Many of you know that I was fortunate to attend the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews this past July 13-18. I was chosen to be a part of the BIGGA Open Support Team. BIGGA is the British and International Golf and Greenkeeper Association. Members, which I am, can apply to be on the Open Support Team. The Open Support Team was created to let the caddies focus on the players and not worry about raking bunkers. By doing this, the team can present a perfect bunker every time someone exits a bunker. You are assigned a Game each day and you walk inside the ropes with the players, raking the bunker if need be.
I applied at the end of 2021 for the 2022 150th Open Championship in St. Andrews. In February I found out that I was one of two international members chosen from the United States. The other was Sean Tully from the Meadowbrook Club in California. There were over 175 applicants for the coveted fifty spots. I was thrilled to learn I had made the team but now what? I did not know anyone across the pond, and I had no idea what I had gotten myself into.
Tracey from BIGGA set up a What’s App group for all of us to communicate and stay connected. One day I shared my travel plans. I said I was headed over early to vacation/sightsee with my wife before we had to report for the Open Championship. Immediately, a fellow greenskeeper, Ronnie Myles, reached out to me and asked for a detailed itinerary of our travel plans. We had a few trips organized but also had a few open days. Ronnie immediately jumped in and said that if we liked, he and his wife, Kay, would be our tour guide and show us around. Not very often in life does something like this happen and this guy is a total stranger, but we accepted his offer. I cannot tell you how happy I am that we did. Ronnie and Kay were unbelievable showing us around Scotland, directing us in some of our mass transit travels and helping me to get from the hotel to the meeting place for the Support Team.
On Wednesday, the day before the tournament started, we were required to be at St. Andrews at an appointed time to receive our uniforms and directions on how to rake a bunker. We were also told how to dress and how not to act! White shirts and dark smart trousers or smart shorts. What is a smart short? It is their way of saying a very nice pair of shorts, we might say “smartly dressed”. I learned a lot of different ways to say things in Scotland! Gordon McKie, the head greenskeeper of St. Andrews gave the bunker demonstration and off we go to our accommodation. This was a college dormitory in Dundee, Scotland. Spartan conditions, no air conditioning, and a poor mattress. Not a big deal, it was the same for us all. BIGGA provided the accommodation, and they gave us £35 a day for food and drink. They also provided buses to and from St. Andrews each day. I only had to pay for my transportation to and from St. Andrews from the States, the rest was taken care of. We received two shirts, a hat, a raincoat, and a rucksack to carry items in. We had to provide black smart trousers or shorts. If you had visible tattoos they also had to be covered. They are very prim and proper.
On Wednesday night we received notification of our assignments for the first two games. On day 1, I was assigned to a great group of Justin Thomas, Sean Lowery and Viktor Hovland. I was so nervous that I did not get much sleep the night before. I was texting back and forth with Zach Johnson, and he sent the group a nice video wishing everyone luck and telling them they were appreciated. Nice touch.
First tee at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews and I am walking inside the ropes with a great threesome. Also, walking with us was a rules official, a scoreboard carrier and a person doing electronic scoring of each shot. We were a team. We were instructed where to walk, when to talk and to not get in front of any cameras. We went six holes and oh no, a ball goes into a bunker! Now it is my turn to work! Not sure how well I did…. I was so nervous. Day 1 I raked five bunkers, subsequent days I raked 4, 4, 3. Twice I had to rake the Road Hole bunker on 17. Not easy for a guy with two artificial knees but I got it done. As a team we raked 191, 205, 120, 121 bunkers for the week. BIGGA has a contest for the crew to see who can guess the number of bunkers raked each day.
I had great assignments all week. It was very exciting to be inside the ropes, walking with great players, listening to their strategies, then watch them execute some great golf shots. Day 1 I had Justin Thomas, Sean Lowery, Viktor Hovland. Day 2 I was with David Carey, John Catlin, and Jamie Rutherford. On Saturday, the cut was made and then it was twosomes. Saturday’s game was with Bryson Dechambeau and Hideki Matsuyama. Sunday, I had Will Zalatoris and Nicolai Hojgaard.
I want to first thank Matt Ruehling and the members of Des Moines Golf and Country Club for allowing me to experience such a great event and supporting me. A big thank you to BIGGA for allowing me to be part of such a great experience. If anyone ever gets an opportunity to do something like this, I encourage to pursue your dream. It was awesome.