Guest bloggers from The First Tee

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Three guest bloggers who participate in The First Tee program will be filing blogs on Wednesday and Thursday from the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.

THURSDAY'S BLOGS

By Jennah Romansky

Romansky

As soon as I walked up to the first tee box about 30 minutes before Tiger Woods' tee time, there was not a seat to be found. The anticipation running through the crowd was was an amazing sight to see. After the group of Woods, Carl Pettersson and Sergio Garcia completed their tee shots, the stands emptied out, and throughout their round, you could hear the roar of their gallery on the other side of the golf course.

In order for viewers at home to watch a golf tournament on television, it has to go through editing and filtering. I've never known exactly what it took to produce golf on television until today. The broadcasting trailer takes care of all the shots of individual golfers and puts the most important and monumental shots on for viewers to see at home. There are many different kinds of broadcasting production trucks, and I got to take a look inside two of them today. Those were the international truck and a CBS/GOLF CHANNEL trailer. Each truck puts together a broadcast that will focus on those golfers that their viewers like the best. The amount of people giving directions and talking in each truck is truly an incredible sight to see.

It is difficult to put into words exactly what I was able to experience this week. Being able to participate in The First Tee Course Reporters program has given me an opportunity to see what it takes to put a tournament like this on. Honestly, it is a lot harder than it seems. Most people think it is just golfers hitting the ball and keeping score, but there is so much more involved. They utilize things such as SHOTLink, which uses lasers to measure the golf shot. They also have an on-site meteorologist dedicated to keeping the players and fans aware of surrounding weather conditions. Without any one of these things, this tournament would not be able to go on, and I was lucky enough to see these items in action behind the scenes.

I want to thank several people who made today possible. I'd like to thank Stewart Williams, the PGA TOUR's onsite meteorologist, Bill Howard from PGA TOUR broadcasting, and Sean Howland from SHOTLink. Finally, thank you to Denise Taylor, Helen Ross, Chris Reimer and the rest of the staff at the PGA TOUR who made my inside-the-ropes experience a reality. It has been a great experience, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

By Will Blake

Blake

As I experienced another unbelievable day exploring the core of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, the information I gained was captivating. The First Tee Course Reporters spent more time digging deep into what is behind the elaborate stats, facts and figures of the PGA TOUR. The thought of setting up operations of such an amazing size seemed like an impossible task. The amount of meticulous detail that is put into every aspect of the technological side of golf is implausibly spellbinding.

While leaving the media center of Firestone Country Club, the first stop on our day's journey was the trailer of DTN/Meteorlogix. DTN/Meteorlogix is the official PGA TOUR forecaster. The PGA TOUR meteorologist Stewart Williams walked us through what controls the forecasting at PGA TOUR events. The radar he showed us was out of this world. This was no ordinary radar, and it wasn't the regular radar that can be found on the internet. The radar at DTN/Meteorlogix was so detailed and very specific. The expertise of the official PGA TOUR forecaster was only the start of our day.

The media center has the largest scoreboard that I've ever seen. Not only is its size impressive, but it is also being continually updated by hand. SHOTLink is an innovative system that collects and distributes scoring and statistical data on every shot by every player in real-time. SHOTLink records when every shot is hit and exactly where it is on the face of the earth. The mapping and recording of data is extremely intricate from a technological standpoint. Before today, I had no idea where the data for this humongous effort even came from. SHOTLink is the center of all the instantaneous scores and stats from PGA TOUR tournaments.

Bill Howard, the Director of Broadcasting for the PGA TOUR, showed The First Tee Course Reporters the convoluted elements of what goes on to make the programming on the television entertaining. People from graphic designers to producers, and many more, work assiduously to create, modify and decide what goes best on the public's television screens. The brains behind the broadcasts on television are truly remarkable.

All in all, although I'm disappointed that this chapter of my life has come to a close, I am indeed honored to have been a part of such an exclusive aspect of the golf world. My sincere and eternal gratitude go to The First Tee and the PGA TOUR for allowing me to participate in this splendid experience.

By Matt Fortney

Fortney

Whenever you get to watch your favorite player tee off, it always gives you sense of excitement. You think to yourself that it could some day be me teeing off in front of thousands of fans at a World Golf Championship. That is the feeling that came over me while watching Tiger Woods tee off on the first hole. The sense of excitement was incomparable. This was the first time I had ever seen him in person, and it was the highlight of my day. It is an experience that every golf fan needs to witness at least once in their life. I wish I could share it with my friends and family.

Today we got a tour of what it takes to accurately track the scores at a golf tournament -- SHOTLink. Whether you realize it or not, when you go online to check a score, or when the score rolls across a television telecast, SHOTLink is behind it. SHOTLink has lasers on the course to calculate the exact distance of each shot up to 7 miles. It is the premier system in the world. In addition to our visit to the SHOTLink truck, we also spent some time with Stewart Williams, the PGA TOUR's on-site meteorologist. Throughout the week, many of the people whom we met with shared some stories with us, and Stewart's story really stood out to me. He told us of a tournament he was working in Arizona back in the 1990s where it snowed and the players were out on the range building snowmen! Can you imagine going to a golf tournament and seeing snow? I can't!

I really want to thank the First Tee and the PGA TOUR for giving me this wonderful opportunity this week. I've learned about so many things and experienced many different things so much that most others would die for. I never knew that there was so much more going on than just the game of golf. So many people make everything work and put on a great event. I hope to have the opportunity to do this again.

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WEDNESDAY'S BLOGS

By Jennah Romansky

Romansky

The difference between seeing Tiger Woods in person and seeing Tiger Woods on television is the excitement that runs through your body when he first comes into view. I first saw Tiger as he was approaching the "flash" area for an interview. The "flash" area is a located off the 18th green and players stop here to be interviewed for their immediate post-round reaction. Despite all of the great things we did today, including visiting the TaylorMade truck and the on-site fitness center, standing 5 feet away from the best golfer in the world was ultimately the best.

We began our day with a visit to the TaylorMade truck. Here, we saw where most of the players get their equipment. It was an on site pro-shop. Whenever a player wants a new set or an individual club they go there and it is made right on the spot. One time they had to make 28 drivers in one day for the same player, but it was convenient and simple for the player and workers.

Seeing some of the pros, such as Tim Clarke in the fitness center was just like walking into the gym with a lot of sweaty guys. In the fitness center, we spoke with Chris Noss, an Amino Vital fitness trainer who not only works on players' physical health but their mental health as well. They designed the center for a functional workout, before or after a round.

To wrap up the day we got a glimpse into life inside a media center interview room. Here we sat in on Phil Mickleson's press conference, where we were one of 30 people in the room. Phil expressed his excitement to get back into his game after a couple weeks without playing. During his press conference, he stated that going through the situation with his wife and mother has made him re-think committing to PGA TOUR events a long time in advance.

That's all for me today from World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. Check back tomorrow to see what exciting things I get to do next!

By Will Blake

Blake

For years I've attend the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, and I've always wondered what it would be like to be behind the scenes at a tournament of such enormous magnitude. The privilege to communicate and converse with the tournament's players and get inside their heads to find out what they're thinking is what I've always wanted to do for just one day. Not only are people inside the ropes able to see the action from a different angle, they can see what exactly it takes to make the tournament a success. With my all-access pass to the core of the Bridgestone Invitational, I now have a different outlook on what it takes to make this tournament succeed. With the help of The First Tee and the PGA TOUR, I finally had a chance to see if the grass was greener on the other side.

A look inside the media center at the Bridgestone Invitational is what jumpstarted the entire day. The media center at Firestone is where journalists, photographers and videographers from numerous magazines, stations, newspapers and companies organize their information and tailor it for the general public. Countless interviews and press conferences help to gather information for the day's storylines. The dedication and diligence of the workers behind the scenes is the basis of the hard-hitting and most up-to-date stories that are delivered to the public on a daily basis.

The adventures in the shoes of someone behind the scenes began in the TaylorMade truck. The van was filled with multiple club parts, accessories, satellite television, video games, and more. This truck was not only the perfect adult play place, but it was literally a workshop on wheels. Anything that could be done in the manufacturing factory could be done in the van. Although I gathered information on what happens inside one of the equipment trailers, I wasn't exactly sure how I would put the information into words. Luckily, Helen Ross, Chief of Correspondents at PGATOUR.COM, was able to help us. Towards the middle of the day, she spoke with all of The First Tee Course Reporters and encouraged us on how we can express what we see and feel on paper. Some simple yet effective advice she gave to us was to write what we see and what we feel and that is exactly what you are reading right now.

Towards to end of our exclusive adventure, we were able to be witnesses to a press conference with Jim Justice, Tom Watson and West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin via satellite while seated in the interview room with Tim Finchem, commisioner of the PGA TOUR. The topic of this press conference was the magnificent Greenbrier Resort, which will be the site of The Greenbrier Classic which is set to take place in 2010. The dream of Justice, it will soon become a reality. Just to be able to observe a discussion of such an immense project was endearing and humbling.

Truly it was an honor and a privilege to be able to walk in the shoes of a tournament correspondent. The experience shed new light on how I look at a golf tournament and how I see the people inside the ropes. The integrity and perseverance of people behind the scenes is inspiring.

By Matt Fortney

Fortney

The highlight of my day would never have been possible if I hadn't left my camera at my workstation in the media center. I had just sat down for Phil Mickelson's press conference when I realized I had forgotten the camera. So I got up, took a sharp turn around the corner and almost got trampled by none other than Phil Mickelson himself. After listening to Phil's emotional press conference he walked back up the aisle right where I was sitting. He stopped for a moment and shook my hand which is truly a feeling I will never forget. I fell back in my seat and laughed because it was so amazing.

For me, the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational is turning out to be a great experience, and running into Phil is just the tip of the iceberg. There is nothing I would've have rather done on a beautiful day like today. We started our day by going to the TaylorMade truck. It was a workshop on wheels. Wade Liles, one of the technicians, showed us exactly what it takes to make a club while on the road. It takes about five minutes to make a driver with the new technology they have. In one day he had to make 28 drivers for one player, a process that would be way too time-consuming if it wasn't for the new TaylorMade technology.

After our visit to the TaylorMade truck, we sat down with Helen Ross, a writer for PGATOUR.COM and she gave us some tips on how to be a reporter. She gave us some insight on what it is like to be on the road, living the life of a sports journalist. From there we went to the fitness trailer to see one of the least visible aspects of the TOUR. It is a gym on wheels, where many players come before and after their rounds to workout and stretch. Chris Noss is one of the main trainers on TOUR and works with players such as Zach Johnson and the newly-crowned British Open champion, Stewart Cink. He let us know that these world-class golfers are just like any other human and he often makes them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to take with them on the course to eat throughout their round.

After about an hour of waiting for Tiger Woods, he finally showed up to flash area right in front of the clubhouse. I started to see everyone rush to the microphone so I looked around and saw him getting off a golf cart about 10 feet away. He proceeded to walk directly by me on this way up to the stage. He only spoke for about 10 minutes but I relished every moment as I recorded it on my camera.

It was really fun to visit the places I did today and meet the people that I met, despite it being just my first day here at Firestone Country Club. I wish everyone could be able to get this amazing experience.