PGA Championship: How to get to Aronimink Golf Club and what spectators need to know

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (WPVI) -- Spectators attending the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club are being urged to plan ahead as organizers rely on offsite parking and shuttle transportation to manage crowds expected to reach about 200,000 over the week.

Rory Collins, 8, and Turner Collins, 9, of Schwenksville left the tournament with signed hats and new clothes. Their father, Michael Collins, said the transportation system made the trip efficient.

"It keeps the line moving. Very efficient when you get there, you don't have to worry about any ride share or parking when you get there," he said.

All spectator parking for the tournament is located offsite, requiring visitors to use one of several designated transportation options.

Organizers have set up four ways to access the course: two public parking lots, a ride-share drop-off location, and a regional rail stop.

The red lot is located at Delaware County Community College, while the blue lot is near the Delaware County Veterans Memorial.

There is also a ride-share drop-off along West Chester Pike and an option to catch a shuttle at the Paoli Regional Rail station.

Alex Beauchemin, a championship SPEC coordinator, said shuttles operate from each of the general public access points.

"We have shuttles placed at all of the general public options that we have available, so how it would work is if you're taking an Uber to the event, you'll be dropped off in your Uber at this parking lot," Beauchemin said. "Once you get to the course, you get off the shuttles right at the scan gates, you walk up, nice short walk and you're onto the course."

Some visitors said the system worked well, though planning ahead is important. Julie Haile of Buffalo, New York, said she initially ran into an issue when she did not realize parking had to be purchased in advance.

"It worked well once I realized I had to buy my parking pass, which was on me. It was my fault, I didn't read," Haile said.

Local officials have warned drivers to expect heavy traffic and potential delays as tournament attendance increases. However, during a practice round Tuesday, some spectators reported light traffic and efficient transportation.

"We got down here, little to no traffic. There's plenty of buses so I think it's the way to do it," said John Walder of Abington, Pennsylvania. "It's a beautiful day. It's something I've always wanted to do, so why not just check if off the bucket list."

Parking for the event must be prepaid, with prices ranging from $25 to $41 depending on the day of attendance, and officials recommend verifying passes before arriving.

For more information on spectator transportation, parking and road closure information, CLICK HERE.