Getting to Eastern Long Island can be a hassle, given the crowds and traffic on a narrow piece of land far from the area's population center. But that has not kept golf fans from making the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills a tough ticket.
Packages for the four-day competition portion of the week Thursday through Sunday are sold out, but they can be had on the secondary market _ for a steep price _ either on a daily basis or for all four days.
According to TicketIQ, which monitors resale market sites, as of Monday the average asking price for each of the four days was $265, which is 60 percent more than last year at Erin Hills and 34 percent more than 2016 at Oakmont.
The only more expensive Open asking prices this decade were at Merion in 2013, which averaged $280.
TicketIQ's average asking price for Thursday's first round was $175 (with a low of $71) and rose from there to $246 (with a low of $115) on Friday and $339 (with a low of $175) on Saturday. The asking price for Sunday's final round averaged $302, with a low of $93.
This is the first Open held on Long Island since 2009 and the first at Shinnecock since 2004. It also is the first time Tiger Woods will compete since he missed the cut at the 2015 Open.
Vivid Seats, another secondary ticket marketplace, said its data indicates the 2018 Open is the costliest since 2015.
Based on tickets actually sold, not asking prices, as of Monday the average was $111, compared to $97 in 2017 and $101 in 2016, as of this time in Open week. The 2015 Open at Chambers Bay averaged $196.
Average sale prices for practice rounds Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were $30 or less. The most expensive day to attend is Saturday, with an average sale price of $156 as of Monday.
"While having Tiger Woods in the field never hurts, we're seeing location play a role as well, with the event being held in New York at one of the oldest golf clubs in the country," said Stephen Spiewak, Vivid Seats' manager for digital content marketing.
On StubHub as of late Monday afternoon, asking prices started at $329 for a pass for the four days of competition, with prices starting at $85 for Thursday only, $135 for Friday, $190 for Saturday and $98 for Sunday.
The USGA set a limit of 35,000 tickets per day, a number that varies year to year based on facilities and logistics at various Open courses.
Packages for the four competition days bought directly from the USGA are sold out, but the USGA website said as of late Monday afternoon that limited walkup sales might be available for purchase on-site.
The U.S. Open is a relatively affordable option compared to the most in-demand golf tournament in the country _ The Masters. Vivid Seats said resale prices for that tournament averaged $1,166.
