THE ACE GROUP CLASSIC HOSTED BY PETER JACOBSEN WILL BE HELD AT BEAUTIFUL TREVISO BAY’S NEW ARTHUR HILLS/HAL SUTTON-DESIGNED TPC COURSE FOR ITS 22ND YEAR IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. SUPPORTING THE ACE GROUP CLASSIC ARE OVER 800 VOLUNTEERS, MANY RETURNING EACH YEAR TO RENEW FRIENDSHIPS, WITNESS CLOSE-UP WORLD CLASS PROFESSIONAL GOLF AND HELP INSURE THE SUCCESS OF AN EVENT THAT BENEFITS SO MANY IN THE GREATER NAPLES COMMUNITY. NAPLES RESIDENT JIM BENSON IS RETURNING FOR HIS 13TH YEAR AND SHARED SOME OF HIS THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES WITH US.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A VOLUNTEER FOR THIS EVENT?
THIS WILL BE MY 13TH YEAR. I BEGAN IN 1997 WORKING A VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENT MANAGING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CADDIES WHO ACCOMPANY THE PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED EACH YEAR SINCE, IN MANY VARIED AND INTERESTING ACTIVITIES.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND VOLUNTEERING FOR THE ACE GROUP CLASSIC DURING TOURNAMENT WEEK?
BECAUSE I NOW COORDINATE SEVERAL ACTIVITIES, I’M ON LOCATION EACH DAY THROUGH THE WEEK. HOWEVER, MANY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED IN SINGLE ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS DRIVING RANGE ASSISTANCE, WORK 4 HOUR SHIFTS FOR 3-5 DAYS
AND THEN ARE FREE TO ENJOY BEING A SPECTATOR WHEN THEIR SHIFTS ARE COMPLETED. ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT HOW THE VARIOUS VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES ARE STRUCTURED IS THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MATCH A PERSON’S TIME AVAILABILITY, WHETHER FOR A FEW DAYS, OR FOR ONE OR MORE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
WHAT VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES HAVE YOU WORKED ON FOR THE ACE GROUP CLASSIC?
I’VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE CADDIES, THE DRIVING RANGE, OUR MEDIA OPERATIONS, PLAYER SERVICES, PRO-AM REGISTRATION, HOSPITALITY AND WORKING WITH THE PROFESSIONALS WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR SERVICES AS ANNOUNCERS FOR THE TOUR EVENT ON FRIDAY-SUNDAY.
WHY DO YOU CHOOSE TO COME BACK EACH YEAR?
THE REASONS ARE MANY BUT THE MAIN MOTIVATION COMES FROM THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS. AS VOLUNTEERS WE ALL SHARE THIS, THE ACE PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE SOME PERSONAL TIME TO AN EVENT THAT
BRINGS EXCITING PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, WITH AN INCREASING PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS EACH YEAR GOING TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL CHARITIES. I CAN’T THINK OF A BETTER WIN-WIN USE OF MY TIME.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE PLAYER TO WATCH ON THE CHAMPIONS TOUR?
WE ARE BLESSED WITH NEW AND EXCITING PLAYERS EACH YEAR AS THE REGULAR TOUR PLAYERS REACH THE MAGIC AGE OF 50 AND BECOME ELIGIBLE TO PLAY THE CHAMPIONS TOUR. MY FAVORITE HOWEVER, IS GARY PLAYER, PROBABLY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL COMPETITOR IN THE GAME TODAY. HE HAS WON MORE THAN 160 TOURNAMENTS WORLD-WIDE INCLUDING THE MASTERS THREE TIMES, THE US OPEN, THE BRITISH OPEN THREE TIMES AND THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP TWICE. I’M A FAN!! BUT THE BEST THING ABOUT GARY PLAYER IS HIS APPRECIATION FOR THOSE THAT COME TO THE COURSE TO WATCH HIM PLAY. DURING THE PRACTICE ROUNDS HE REGULARLY EXPLAINS HIS PLAN FOR EACH SHOT AND SHARES STORIES FROM HIS WORLD TRAVELS. THE FANS LOVE HIM AND HE RETURNS THE APPRECIATION. WHILE THERE ARE GOLFERS THAT WILL SCORE BETTER THAN HE, THERE ARE NONE WHO IS A GREATER AMBASSADOR FOR THE GAME. HE’S ALSO PLAYING THIS YEAR IN SUPPORT OF A NEW EVENT FOR YOUNG AMATEUR GOLFERS, A GREAT BOOST FOR THOSE WITH HOPES FOR THE FUTURE. AND BEST OF ALL, HE’LL BE HERE ALL WEEK.
FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THE CHAMPIONS TOUR PROS?
YOU GET A GREAT LOOK AT THEIR MORE RELAXED SIDE DURING THE MID-WEEK PRO-AM EVENTS, THIS YEAR HELD ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. IT’S FUN TO WATCH THEM INTERACT WITH THEIR AMATUER PARTNERS. BEN CRENSHAW IS A GREAT ONE TO TALK THE STRATEGY OF THE GAME WHILE TOM KITE, HALE IRWIN AND LANNY WADKINS ARE THREE OF THE BEST TEACHERS/COACHES IN THE EVENTS. THE PLAYERS TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH THEIR AMATEUR PARTNERS GAME AND MAKE HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS AS THE ROUND PROGRESSES. THE AMATEURS END UP WITH A MUCH RICHER EXPERIENCE THAN JUST “PLAYING WITH A PRO”.
THE TOUR PROFESSIONALS ARE A GREAT GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, WITH DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO PREPARATION. ALL ARE “AT THE OFFICE” WHEN ON THE DRIVING RANGE BEFORE THE START OF THE FRIDAY TOURNAMENT. THE JOKING SUBSIDES AND THE FOCUS IS EVIDENT AS EACH GOES THROUGH HIS OWN PERSONAL REGIMEN OF SET UP, STROKES AND ANALYSIS. THEIR ROUTINES ARE OBVIOUS AND AVAILABLE AS LESSONS TO INTERESTED FANS WHO GATHER TO WATCH WHAT SOME CALL “POETRY IN MOTION”. BUT LIKE THE REST OF US, THINGS SOMETIMES GO AWRY, AND OUR SPECTATORS ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE THE ADJUSTMENTS. EXCITING STUFF!!
ARE ALL THE VOLUNTEERS RETIRED?
A GREAT NUMBER OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE RETIRED FROM FULL TIME WORK. HOWEVER, MANY ARE STILL ACTIVELY WORKING AND ARE SO COMMITTED TO THE ACE THAT THEY SCHEDULE SOME OF THEIR VACATION TIME EACH YEAR TO ALLOW FOR THEIR VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES. I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE DEDICATION SHOWN BY THE MANY PEOPLE WHO COME TOGETHER EACH YEAR TO INSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE ACE GROUP CLASSIC.
WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH TOURNAMENT ACTIVITY TO VOLUNTEER?
ABSOLUTELY. THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES HAVE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE A REFRESHER FOR SOME RETURNEES. THERE ARE ALWAYS NEW THINGS TO LEARN. ANYONE WHO ENJOYS INTERACTING WITH OTHERS, HAVING NEW AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXPERIENCES, AND MAKING NEW FRIENDS SHOULD CONSIDER BECOMING AN ACE VOLUNTEER. LET US KNOW YOUR INTEREST AND YOUR AVAILABILITY AND I’M SURE THERE WILL BE AN INTERESTING ASSIGNMENT WAITING FOR YOU.