introduced several corporate partners – Rolex, Amex – and they have a significant impact on the championship, both locally and nationally,” he said.
The record bag was made This is made possible in part by a new multi-year, multi-million dollar partnership with Ally Financial Inc., the largest digital-only bank in the country.
“We’re excited about it,” Megee said. “It’s cool for the local community that there will be top prize money at a Women’s Open. It's a big business. It will enhance the championship and bring a lot of attention to women’s football.”
Many eyes were on the Women's Open in 2015, the record-breaking crowds a testament to Lancaster's plight.
“Everyone came out to support the championship and that was incredible,” Megee said. “One of the reasons we came back was the crowd – the attendance, the support, the support of the fans and the respect they showed the players. It was the perfect storm, so to speak, and it was a no-brainer for us to come back given how successful 2015 was.
“This is a unique community. The coolest thing I heard from 2015 was that people came to the championship who weren't necessarily golf fans. They just knew it was in their backyard and wanted to support it.”
Lancaster is one of several places in Pennsylvania that will host a major championship this decade. According to the USGA schedule, Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh will host the US Senior Women's Open in August, while Oakmont Country Club in western Pennsylvania will host the US Men's Open in 2025 and the US Women's Open in 2028.
“We’re bringing a lot of championships back to Pennsylvania,” Megee said. “Pretty much every region will be affected by our presence at some point.”
All of this means big business for Pennsylvania.
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