Meijer LPGA Classic with Kids

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Meijer. The opinions and text are all mine.

If you or someone in your family is a golf fan, the Meijer LPGA Classic needs to be on your radar. Today, I’m going to break down everything you need to know about taking your kids to the Meijer LPGA Classic and share everything that this amazing tournament has to offer families.

      

Everything You Need to Know About the Meijer LPGA Classic with Kids

So, for those just getting acquainted with the Meijer LPGA Classic, it’s a women’s professional golf tournament in Michigan on the LPGA Tour.

The tournament hosts over 100 of the best women golfers for 72 holes of stroke play over four days of competition.

Proceeds from the tournament – and each of the week’s festivities – benefit the Meijer Simply Give program that restocks the shelves of food pantries across the Midwest. (More on that in a bit!)

While my family is made up of many golf enthusiasts, what really drew me to the tournament was the promise of amazing food and the kids’ Discoveryland, which features hands-on STEAM learning opportunities, character meet and greets, and other fun experiences for the kids!

This event is a real treat for any golf fan, hosting some amazing athletes and also some Hall of Fame VIPs throughout the tournament, but there is so much more to the event than golf. We filled a day at the tournament easily, and next time I think I’d plan to attend for at least two or three days, especially since the programming changes day to day.

Simply Give

Meijer started it’s Simply Give program in November 2008 and has since generated nearly $48 million for its food pantry partners. Simply Give is Meijer’s major focus in it’s hunger relief efforts, and is a truly progressive program in how it works with local food pantries to serve their communities.

From 2013-2018, the Meijer LPGA Classic generated more than $4.2 million for Simply Give.

Simply attending the tournament supports Simply Give’s hunger relief efforts. 

That’s it.

If you want to do more, you can purchase clothing at the tournament (the on-site clothing store donates all proceeds to Simply Give) or donate directly to the cause either at the tournament or at your local Meijer’s store.

       

LPGA Discoveryland

The highlight of our day at the LPGA Classic for Ella was Discoveryland!

As we approached the building she spotted a giant helicopter climber, a Nerf gun shooting range, and a 40 foot long putting experience – and that was all before we set foot inside!

Inside the tent, the first thing I noticed was the bevy of toys available for kids. Honestly, it was like walking into a toy store with all of the toys unwrapped and waiting to be played with!

At the front of the tent was a walk-up snack bar where kids could enjoy a variety of snacks, ranging from healthy to indulgent. There were also plenty of waters and juices on hand to keep the kids hydrated.

Next, Ella spotted a miniature hair salon where kids could get their hair styled and temporarily dyed. She and her friend had a little spa experience while I checked out the rest of the set-up.

In addition to all the toys to play with, they had an arts and crafts center, a slime-making counter, a miniature play grocery store (where parents could enter to win free groceries), and in the tent next door there were changing and nursing rooms for parents of younger children.

And just when Ella thought this day couldn’t get any better…. Branch and Poppy showed up!

LPGA Grand Rapids

The Meijer LPGA Classic is played every year at the Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, a suburb of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The country club is gorgeous but the buildings are not available to tournament attendees.

We have yet to explore Grand Rapids, as we decided to stay halfway between home and the LPGA tournament in Frankenmuth, Michigan since we were only attending for one day. It is a long, fun day out in the sun so I’d recommend planning for an overnight if you’re not from the area.

Grand Taste at the LPGA Classic

Alright, you know this was a highlight of the event for me!

Grand Taste is an add-on experience that any self-respecting foodie should add to their LPGA Classic ticket. It’s made up of two giant food and drink tents with unlimited samples.

We’re talking paella, fruit kebabs, sausages, cheese, decadent desserts, sushi, ice cream, and really exciting drink options for both kids and adults. (Ella went crazy for the Kool-Aid Sour Jammers while I had so much fun sampling some of the different craft beers and canned cocktails.)

However, if you don’t add the Grand Taste there are still some really fun (free) food options available, like a Hershey’s S’more Station and a Popsicle van (complete with red carpet).

One of the ladies working the food tent gave us some cute backpacks for the kids and put a few juices and snacks in there to keep them happy for the tournament. That was pretty consistent of our experience with the staff at the LPGA Classic – they went out of their way to ensure the kids were having a great time.

What to Bring to Meijer LPGA Classic

The nice thing about this family day out is that it’s really built so you can travel light and not have to nip back to the car whenever yo need something.

While I ensured my family dressed according to the Blythefield Country Club’s dress code, I think I was a bit overzealous because I saw tank tops, jeans, etc, at the event. I’m a fan of dressing up when the occasion allows so I’d still encourage you to err on the side of dressing up rather than dressing down. Leave the heels at home, though.

Discoveryland was awesome for providing many baby essentials (including wipes and diapers) and even sunscreen for older kids, and the food tents had water and juice in plentiful supply. Bring hand sanitizer for the portable toilets.

Everything food-wise was included in our tickets, the only add-on expenses were if we wanted to buy some merchandise from the Simply Give set-up. (Even the cute photo opps with photo cards were included in the price of our ticket.)

First Aid is available, so you don’t have to worry about packing band-aids, etc.

One thing to keep in mind is that everyone close to the players must whisper. This is something parents need to be prepared for, depending on whether your child has been in these types of situations before. Ella has been in lots of situations like this before and she was happy to watch and whisper for a couple holes, but I don’t think I would have attempted to watch a full round (let alone a whole day) of the tournament without having something for her to do. A sketchbook, or some other quiet activity, would be perfect.

 

Pin this Post for your future Meijer LPGA Classic trip planning!

If your family is interested in attending the Meijer LPGA Classic you can find more information and purchase your tickets here.

I hope your family enjoys it as much as my family did!

Be sure to check out our family travel section for even more awesome family adventures.