PO‘IPU — With The PGA Grand Slam of Golf 2004 ProAm in full swing at the Poipu Bay Golf Course at the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa, hundreds of volunteers and PGA officials sporting colorful shirts were dispersed among
PO‘IPU — With The PGA Grand Slam of Golf 2004 ProAm in full swing at the Poipu Bay Golf Course at the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa, hundreds of volunteers and PGA officials sporting colorful shirts were dispersed among the hordes of fans and media hounds trying to get a glimpse of the fab four.
Phil Mickelson, Todd Hamilton, Retief Goosen, and Vijay Singh that is.
And while the unique fashion statements of the good Samaritans and PGA officials went largely unnoticed, there were an elite few who for one reason or another (boredom or sheer coincidence) caught on to the crafty color scheme of their attire.
The first group of volunteers visible were the Hawaii Junior Golf Association members. Dressed in khaki hats and white shirts, the 45-50-member group, consisting mainly of Kaua‘i junior golfers and a few outer-island junior golfers, were seen scattered throughout the greens, assisting the ProAm participants, Aloha Section PGA professionals and of course, the PGA Grand Slam contestants.
During the junior golf clinic, which began promptly at 10:05 a.m., four junior golf members were lucky enough to get the chance to meet with their heroes, have their hats signed, and best of all, hit a few shots with their club of choice, provided by their idols.
Posing with the professionals for media photos in their lime green aloha shirts and slacks, were The PGA officials, headed by Roger Warren, president of The PGA (Professional Golf Association) of America.
“The Grand Slam of Golf, the most difficult event in the world to qualify for, (and) is one of the most exciting to watch as it features golf’s most exclusive field of the year’s four major champions.” said Warren. “The PGA Grand Slam of Golf has provided golf fans throughout the world with some of the game’s most thrilling moments. It is a privilege for us to be here at Poipu Bay Golf Course and Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa for the 11th consecutive year.”
Coordinating the entire media event was Julius Mason, PGA communications officer, who is the public provider of media information, overseeing a bevy of media-related activities, including interviews and press releases.
Garbed in fluorescent orange attire were The Aloha Section PGA professionals. The Hawai‘i golfers were spotted at almost every hole in sight, showering ProAm participants with praise and giving them some well-needed pointers.
The Aloha Section PGA members included Michael A. Castillo, PGA director of golf at Poipu Bay Golf Course.
“It’s an honor for us to host The PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Poipu Bay for the 11th consecutive year. Each year, our staff genuinely looks forward to welcoming back our friends from The PGA and TNT, along with thousands of spectators who love golf just as we do,” said Castillo.
“We expect to see some exceptional play this week as four of golf’s finest meet the unique challenges of our beautiful course. This year’s players boast the highest world rankings in the history of the event,” Castillo said.
Last but not least were the marshals. Armed with striped blue uniforms, the friendly but strict rule-enforcers made sure that no one without the distinctive bright yellow “inside-the-ropes” pass, besides the participants in the junior golf clinic, made their way through the thin, green-and-white ropes. They also firmly laid down the laws concerning cell phones, pagers and other distracting items, making sure that the golfers would be free of disturbances.
Taren Fujimoto, editorial assistant, is a senior at Kaua‘i High School.
