STATELINE, Nev. – Similar to entering a speakeasy through the backdoor, some enter the American Century Championship from the beach via a small gate near hole 17. The lakefront location makes this hole particularly rowdy as boats line the beach and crowds gather on the sand with grills, pop-up tents and enthusiasm.

The tournament has been offering the beach pass for a few years now. It allows those who arrive by water to access the entire golf course and move back and forth between the beach and the course throughout the weekend.

Unlike other tournament passes, beach passes are not purchasable in advance but only in person at the beach gate.

Except, unlike a speakeasy, gaining access doesn’t require a password. You need $50 cash—and shoes.

It was a discovery a group of four friends made after strolling down the beach barefoot. While waiting for shoes and finishing their drinks, the group spoke with the Tribune.

Hailing from Hawaii, Oregon and Boston, the crew reunites each summer at Lake Tahoe after attending high school together in Walnut Creek, Calif.

As soon as they had their shoes, the four, Jonathan, Noah, Connor and John, were determined to have the best day.

“Luckily, the weather was prime time, so it was a breeze getting over here,” one friend said.

Whether buying the beach pass, like the high school friends, or simply viewing the star-studded field from the boat, participating by boat requires a few rules to live by.

Rule one, according to the high school friends, is to wake up early. The group of four regretted snoozing their first two alarms after arriving at the tournament around 8:30 a.m. and finding the prime spots already taken.

But with a beach pass, they were content to roam the course to get up close to the celebrities.

The next imperative measure when arriving by boat is to not forget a beach anchor, the group says.

And, of course, “grab a drink, that’s necessary.”

It’s easy to do with a bar right on the beach.