FBR Open's unsung heroes

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Long before the first drive is hit at the FBR Open, an army of agronomy experts, maintenance crews and tournament volunteers are hard at work preparing the PGA TOUR's TPC Scottsdale for the largest spectator golf event in the world. Largely unseen and rarely recognized, these "unsung heroes" of the FBR Open quietly and meticulously go about their business orchestrating what can only be described as an astonishing feat of epic proportions -- all in the name of charity.

Badz/PGA TOUR

The FBR Open needs 4,000 volunteers during tournament week.

As record crowds pour onto the grounds and assemble along the expansive spectator mounding on TPC Scottsdale's fan-friendly Stadium Course, much of the heavy lifting has already been done. Preliminary planning for each FBR Open begins during the previous year's tournament in January. Beginning on Oct. 1, the course is overseeded for winter play, with tournament cuts put in place on the first cut of overseed.

By December, TPC Scottsdale's core of 62 agronomy and maintenance experts under the direction of superintendent Jeff Plotts and his assistant, Mike Reinecke, begin transitioning the course from one of the country's most popular resort layouts to a daunting test of shot making skills for the best players in the world.

In grooming the course for professional play, fairways are shortened from half an inch to a quarter-inch, and landing areas tightened considerably -- as narrow as 24 yards in some places, compared with up to 60 yards for resort play. Meanwhile, greens are made slightly slicker, from a 10 to an 11 on the Stimpmeter, and roughs rougher -- grown from an inch for resort golfers to three inches for the pros. Despite these adjustments, overall course conditioning remains virtually the same, maintained to PGA TOUR standards year-round.

While the crew ensures premium conditions for TOUR players, beginning on Nov. 1, the Thunderbirds, the FBR Open's host tournament organization, initiate a three-month campaign to construct the innumerable operational components necessary to stage the tournament -- which annually draws more than 500,000 fans. It's one of the country's most successful charitable organizations, having raised $53 million to date for Arizona charities through the tournament since 1939, The Thunderbirds encompass a volunteer team of 55 local members annually charged with overseeing the tournament set-up, which is staggering in its magnitude.

This core team, led in 2008 by Tournament Chairman Tim Louis and Assistant Chairman John Felix, assume management roles in a variety of operational areas ranging from grounds maintenance, security, ticket sales, traffic control and scoring to tournament operations, marketing and signage. Not to mention, they handle the numerous pro-ams, entertainment venues and corporate hospitality activities that make the FBR Open one of the most exciting tournaments on the PGA TOUR, as well as a favorite among TOUR players.

Over the years, this monumental undertaking has evolved into a well-oiled machine -- which is especially remarkable, considering the leadership positions within The Thunderbirds rotate annually --- meaning 100 percent management turn-over every year.

The number of volunteers needed to operate the tournament swells to 4,000 during tournament week, as members of the community put aside jobs and vacations to enjoy the unique experience of helping to coordinate a PGA TOUR tournament. Many have returned for decades, compelled by a deep camaraderie among fellow volunteers, the sheer exhilaration of being part of something this big, and an even greater spirit of volunteerism.

"What sets this tournament apart is the incredible support we get from the community," says Louis. "For 73 years, the Valley of the Sun has gotten behind this tournament 100 percent. From generous corporate sponsorships to the thousands of volunteer hours that go into the FBR Open, we are fortunate to have such overwhelming support from the community."

At the nucleus of the tournament, and the team most often overlooked, is The Thunderbirds' House & Grounds Committee chaired in 2008 by Tom Altieri. Working with a variety of vendors, the committee oversees a colossal set-up that includes 225 sky boxes, 37 corporate village tents, miles of bleacher seating, 200,000 feet of rope to cordon off the course, a 7,800 square-foot Michelob Ultra Champions Pavilion; a 35,000 square-foot Shell Vacations Club Expo; more than 40 different food and beverage outlets, 1,000 portable toilets, 3,000 trash receptacles, a 15,000 square-foot merchandise tent and the infamous 320,000 square-foot Coors Light Bird's Nest party tent. In all, the set-up includes 430,000 square feet of tenting space -- equivalent to 10 acres.

"The Thunderbirds who serve on the House & Grounds Committee are some of the hardest working volunteers at the FBR Open," says Louis. "I know this because I served on that committee for four years. The passion and commitment they dedicate to the tournament is matched only by their desire to enrich our communities through charity."

All of this activity is accomplished while resort play continues on the Stadium Course up until tournament week, requiring Swiss timing-like precision and considerable coordination as crews maneuver heavy equipment around the course. Tenting, bleachers and other operational components are built from the inside out, starting with the famed 16th hole, and during tear-down from the outside in.

While the operational set-up takes three months, tear-down is considerably faster. Amazingly, resort play resumes on the Stadium Course just two days after the tournament ends. The day after the tournament is reserved for the FBR Open Charity Classic benefiting Desert Voices Oral Learning Center and The Foundation for Blind Children. The Thunderbirds underwrite the cost of the golf course for the tournament, which raises an additional $200,000 for these worthy charities. Full take-down of all tenting and bleachers is accomplished in six to seven weeks. More than 15 truckloads of sod are needed for TPC Scottsdale staff to repair locations on the course vacated by tents, stands and bleachers, though tournament conditions remain in tact on in-play areas.

At the heart of the FBR Open's success is a unique partnership between the PGA TOUR, The Thunderbirds, the City of Scottsdale and the Bureau of Reclamation, who collaborated more than 23 years ago to build TPC Scottsdale expressly to serve as the new home of the tournament, formerly the Phoenix Open. Since that time, the FBR Open has not only raised funds for hundreds of charitable organizations including the Special Olympics, United Cerebral Palsy of Arizona and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, but also infused billions of dollars into the local economy. Along the way, the tournament helped establish Scottsdale as a world-wide resort golf destination.

"The hard work, commitment and passion of The Thunderbirds volunteers and PGA TOUR staff, combined with the considerable support provided by the City of Scottsdale and Bureau of Reclamation, is what makes the FBR Open so successful," said PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties Senior Vice President of Operations John Hugghins. "Each organization plays an integral role in ensuring the tournament is not only seamlessly orchestrated, but exciting for fans and players alike."

TPC Scottsdale is part of the PGA TOUR's TPC Network of premier private and resort golf clubs. To purchase FBR Open tickets or for more information, please visit www.fbropen.com.