Curtis Cup is Finally Here

Well it's Friday morning and after six years of preparation by the USGA and the Essex County Club, the Match is about to begin. I was honored to be invited to serve on the Rules Committe for the Match. The MGA and WGAM are co-hosting a reception tonight for the USGA, Ladies Golf Union and R&A folks in attendance. It was a fair amount of work coordinating with the WGAM and Becky Blaeser and Linda Tisevich from the MGA staff. Even though I'd done fairly well on the Rules exam in the past, I figured my being asked to be on the Rules Committee was a bit of an acknowlegement for helping to put the reception together. Just to be asked was an honor, and I figured that I might get asked to be an Observer in a match or two. An Observer is someone from the Rules Committee who assists the referee usually by going forward into the drive zone on each hole during a match.

I arrived at the course late Thursday morning after having caught a ride from the nearby hotel to the course. Dave Miller, a Charles River member and a member of the USGA Senior Amateur Committee, gave me a ride. Dave is also an MGA official whom I've known for many years. We hung out yesterday and walked the golf course in the drizzle. The course is primed and ready to go. We both attended the 4:00PM Rules Meeting with all the other officials. The meeting was conducted by USGA staff Genger Fahleson and Maggie Giesenhagen. They had put together a nice PowerPoint presentation with photos from the course detailing certain situations out there and conveying other pertinent info. Even the players from the USA & GBI teams were brought in along with each team captain so the girls were familiarized with what was expected of them Rules-wise. As they entered the meeting room, the 25 or so of us stood up and gave them a standing ovation. I think the girls were a little taken aback, but it was just spontaneous on our part and seemed perfectly appropriate. They stayed for about 15 minutes and then they headed out to their next obligationi.

The assignments were then passed out for each day. On the first first sheet it listed all the assignments for the Friday AM foursomes matches. My name wasn't on there so I figured, 'no problem, maybe I'll be an observer in the afternoon.' Then the Friday afternoon assignments were handed out. I did a double take. I'm listed as Referee for the third and final afternoon Four-Ball match. Wow! I started to get a little nervous right then and there. I've done a lot of Rules officiating over the years and plenty of match play officiating at State Ams in Mass and RI, but this is a different deal. I've got first tee jitters and I'm not even teeing it up! I'm excited, though. It should be very cool.

After the meeting the flag raising ceremony was held. You could tell that there was so much work put into it - they had a drum and fife corps, past players in attendance, chairs lined up for all the players. All the pomp and circumstance that you'd expect from such a tradition-filled event as the Curtis Cup. Unfortunately it was raining. But everyone muddled on umbrellas and all. It was special to hear the Star Spangled Banner along with the national anthems of Great Britain and Ireland. Afterwards there was a nice reception under a giant tent, but all I could think about was that 2:20PM Friday starting time. Time to get ready.