Ticket Alert: Advanced Ticket Pricing Ends Sunday March 19th
The 46th Annual ANA Inspiration (formerly known as the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and still sometimes referred to as the Dinah Shore) is one of the five major championships of professional women’s golf. This year the event returns, from March 27th through April 2nd, to The Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. The event is famous for the tournament winner’s plunge into Poppie’s Pond. To see a video montage of past winners and some of their Poppie’s Pond plunges, please use the following link: Champions Of The ANA Inspiration
A little about The Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club. It was designed by Desmond Muirhead in 1970. It has the distinct honor of being rated the No. 1 course in the Coachella Valley for many years and has hosted a Major Championship for more than 40 years. The 18th is a 646-yard par 5 with an island green, and always plays a significant role in determining each year’s champion.
There's lots to do at the ANA Inspiration in addition to enjoying some of the greatest golf on the planet, including:
- ANA Experience Exhibit: Experience ANA's incredible service standards for yourself and try out one of ANA’s luxurious business class seats or first-class lay-down seats. The ANA Experience exhibit will also feature an interactive "Leap into Poppie's Pond" area, where you and the whole family can show the world your best leap. And ANA will even give you a video that you can share with everyone you know on social media.
- New Food Courtyard: Complete with the best food trucks from Los Angeles (thanks to Roaming Hunger), plenty of shaded seating, a full-service bar, and a screen so large you'll feel like you're watching a movie. If you're used to watching the tournament from your couch, you may want to get out here and watch it on this screen instead. You'll also have a view of the 18th green, which makes for the perfect 360 degree experience.
- LPGA Lesson Zone: How about a free lesson from the best LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals in the area giving free lessons on the driving range. Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
- ANA Junior Inspiration: Now an official American Junior Golf Association event, the ANA Junior Inspiration, played across 54 holes March 25-26, brings 40 of the top juniors from around the world to Rancho Mirage playing for an amazing prize, the final entry into the ANA Inspiration field.
- Inspiring Women In Sports Conference: The debut in 2016 welcomed the likes of Arianna Huffington, Lindsey Vonn, Annika Sorenstam, and Missy Franklin. This event returns for a second year, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. March 28 on the grounds’ 18th Green Pavilion, with rumored similar star power.
- Autograph Tent: LPGA players are known for being incredibly friendly. Stop by the autograph tent during the tournament to meet your favorite player, get her autograph and maybe even a selfie!
- Merchandise Tent: They’ll have plenty of clothing, accessories, autograph materials, and more to make your experience at the event as enjoyable as humanly possible.
- Official Program: The ANA Inspiration Official Program is full of great editorial content about the event, profiles of the greatest golfers in the field, hole-by-hole information, and so much more. Best of all, you can pick them up for free during the event, or stay tuned for the digital copy you can read before the event.
- Pairings Guide: You'll be able to grab your copy of the Daily Pairings Guide for free at the tournament. In addition, if you are a Desert Sun subscriber, you'll have the Pairings Guide delivered right to your doorstep, as the wrapper to the Sports section of the Desert Sun.
ANA Inspiration Tournament At A Glance:
- Dates: Monday, March 27 - Sunday, April 2, 2017
- Television Schedule: The tournament traditionally features 20 hours of live exclusive coverage on NBC Universal’s Golf Channel. Television times for the 2017 event will be announced closer to tournament week.
- Site: Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, CA
- Sponsor: All Nippon Airways, Inc. (ANA)
- Purse: $2.6 Million
- Defending 2016 Champion: Lydia Ko
For more information, pictures and tickets, please visit: http://www.anainspiration.com/