A Guardian of the Greens
By Adam Faderewski
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in full on the Texas
Bar Blog on Aug. 8. To view the full blog post, visit https://blog.texasbar.
com/2018/08/articles/people/a-guardian-of-the-greens/#more-10887.
Denton County, Texas, attorney William Brotherton enjoys spending
time on the golf course. After 13 years serving as a gallery guard
on the 14th hole at the Masters, Brotherton has seen some of the
best golfers in the world play. So when an opportunity to serve as a
marshal on the 16th hole at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland for
the British Open presented itself, Brotherton jumped at the chance
to see some of these greats play a different course. Brotherton, who
has links to the United Kingdom through his heritage to Lord
Edward Brotherton, is also a member of the Abenaki Nation of
Missisquoi in Vermont and an adopted member of the Spirit Lake
Sioux of North Dakota. His Native American heritage excited
the organizers of the Open, who invited Brotherton to be the first
Native American marshal of an Open. Here, Brotherton talks about
his passion for the sport and his experience working the event in
Scotland.
How did you get the opportunity to work at the
British Open?
Having worked at the Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club
in Georgia for the past 13 years on the 14th hole, I had become a
big fan of Jordan Spieth. So while watching the Open last year, I was
on the edge of my seat as Jordan pulled out a victory – after making
some miracle shots – at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.
I was inspired. The very next day I tracked down the head pro at
Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland where the next Open would be
held. I briefly described my golf background in an email and asked
to be considered as a marshal at the next Open. I was amazed at how
quickly I received a response from Chris Smith, who is the deputy
chief marshal for the Open.
Your heritage is English and Native American, which
both had significance at the Open. How did it feel to be
working the British Open in regards to your heritage?
The Scots working the Open were intrigued by my heritage. When
I first inquired about serving as a marshal, I mentioned that I was a
member of the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi in Vermont and served
on tribal council. That opened a lot of doors because they had never
had a Native American serve as a marshal at the Open. And the
fact that I’m an adopted member of the Spirit Lake Sioux in North
Dakota made it even better. They even had a Carnoustie hat made up
for me with my Sioux name “Iron Horse” (Tasunka Masa in Sioux)
embroidered on the back.
What was it like working at the Open?
It was an honor to work at the oldest golf tournament in the world.
The golf at the Open was incredible under somewhat difficult
circumstances – it had been hot (for Scotland) and dry and the
officials were especially concerned that the Americans would have a
field day with a course that could produce 400-yard drives on such
hard fairways. But that didn’t happen, and as it turned out, it was not
an American who won but an Italian. Everyone couldn’t have been
nicer, and they were happy to have me there.
Brotherton served as marshal of
the 16th hole at the British Open.
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THE GAVEL