HARRIS, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Island Resort & Casino will welcome more than 100 female golfers to the Sweetgrass Golf Club for an annual championship tournament on June 21 – 23. Organizers are looking for volunteers to help make it a success.
This is the Island’s 13th year hosting the Island Resort Championship as part of the Epson Tour, which is known as the “Road to the LPGA.”
“Less than 200 courses in America host a professional touring event, and we’re one of those,” said Island Resort & Casino General Manager Tony Mancilla. “We originally got into it just to get our course exposed, but now it’s just become a big event for us. I think there’s 34 countries represented, 40 states. A large number of them will be on the LPGA in the next five years, so the level of play is very, very high.”
Pulling off an event of this scale takes about 300 volunteers. Positions include running score cards, updating the scoreboard, spotting for golfers, and limiting potential distractions as a marshall.
“We call in the girls’ scores in real time after the end of every hole,” said Dave Bosilovats, who has volunteered as a cart driver for several years. “We also are allowed to carry some of their equipment. We don’t give them advice! You see the whole golf course, and you meet a couple of players every day.
Many volunteers return year after year.
“It’s the camaraderie,” said Pat DeGrave, who has been a volunteer since the beginning. “It’s so much fun to see these girls grow and develop. It’s certainly fun to get some tips watching them. We’ve even had some of the girls stay with us over the years.”
Fellow 13-year volunteer Debbie Hirn said, “I’m just retired a year now, and I’ve always taken vacation time so that I can come out here and do this. I just thoroughly enjoy watching them, seeing good golf, and also seeing that they’re human and they make mistakes and how they recover from those.”
Since the first Epson Tour, 192 golfers have advanced to the LPGA Tour. These volunteers say it’s a thrill to assist the athletes at this stop on their journey.
“There’s really a job for everybody,” said Hirn. “If you don’t like to walk, there’s sitting jobs. If you don’t like to drive a cart, there’s stationary jobs. There’s jobs that anybody can do, and I think the girls really appreciate it.”
“I love seeing people come to the U.P. and to just listen to them talk about how much fun it is to be up here,” DeGrave said.
“The best thing about this tournament is there’s 100% accessibility,” said Bosilovats. “You can walk with the players all 18 holes, watch them tee off. You can get really close and watch them play and see how good they are. They really enjoy it here, and you’re helping someone else out, and that’s a good feeling.”
Fans are also welcome to attend the Island Resort Championship, and tickets are currently available. Mancilla says it’s a great way to see a professional-level sports tournament, enjoy the U.P. summer, and have fun without a high price tag.
“It’s really economical for families,” he said. “It’s $10 for the three days to get in, kids are free, [food and beverages] on the course are $3 or less. It’s something that we’re really happy to host every year.”
Click here for a list of organizations selling tickets.
To register to be a volunteer at the Island Resort Championship, click here. Click here for more information on the event.
