C-ya Players

Wrapping things up from The Players and getting ready to head to the airport. I know the tournament just started, but my work here is done. Fred Klauk, GCSAA Class A superintendent at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., got some good publicity, which in turn is good publicity for all GCSAA members. Jerry Potter wrote a nice story in USA Today's Players coverage today about Klauk's preparations and the course setup. He performed very well in a live interview from the Golf Channel's set overlooking No. 18 this morning.

I don't know the guy all that well, but he seems to be very happy. He loves this golf course and loves this tournament, but he seems genuinely excited about beginning the next chapter of his life as he steps into a project manager role with the Tour. Going out on a high note of a 35-year career that includes the last 25 with the TPC Network and the last 23 here at Sawgrass, his work couldn't look and play much better than it does this week. He has prepped for 28 Tour events over the years, which has me wondering if that could be a record amongst our members? He was laughing when he told me he'd be sitting in the shotgun seat I was occupying of the official golf course superintendent cart next year, as he turns the keys over to the very capable successor Tom Vlach, CGCS.

On our way to the Golf Channel's set we saw Kevin Stadler's group tee off on 18. Stadler was two under at the time and Klauk was impressed as he reminisced about caddying for his son, John, at the 2002 U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills, who beat Stadler, 1 Up, in the third round. The proud papa is looking forward to looping for another son, Jeff, who plays on the Nationwide Tour, anytime his caddy wants a break in the future.

After the interview Klauk turned over his seat to the next guest, legendary golfer Calvin Peete, who of course Klauk knows well and meerily greeted with a hug. I was thinking to myself that he looked like he could still hold his own out there today, and he even had his fingers all taped up, when Klauk asked him if he was playing in any Champions Tour events this year. Peete said he's working himself back into shape and plans to play in a few next season.

Klauk will appear again during the Golf Channel’s broadcast at 2:00 (Central) this afternoon. As I understand it, he won’t be mic’d, but will be shown on his cart somewhere along 16, as the announcers talk about him, his career, and the course conditions of the Players Stadium Course.

On my way back to the media center Jeff Overton’s tee shot on 18 landed in the pine straw about two inches off the cart path, right smack dab in the middle of busy thoroughfare of the gallery. It was one of those “these guys are good” moments where, surrounded by a huge crowd that had gathered around him, he laced a shot from about 150 yards out, between the branches of about six trees in his way, right on to the green. It was something else.

Klauk says that the wind is picking up and that the golf course could get pretty tough. I’ll be interested to see as I return home to watch the rest of this on TV.

Comments

[Neuty]

Well done Newton, I've enjoyed your stories and anecdotes. Travel safe,

EN