Volunteer Experience - 2017 Waste Management Phoenix Open

WMPO Volunteer Team

 

Over the past few years, we have used this blog to highlight the volunteer opportunities afforded to our turf staff at Hyde Park. Each experience is unique in its location, event, and its benefits to our team and club. Along with new relationships and experiences. Although this event is a repeat for myself, it was new for another one of our staff and we both walked away with a great appreciation for the preparation and execution for a great PGA Tour event.

 

The Waste Management Phoenix Open is an event like none other. Both in fan attendance and organization by the TPC Scottsdale Agronomy staff. Every aspect of the golf course and grounds was in perfect condition upon our arrival.

 

We were able to help out in different aspects of tournament prep. Daily mowing of the putting surfaces, bunker maintenance and other daily upkeep. Easy tasks, but very important nonetheless.

 

Our experience was not limited to our day to day tasks. Each day working with other volunteers and TPC staff helps create working relationships and networking we would not otherwise have. Not only did we meet and work with those from local and US courses but also volunteers from countries such as Brazil, England, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Peru, Russia and Slovenia, Spain and surely missing others. It was a networking smorgasbord.

Front 9 Divot Team - Russia Slovenia and USA

 

While there, we were able to understand the dynamics and dedication of their team. While we volunteered on the Stadium course, a select few of the TPC staff maintained the Champions course. Yes there was a PGA Tour event ongoing, but the "Champs" course also hosted numerous sponsorship outings throughout the week. A second golf course that needed to meet expectations.

A quiet "Champs" next door

 

The WMPO again set a record for attendence. Not only for the over 205,000 attendees on Saturday alone, but also for the entire event yet again. A fun fact that we learned, Saturday's attendence makes TPC Scottsdale the 3rd largest city in Arizona that day, only behind Phoenix and Tuscon. This alone makes tournament prep a challenge. Our team needed police escorts to get to work.

 

We volunteered for a dedicated staff, with great volunteers and for a loaded tournament field of professional golfers that provided an outstanding show. Conditions were excellent all week with sun and temperatures in the mid 70s. To top it off we were able to witness a great Sunday finish and a sudden death playoff.

We cannot thank the TPC Scottsdale team enough for their hospitality and leadership. It starts with their Director of Agronomy Roby Robertson, and on to assistants Josh Minson, Heath Booker and Julio Riojas. Thank you for the opportunity and congratulations on another great PGA tournament.

Volunteering for tournaments like the Waste Management Open provides our team even more experience in presenting great tournament conditioning for our members and guests at Hyde Park.

 

For any comments or questions, feel free to reach out to us through email, grounds@hydeparkcc.com and dan@hydeparkcc.com. And please follow along on Twitter for daily course updates, @pobrienhpgcc and @djlaw308.

 

Thank you,

James Marcum, Assistant-in-Training

Dan Lawendowski, Assistant Grounds Superintendent

 

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