It's the biggest week for the PGA of America as it hosts the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on the leafy Main Line. We spent time on the ground and check-in with some thoughts for what is proving to be a compelling week in Philadelphia.

May. The shift in the tournament's place on the calendar seems to be strong for the PGA (for now). The weather has cooperated and the course is in pristine condition after being closed to play since last November. Decent weather this spring helped Aronimink agronomy head John Gosselin and the PGA's Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh (who is responsible for the tournament course setup) deliver a challenging and well-conditioned course.

All Inclusive. One aspect of the tournament we thought was great was the fact that the ticket prices are inclusive of food, soft drinks and snacks. That was a great touch, and it made the food halls uncrowded and stress-free. There were also a lot of fan-focused amenities at the site, which made the tournament a real joy to attend. The vibers were high and you could fairly easily navigate the golf course which helped fans see a lot of golf. The picnic tables and screen near #2 was a great place to have a bite and take in some action.

Merch Moment. The merch tent was better than expected. It's always going to be hard to have a PGA and club logo lockup that can compete with the simplicity of the Masters logo, but there were some good designs around the tournament. It was selling too. On Friday in Philadelphia we saw dozens of people with new PGA merchandise.

Enterprising Fans Cashing in. The homespun backyard grandstands went viral, and the backyard people were hilariously closer to the greens than some of the actual paying customers. I can imagine the club is already planning on planting some privacy trees. With limited parking around the tournament, homes close to the tournament were charging an obscene $150 for nearby parking. Yikes. Some were offering military discounts and had grill setups ready to sell hot dogs and drinks. Late stage capitalism, y'all.

Retro Min Woo. Definitely one of the top style guys on tour, Min Woo Lee brought out a retro Lululemon track jacket ($188 and not sold out) and pleated pants on a rainy first round. He got a lot of attention for understanding the new wave of proportion like his buddy Tommy.

The Mink. The course is a star. We spent some time with architect Gil Hanse (who lives just a few miles down the road), and he talked extensively about the renovations at Aronomink, with the intent to preserve Donald Ross' vision at the Newton Square, PA club. Detailed aerial photographs helped guide the precise process of putting back each element and a small touch of Ross. The work remains celebrated and on display this week. Oh, and we saw one solitary sign that said Aronimink "The Mink" and was seriously concerned that there was going to be a billion hats with The Mink on them in the merch tent. Thankfully, restraint was exercised. No word on whether The Mink hats are available for sale in the club pro shop.

Nightmare Pins. The fairways are wide, but the second shots and greens are posing a true test. Some on Twitter are comparing it to US Open conditions, which says a lot. One challenging aspect of the course this week is the greens and the pin positions thus far — there were 26 3-putts on 14 over the first two rounds alone! The size and nuance of the greens are allowing Kerry Haigh to place some truly diabolical flags. If players are out of position on the approach, there is just hell to pay. No one wants to see these guys suffer, but the wind plus the pins have made things very interesting thus far.

Philly Fans Out in Force. The tournament was well attended, and the fans were largely well-behaved. I saw a lot of families and many fathers and sons. I don't think there's a city that loves sports as much as Philadelphia. I also don't know that there's a metro in the US with as high a golf IQ as this part of the world. Truly a delight to see the enthusiasm and support. Plus, I didn't catch witness many people yelling dumb things at players (I did hear someone yell that it was time to get "Bucked Up," a reference to his hydration/protein brand partnership. LOL.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend PGA watching.