Is turnabout fair play? A new appreciation for tournament directors

I’ve developed a new appreciation for tournament directors. Up until now, I’ve simply covered golf tournaments as a journalist, never having to think too much about how they were put together or administered. But earlier this year, a young man who worked for our company moved on. Even though I’m the editor of Golf\Styles Ohio magazine, one of seven GolfStyles regional publications owned by our company, I stepped up to take his place (in addition to my job) because we suddenly needed a new tournament director. Yeah, sure, I’m that kind of guy. But now, I know what color the grass really is on the other side of the fence.

I’m tournament director for eight Solstice Survival tournaments, and they are ball-busters. Each one is a 54-hole, one-day, stroke play event with at least 100 players. Registration begins at 4:45 in the morning and we don’t finish until dark. On June 9, I leave for Washington D.C., and I’ll travel to Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Columbus, Ohio and other cities in the area. Between June 11 and July 5, I’ll be away from home for at least three weeks, longer than I’ve ever been away from my family. And, I’ve made at least 1,000 phone calls or e-mails trying to get information on players’ handicaps, addresses and all kinds of other stuff. It’s a nightmare of details and hand holding.

I’m told by my friends in the golf admin business that there’s a constant feeling of being in over your head and that you’ll never get it all done, but that feeling goes away after a while and you do finish, with some late nights between you and your goal. Tonight, on the precipice of leaving, I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.