T.J.'s Take: Six reasons to love six weeks out West

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The six tournaments of the West Coast Swing are played at equally stunning yet different courses. (Getty Images)

After an outstanding start to the 2009 season in the Aloha State, the PGA TOUR heads back to the mainland this week to kick off the six-week West Coast Swing.

There are a wide variety of atmospheres and events that players will face over this stretch -- the desert, pro-ams with celebrities, a return to three major championship venues and match play, among others.

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Here's a list of six reasons why you should love the West Coast Swing stops:

1. It takes stamina to play in the first event of the swing, the 90-hole Bob Hope Chrysler Classic hosted by Arnold Palmer in Palm Desert, Calif. As if 90 holes weren't enough, players will have to contend with the challenges presented by four different golf courses -- a rotation that's necessary to accommodate the large field of amateurs.

Aside from the celebrity sideshows I've witnessed on past trips to this tournament -- hordes of 15-year-old, teeny-bopper girls going Britney Spears crazy over Justin Timberlake, professional wrestler Goldberg throwing a spectator into a lake, etc. -- I always loved hanging out on the driving range to watch the TOUR players bomb drives into the thin air. The ball never lands.

2. Welcome to the 16th hole at the FBR Open! If you have one of those, "Things to do before I die," lists and a visit to the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale during the FBR Open isn't already on it, go grab a notepad and a No. 2 pencil to scribble it in.

I'm not sure what it was like to visit the Colosseum in Rome for gladiator battles in the first century, but the par-3 16th at the FBR Open has got to be at least a little like that. It's the ultimate keg party that gets interrupted every few minutes by a golf tournament. The golf hole is in the middle of an amphitheater, surrounded on all sides by spectators who don't take kindly to poor tee shots and freely let the players know about it.

This tournament annually boasts the most enormous crowds of the year on TOUR, which is surprising since Sunday is a little slow compared to the rest of the week... But, hey, it is Super Bowl Sunday.

3. After a week at golf's biggest party, the TOUR heads to Torrey Pines -- the first of three consecutive stops at major championship venues -- for the Buick Invitational.

Of course, topping the excitement of what we all witnessed in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines will be impossible. However, the Buick Invitational is still one of the best non-majors on the schedule.

Unfortunately, the Buick Invitational will most likely be missing Tiger Woods -- a six-time winner, including the last four straight and the U.S. Open -- as he continues to rehab the right knee that caused him to miss the remainder of the '08 campaign after his epic Monday playoff against Rocco Mediate at Torrey.

But even without Tiger, the Buick Invitational and the breathtaking views along La Jolla Beach will keep us all interested. Furthermore, the tournament uses both the North and the South Courses at Torrey. The North Course is certainly the easier of the two, and yields some of the lowest scores of the year. There will be at least a couple of potential 59s. And, without Tiger, one would have to think it's wide open for someone to step up and snag an impressive early win.

4. From San Diego, the TOUR heads north to the Monterey Peninsula and the impossibly beautiful AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

It's probably safe to say that more so than any other event on the left side of the country, the elements are tougher to negotiate at Pebble Beach than anywhere else. With the tournament being held so early in the season, it's a given that the temperatures will be cool. But sometimes it can be downright cold and nasty with driving rain. Nevertheless, it's easy to get over the conditions when you're looking out at the Pacific Ocean.

Also, with an emphasis on the celebrities in the field, the casual fan will be entertained regardless of what Mother Nature throws at the course.

5. Wrapping up the major-venue trifecta out West is the Northern Trust Open, just outside Los Angeles at Riviera Country Club.

Much like Pebble, weather is always a factor at Riviera. But the course, known as Hogan's Alley (Ben Hogan won at Riviera three times and finished second twice in the 1940s), is a classic setup.

Riviera is one of the shorter courses on TOUR, but it puts a premium on shotmaking, which means it's far from a bomber's paradise.

The variety of winners from Phil Mickelson, to Rory Sabbatini, to Mike Weir, to Len Mattiace makes the Northern Trust Open a crown jewel.

Plus, it's not bad to have your name on a trophy along with the likes of Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson... and not Tiger Woods, who has no hardware to show in his nine starts.

6. Finishing off the West Coast Swing is one of my favorite events of the season to watch -- the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. The format alone makes this a can't-miss.

Match play, as we've learned over the years, is anyone's ball game. In 2002, Peter O'Malley, the No. 64 seed, knocked off No. 1-ranked Tiger in the first round. Just last year, Tiger won four of his last five holes for a come-from-behind win over long-hitting J.B. Holmes in the first round.

Match play makes for the greatest game of chess golf has to offer. For one week, competitors aren't playing against the course, but instead their opponent, always trying to stay one step ahead.

Each of the six weeks is unique. And traditionally, a nice West Coast Swing sets the tone for the remainder of the season.

Who will make the most of it in 2009?

T.J. Auclair is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.