By Thomas Fafinski
Wouldn’t it be great if our team worked because of their passion for their role, their associations with our cause and mission, the thrill of participation, the pride of a job well done and not for the money? That is what I witnessed this weekend. I am not talking just about the Ryder Cup team who:
• Paid tribute to a legend of the game, Arnie Palmer;
• Played for the love of the game;
• Played for country; and
• Played not for money but the pride which is memorialized by a 17″ high, 9 carat gold trophy.
No, I am not just talking about the players (more on the players later), I am also talking about the volunteers.
Forty four hundred plus volunteers (with 12,000 hoping to be called as a substitution) from all over the world served in roles from will call (where I was lucky enough to volunteer) to course marshals (where one of my brothers and a nephew were able to volunteer). This volunteer effort, led by the 7 member Ryder Cup Executive Committee (which, I am proud to say, consisted of my brother, Bob Fafinski) and Committee Chairs (including my sister-in-law, Mary Fafinski), provided ample support for the event. They participated just to be a part of it, to be close to the game they love, not for money but for the pride of being a part of it. The world saw Minnesota through the international broadcast and the 150,000 plus people in attendance. In fact, from an organizational standpoint, the tactic was clearly to be completely overstaffed with volunteers so as to address any possible situation, not just to barely get the job done.
Not just players and volunteers either. Unlike other golf tournaments where individual play against an entire field, this tournament was all about “the entire team.” Legendary players who individually excelled in the sport were called upon as captains to lead, strategize, teach and support – not play. Bubba Watson, winner of 2 majors and 9 overall tour wins, was interviewed following the victory and stated that being captain to a winning Ryder Cup team “is the greatest thing I have ever done in the game of golf.”
The captains decided to pair teams so strengths balance each other. They created pairings where the players had fun with each other, i.e. Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson. Matt said “Phil told him he plays great when he is out there having fun.” Davis Love III explained that the captains wanted pairing where players were with “who they are comfortable with, feeling of preparation of trust in a pressure situation.” Even the pairings with competition in the final day appeared geared toward fun.
With 50,000 plus fans each day erupting following great shots, launching into spontaneous patriotic chants of “USA,” “God Bless America,” the National Anthem and “I believe that we will win,” the atmosphere was a mix of college football and patriotic/Olympic type celebration. All were there out of love of the game, pride in their country a desire to be a part of something special.