In early May, my dad and I volunteered at the Wells Fargo Golf Tournament in Charlotte. I was extremely excited for the opportunity to see the tournament firsthand after watching it on TV in the past or hearing about it around town.
It definitely did not disappoint!
We signed up for the tournament coolers committee, which was responsible for replacing the ice and water in each tee box cooler around the golf course. By signing up with this committee, we got to see a bunch of the behind-the-scenes logistics that go into the tournament as well as witness some pretty cool golf moments!
The committee was split into pairs, each driving a golf cart with either water bottles or bags of ice. Then, one ice cart and one water cart would partner up to fulfill either the Front 9 or the Back 9.
My dad and I took the Back 9 on the first day, which was during the Pro-Am tournament. We got to see Christian McCaffrey (of the Carolina Panthers) play a few holes up close! (Sort of a “pinch me” moment to see that, if you ask me)
Once each tee box was vacated by the group of players, we would empty the cooler of its melted ice and used water bottles, as well as the buckets of water used to clean golf clubs. Then, we’d replace each cooler with fresh water and ice, refill the buckets, and go on to the next hole!
On the second and third days of the tournament, we alternated between the Back 9 and the Front 9, which allowed us to take a full tour of the beautiful Quail Hollow golf course.
We got to watch Phil Mickelson play a hole, which was super neat thinking about how I’ve watched him play in countless tournaments growing up and now he was in front of me!
Our committee got to see so many talented golfers play, which was cool in itself but also inspiring to me as a beginner golfer. Picking up golf this past year has been one of the best decisions for me — I love trying new things anyway, but it’s especially fun when it involves getting outside, sports, and hanging out with family.
I wouldn’t say I’ll be ready for the LPGA tour any time soon (lol) but I really enjoy developing a new skill and working to improve my game.
I’m already looking forward to volunteering at next year’s tournament, which will be the President’s Cup!
Cara Siliakus 