16 | BeHind tHe sCenes OF A mAJOr
Bruce Young
U.S Open
Professional golf is not just a game but
an industry. there is evidence of such
everywhere and during my visit to the Us
Open at Pebble Beach this year it became
more and more obvious that even the great
time honoured events are now embracing
the need to fall into line with the growing
commercialisation of the game.
during tournament week a total of 259,453
people attended the Championship on the
monterey Peninsula just over two hours
south of san Francisco. even on monday of
tournament week 17,374 golf fans attended
the first official practice round to watch the
likes of tiger Woods play a practice round
with Arjun Atwal and dustin Johnson. if only
we realised what an impact Johnson and
Woods would have on the tournament later
in the week we might have spent more time
walking with them.
Bruce Young is a freelance golf journalist
based on Queensland’s Gold Coast from
where he contributes to a range of golf
related media outlets.
much of Bruce’s work is for the leading
Australian golfing website
www.iseekgolf.com but he also writes
for several players’ websites, including
those of Peter Lonard, nathan Green
and Brendan Jones, and is a regular
contributor to Golf magazine, (Aust)
new Zealand Golf magazine, Australian
Women’s Golf , inside Golf, sky sport
magazine (nZ) and Golf Par Weekly
(Japan).
Bruce provides golfing analysis on the
radio tAB network’s sports Breakfast
show, 4BC’s sports today in Brisbane,
radio sport in new Zealand and sport
927 in melbourne.
Having previously provided televised
golf commentary for european tour
Productions, Channel 10, Fox sports, and
television new Zealand and tv3 in new
Zealand, Bruce will this year commentate
on the PGA tour of Australia’s coverage of
regional events in Australia.
Bruce’s career in golf began as a caddy
on the european, Australasian, Japanese
and Us Golf tours during which time he
caddied for the winners of seventeen 72
hole events. One of Bruce’s employers
during his caddying career was Australian
golfer Graham marsh who later engaged
Bruce to market his successful golf course
design company throughout Asia and
the Pacific rim.
After ten years with Graham marsh Golf
design, Bruce left in 1999 to establish a
career in the golfing media.
visit www.bruceyoungmedia.com
to contact Bruce.
the crowds increased every day until on
thursday 43,000 attended, peaking at 54,000
for saturday’s third round and 48,000 on
sunday. the restricted access to Pebble Beach
would mean that nearly every one of those
who attended were transported in by coach
from various parking facilities in the area
some as far away as 20 kilometres.
it was an exercise in logistics and people
movement that even those organising the
current Us withdrawal from iraq would have
been proud of but the massive attendance
did not stop with just the public attendees.
the worldwide media contingent numbered
950 or at least that was the number of
credentials handed out during the week
although the television crews of nBC and
esPn added another 1500 (yes you heard
right) to those covering the event in some
way shape or form.
they all had to be fed (and impressive meals
i might add) and watered. Breakfasts, lunches
and occasionally evening snack boxes were
provided throughout the week.
media Parking areas were provided within
reasonable bussing proximity to either the
television compounds or the media centre.
the media Centre alone seated 400 journalists
and given the number of photographers
covering the event, they had their own
specially constructed marquee alongside the
main media centre facility.
7000 volunteers from across the UsA signed
on to assist in all areas of tournament. All
were dressed in uniforms but if you thought
that would be a massive cost to the United
states Golf Association then think again. each
volunteer was required to part with Us$165
dollars for the pleasure of working for most of
the week.
there is never a shortage of volunteers
however w