for Charity program also plays a major
role in helping to cultivate local charitable
dollars with over 100 groups participating.
Knowing we will be here long term enables
us to work with all the charities each year
to develop deeper relationships.”
The same philosophy exists for the cor-
porate partners.
“We meet with them after each event
to ensure we understand their goals and
objectives for participating in the tourna-
ment, which enables us to tailor programs
to continue to deliver the result they have
come to expect from us,” Schoenfeld said.
The tournament could not operate with-
out a strong volunteer force. More than
1,100 will carry out myriad jobs and ser-
vices, but many of the faces are likely to
change during the 10 years.
“We are extremely fortunate to have an
outstanding volunteer leadership group in
place with many of these folks being either
Dominion Energy employees or members
of the Country Club of Virginia or in a few
cases, both,” Schoenfeld said. “The long
runway gives everyone the chance to stay
involved if they would like, but there is also
Here to Stay
Scott McCarron won the
Dominion Energy Charity
Classic in 2016.
the opportunity to move to different lead-
ership positions or to take a year off. We
realize it is a major commitment for all our
volunteer leadership so we are sensitive to
the fact that change is inevitable.”
Schoenfeld sees the 10-year extension as
a message to the Richmond area.
“In just three short years we feel like
we have established the tournament as
a ‘can’t miss’ on the Richmond area’s
annual event calendar, and we of course
have high hopes for the future,” he said.
“However, to continue to be successful
and to continue to support local charities
at the level we have thus far, continued
support from the business community,
our volunteers, fans and all of our constit-
uents is crucial.”
CCV SETTLING IN AS LONG-TERM TOURNEY HOST
by ARTHUR UTLEY
“Do we do anything [to prepare the course] differently [from
WHAT DOES THE LONG-TERM COMMITMENT MEAN
the day to day maintenance]? It’s hard to make a golf course
FOR CCV STAFF AND MEMBERS?
peak on the downside of the growing season. So that’s always
“As people get more comfortable with it, they embrace it
a challenge,” Sain said. “You almost have to work twice as hard
more because it’s just kind of the norm. They know it’s going
or in your mind you’re thinking you can’t make any missteps
to happen and they might as well enjoy it. Even the people
because the recovery is not like in the spring.
in the beginning who were pretty vocal about it, you don’t
“No matter how hard we work, [losing grass] is going
really hear much of anything anymore. It becomes
to happen, but you have a very short period to get
the routine,” said Director of Golf Warren West.
it filled back in by tournament time…We seem
“I must have asked Steve Schoenfeld a
like we’re living in the world of extremes
thousand questions leading into [the first
in weather now. You almost have to
year],” West said. “In the subsequent
prepare for the extremes. People want
years, it’s become second nature from
“You know I was one
quality all the time and it’s hard when
a staff standpoint. You get better at
you’re dealing with a living thing and
it year after year to where the time
of the naysayers of
with the environment.”
involvement is less. It gets a little more
this tournament in the
Having a maintenance staff of full-
intuitive and easier.”
time and seasonal employees “during
There are CCV members who have
beginning. Now I love
tournament time is huge,” Sain said. “It
embraced the tournament and others
it. I think it’s great.”
makes tournament prep so much easier.”
who haven’t.
CCV member Boodie McGurn, a
West tells the story of a member who
—CCV Club Member
member of the Virginia State Golf Associ-
approached him for help getting clubhouse
ation Board and one of the top women’s play-
passes for this year’s tournament.
ers in the commonwealth, has been a volunteer
West says the member told him, “You know
on the Player Services committee for four years and
I was one of the naysayers of this tournament in the
co-chairperson the past two years.
beginning. Now I love it. I think it’s great.”
“I think just like anything else after a couple of years we need
CCV golf course superintendent Christian Sain has expe-
some new blood, new energy, and I just hope they can find
rience working at a long-time tournament venue. He was at
that,” said McGurn, who isn’t saying this is her last year, but she
Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg where the LPGA Tour has
does say, “Ten years is a long time for anybody.”
made an annual stop since 2003 before coming to CCV.
vsga.org
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