Tuesday, September 16, 2008
While the golf world turns its eyes to Louisville’s Vahalla Golf Club this week as the course hosts the 37th biennial Ryder Cup, four local golf enthusiasts will be working the event from inside the ropes.
Local residents Jeff Howerton, Jim Kerlick, Jimmy Riddle and Mike Thomas will each make the trek north to get a peek at the action as the foursome volunteers to work various aspects of the golf match between the U.S. and European teams.
Thomas and Riddle are slated to be marshals on the first hole while Kerlick will be working in a sales tent and Howerton operating with the players’ shuttle.
While golf fans across the state and country scramble for tickets to the high-profile event, the foursome paid $220 to volunteer their services.
As members of the Kentucky Golf Association-Professional Golf Association, the group received paperwork asking for interested volunteers.
For their time and money, the group will get a uniform, which includes pants, shirt, hat and jacket as well as food vouchers and free tickets to watch the tournament when they’re not working.
For Thomas, the chance to watch some of the game’s best golfers is more than enough reason to pay the money to volunteer.
“I did it mainly to make sure I got a ticket to get in,” he said. “We only work — each of us will only work 8-10 hours the whole six days so the rest of the time, we’ll be watching the golf.”
Among the golfers for the U.S. team is Kentucky’s own Kenny Perry and J.B. Holmes.
Perry was born in Elizabethtown and graduated from Western Kentucky University before turning pro in 1982. Since his debut, Perry has won 12 PGA events.
The 48-year-old Perry will make his second Ryder Cup appearance after competing in 2004. Thus far on the season, Perry has taken first place in three tournaments; the Memorial Tournament, Buick Open and John Deere Classic.
Another Kentucky native, Holmes, hopes to leave his mark as well.
Holmes, born and raised in Campbellsville, attended the University of Kentucky and will be making his Ryder Cup debut after turning pro in 2005.
During his short tenure in the PGA, Holmes, 26, has already won two events, but hopes to gain his first international victory this week.
A captain’s pick, Holmes holds the PGA’s third-longest average driving distance at just over 310 yards according to rydercup.com
Thomas said it will be a thrill just to be within yards of men like Holmes.
“It’s just that big of a deal to be up close and personal with men like that,” he said. “It’s worldwide stuff.”
Although as a hole marshal, Thomas will not know his specific responsibilities until he arrives at Valhalla, he said he anticipates performing such duties as holding quiet signs and managing crowd control.
Despite paying hundreds of dollars just to volunteer, Thomas is excited to attend, and listening to him there’s no way he would miss it.
“It’s a huge, huge event,” he said. “It’s just a big deal, and a big deal for Kentucky.”
The event begins 7:30 a.m. Eastern today with the first of three days of practice rounds before the official start, 7:30 a.m. Friday.
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