Anyone ever work a PGA Tour event?

[TheGolfingDetective]

I volunteered to work the 2008 Barclays in Paramus, NJ, in August, and was just curious what to expect and what jobs the new volunteers get assigned to. I wanted to work an event since the 97 PGA at Winged Foot when Freddie Couples gave me a five as he passed from one green to the next tee.

They had a TON of job positions on the online form, I picked hole marshals and standard bearers.

In reality, will I be tossing out garbage from one of the sponser tents?

[teal]

I haven't a clue. I had the chance to work the AT&T; Pebble Beach Pro-Am but didn't. I wasn't into golf at the time, now I kick myself rather hard over the deal.

[Ben]

More than likely you'll get the standard bearer position. That's kinda the bottom of the barrell for volunteer work. Like any other job, the more you work (in this case, year after year) the more responsibility you'll get. And the organizers will give you that chance and will call you the following years to see if you are intersted. I volunteered at the LA Open in 04, 05 as a standard bearer, which I applied for. I've gotten a call each year since asking if I'm up for another year.

[Richie3Jack]

I "worked" the Senior Tour Championship when it was at the Dunes in Myrtle Beach once. It was set up where the golf team would work the even and everybody on the team would get $40 a day for working with ESPN on each hole. Unfortunately my coach was a douchenozzle and only gave the $40 a day jobs to the top 5 players with whom he was buddy buddy with and me and the other 4 guys were supposed to volunteer our free time doing all of this other stuff. I went up there with one of my teammates and we were supposed to wash carts and we decided to go there, meet up with the coach for a split second, then pretend like we were going to cart area and instead we started drinking in one of the tents (my teammate somehow got 2 international tix which provided free booze and food in a tent). Good times indeed.



3JACK

[pittpanther]

I volunteered at the Viking tournament at Annandale (outside of Jackson, MS) last September. It's after all of the major events, so mostly populated by guys trying to earn enough to keep their Tour card (top 125 on the money list).

I worked the 17th hole on Sunday. There is a large gallery with food and drink on the 17th hole. My job was to raise a banner to tell everyone to be quiet, just before the pro would putt. My banner said "Hush, y'all."

Later in the day I went to the landing area, to help them find their drives if they missed the fairway.

A lot of fun. I recommend it for any golf fan. Chad Campbell won. I saw Boo, Daly, and several other 'names'.

[Monsieurgolf]

I depends on what you get assigned too.
I have worked the Nationwide Tour event in Chicago for the past 5 years as a Walking Scorer. You basically keep track of every shot each player makes on a palm pilot for their stats and updating scoreboards. You are inside the ropes walking with the group. If the players are in a good mood, you can have some great conversations.

I would disagree with the earlier comment that a Standard Bearer is the bottom of the barrell. It depends on what you want to do. If you want to walk the course inside the ropes with the players, hear them talk with caddies and keep their score, then it is a great gig. If you want to sit around on one hole and watch players come in, then go for that. Frankly I would rather walk the course, get to know a few players really well rather than wait around for a group to come through, raise my hands for people to be quiet and then wait around some more.

And the only other thing is to remember that like in basketball, the referee that does the best job, nobody remembers. Just be polite and have fun. Remember that this is their job and respect that. The players that appreciate your help will let you know, those that think they are better than the average human, well, nothing you can do will change that.

Enjoy the time.

[mellojoe]

We've got the LPGA coming through, and I'm signed up for that. Just doing basic people shuffling, but I still get tickets for the next day free out of the deal.

[deac]

Hey all, first post here.
I worked as a walking scorer for the 2000 Pennsylvania Classic (Chris Demarco's first Tour win). It was one of the coolest things I've ever done.
Since it was the stop's first year, they sent the PGA Tour staff to train us, so we knew exactly what was wanted.
With one notable exception, all of 'my guys' were awesome. First, they ALL introduced themselves TO ME on the first tee with a handshake (Chris Riley: "Hi, I'm Chris"). Yeah, no joke, I'm nobody. Then, after the round, they would say something along the lines of "Thanks for helping us today".
One guy, who shall remain nameless, was a miserable jerk who threw up on himself on the backside Friday to miss the cut by one when he bogeyed 18. As he was shooting his 39 (I just checked the scorecard), he was loudly blaming everyone else but him, primarily his caddie, but including a few others. His agent or manager even said to me on 16 what a baby this kid is.
Anyway, the other guys were awesome.
"My guys" were Riley, Ryan Howison, C. Anderson, Steve Flesch, Ed Fryatt, Danny Briggs and Brad Elder, plus that one unmentioned jerk.
The coolest part had to be after the round. The walking scorer goes into the scorer's tent with the players and NO ONE else. No caddies, wives, etc. The only other guy in there is the PGA Official. The guys would check their cards with each other before signing, of course, but sometimes they would ask me to confirm. (The PGA Tour staff had let us know what they would ask [Robert, can you read my backside?] and what our response should be [the nine numbers, in groups of 3. e.g. 3-4-4, pause, 4-2-5, pause 4-4-5, for instance]. Then each guy would thank me and give me, unsolicited, a signed ball. How cool. I asked each guy to also sign a seperate card which I had kept, and they all did happily except for Mr. Miserable.
If you get a chance, like being treated great by tour pros, like walking inside the ropes (heck, the PGA tells you to walk with the group, a few steps behind the players and caddies), it is an awesome thing to do. Stay seen but not heard until you are asked, and respond correctly and the guys will appreciate and respect you.
DEAC

[TheGolfingDetective]

Well I'm going to be a standard bearer for the first two days. Should be interesting. I am thinking those are the guys carrying the large scorecard billboards behind each group, if so, that should be pretty cool.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

[FortAsel]

Once I was a caddyboard for the Symon Dison pairing in the open of portugal