Hannah & Robbie’s Video Piece

Hannah & Robbie at Nike Golf Demo Day

On Saturday, August 14, Nike Golf invited JELD-WEN Tradition Junior Reporters Hannah Goldstein and Robbie Schulberg out to their product Demo Day, held at the Nike Factory Outlet in Bend.

In addition to being interviewed live on 98.3, Hannah and Robbie were on hand to mingle with Nike employees, test Nike equipment and participate in games and giveaways.

Click the pics below to view the full-size images.

Photos courtesy of Keaton Myrick.

Hannah’s Friday Blog

Men who participate in the male part of pas de deux, a type of ballet that features the man lifting the woman, are often encouraged to take pointe classes to see what it’s like from the ballerina’s point of view. That way, they are able to put themselves in their partners’ small, very hard shoes, enabling them to work better as a team.

Professional golfers are not frequently told to take ballet classes, but working as the other part of a golfing team is often done to both humble the players and experience the other side of the game. This is why so many golfers have also been caddies.

Senior pro golfers in particular are perfect candidates for caddying. They are extremely familiar with the game, having it as their profession and all, and also have played many of the courses that they are caddying, making them familiar with which holes require which types of clubs.

They don’t often choose to caddy for just anybody, mainly family members who are up-and-coming on the golf scene. For instance, following the JELD-WEN Tradition Bob Tway is going to caddy for his son, amateur golfer Kevin Tway.

Doing this not only brings them closer as a family, but also helps the professional develop newfound respect for his own caddie. For some, such as Bernhard Langer, respecting their caddie also brings them closer as a family.

Langer’s son, Stefan Langer, has been known to caddie for his dad from time-to-time. When a golfer is away from his family for extended periods of time for his job, having their caddie be a family member is a good way to spend time with their family while bringing home the bacon.

A caddie-golfer relationship is one of the most special bonds in the professional world. They accompany each other to every tournament in a golf season, and the caddie has to be familiar with both the player as well as how he plays. They can stay together for as long as twenty years, longer than the average marriage.

Being a caddie is a good way to be involved in professional golf without the hassle of being famous. While their golfer is getting hoarded for autographs, the caddie can be off on the side conversing with an equally important golfer.

Although many of the players are not actually related to their caddies, the connection they have overpowers the rule that says that people have to have the same blood to be family. Sometimes, family is just those who know you best.

Hannah’s Feature-Length Article

They say it’s not the dress that makes the outfit, it’s the accessories… Or something along those lines. Don’t worry, this isn’t a sports-article-turned-fashion-advice-column, this quote is actually a metaphor that just so happens to be crafted around something that’s the complete opposite of golf.

Watching golf, or any professional sport for that matter, is completely different on TV than it is live. Golf on TV is just that- golf. The players shoot the ball, try to get it into the hole, and repeat for 18 holes. Golf in person is only about 10% actual golf and 90% “accessory”.

What they don’t show on TV is the cameras following players around, fans swarming their heroes after every hole, and reporters trying to get the quote they need from whoever can provide it, no matter the cost.

For those who have never been to any live sporting event, especially golf, it isn’t just a game- it’s a production. The amount of work that goes into making sure those clubs can be swung as many times as it takes to get the ball in the hole 18 times a day for four days straight is mind-blowing. There are more people working on something as simple as making sure everybody is being fed than there are actually playing the sport.

One of the biggest parts about a sporting production is the media. They not only let people know what is going on with the game, but they also have the power to manipulate the players to be whoever it is that helps support their most current point of view on the sport.

If it weren’t for the media, most people wouldn’t even know what sports were all about, let alone follow them as intently as they do now. Being familiar with the big names to the point of feeling as if they know them is part of what makes the average person so enthralled with a certain sport, and that is part of what the media is there for.

Being behind the scenes at an athletic event is even more of an eye-opener. Seeing the people who are kept behind restrictive ropes is breathtaking, even if one has no idea who exactly they are. The simple fact that they have become successful enough to be followed by reporters, and watching them do something as normal as eat a banana is kind of humbling.

The JELD-WEN Tradition was especially mind-blowing. For days leading up to the actual golfing there were events promoting it, which not only let people know what was going on but it also made those who attended feel special and personally in on what goes on behind the scenes.

One thing that everyone in the world has in common is that they all want to feel like they are a part of something, and events such as the JELD-WEN work hard to achieve this with all who attend. It’s not the actual sport that pulls people in- it’s the free stuff, the chance to meet famous people, to collect proof that they met famous people, to be on TV, to be surrounded by something that feels important. This is all part of the 90% of a golf tournament that isn’t actually about golf.

Working behind the scenes at the JELD-WEN Tradition was more than just an opportunity to report; it was an opportunity to learn what it is that makes something like golf so successful. The real lesson was, to quote a seemingly anonymous inspirational speaker; it’s not what you do, but how you do it.

Junior Reporters on KTVZ

Click here to watch the 2010 JELD-WEN Tradition Junior Reporters as they visit with Channel 21′s Ted Taylor.

Robbie’s Feature-Length Article

I’m sure some golf fans who are in attendance at this week’s JELD-WEN Tradition at Crosswater Golf Course have heard of the two junior reporters who are writing a few articles for the tournament website. But many don’t realize what it’s like for these two teenagers to have all-access media credentials during a tournament as prestigious as the Tradition.

I was honorably selected to be one of these junior reporters and it’s been a fantastic experience like non other.

As one of the junior reporters, my first order of business was to attend the Nike Golf Product Demo at the Bend Outlet Mall. I thought it was one of those deals where I just had to show up so that I could meet some people from Nike and introduce myself as one of the reporters.

Boy, was I wrong.

Not only did I meet some unfamiliar faces, including my fellow reporter, Hannah Goldstein, but also I was part of a photo shoot. Hannah and I went around and tried out some demo clubs and participated in other fun-filled activities while a professional photographer snapped pictures of us.

Lastly, a local radio station interviewed me. I was asked why I thought the opportunity to become a junior reporter for the JELD-WEN Tradition would be fitting for me. I said that writing and golf are my two biggest passions, so why not do something that combines the two?

My first day on the job happened to be the day of the Pro-Am Championship. Knowing that I’d have the chance to walk a few holes and interview a pro was very exciting.

I ended up getting to interview four-time Champions Tour winner John Cook. Although it was my first time having a full-on conversation with a professional golfer, I felt comfortable and relaxed while talking to him. I walked with his group from holes 10 to 14, before heading back to the media center, where I would then write my first blog of the week.

I would soon find that another perk of being a junior reporter, besides having the chance to walk inside the ropes with a tour professional, is getting free food!

At the same time, being a junior reporter isn’t all fun and games. Usually, I put in eight hours of work per day, which may include editing and then finishing up an article at home. But whether I’m putting the final touches on a writing piece late at night, or interviewing a tour pro, I’m enjoying every minute of it.

Not only have I interviewed some big names in golf, but also a few news stations have interviewed me, including my counterpart, Hannah.

On Wednesday, Bend’s local KTVZ reporter, Ted Taylor, interviewed the two of us and we ended up getting to be on television that night. I also had the fine pleasure of being introduced to Peter Jacobsen, who is quite a character. I had always wanted to meet Jacobsen because he is a Portland-native and he attended my current school, Lincoln High. Go Cards!

Wednesday also included attending Nike Golf Junior Day. Before the clinic began, I interviewed Bob Tway, who was the featured Tour pro at the clinic. Hannah and I were later introduced in front of the kids who attended.

In the afternoon, Hannah and I attended the Nike Golf Junior Shootout. We witnessed the top high school golfers in Oregon team up with some Champions Tour pros in a four-hole scramble. Being a high school golfer, I found this event very special because it was cool to see how the young golfers and the Tour pros interacted with each other. Everyone had a superb time on the course, and getting to watch the likes of Jay Haas and Fred Funk was truly amazing.

Over the course of this week I’ve met many famous golfers. For most of Thursday, I followed the grouping of Tom Watson, Bernhard Langer, and Tom Kite. I introduced myself to Watson and Kite as they were coming off hole nine and making the turn. To no surprise they both turned, and politely said “hello” back. What an amazing moment!

Being here this week at the JELD-WEN Tradition has further inspired me to continue my pursuit to become a writer and I’m grateful and honored to have had the chance to be a junior reporter, something many teenagers my age don’t get the chance to do.

Robbie’s Thursday Blog

Thursday, August 19 -  First Championship Round

I’ve always admired Tom Watson as a professional golfer, but even more so as an individual. Today, at the first round of the JELD-WEN Tradition, I was once again able to appreciate why so many call Watson the perfect ambassador for the game of golf.

Wanting to see Watson in person once again, I made sure to get to the first hole in plenty of time. I would then be able to see Watson and his fellow competitors, Bernhard Langer and Tom Kite, hit their first shots of the day.

As Watson approached the first tee, he signed a few autographs and introduced himself to the volunteers and tournament coordinators by shaking each of their hands. After waiting for a few minutes for the group ahead to be out of reach, Watson, Langer and Kite all hit their tee shots. Watson hit his ball smack down the middle of the fairway, out-driving Langer and Kite by at least 15 yards.

The first time I ever saw Watson up close was at this year’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.  I watched him for a few holes on Saturday, after he made the cut, the oldest player in the tournament to do so.

Watson actually won his first and only U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 1982, holding off, at that time, the number one golfer in the world, Jack Nicklaus. He finished his PGA TOUR career having won 39 tournaments, eight of them being majors.

Tom Watson should not only be admired by the way he plays such high-caliber golf week in and week out, but how he carries himself on the course and especially in life.

Hannah’s Thursday Blog

Thursday, August 19 – First Championship Round

Most people associate professional sporting events with ecstatic fans in face paint, lots of noise, and at least one player who finds it appropriate to attack another player, a referee, or even a fan. So when the TV turns to ESPN and the announcer is describing how quiet and civilized the audience is, shouldn’t one wonder what the heck kind of game he’s talking about?

Those who haven’t been kept under a rock for their entire lives would recognize the announcer’s description as golf, the lone civilized pastime in all of professional sports. There’s an unspoken dress code that leaves all the spectators in conservative polos and khakis, polite clapping following a good shot, and no referee to attack even if the competitors were aggressive enough to do so. The most scandalous thing that can happen at a golf tournament is a player breaking a club out of frustration. Yes, that does actually happen outside the movie Happy Gilmore.

But is the silence surrounding the golfers just applying more pressure? Money is on the line every time one of them swings a golf club, and they are extremely aware of it.

The pros on the Champions Tour have been playing with this audience for most of their lives, and while some have gotten used to it others try to fill the silence themselves to get rid of the anxiety in the air.

Pressure on the players is not something that sets golf apart from other sports, but the stillness on the course is. Is this just the break that professional sporting needs from the craziness surrounding all other events? Or is it lacking what the pros need to really play the game?

“I like it loud, football stadium loud,” jokes Nic Higlin, a high school sophomore who both plays and watches the game of golf. “I’m just kidding, not that loud- but watching a silent sport gets kind of boring, and I like to get cheered on when I play sports.”

His younger brother, Max Higlin, agrees.

“As long as the spectators were being loud out of support and not booing me, I feel like it would definitely affect my golf game in a positive way,” explains Higlin.

This tension-filled silence isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but one can tell that it does affect the players. For instance, in the pro-am and practice rounds leading up to the JELD-WEN Tradition, the professionals were approachable and easy-going. Today at the first round of the tournament, many were hurrying from one place to another, huddled with their caddies, anxiously shaking hands with the people important to this event.

“When am I most nervous about a golf tournament? Definitely not beforehand, that’s for sure. It has to sink in for me to get nervous about it,” states Bernhard Langer, a professional golfer at the JELD-WEN Tradition.

Regardless of one’s opinion on the audience of golf, it’s the individuality of the sport that makes it so interesting to report on.

Robbie’s Wednesday Blog

Wednesday, August 18 – Nike Golf Junior Day

Having the opportunity to play at Crosswater is pretty special, but to be able to play the course with two Champions Tour professionals is an experience like non other.

On Wednesday, I had the distinct honor to walk with one of the pairings in the Nike Golf Junior Shootout.

The shootout consisted of 12 high school and/or collegiate golfers. One boy and one girl were paired up with a pro and they played a total of four holes. It was set up as a scramble format, and the top three of six teams were to advance to the fifth, and last, hole.

Standing in the concessions tent on the first tee, I could tell some of these younger golfers in my group were feeling the pressure, being that they were playing with the likes of Jeff Sluman and Jay Haas.

At the same time, these teenagers were very engaged and listened very closely to what Haas and Sluman had to advise. I was even able to get some helpful pointers just by paying attention to what they were saying.

Walking inside the ropes and being close to the players, I was able to observe how the Tour pros interacted with the younger stars and vice-versa. Haas was usually cracking a few jokes to relax his playing partners, while Sluman was helping his group by determining how much brake there would be on a fifteen-foot putt for birdie. Either way, the pros showed these rising stars a fantastic time.

Unfortunately, neither Haas’ nor Sluman’s group advanced to the playoff hole, as they both finished tied for fourth place at two-under-par.

But no matter the outcome, these young, talented players seemed very proud to have had the chance to tee it up with some of the biggest names in golf.

Hannah’s Wednesday Blog

Wednesday, August 18 – Nike Golf Junior Day

The word “golf” originated from the acronym “Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden,” if one is to believe common folklore. Now, however, ladies are in no way excluded from the game, as proven at today’s Nike Golf Junior Day at the JELD-WEN Tradition.

Although the first part of the day was solely dedicated to a children’s clinic, with both families and an entire section of the Boys and Girls Club attending, starting at three-o-clock ladies were given their chance to shine. Paired with a male high school golf champion from any Oregon school and a Champions Tour professional, six girls raging from juniors in high school to freshmen in college participated in a five-hole competition.

The Nike Golf Junior Shootout, an annual event at the JELD-WEN Tournament, gives students who excel both on the course and off it a chance to play and mingle with the pros.

Fred Funk’s team took the win this year, with Mike Reid’s team in a close second (originally tied for first, the tie was broken with a chip-off) and John Cook’s in third. Prizes were awarded to those who placed, but for the participants the real reward was being able to play with such successful and experienced golfers.

Making said golfers so available to the public is one of the greatest parts about the program, according to yearly JELD-WEN Tradition attendee Jay Black.

“Last year I was able to talk to Fuzzy Zoeller, something that would be unheard of in just about any other sport,” says Black. “He was so funny and down-to-earth; it made the tournament such a unique experience.”

With professionals wandering the course in between rounds, one is almost guaranteed to meet someone whose name is on the scoreboard. The most accessible place to find them is on the driving range or after a round.

Golf has come a long way since, if we are to believe the old wives tale, the prohibiting of women in the sport. Not only does it now include women, it also makes a point to extend even the hand of a professional out to the children. Nike Golf Junior Day was a success of epic proportions this year and one can only hope that junior golfers, and participants in any sport, for that matter, will be included in such events in the future.