To walk or to sit? Memorial Tournament fans differ on how they watch the competition

To walk or to sit, that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the hills of the Muirfield Village Golf Club and follow your favorite players,

Or to take a seat along the course and watch the players pass you by.

OK, so maybe it's not a decision so serious that it requires a soliloquy. But many patrons at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin each year ask themselves a similar question: Will I walk the course, or will I sit and watch?

There are pros and cons to both, with plenty of variables to consider, Matt Eperesi said.

He and his friend, Matt Leone, both of Pittsburgh, were discussing their options as they arrived at the tournament Thursday morning.

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There are benefits to following a player or group of players around the course and getting to see how they play throughout the entire round. But it can be a lot of work to keep up with them, especially if you have multiple players you want to watch playing the course in different groups at the same time.

If they were going to attend multiple days in a row, then they might follow a group one day and sit at one hole the other.

Instead, the Matts decided to have no agenda and watch whomever they wanted at their leisure.

"It's nice to just kind of wander around," Leone said.

'Follow your friend, not the field'

Brian Burgett also prefers to walk the course following particular players. Burgett — with his wife, Sherri, and son, Daniel — know Australian professional golfer Jason Day and his caddie, so they planned to watch him in the morning and fellow Australian Danny Lee in the afternoon.

"You follow your friend, not the field," said Burgett, of Lewis Center.

He does, however, carry a small collapsible chair with him to sit in while players are putting.

"I've had two knee replacements, and I'm 71, so I'm allowed," he said with a laugh.

Others, however, prefer to camp out at one hole all day.

Guess the better score and win big $

Krista and David Ellsworth, of Dublin, bought special, low-to-the-group camping chairs just for sitting on the hill behind the 12th hole green.

For the past six years, the Ellsworths have preferred picking a spot on the course to sit and watch the players, especially at par 3s. Krista said they probably would've done a little more walking this year — if she wasn't six months pregnant.

David said the real reason they do it is because of a betting game they play together. As each group of players comes through, they look at the board and guess who will get the better score. Whoever wins earns a dollar.

"By the end of the day, someone is walking away with at least $4," he said.

Some pro tips for the rookies from a veteran Memorial Tournament patron

Charles Collier, who now lives in Maryland but grew up in Upper Arlington, has attended about 40 Memorial Tournaments. He's both walked and camped out in one spot over the years.

This year, Collier set up shop under a lofty mature tree along the fairway of the 14th hole. The spot gives him the perfect vantage point to catch multiple groups playing different holes from a single spot.

Collier also picked it because a friend conveniently lives nearby on the course, so "libations and bathrooms are readily available."

He reclined in his blue Helinox camping chair, swiveling the seat from tee box to green as the golfers played through. While he likes following players through their round, Collier said many first-time patrons underestimate just how hilly Muirfield can be.

"A lot of people come for the walk; half don't know how hard it is to walk," he said.

Jennifer and Doug Edmonston learned that the hard way Thursday morning,

The Edmonstons, of Syracuse, New York, started following a group on the back nine but decided to rest near the 12th hole in some Adirondack chairs set up for the tournament.

"I'm already tired," Jennifer said.

"These hills," Doug added, moving his hand up and down like a tsunami wave.

So, what should your course of action be out on the course?

If you want to walk, Collier recommends following players along the front nine, where the elevations aren't as steep.

For those wanting to enjoy the tournament from a resting position, Collier said the back nine — specifically the areas around the 11th and 12th holes — can give you a view of multiple groups from the same spot.

And if you're a fan of drama and celebration, there's always the 18th hole.

Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter at the Columbus Dispatch. You can reach her at shendrix@dispatch.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @sheridan120. Sign up for her Mobile Newsroom newsletter here and her education newsletter here.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Memorial Tournament fans debate whether to walk or sit the golf course