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Local Knowledge: The FBR Open and the TPC of Scottsdale

By John Kim- PGA.com

Preparing a golf course to host a PGA TOUR event puts a staff of professionals under enormous pressure. But when the event is the FBR Open, the pressure increases tenfold because the course and the largest, loudest, and most festive crowd in golf is as much a draw as the players that are in the field. But PGA Head Professional Greg Wolf is not intimidated by the task, in fact he relishes it. Like any good party, he expects it to be a big success, and to have a good time to boot.

PGA.com: The FBR Open is probably better known for its crowds than the field of players. It's said your course hosts the largest galleries on TOUR and the most raucous. What is your experience at the tournament?

Wolf: Oh yes, it's definitely a big party. It's everything you hear (or read) about and more. Just as electric and charged an atmosphere as you could imagine. It's crazy. But it's great. Very exhuberant crowd. Everyone just having a blast. Not everyone's here to watch golf, but it's a fun time.

PGA.com: All of those people - not all golf fans - that can't be good for the course. How long does it take the course to recover?

Wolf: Not long at all. The way the course was designed, the crowds are all on the spec[tator] mounds. The course itself doesn't see too much traffic. The galleries are huge obviously, but they are mostly in the corporate tents or in the areas designed for them - so it's not a problem. We are open the Tuesday after the tournament for normal play.

PGA.com: What will your week look like during the event?

Wolf: We have three merchandise tents to manage, including the pro shop. We'll also take care of the practice facility, run the pro-am, take care of bag storage. It will be a busy week.

PGA.com: Describe your course for us, and what type of golfer tends to excel at your course?

Wolf: Anyone can play well here, really. It's not too difficult a course for any level of golfer, if you pick the correct tees to play from of course. But there aren't too many forced-carries, and it's not a target-golf course. It's fair, it's fun. It's a good course for any type of player.

PGA.com: The 16th Hole: I've never been there. Can you describe what it's like there? Is there a comparable venue in sports?

Wolf: Yeah, I think I can come up with a comparable venue. Think game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals and you get a player on a breakaway late in the third period. You have 20,000 people screaming at the top of their lungs. Now repeat that for a full field of golfers, that's our 16th hole. The crowd there is just the ultimate in sports. So knowledgeable, so fun. They'll serenade many players with their collegiate fight songs, or any other knowledge they can dig up on the guys as they approach the tee box, that's what they'll use. As once you hit a shot, then the fun really begins. Any shot that lands within 15-feet, it gets cheered wildly. But anything outside of 20-feet -- it's harsh. I think players are thinking about the 16th hole from the moment they start their round.

PGA.com: If you could hit one shot on the 16th hole, in front of a weekend crowd at the FBR, knowing how harsh they are on those who don't hit the green, would you?

Wolf: Oh yeah, it's the one shot I'd want to hit.

 
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