February 19-23, 2013
February 19-23, 2013
The Accenture Match Play Golf Championship is back in town this week. Aimee has volunteered to help work the tournament the last three years. Somehow she talked me in to helping this year too. It may be my last chance. Every year the rumors fly that this is the last. Tucson is probably not the PGA’s first choice for the venue. We are a little town compared to the paying fans that can be attracted in the likes of Phoenix, San Diego, or Florida.
Aimee and I signed up to be marshals on hole #14. Our job is mainly crowd control. Keeping the fans behind the ropes and making sure they quiet down when the pros are ready to hit the ball. We have no real authority, no tin star, just matching uniforms that make us look official. Fortunately golf fanatics are much tamer than their hockey or football counterparts. Tuesday is our first day. It is just a practice round where the players are friendly and willing (mostly) to sign autographs and pose for pictures. Tomorrow they will be all business. It is a beautiful day, and the course is in pristine, carpet-like condition but sadly few golfers make it past our hole. Still it is fun.
By some strange quirk of luck, we had decided weeks ago to only work Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The weather turned ugly (for Tucson). A storm rolled in, bringing chilling 45-degree temperatures. And shockingly, during the middle of the day it started to snow. We watched our coworkers shivering from the comfort of home. I did go out, to get some exercise and I thought I was back in Chicago. It snowed off and on all day with a couple inches accumulating. Our local golf course was completely blanketed. Can this really be Tucson!
We are at the tournament early Thursday, for no good reason. The course is completely snow covered and the sun refuses to make an appearance. The pros won’t be teeing off anytime soon. We hang around and marvel at the site of a snowy desert. Eventually the snow slowly melts and the players tee off after lunch.
If I had any doubt how bad I am at golf, I just had to watch the 64 best play the game. Their level of accuracy is incredible. On our hole no matter what lie they had, they put the ball within feet of the pin. The next few weeks will tell if I learned anything from them.
Aimee and I signed up to be marshals on hole #14. Our job is mainly crowd control. Keeping the fans behind the ropes and making sure they quiet down when the pros are ready to hit the ball. We have no real authority, no tin star, just matching uniforms that make us look official. Fortunately golf fanatics are much tamer than their hockey or football counterparts. Tuesday is our first day. It is just a practice round where the players are friendly and willing (mostly) to sign autographs and pose for pictures. Tomorrow they will be all business. It is a beautiful day, and the course is in pristine, carpet-like condition but sadly few golfers make it past our hole. Still it is fun.
By some strange quirk of luck, we had decided weeks ago to only work Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The weather turned ugly (for Tucson). A storm rolled in, bringing chilling 45-degree temperatures. And shockingly, during the middle of the day it started to snow. We watched our coworkers shivering from the comfort of home. I did go out, to get some exercise and I thought I was back in Chicago. It snowed off and on all day with a couple inches accumulating. Our local golf course was completely blanketed. Can this really be Tucson!
If I had any doubt how bad I am at golf, I just had to watch the 64 best play the game. Their level of accuracy is incredible. On our hole no matter what lie they had, they put the ball within feet of the pin. The next few weeks will tell if I learned anything from them.
posted by Mike and Aimee at 9:16 AM
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