Okay, so I wanted to help out at the WM Phoenix Open, you know, that big golf tournament? I figured being a volunteer would be a cool way to see it all up close and give back a bit. Here’s how it went down.
First, I checked out their website. It seemed pretty straightforward, just had to fill out some forms online. I made sure to read through all the different volunteer jobs – they had everything from helping with parking to being a marshal on the course.
I picked a couple of roles that sounded interesting, mostly stuff where I’d be interacting with people. I’m not gonna lie, I also thought about which jobs might get me closest to the golfers.
After I submitted my application, I got an email back pretty quick asking me to come in for an interview. It wasn’t a super formal thing, just a chat with one of the volunteer coordinators. They asked me why I wanted to volunteer, what my experience was like, you know, the usual stuff.
The Training Part
Once I got accepted, I had to go through some training. It was mostly online modules and a few in-person sessions. We learned about the tournament schedule, the rules, and how to handle different situations that might come up.
- Learned about safety procedures.
- Got a uniform (pretty snazzy, actually!).
- Met some of the other volunteers – everyone was super excited.
- Practiced using the radios.
Honestly, the training was a bit long, but it was important. They wanted to make sure everyone knew what they were doing.
The actual Tournament
Volunteering during the tournament was a blast! I ended up working as a gallery marshal. It was fun. I even directed foot traffic during the game.
It was pretty tiring, being on my feet all day, but totally worth it. I would do this again.
