The PGA Tour makes one stop a year in Las Vegas for the Frys.com Open. This year was the first year that I had a chance to volunteer to help out a worthy cause. I was very interested to see how a big tournament works from the inside and so I filled out my application and was accepted on the Laser Reporting Committee.
Most people might not be familiar with the Laser Reporting Committee, but they are responsible for all the stats you see on the television screen. Without them it would be impossible to determine how far a player hit their drive and how close they hit the ball to the hole. The advanced technology is simply some of the most amazing equipment I have ever laid eyes on.
Thursday was the first day of the Frys.com Open and I was told to report bright and early at 6:30 am. I actually didn't realize the sun was up at this time of morning, but soon came to realize my error in judgment.
Parking for this year's event was at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino. Volunteers parked in the parking garage and were then shuttle over to the TPC Summerlin golf course. If there was one area that the organizers will need to address for future events, it is the shuttle situation. Both in the morning and evening there were not enough shuttles to effectively transport people to and from the golf course.
As I walked through the gates I headed over to the volunteer tent to pick up my assignment for the day. The hole captain informed me I would be on the 13th green. The 13th hole is a long par-5 measuring over 600 yards from the professional tees. Surprisingly, many of the touring professionals are able to reach this green in two shots. There are three monitoring stations on par-5's and the green area is the most active. It is important that every shot that is hit is measured - even the shortest tap-ins.
The tower that I was in next to the 13th green was about 15 feet above ground level. This was a great place to watch the golfers attack this somewhat vulnerable hole. As group after group came through the hole I frantically tried to keep pace with all the Laser shooting I was doing. Towards the end of the day I felt like Buck Rogers fighting off a band of nasty aliens.
There were two of us in this particular tower with one of us using the laser and the other manually plotting the shots on a grid as a back up. At lunch time we were brought out a nice box lunch that included a tasty roast beef sandwich. Fortunately for us the temperature was only in the 80's or else we might have ended up like a fried potato chip.
For most of the day I was standing in a small, confined space looking through a small peep hole in a high tech instrument. As the last group left our green I was overjoyed to climb down the stairs and be shuttled back to the main clubhouse. This is not very labor intensive work but certainly it is necessary for the PGA Tour and its players to function properly.
After this experience I have gained new insight into the stats that appear on the screen each week as I watch a golf tournament. Never again will I take for granted that this information should just always be at my fingertips. In their own unique way they are fighting a battle that can only be won with patience and strong standing muscles.
I salute the men and women of the Laser Reporting Committee for all the work they do and enjoyment they provide.
