Anyone volunteering at the Funai Classic in October?

[OKWMEMBER]

I'm coming down from Erie to work as a Walking Scorer for the Funai Classic Thursday through Saturday. Is anyone else coming to work the tournament? If so, where are you staying? Gail and I will be staying at OKW all week.

 

[PamOKW]

Nope! But I sure wish I was! Have a great time.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Not volunteering, but DH would love to sometime. Who does he contact/when/how?

 

[PADVCmember@OKW]

I understand that the "perks" are pretty good for volunteers. What did you get?

 

[wdwstar]

How do you volunteer, that would be way to cool. DH was one of the finalist in the people vs pros in sept.2005. He was sent an email staing to send info & fees a day after the info and fees were to be submitted, in other words someone wasnt doing their job I guess there is always next year.

so please pm me with all info how to volunteer...thank you

 

[JimMIA]

Not volunteering, but DH would love to sometime. Who does he contact/when/how?

Boy, you have to REALLY want to volunteer for this tournament!

Typical Disney...you have to wade through about ten layers of websites to get here: http://disneyworldsports.disney.go....namentVolunteersEnthusiastsRegisterDetailPage

Click on that link, and with any luck at all, you will be magically transported to the page where you can register.

I have not done the Funai, but I've volunteered at the Doral for the last 16 years. It's a lot of fun, very little real work unless you happen to work the 18th green like I do or serve as a walking scorer, rover, etc, and you get to see some great golf.

You have to buy your uniform shirt ($35 at the Funai, I think), and they feed you lunch each day. I'm not sure what their benefit package really consists of, but they mention "attraction tickets and rounds of golf."

We get one round of golf at a choice of courses, including all the Doral courses, for each "shift" we work. That used to mean full day, but now means 1/2 day for us. Somehow I gathered up 14 free rounds last year...not quite sure how that happened. We also get free admission and free parking for the entire week (our festivities actually start the Saturday before our thursday-Sunday tournament, and a bunch of other stuff.

It's a lot of fun (obviously I like it!) and I'd recommend it highly.

 

[OKWMEMBER]

Thanks for the reply, JimMIA!!! That's the link I used to get info and to register.
You have your choice of rounds of golf or one day park passes. The number you get depends on how many shifts you work. 3-4 shifts get you 2 rounds of golf and a one day park pass or 2 one day park passes. 5-6 shifts qualify you for 3 rounds of golf and 2 one day park passes and so on.

I have worked the Hershey Open and the Lake Erie Charity Classic on the Nationwide Tour and have worked the 84 Lumber Classic on the PGA Tour, all as a walking scorer. You can't get any closer to the action and the golfers are great!

By the way, $35 for the shirt is correct, which is required. It's $39 for an optional jacket. Each volunteer also receives a volunteer pass which grants you admission to the tournament all week, a volunteer hat (baseball, straw or visor,your choice), a volunteer pin and lunch and/or breakfast snack each day you volunteer.

 

[pmcpmc]

I'm coming down from Erie to work as a Walking Scorer for the Funai Classic Thursday through Saturday. Is anyone else coming to work the tournament? If so, where are you staying? Gail and I will be staying at OKW all week.

I recovered the balls from the water

 

[OKWMEMBER]

Just thought I'd bump this up one time. I'm starting to get updates from the tournament office!!! I'll be working as a walking scorer at the Cleveland Open this week-end. It's a tournament on the Nationwide tour.

 

[lsutigger2]

Actually it isn't me, but my DH! This will be his second year to volunteer. Thanks to my niece who planned her wedding the weekend before so we could be in WDW for the tournament. DH is a walking scorer. He really enjoyed it last year. Got to meet some great golfers and hob nob with them, he loves that

We arrive at WDW on Oct. 19, we're going to HH from Sunday, Oct. 16 until 19th. The wedding is in NC. We're staying at VWL.

Last year DH got two rounds of golf and a one day park hopper ticket, which I'll be using this year.

If there are any golf widow's out there who might want to pal around a park for a few hours, let me know. Reply to this or send a PM.

Maybe we'll see ya on the course.

 

[kmc33]

Hi Gary!

It's nice to see your post! I hope that you and Gail are doing well.

I showed this to DH (John) and we both think it sounds like it would be fun to do sometime -- maybe after going to WDW isn't about taking Luke.

Your post was timely too, as I have been working on John to consider a small DVC contract. I have been showing him that there are so many fun things to do there in addition to the parks.

Take care and have a great time!!
- Kim

p.s. When are you cruising again? We are doing the Western Magic again this January.

 

[edith76]

My husband signed up and received his confirmation - but the training sessions are too early in Oct. for him to attend. Too bad, because he really would have liked to do it.

 

[WolfpackFan]

This isn't about volunteering, but about watching the tournament. Are tickets easily obtainable? I've got in mind doing this in two years. DW can spend her time laying out by pool, while I watch the golfers and then in the evening we can go to the F&W festival. Sounds like the perfect trip to me.

 

[Ji||s]

pmcpmc - I can just picture you wading about in the water after the golf balls... you should be used to getting your own from there!

 

[lsutigger2]

Info for Edith76: Have your hubby contact the tournament folks, there may be a job for him that doesn't require any training. Another DIS friend of mine's husband has been a standard bearer (they carry the sign that shows the score of the players they are walking with) for several years and has never been to training. My hubby is doing the same job he did last year, walking scorer (has to operate a palm pilot type device) and took the training last year, but doesn't have to do it again this year. Good thing because we won't arrive until Oct. 19 - the day before the tournament begins. I think he got a post card or email a week or so ago that stated they still needed volunteers.

Wolfpack Fan: Yes the tickets to the tournament are easy to get. Don't think there is a "sell out". You can get a full pkg or day by day tickets. Don't know how much they are - maybe $10/day. Two years ago hubby and I went two or three days, got to see some of our favorite golfers play (Tiger Woods, David Toms, etc ). It was fun, even for me a non-golfer, but one who supports her DH's golf habit! Last year DH volunteered three of the four days of the tournament, but we went on his day off, he got in free with his pass and I got a one day ticket. You're plan sounds like a good one. Our plan for this year is alot like yours, except that I go to the parks instead of lying by the pool. My skin doesn't agree with that much sun.
And in the evenings we do stuff together, usually F&W a night or two or just relaxing.

 

[OKWMEMBER]

I thought I'd let the folks in this thread know I had a great experience volunteering!!! Everyone was great and I even had a Tiger Woods moment! I will try to do this again in the near future.

 

[lsutigger2]

Just a bump -

My DH also had a great time at the tournament this year. Except for dodging Hurricane Wilma
We are going to WDW first weekend in February, staying at OKW so he can use his "free" golf vouchers. They expire in September and we don't have plans to be back until Nov. So we "had" to take an extra trip! and I wasn't about to argue

Sadly, he won't be able to volunteer this year as he is scheduled to work.

 

[fkj2]

A couple of questions: How many days is the Funai Classic and if you volunteer, does it have to be for the entire run of the tournament or can you do fewer days?

 

[lsutigger2]

The Funai is four days, Thursday - Sunday. There may be opportunities the Tuesday - Wednesday. Not sure.
DH has always worked three of the four days. The Committee chairs usually assign and I guess you could let them know how many days you were available. The more days you volunteer, the more perks you receive. This year they were still looking for volunteers a few weeks before the tournament.
You might want to read my other post in this thread. It has info about the training.

It really is fun!

 

[robinb]

We watched some of this tournament from our balcony at OKW a few years ago. It think it was named after a car company them. My step-father loved it. Too bad this year's tournament is over at the MK courses and not the Buena Vista Couse.