Travelers championship Sunday, 6/28/26

 Today would become one of those volunteer days that goes down in the books as amazingly good and amazingly bad. First, the good:

 I was assigned to Sahith Theegala and Taylor Pendrith for a 10 AM teetime with Ken being our sign bearer. He is a seasoned veteran at this having done so for the past 10 tournaments and we worked well in a check and balance system throughout 18 holes. Our round with Thegala and Pendrith went great, what I thought of as a “clean round” until the 13th hole when both players ended up hitting into the water and needing to take penalties. Thegala had me radio for a rules official to determine the exact point for a legal drop. Pendrith had trouble with his drop at the greenside water hazard and had to eventually place his ball by hand four times before it stayed in place rather than rolling back into the hazard. Registering all of these penalties correctly in the scoring device gave me a real sense of accomplishment. Thegala played quite well, -5 on the day, -4 for the tournament. Pendrith not as well, -4. Afterwards at the scoring tent I was greeted by multiple scorers asking me how it had gone and would I be coming back next year? I replied certainly, which resulted in positive reactions from everyone there.

Now the “bad” part:

After two hour well-deserved rest break I psyched myself up to go back into battle to marshal for Scotty and Victor Hovland in the last group on the back nine. I timed my arrival on course to meet Greg just as this pairing was exiting the eighth green. Greg‘s face lit up as if the cavalry had just arrived. The chute leading from 8 to 9 was packed with screaming fans of two different affiliations, half  Norwegian screaming encouragement to Hovland and halfshouting USA USA at the top of their lungs as both golfers made their way to 9 tee.  It was a tremendous marshaling experience, working with Greg again to attempt to manage a gallery even larger than Friday. Working holes 9, 10, 11, and 12 were just barely within the realm of controlled insanity with this gallery. On the 13th hole, a light rain began to fall, initially feeling like it might be short-lived, then gradually intensify to basically a steady downpour. None of us were prepared for this situation, and we rapidly became drenched to the skin. We proceeded on in this miserable fashion for another two holes until the PGA sounded the horn for suspension of play.  Greg and I and assorted PGA officials escorted Scotty and Victor to the nearby player evacuation vans at the 14th green. It was about 5 PM and taking stock of the situation, I couldn’t imagine that play would resume anytime soon. In multiple prior circumstances, it was my experience that the majority of the spectators would evacuate and create a situation where there were minimal gallery remaining to be marshaled. Consequently, I made the semi-miserable walk back in the direction of the clubhouse where I met up with several fellow scorers standing under the protective overhang. I felt badly that they would have to be heading back out if and when play resumed. They said they were envious that I could walk off now that the crowds would be basically nonexistent. I said a second “goodbye and see you next year”!  Finally arriving at my car I was able to dry off using some golf towels and donning dry golf clothing I ended up staying put as it took over an hour for the bumper-to-bumper traffic to finally let up enough to attempt to head home. I later learned that play had resumed after a 90 minute delay, resulting in a tie score between Scheffler and Hovland at -21. It was a bit perplexing that they didn’t proceed to a sudden death playoff, instead rescheduling it for first thing tomorrow morning. I later found out that this was to avoid a programming conflict with the Yankees Red Sox game also scheduled on NBC.

22,020 steps 

On course 8am—7:30pm

Many many thanks to Shirley and Jim Bednarek for their fantastic hospitality and accommodations throughout this week of the Travelers!  I couldn’t possibly do any of this without your support!

Championship Saturday, 6/27/26

 

Having fully recovered from yesterday‘s heat exhaustion episode, I was really looking forward to getting back into walking scorer mode, despite having received an email requesting I show up 45 minutes earlier than planned for a 9:25 teetime with Ludvig Åberg and Harry Hall. Again, Tom was the sign bearer, which was great as we worked really well together at the ProAm and he was terrific company throughout an 18 hole walk. Today was a better weather situation, around 80°.  The gallery for Aberg and Hall was decent, but nothing like Scheffler’s. At the start, both players and their respective caddies were all extremely polite and introduced themselves. We wished everyone good luck. Our round went smoothly in that I pretty much had full confidence in my ability to maneuver my way through the complex scoring process. I even had to register an out of bounds penalty for Aberg on the 12th hole, which didn’t throw me. There were later one or two hiccups which I was able to correct in the device, including needing to call in a correction to our producer, situated in Florida. After we finished, Tom and I hung around the scoring area and received a signed ball from Harry Hall. He was very gracious and thanked us again. It all in all was a nearly perfect day in this new volunteering capacity, only requiring 13,667 steps. Easy!

Travelers Championship Friday 6/26/26

I was out the door at 5:45 AM in a driving rain which was forecast to end between 7 and 8 AM. I liked the sound of that even though it forced me to walk directly to the scores tent so that I could register for bullpen duty within the 6 30–7 a.m. window. Tim was there said he was happy to see me and that I was third on the list. I told him my option of joining the MA crew later in the day if it turned out my services were not needed as a score. He said that my chances of getting out as a scorer were pretty light and that if I didn’t hear from them soon I should check back at 10 AM. So, I cooled my heels with breakfast and a rest until 10 and then headed back to scoring. On my way. I bumped into Greg Hammond and updated him about my situation. He welcomed having my help to marshal with whatever group I wanted. I selected Scheffler-Burns, teeing off at 11:10. We arranged to meet at the first tee then. 

Tim confirmed with me that I wouldn’t be needed as a scorer so I headed to the first tee to join Greg‘s group of three other MAs. One of the guys surprisingly said, “I’ve seen you on TV!“ I was a bit taken aback by that comment but I guess it could happen. So it was like old times, marshaling the largest gallery of the day with thousands stretching along both sides of each fairway from tee to green and then onto the next hole. 

Shades of Tiger Woods days!  

Greg and I stayed with the players while our other Marshals went to forward positions.  Although the gallery was primarily interested in seeing Scheffler, they also treated Sam Burns with equal respect and tended to hold their positions until both players had completed their shots. More than once, Greg said he was really glad that I had joined him as the crowd was so huge. Hydration became an issue as the heat rose into the mid 80s. We were once again restricted from accessing the water chests at each teebox, instead having to flag down the volunteer support carts outside the ropes or locating the semi-hidden volunteer supplies, which seems sort of like a treasure hunt. I got to witness a funny situation at the 16th hole where Smiley Kaufman had his “Happy Hour”desk set up. Ted Scott, Scotty’s caddy faked a fist bump with Smiley, instead dropping a ball into his outstretched hand. Smiley’s reaction was hysterical, (something you wouldn’t readily see on the TV broadcast I imagine). By the 17th tee it was becoming apparent that Scotty was threatening to shoot a 59, needing only one more birdie during the two remaining holes. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen and he settled for a 60, despite having 11 birdies in the round! I later heard it was his best putting performance in his entire career statistically.

As we walked off after the 18th green, I was completely exhausted. 19,189 steps.  Walking as a Marshal is significantly more challenging, up and down the hills of TPC River Highlands, in the thick rough versus negotiating the short grass in the middle of the fairway as a scorer. As it turns out after I got home, I developed a case of heat exhaustion and needed to sleep for 12 hours.

Travelers Championship Thursday 6/25/26

 

While getting breakfast at the volunteer pavilion, I ran into my buddy Ben who I met at the training session. He asked how the ProAm went and was treating me pretty much as an equal in being part of the walking scorers team which implied he could tell I was doing pretty well. He reassured me that the time will come when mistakes are made, “we all do“, which was kind of reassuring. 

At the scorers tent I got my assignment, Matsuyama and Echevarria. I met my sign bearer partner Tom a 30-something guy who works at Travelers as a software engineer, has two kids and lives in Old Saybrook. Turned out to be a great guy, we talked throughout the entire round, but had to limit our conversation at times due to the potential for distraction from the exacting job at hand with scoring. 

It’s always so nice to have each player and their caddie come up to you and introduce themselves and shake hands, all of them greeting us in English actually. I was admittedly a bit anxious at the first tee being on my own for scoring, but settled down by the second hole into a step-by-step rhythm, recording each and every shot for each player. A typical shot sequence involves making at least a six step process. Eventually, it felt like triggering the release button on the device for each ball strike was an integral part in supporting the golfers on the course. It was an incredible experience to be in walking near the players from teebox to green on every hole, hearing the player-caddie comments to strategize each shot. Unfortunately, with this pairing, they were speaking Japanese or Spanish to each other! The feeling I got was I developed tunnel vision, screening out the gallery and any distractions so as to focus for what amounts to about 140 separate shot entries throughout the round.

It was nice to have four of my family in attendance who I briefly encountered at the 4th hole and then again at the 17th green. In each instance, they had to call out to me to get my attention as I was completely focused on scoring. Unfortunately I couldn’t linger for a chat as play continued without a break.

After we finished the round, it was nice to be thanked in person by both caddies and Echevarria, and we received the traditional signed golf balls. Tom and I then got a ride from the clubhouse scoring area back to the scorers tent where I spoke with Nick and Mike, the chairman, about not being on the schedule for tomorrow. I was told I will be assigned to a 10:30 group Saturday and if I wanted, I could be on the bullpen tomorrow, just show up between 6:30 and 7 AM. With this in mind, I checked with Greg Hammond, the Mobile Ambassadors Chair about the possibility of working as a MA Friday if my services were not needed for scoring. He was more than happy to agree to receiving my help and to let him know tomorrow about my status. 

Travelers Championship Wednesday 6/24/26

 ProAm

Today’s the day I get to see if I can handle the walking scorer device in actual use during play. Thankfully, the program requires only recording information for the pro. The team amateur score is recorded separately, a simple number on a traditional scorecard. 

Upon arrival at the walking scorer tent, I was met by Steve, who was assigned to walk with me throughout my round to assist as needed and answer questions if and when they arose. Steve’s been doing this for 26 years and is one of the half dozen honchos at Walking Scoring Committee who keep everything organized, but in the friendliest manner possible. That is a key factor to reiterate because I was entering what I always have considered a closed shop committee and I was hoping it wasn’t going to have much of an intimidating atmosphere since I was a rookie. It was overwhelmingly positive every step of the way, and reinforced my ultimate decision to attempt to learn this skill of scoring at the highest possible level.

Prior to heading out for my ProAm assignment, I got to have a nice sitdown chat with Buddy Buder who was holding court at the Walking Scoring HQ tent. He reminisced with me about our mutual friend Jim Horvath, but also demonstrated a genuine interest in my background, including how long I had been involved at professional golf events. It seemed like everyone I ran into this week knew Buddy in some capacity or other, generally mentioning that he was always the walking scorer for the final group on the leaderboard on Sunday.

I was assigned to Sam Stevens for the front 9 of the ProAm, to be followed by Brendt Snedeker for the back nine. Sam was very personable, introducing himself at the first tee, asked where I was from and chatting periodically as the round unfolded. Alongside me was our sign bearer, Mike, who was a great asset to me in keeping track of Sam’s score, kind of in a check and balance way. We had an interesting collection of amateurs in this group a 2, a 6,  and 10 handicap, but found out that the 10 probably should have been recorded as 28 as the round unfolded. He was having a blast playing so poorly, laughing off every flubbed shot, so nobody got exasperated when he would be putting for a quadruple bogey. It later got to the point where Brandtec was kidding him about his game and it got pretty silly. Example, on the 16th tee, a par three with a forced carry over water, our “10” wiffed his ball and sent his divot flying into the water, a good 20 yards! It was hilariously bad.

 I was gaining confidence throughout the round, recording each and every shot accurately on the device. It got to the point where Steve didn’t need to check me out at all on the back nine. To elaborate, each shot necessitates  selecting on the device the location from where it is originating (Tee, fairway, rough, green, etc.), then holding the shot button until the moment the player impacts the ball with the club head, and releasing it at that exact moment. This then triggers the Shotlink tracking cameras located throughout the golf course which generate the ball flight depicted on TV screens through a complex hook up. In fact, it’s directly connected to the TV broadcast in that my radio was communicating with a producer rather than a scoring control official. You get used to it! I was very thankful that this first go round did not involve having to register any kind of penalty stroke or a shot into a water hazard or out of bounds. That was yet to come no doubt.

Travelers 2026

 Monday 6/22/26 

I still can’t believe that I am actually going to make an attempt at becoming a PGA TOUR walking scorer but here I am at the mandatory training session held at TPC River Highlands on the Monday before the actual tournament. I was encouraged by the presence of the entire walking scorer committee made up of about 30-40 volunteers, assembled for a PowerPoint and hands-on training session led by a PGA TOUR official. I was paired up with Ben, a 20 year scoring veteran, who was a great guy in answering my rookie type questions and pointing out a few things as the training went along. Using the scoring device is so detailed and complicated that it was somehow reassuring that even veteran volunteers benefited from the refresher course. I, on the other hand, had only been exposed to the process via an online training class, followed by a quiz with a strict pass or fail threshold. Luckily, I passed!  Now on to the “dress rehearsal”, the ProAm on Wednesday!

 Golf in Westport, Ireland 

My family and I decided we would take a non-traditional Thanksgiving vacation and spend a week in Ireland. (This American holiday is not generally observed in Ireland, but we all wanted to return to revisit this incredible country. This would be my fourth trip to Ireland).

We weren’t sure if golfing weather would cooperate, as we penciled in our possible outing for the last full day of the trip. As it turned out, it was the best weather day of the week, sunny, 50’s, with no wind, which was nice after all the rain we’d had up to this point. Westport golf club is in County Connamara in the northwest corner of the Republic of Ireland. It is an 18 hole, parkland course, with stunning views of Crough Patrick, the mountain named after the patron Saint of Ireland.

Brian and I weren’t sure how busy the course would be at this off-season time but we made a teetime for 10:20 am. The morning got off to a rough start at our Air BnB, trying to get the shower “on” switch activated, which was located outside of the bathroom. Typical crazy Irish electrical setup.

We all went to “The Place” down the street in Westport for a breakfast cappuccino and egg & bacon sandwich. The ladies planned some extensive shopping while Brian and I went to the Westport golf club. At the pro shop we got pull carts (trolleys) and rental clubs. Altogether it was €100 each including the green fee. As expected, there were not many other golfers there, especially since we were willing to tee off immediately, in front of a foursome of locals. The course was saturated and Brian‘s shoes got instantly soaked for the entire 18 holes. My waterproof FJ’s did quite well, fortunately. I played reasonably, staying up with Brian scorewise, as he is a 9 handicap and I’m a 12, (he beat me by four strokes 89 to 93). It was a bit of an adjustment for sure with a strange set of clubs, especially since my driver wouldn’t go beyond 160 yards! I ended up hitting Brian’s, which got me off the tee a bit better. There was no standing water on the course but it was so wet that we each lost balls due to plugging, me 1 and Brian 3. Came close to running out of balls as I’d only brought 2 ProV’s from the States. Thank goodness the starter informed us of the local rule lift, clean, and place rule for the day, it definitely helped.  Not our best golf scores consequently but the scenery was outstanding.