Quicken Loans Tournament

[TheWahoo]

Starting tomorrow and through the week, I will be at the Quicken Loans Tournament.   As I like to do, I volunteered to work the practice area.   Unfortunately, I learned too late that the club staff handles the range, so I have been assigned to the practice green.   Had I known, I may not have volunteered.  For some reason unknown to me, for the practice green I had to have my picture taken for my volunteer badge.   Additionally, it seems more hole marshalls are needed, so they have requested that I help when not scheduled for my assignment.  While I am not fond of that task, I have agreed to help.   This tournament is a bit different from my past experiences, they have placed a lot of rules on what marshalls can and can not do, I'm not sure I'm going to like this one.

[butters]

Starting tomorrow and through the week, I will be at the Quicken Loans Tournament. As I like to do, I volunteered to work the practice area. Unfortunately, I learned too late that the club staff handles the range, so I have been assigned to the practice green. Had I known, I may not have volunteered. For some reason unknown to me, for the practice green I had to have my picture taken for my volunteer badge. Additionally, it seems more hole marshalls are needed, so they have requested that I help when not scheduled for my assignment. While I am not fond of that task, I have agreed to help. This tournament is a bit different from my past experiences, they have placed a lot of rules on what marshalls can and can not do, I'm not sure I'm going to like this one.

What did they say you can't do?

 

I'm volunteering for the PGA Championship this year.

 

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[Golfspy_CG2]

Hey Wahoo, the picture for the badge is the practice green like the driving range is a very restricted place.  They want to make sure you belong, and didn't just give your badge to just anybody when you are done that could walk onto the putting green while they are working.   I'm pretty sure if you had gotten the driving range it would have been the same thing. 

 

I'm sure the don't of the Marshall's are: Don't engage the players unless they initiate it, don't ask for pictures or autographs while you are working etc.   I'll be interested to hear what else it might me.

 

I'm volunteering at the Senior Players Championship at Caves Valley in two weeks.  I know your favorite place on earth...LOL   I'm on the evacuation committee.  I did that for the US Senior Open a few years back.   pretty much stand by the SUV on a hole in case of a rain delay to bring the players into the clubhouse.   It's a good way to get out of the bad weather as well..ha

 

I am working the late shift on Sunday, and will also likely be asked to take some players to the airport after their round.   I did that last time as well for Fuzzy Zoeller, his caddy and wife.  it was a blast.

[TheWahoo]

Carolina, I have worked the PGA tour, the Champions, the LPGA and the Web.com and this is the most restrictive tournament in my experience.   At those tournaments they all required that you not engage the players or ask for autographs when on duty and I understand those.   While I'm not a autograph seeker, volunteers are not allow to have their hats signed at any time.  If you are not scheduled to work, your badge will get you on premises, but you are not allowed to wear the "uniform" which means you a just a spectator with no access to the volunteer perks.  There are other rules that I find somewhat restricted as well.   Talk about feeling unappreciated.

 

Years ago, I worked the Tour Championship when it was played in Texas at a course called Champions which was a lot less restrictive.

[Golfspy_CG2]

Carolina, I have worked the PGA tour, the Champions, the LPGA and the Web.com and this is the most restrictive tournament in my experience.   At those tournaments they all required that you not engage the players or ask for autographs when on duty and I understand those.   While I'm not a autograph seeker, volunteers are not allow to have their hats signed at any time.  If you are not scheduled to work, your badge will get you on premises, but you are not allowed to wear the "uniform" which means you a just a spectator with no access to the volunteer perks.  There are other rules that I find somewhat restricted as well.   Talk about feeling unappreciated.

 

Years ago, I worked the Tour Championship when it was played in Texas at a course called Champions which was a lot less restrictive.

Wahoo...I get you.   I guess I always thought access to  the practice green was strictly enforced.   Could be wrong though.

 

 

It's funny at the Senior Players in a couple weeks, I am volunteering on two practice days and working one tournament day.  I also have media credentials from the Radio Station to cover it for a segment we'll do on it.   I can easily see me getting my roles confused and trying to enter the media center with a volunteer badge on and telling the crowd to be quiet with a media badge on...LOL   

 

I will just have to make sure I don't wear the volunteer shirt on the wrong days.    Or I could do a feature for the stations website and interview a volunteer on what the experience is like....that would be kind of weird..LOL

[TheWahoo]

Carolina,after the tournament,  I would appreciate it if you would tell me what goes on the media center regarding the role of the volunteers.   I have often thought about volunteering for the media center.  

[Golfspy_CG2]

Carolina,after the tournament,  I would appreciate it if you would tell me what goes on the media center regarding the role of the volunteers.   I have often thought about volunteering for the media center.  

Sure will, although I can give you an idea now as it was a role I considered as well.  A lot of it is distributing info from to the the workstations and any on site broadcast locations that need things taken to them.   In some cases writing short recaps of the day or events to come.   Ushering players in and out of the media center for interviews and things like that.  But I'll let you know for sure. 

 

 

Again, I  might have gotten my duties crossed if I had volunteered for that role.  "Hey Volunteer, can you go get me Freddie's stats for the day?"  "Hey Radio Guy, they're right on the table, why don't you put the down the donuts and get them yourself"   LOL

[Shankster]

Some early movement on the leaderboard. How you holding up Wahoo?

 

 

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[Shankster]

David Lingmerth lighting up the scoreboard I see. Here's a guy that plays a "GI" iron on tour, among many.

 

 

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[Kenny B]

I watched Justin Thomas make a quad on a par 5 yesterday.  Painful.  I think he had a brain f@rt.

[ole gray]

My boy Boo Weekly was being interviewed and unfortunately he had to pull out due to his elbow being inflamed.   The announcer asked Boo how he liked the course and he said, "hell I hadn't played nutting because my elbow was a hurting so bad"....   I love my home by Boo!   

[dadivots]

Carolina, I have worked the PGA tour, the Champions, the LPGA and the Web.com and this is the most restrictive tournament in my experience.   At those tournaments they all required that you not engage the players or ask for autographs when on duty and I understand those.   While I'm not a autograph seeker, volunteers are not allow to have their hats signed at any time.  If you are not scheduled to work, your badge will get you on premises, but you are not allowed to wear the "uniform" which means you a just a spectator with no access to the volunteer perks.  There are other rules that I find somewhat restricted as well.   Talk about feeling unappreciated.

 

Years ago, I worked the Tour Championship when it was played in Texas at a course called Champions which was a lot less restrictive.

Ive been through few tournaments myself. Thought about donating some time at a friends track for the last couple years but it seems like they think they're doing you a favor anymore instead fo the other way around. Unapprecaited and then some. Just more of the control freak/micro manager mindset we have to wade through...

[Golfspy_CG2]

Carolina,after the tournament,  I would appreciate it if you would tell me what goes on the media center regarding the role of the volunteers.   I have often thought about volunteering for the media center.  

Wahoo...getting back to you on this.

 

I spent quite a bit of time in the Media Center for Seniors Players Championship.   It was small than most.   But overall it was a very nice setup and between the PGA Staff and the volunteers it was run very well and had everything the media needed.    Here were some of the responsibilities of the volunteers as I saw it.

 

Registration:  greeted the media as they walked in, got their name and affiliation, found them on the registration list and issued the badge, parking pass and meal tickets for each day.   

 

Distribution: During the week the PGA Staff put out all sorts of updates and printed material, the staff kept this areas stocked and with current info.

 

Player Interviews: When Players were brought into the interview room (part of the media tent, but sectioned off on it's own to avoid noise) there was one or two volunteers in their that would walk the microphone around to the reporters when they had a question to ask. 

 

Perks:  Being in the AC tent during Hot, Humid July weather.   Able to watch the action on the two large screen TV monitors they had in the media center as well as the jumbo size live leader board that showed the top 20 players hole by hole progress.

 

At most times, there were two maybe three volunteers in there, along with about 3 or 4 PGA Tour Staff.    

[TheWahoo]

Thanks Carolina.   Looks like something I might give a try.

[Golfspy_CG2]

Thanks Carolina.   Looks like something I might give a try.

I think it would be a good one to do.

 

I think this may have been my last volunteer duty for a while though.   For a couple reasons.

 

If I take on the additional role with the radio station that I have discussed recently, whenever an event like this is in town, I'd probably be spending time covering it versus volunteering.

 

Secondly, the evac committee just didn't seem to have things well coordinated.  My first day, which was Tuesday, I know it's a practice day and light one at that, but still they should have an idea of what they need you to do.   When i got there they basically asked me to just sit around and wait.  Spent most of the day staging and charging carts when they came back into the transportation area.   

 

Then the first day of the tournament, I'm scheduled to work the PM shift.  So I get there at 1:00, they have me scheduled on hole 4, well the last group of the day had already cleared hole 4 by the time I get there.   So it's turn around go back to the the check in area, and they say, well you're done for the day.    Which was ok, as it freed me up to do other things, but it would have been nice to know that in advance.   I could have planned for it.

 

Also I should note, I didn't encounter any of the previous issues you did there with committee or members.  I will say everyone I spoke to regardless of their affiliation was very friendly and welcoming. 

 

I did watch the volunteers on the range, which I know is what you normally do.  They seemed to be enjoying it.   But I think the Media thing would be good for you, you could definitely keep them entertained during the downtime in there, with your repertoire of jokes...ha