How Many Fans Does The WM Phoenix Open 16th Hole Stadium Hold?
The stadium hole at the WM Phoenix Open is known as the loudest hole in golf, but how many fans does it hold?


Mike Hall
The WM Phoenix Open is one of the biggest events in the PGA Tour schedule, and not just because it regularly attracts some of the biggest names.
It is also home to golf's most boisterous atmosphere, while it is the best-attended event in the sport, with around 500,000 fans expected across the four days of action each year.
The tournament, held at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona, is dubbed the "greatest show on grass" and it is particularly famous for its raucous scenes at the 16th, an iconic stadium hole known as The Coliseum. There, players are greeted by a wall of noise from "the loudest hole in golf."
One of the things that makes the par-3 so special is the stadium complex, which surrounds it, with fans packed into stands on either side of the tee box and up to and around the green. But how many fans does it hold?
There are no official figures on its capacity, although reports put it at anywhere between 16,000 and 20,000 people. For context, a similar party hole constructed for LIV Golf's maiden event in Las Vegas in the 2024 season, which was held over the same weekend, had a capacity of around 3,000.
The 16th wasn't always known for its stadium-style layout, which includes almost 300 skyboxes. In fact, it took one of the 11 holes-in-one on the 16th at the WM Phoenix Open to bring that about.
By the time Tiger Woods made his ace at the 1997 edition of the tournament, the hole was already known for its big atmosphere, but the moment his ball disappeared into the hole, the reaction was so wild that it inspired the idea of fully enclosing it with a stadium-style construction. Since then, its reputation has continued to grow and nowadays, it's undoubtedly the place to be at the tournament.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
A post shared by Golf Monthly (@golfmonthly)
A photo posted by on
It's not hard to see why. As well as the possibility of seeing a hole-in-one, the huge crowds have contributed to some particualrly wild scenes through the years. The 2022 event stands out in particular, when the over-exuberance of fans in the stands led to the frequent showering of beer cans onto the green, while two of the players even got carried away, with Harry Higgs and Joel Dahmen going topless at the hole - a decision Higgs later admitted he regretted "almost immediately."
To help ensure there wasn't a repeat of the scenes in 2023, the PGA Tour came up with a genius idea of serving beer in commemorative plastic cups, and it had the desired effect, with fans still creating a truly special atmosphere, without it spilling over onto the course.
How Do You Get A Seat At The 16th Hole At The WM Phoenix Open?
There are 3,750 general admission seats for the 16th hole, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Beyond that, there are corporate hospitality packages available for its skyboxes.
How Much Does It Cost To Sit On Hole 16?
General admission tickets cost between $75 and $125 depending on the day you attend. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
How Many Fans Attend The WM Phoenix Open?
While official attendance numbers recording how many fans attend the Phoenix Open have not been released since 2018, across the whole week of that year's tournament, almost 720,000 fans came through the gates, with over 500,000 to watch the four rounds of action. The biggest day is traditionally Saturday, and in 2018, a huge 216,000 attended for the third round.
What Is The Nickname Of The 16th Hole At The Phoenix Open?
The iconic 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale, which is the permanent home of the PGA Tour's WM Phonenix Open, is nicknamed The Coliseum and is known for its party atmosphere.
Ben joined Golf Monthly having completed his NCTJ in multimedia sports journalism at News Associates, London. He is now a freelance journalist who also works for The Independent, Metro, UEFA and Stats Perform.
- Mike HallNews Writer
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
-
Allowing LIV Golfers, Starting A Champions Dinner And Adding A PGA Tour University Route... 7 Ways To Elevate The Players Championship And Bring It Even Closer To The Majors
With all the talk of the Players Championship being a possible fifth Major, we look at seven changes that could elevate the event to the highest level of men's pro golf
By Paul Higham Published
-
Wyndham Clark Withdraws From The Players Championship
Last year's runner-up withdrew due to a neck injury after playing nine holes of his second round on Friday
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Allowing LIV Golfers, Starting A Champions Dinner And Adding A PGA Tour University Route... 7 Ways To Elevate The Players Championship And Bring It Even Closer To The Majors
With all the talk of the Players Championship being a possible fifth Major, we look at seven changes that could elevate the event to the highest level of men's pro golf
By Paul Higham Published
-
Wyndham Clark Withdraws From The Players Championship
Last year's runner-up withdrew due to a neck injury after playing nine holes of his second round on Friday
By Elliott Heath Published
-
'To The Brandel Chamblees, To The Paul McGinley's To The Rocco Mediates Of The World, I Don't Regret Anything I Said' - Collin Morikawa Issues Emotional Reply To Critics
The two-time Major winner told his critics that he doesn't regret his words after saying he doesn't owe anyone anything following his decision to not speak to the press on Sunday at Bay Hill
By Elliott Heath Published
-
‘Honestly, I Went And Sat In My Car For A Few Minutes Afterwards And Just Kind Of Let It Hit Me A Little Bit, Maybe Let A Tear Out’ - Players Championship Rookie On Emotional Last-Minute Call-Up For 'Dream' Event
Danny Walker shared how he dealt with learning he would be competing in the Players Championship for the first time mere hours before round one
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
‘I Think It’s Dead, I Think The Other Side Is Gone’ - Lee Trevino Gives Take On PGA Tour-LIV Golf Divide And Calls For Players And Caddies To Speed Up
Lee Trevino was full of praise for the PGA Tour and its immediate future, as he believes that a deal with the Saudi PIF may not come at all
By Paul Higham Published
-
‘There’s No Question In My Mind About It’ - Lee Trevino Calls For The Players To Become Major Championship
Lee Trevino says he can't see any reason why the Players Championship should not become the fifth men's Major
By Paul Higham Published
-
College Golfer Apologizes After Being Removed From TPC Sawgrass For Heckling Rory McIlroy
University of Texas golfer, Luke Potter made a comment to McIlroy during Tuesday's practice round which caused the World No.2 to take his phone
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Big Names Struggle Early On At Players Championship
Viktor Hovland, Max Homa and Justin Thomas all struggled badly in the early stages of the first round at the Players Championship
By Paul Higham Published