My volunteering experience, 2008 Barclays

[blue3715]

I was just confirmed as a Marshall for the August 2008 Barclays classic. It's the first of the Fedex cup (10 million) playoffs so I expect a full field.

If you like to volunteer please go here: http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r027/volunteer.html

I will post (continued) replies to this thread of my experiences from the PGA correspondences, training / setup and, of course, working the event.

I hope you enjoy and it gives you an insight into what it means to volunteer.

[jimbo2007]

Enjoy. Is Ridgewood where you are a member? Had the opportunity to play there last summer, and it was a beautiful challenging course and an amazing experience from the minute I drove in until the minute I pulled away.

I was just confirmed as a Marshall for the August 2008 Barclays classic. It's the first of the Fedex cup (10 million) playoffs so I expect a full field.

[Ruari]

Lucky you. But I have heard that you have to pay to be a volunteer at some of the big events in the US - is that right?

[iacas]

Lucky you. But I have heard that you have to pay to be a volunteer at some of the big events in the US - is that right?

You usually have to pay for your stuff - a windbreaker, a shirt, a hat... etc. It's usually not too expensive and just covers the cost of the stuff, which you then get to keep.

If the events (the sponsors) had to pay for that stuff too, why, there'd be less for the charities.

[Ruari]

You usually have to pay for your stuff - a windbreaker, a shirt, a hat... etc. It's usually not too expensive and just covers the cost of the stuff, which you then get to keep.

Of course - the US tournaments grew up from charitable fundraising, didn't they?

[blue3715]

The cost is only $50, and you get the golf shirt, baseball cap (marshall's "straw hat" for marshalls), a badge for the week.. and guest badge for the week, and a few others.

They don't include pants, and some events do, which raise the cost to about $100. Since they allow you to wear your own beige khaki pants, there really was no need to sell those anyway.

[blue3715]

Enjoy. Is Ridgewood where you are a member? Had the opportunity to play there last summer, and it was a beautiful challenging course and an amazing experience from the minute I drove in until the minute I pulled away.

No I play elsewhere, but I did play 18 holes there once.. I got a 10 on the famed "nickel dime hole". I didn't know it was that hole until the member told me after I carded a 10

[blue3715]

Well, I'm a marshall on the 11th hole. It's reportedly the hardest hole on the estates (27 holes). Lucky me.. should be very busy with wayward shots...

Description of the hole. par 4, 467 yds, uphill.

This dogleg left plays like a #9, only more difficult. Both the tee shot and the approach t othe green play steadily uphill and fall left-to-right. Players will need to take an etra club for the second shot to account for the uphill slope. The fairway is protected by five bunkers that line both sides. The plateau green is protected by deep bunkers on the left and to the right. Players selecting long irons for their approach shots need to account for a severe left-to-right swing on a very fast and tricky putting surface -- one of hte toughest at Ridgewood. This par 4 often plays like a par 5 for the average player.

Ridgewood hole number: 7 East

Should have my first meeting up at the club in July some time, plus marshall training, etc.

[blue3715]

Marshall training and uniform pickup is on Wed the 13th, just 3 days before the event. I'll post what kind of questions and info the PGA gives us. Ever wonder what it takes to be a marshall? Stay tuned.

[blue3715]

Got a call from the #11 hole marshall. They are playing from both front and back 9 on Wed and Thursday, then just 1-18 on weekend. I offered to work Wed-Sun and he thinks he will use me all of those days. Should be some good fun.

I'll update in 6 weeks after the training.

[blue3715]

Doh, my club championship is the same weekend as the PGA event.. I'm going to miss my club champ this year.. even worse I'm defending my flight win last year, and im playing awesome this year....

grr....

[blue3715]

Training/Uniform pickup.

Marshall training was one of the first so there were extra uniforms of different sizes. Cutter and Buck runs EXTREMELY large so at 6 feet and 165 I needed a medium. It ran a slight bit larger than your average medium size golf shirt. Do not get a Large unless you are over 250 pounds and 5'10".

The training had a nice short 10 minute PGA video on the main responsibilities of a marshall. 1. Keep the crowds behind the ropes and quiet during shots. 2. Protect wayward shots by the players. 3. Be an ambassador and answer questions and provide info to the spectators. They will listen to you more likely in that case.

Smoking is allowed at all PGA events. Not much more to that. Some silly questions but nothing to write home about.

Tuesday, practice round. There were no assigned places for marshalls, just wherever they were needed. I actually didn't go this day.

Wednesday, pro/am. It was very very very empty out there. I couldn't imagine they broke 1500 in attendance. It was a perfect day to get very close to the players and get a lot of signatures. The pros don't like playing pro-ams but they are required to as part of their sponsorship. It was a bit funny to watch amateurs play the course. They played the blue tees while the pros played the championship tees of course. Some amateurs were good while others were not.

I also noted some pros were very chatty with their playing partners, while others did not interact very much.

I was there from 9am to 4pm. Very quiet day. I forgot sunscreen and I had running shoes on.. the toes got wet from the morning dew and I had to hang my socks on the rope to dry out most of the morning. I also did not sit enough.


TIPS: wear suncreens, and use baby powder in all those areas. Also sit as much as you can. Bring a small chair if you can. We stole a few folding chairs from the thru boards as they had more than they neeeded.

thurs-sunday.. next post..

[blue3715]

Thursday.. first tee time was 7:10am. We thought it was 7:30 so I had to run quickly to the 11th green.

Food:
The volunteer tent was very nice (and close to my hole). Free cold water, soda, and chips, snacks (everything a kid would want.. granola bars, twinkies, brownies, pound cake, etc).

The marshall, shot link, and other carts all had coolers on the back. Anytime one came by you could pull a cold (Aquafina) water out of it. I drank a lot.

You got 2 books of food coupons each day. Each had $11. Lunch cost you a full book but was a buffet (again in the volunteer tent). The food choices weren't great for the vegetarian.

Breakfast (free) -- bagels, juice, coffee, muffins.
Lunch
Thursday - Sausage and peppers
Friday - Sausage Lasagna w. beans or vegetable lasagna
Saturday - -- hmm i forgot.
Sunday - BBQ chicken sandwich

The other book I used around 5pm to get dinner at the normal concessions. 1/2 lb burger and a large water for $11. Not bad really.

Volunteers cannot buy liquor with the coupons. You are not allowed to drink alcohol during the days you worked.

Anyways, each hole had 2 marshal captains. We had about 8 marshalls on Thursday. there was about 5 no-shows... bascially people who signed up to volunteer, paid $50 for a hat/shirt, weekly marshall badge, plus another guest pass, but had NO INTENTION of working.

They are soon going to barcode the volunteer badges so they can lock out those people. Their names are submitted to PGA sop they cannot volunteer at another PGA event.

Anyway, thursday was also fairly empty. I rotated from the tee box to the cross walk, to the landing area and to the green. Watched some good golf, but crowds pretty much followed Phil Mickelson and Vijay.

[blue3715]

Friday.

Got there on time, had proper shoes, 2 advil, and a chair. I sat as much as I could as I knew I would not last all week standing for 8 hours.

Not hufe crowds but more people. Again Phil and Vijay were the draws. Sergio did not had a large following.

Supposed to have 12 marshalls, only had 8 so we got 2 from another hole. Weather was beautiful and I enjoyed the work.

When I was on the right landing area, one player hit a ball into the pricker bushes on the left side. I saw it caram off of a tree into the bushes. I ran over and spotted the ball (and scratched my legs up good). The player took an unplayable and dropped an hit. If I did not spot it he would have taken a lost ball and had to go back to the tee.

After he walked on I went back across the fairway to my post. The hole captain was there asking where I was. I told him I was the only one who saw where the ball went. He berated me that it was not my job to do that, and the players can find his own ball. I answered to him that finding/locating a lost ball is part of the marshall's job. He wasn't pleased. I placated and said "sorry, you are right". I decided to defuse the situation. I had no regrets.

You could not see the drives from the landing area. they disappeared in the bright sky. I had brought my binoculars which helped me track the ball. In one case the ball kept getting bigger and bigger. I realized I had to literally dive out of the way. The player came up and said "nice dive".

Once the players got through #11 I walked up to 12 and 17 and watched a bit. Then I went to 18 and helped another marshall on the right rough in the landing area.

Plenty of wayward shots into the gallery. There were huge oak trees and you could hear the ball smashing through leaves and branches as people ducked. It didn't take long for me to tell within 2 seconds of the drive from the t-box (285 yds away) if it was going to be left, center, or right (gallery area).

I was work but fun to interact with the gallery and marshall the crowds and watch some truly awesome golf shots out of the woods.

I was a long but fun day.

[blue3715]

Saturday

Beautiful day. low 80's and low humidity.

Another fun day of golf and marshalling.

the first group played kinda fast. 8am tee time and they were on the 9th fairway at 9:45am. I was on the cross walk near the tee box when the hole captain came past me. He asked if I was working the ropes. I said yes I'll start here today (knowing i'd be pushed to the landing area and then to the green when the final group came by).

He sarcastically asked me who I was working the ropes for.. as the players weren't expected to make it to #11 before 10:15. I said "the players are on the 9th green already". (note, #10 was a short par 3). He said "shit, really?" and walk to the tee. I guess it's ok for him to joke.

So then later I'm at the landing area. There's a 45 minute window between the morning and afternoon groups. At lunch my hole captain told me to go back to the left landing area where I was before lunch, and someone would come up from the tee and push me to the green.

I went there and another marshall was standing there. I took my post and after an hour the hole captain came to me and said "You really don't like me do you?" I said, "huh". He pointed at the other marshall and said you are supposed to go to the green. I responded that they other guy was here when I got here, he said nothing to me, and I did what you told me to. He then berated the other marshall for not going to the tee as he should have. The hole caption then said "you guys are killing me". I said "I'm only doing what you told me to, and walked off to the green".

I pretty much figured out that he really doesn't think anyone under the age of 50 knows what they are doing. He's not a bad guy really, but he could have been less crass.

So after they final groups came through I went to 18 again. I must have been a curse because I asked the marshall I worked with yesterday if anyone hit into the gallery yet. He said not many....

but as soon as I got there.. perhaps 10 of the next 15 groups had a ball on our side. You should have seen the gallery run and cringe when I yelled "fore, right!" when the ball was hit. Again I was probaly the only person who was able to discern that the tee-shot was coming at us by it's trajectory on the hit. You only get about 1 second to see it before it disappears over the large oak trees. Fortunately no one got hit.

busy day, a lot of fun.

Funny quip... Phil Mickelson hit his drive into the trees and ended up in the rough about 215 from the green. As he was looking over his shot a college looking guy in the gallery said allowed to his buddy.."i think phil should draw a 4 iron and run it up". Phil smiled and said to him "yeah, I was thinking the same thing".

So Phil talks to his caddie, picks a club and hits a perfect draw and runs it to the green (he 2 putted for par). As he walked to the green the college guys yelled "Phil.. what did you hit".. Phil turned and smiled and replied "4 iron, just like you said". It was a good laugh. This is why people love Phil.

[blue3715]

by the way, we were supposed to have 13 marshall on Saturday, 7 showed up. Very sad.

The hole captain said he had called them all to see where they were. One guy said his back was out and really couldn't make it... in the backgroup he then heard "quiet please". The guy called from the golf course!!!

Sunday
I went to the landing area by 9:30. Immelman was the first two-some out, and they played 18 in 3.5 hrs.
I expected to have the same game plan as Saturday. This time I set my DVR to record the golf. I was sure I'd get on TV from #18.

So at 11am my hole captiain came to me and said they were short volunteers all over and I was being reassigned to the practice area, and would be back at #11 around 1pm-ish. Fine by me. I had enough of #11.

The area captain picked me up and drove me up to the practice putting/chipping green. On the way he said I'd be there till about 3pm (last group tee'd off at 1:55pm) but players often practice after the round a bit.

I said since I'll be there till 3pm I might as well just go to 18 directly and not back to #11. He said fine. Awesome!

I spent about 2 hrs wathing players putt, chip and chat with other players. I spoke with a few caddies. I picked up the bals as players left and re-bagged them. Dozens and dozens of PERFECT pro-v1's and pro-v1x's.. except the word "PRACTICE" slapped on the side. I took about 10 myself.

It was nice to give balls to the small kids.. it really made their day and made me feel nice to give them an extra experience.

So around 2:30pm Phil came to 18, I went to the 18th landing area to help out.. the curse came out. I forgot who Phil was playing with, but the first drive was clearly in the trees. I yelled "fore, right!".... I turned to my left, towards the gallery and not a second later the ball whizzed within inches of my chest. I felt the wind on it. Had I not turned I would have taken it directly in the chest.. probably broke a rib.

7 of the next 8 groups had wayward tee shots. It was a very busy 90 minutes. Finally it calmed down and I went back to the practice green to clean up the last balls and give a few more away.

Camillo Villegas (who missed the cut 2 days ago) was there putting. He asked me (at 3pm) if he could go to the range and hit balls. I walked down there and they said they would keep some balls out. I told Villegas they would leave balls out. At 3:30pm he was still on the putting green. I got the word that the range was closed.. I sure wasn't going to tell Villegas that! I went back to 18 landing area and worked the final groups.

5, 10, and 15 seconds of fame
In 3 occasions I could be seen on TV. One when (I forget who) a players ball landed in the golf cart of the TV commentator. It rolled out fortunately. For about 5 seconds you can see me, Dave and the female marshall moving the golf cart out of the way.

On the next one D Sutherland hit his drive wide right. You can see me holding back the crowd. Once Sutherland hit I step out to look at the drive. I'm clealy on tv for a few seconds.


On the last tv appearance, during the playoff of Sergio, Vijay and Streelman, Streelman (on 18) hit his drive wide right. It went into a crowed and bounced up against a black kid (about 12 yo). He fell to the ground (seemed on purpose) and grabbed for the ball (like it was a foul ball in baseball). I yelled "don't touch that ball!"... his dad grabbed him and he let go of it.. I wasn't 100% sure if he actually grabbed the ball or had only caged it with his hand. Either way the ball was pretty munch unmoved. He was going to pick it up!

The PGA guy asked the gallery if the kid picked up the ball. They all said no. The father was insistant that his son get a signed golf ball for being hit. Everyone ignored that.. the kid really wasn't struck.

Anyway so Streelman played his shot, and again I can be see standing there after he hit it.

My kids thought it was amazing. My brother got called from a friend and asked if I was at the golf, since he just saw me on TV! Funny.

All in all it was a great 5 days. I won't do the pro-am next time.. not enough people.. or if I go it will be just for a half day.

Any questions I'll be happy to answer.

See you next year when it moves to Liberty National in Jersey city!

[ClairefromClare]

Fun time, isn't it? Couldn't do this weekend, but I've done the Sybase at Upper Montclair a couple of times. Go for the standard bearer job. Best one on the course. You get to follow a two- or threesome for the entire 18 holes, from pre shot routine to course management. Even if you aren't with big name players, it's a real education. And the standard bearer, unlike the walking scorer, doesn't have to think (though I usually help out on that as well).

And we'll probably be away next year for Libery National. Likely the only way to get on that course, huh?

[TinCupTampa]

Nice Thread... it was a good read... I appreciated it.