After the enjoyment of working on yesterday's Pro-Am, I returned to my home for the week and started to reflect on the volunteer's role at the DP World Tour Championship. After reflecting for quite some time, a skill most of us Yorkshire men don't possess, I decided to write a post encouraging new recruits, specifically for this end of season tournament.
By way of introduction, I first came out here in November 2009 when the financial world was collapsing around us, hell and damnation were beckoning and I made the decision to retire early. It was an easy decision and one I have never regretted, specifically because of the world of opportunity it opened. One of those opportunities was to apply to be a volunteer at the inaugural "Race to Dubai" Championship on the newly created, Greg Norman designed, Earth Course. I was very late with my application but the then Chief Marshal, Buddy Marin quickly replied saying "come on over and we'll find a job for you". It was the start of a love affair with this particular event, an affair that is now in its 8th year. Buddy is now one of the Rules officials on this and other Middle Eastern events and it's great to catch up with him every year in Dubai.
Like me and lots of other volunteers, he now flies in to Dubai to fulfil his role in the tournament and while it's far removed from marshalling, scoring or buggy driving, it is a reflection of the accessibility of this event to non-locals who add massively to the volunteer pool that is required in order to continue making it the success that it has been from Day one. I know Jenni Hoskins, the current and longstanding Chief Marshal, is always delighted to receive enquiries from outside the United Arab Emirates because these volunteers arrive at The Earth Course without the constraints of working locally and the inherent problems that can bring!
Many of the current volunteers plan their holidays around the competition and there is no requirement to work a specific number of days. Some might work just one day whilst others, like myself, commit to the whole week. It's a personal choice which Jenni tries extremely hard to accommodate.
My own enthusiasm has obviously rubbed off on fellow members of Skipton Golf Club because as you will have already noted, five of us are here as volunteers. For two of them, Paul and Amanda, this will be their third visit and certainly, both of them share my love of working on the competition. Having done it once, it does become addictive.
So all you golf fans like us, why not give it some thought for 2017? I'm pretty certain that if you dip your toe in the water just once, then you will find yourself doing it time and time again!
Wednesday is the only day when volunteers are not really needed although I offer my services anyway and I always end up with tales to tell of interaction with golfers and caddies and a huge smile on my face at the end of the day. Today was no exception to those of past years.
It didn't start well though when an Irish family of five stopped me to ask, "what time does the Pro-Am start"? "24 hours ago" I replied only to see their faces crumple with disappointment. I tried to reassure them that if they hung around, they would see plenty of golfing stars but my words offered little consolation and off they disappeared leaving me feeling sad for them but what a turn of events then came!
The first person to ask for a ride to the 10th tee was Irishman Shane Lowry and his caddy and as I came around the corner with my passengers, I saw the family a way up the path. I turned round, outlined the story to Shane and asked if he would say hello to them. Not a problem he said in that wonderful Irish manner and the first photo in today's Blog was the result. The photo says it all and I am very grateful to Shane for making that fellow Irish family, the happiest people on the course today.
This is just an example of what can happen as a volunteer so any readers, please do give it some serious thought for the future.
As with every day on The Earth Course, today as been full of great moments, too numerous to mention. Tomorrow, the DPWTC turns serious and The a Professionals get their game faces on! For me, it's a return to scoring and I will be walking down the fairways in the company of Andy Sullivan and Martin Kaymer. Bring it on!
By way of introduction, I first came out here in November 2009 when the financial world was collapsing around us, hell and damnation were beckoning and I made the decision to retire early. It was an easy decision and one I have never regretted, specifically because of the world of opportunity it opened. One of those opportunities was to apply to be a volunteer at the inaugural "Race to Dubai" Championship on the newly created, Greg Norman designed, Earth Course. I was very late with my application but the then Chief Marshal, Buddy Marin quickly replied saying "come on over and we'll find a job for you". It was the start of a love affair with this particular event, an affair that is now in its 8th year. Buddy is now one of the Rules officials on this and other Middle Eastern events and it's great to catch up with him every year in Dubai.
Like me and lots of other volunteers, he now flies in to Dubai to fulfil his role in the tournament and while it's far removed from marshalling, scoring or buggy driving, it is a reflection of the accessibility of this event to non-locals who add massively to the volunteer pool that is required in order to continue making it the success that it has been from Day one. I know Jenni Hoskins, the current and longstanding Chief Marshal, is always delighted to receive enquiries from outside the United Arab Emirates because these volunteers arrive at The Earth Course without the constraints of working locally and the inherent problems that can bring!
Many of the current volunteers plan their holidays around the competition and there is no requirement to work a specific number of days. Some might work just one day whilst others, like myself, commit to the whole week. It's a personal choice which Jenni tries extremely hard to accommodate.
My own enthusiasm has obviously rubbed off on fellow members of Skipton Golf Club because as you will have already noted, five of us are here as volunteers. For two of them, Paul and Amanda, this will be their third visit and certainly, both of them share my love of working on the competition. Having done it once, it does become addictive.
So all you golf fans like us, why not give it some thought for 2017? I'm pretty certain that if you dip your toe in the water just once, then you will find yourself doing it time and time again!
Wednesday is the only day when volunteers are not really needed although I offer my services anyway and I always end up with tales to tell of interaction with golfers and caddies and a huge smile on my face at the end of the day. Today was no exception to those of past years.
It didn't start well though when an Irish family of five stopped me to ask, "what time does the Pro-Am start"? "24 hours ago" I replied only to see their faces crumple with disappointment. I tried to reassure them that if they hung around, they would see plenty of golfing stars but my words offered little consolation and off they disappeared leaving me feeling sad for them but what a turn of events then came!
The first person to ask for a ride to the 10th tee was Irishman Shane Lowry and his caddy and as I came around the corner with my passengers, I saw the family a way up the path. I turned round, outlined the story to Shane and asked if he would say hello to them. Not a problem he said in that wonderful Irish manner and the first photo in today's Blog was the result. The photo says it all and I am very grateful to Shane for making that fellow Irish family, the happiest people on the course today.
This is just an example of what can happen as a volunteer so any readers, please do give it some serious thought for the future.
As with every day on The Earth Course, today as been full of great moments, too numerous to mention. Tomorrow, the DPWTC turns serious and The a Professionals get their game faces on! For me, it's a return to scoring and I will be walking down the fairways in the company of Andy Sullivan and Martin Kaymer. Bring it on!
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A Happy Family Thanks To Shane Lowry
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| Beef! He has a fantastic attitude |
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| Henrik is just super cool |
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| Danny Willet - this year's Green Jacket winner |
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| Soren Kjeldsen - one of the nicest people you would ever meet |
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| With Shane Lowry yesterday |
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| With the best golfing coach in the world - Pete Cowen |
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