Golf Fans Sighted: AT&T Under Way

After my early morning swim I started to see them.  Yes it's true, golf fans are peeking out from behind signposts and over steering wheels, looking for arrows pointing the way to shuttle bus stops.  There is very limited private vehicle access to Pebble Beach.  The intrepid fans who are bound and determined to see early morning golf action are everywhere.

For intstance, I spotted a cluster of fans - men all dressed in requisite Docker pants, knit shirts and vests and the usual black baseball caps - walking along Foam Street examining store fronts together.  It was an odd thing to see at 7:30 in the morning.  It's not a street tourists usually stroll down for any reason and looks utilitarian at best. I can't say I really know what they were doing in that part of town at that early hour, but they looked harmless, curious, excited.  Just a little off course.

Locals who have been volunteering at the tournament for years ever since it was called The Crosby are talking about what it was like to do various jobs from year to year, and they're feeling quite a bit of nostalgia.  The tournament has been around long enough that people mark phases of their lives with it.  Most begin volunteering when they are teens in high school and continue on when they can.  It's usually the best way for them to see the action as well as behind the scenes.  I recall friends of mine in high school who used to carry leader boards when they were high school students, especially boys who were on the golf team.  It was quite a plum job and earned them bragging rights.

Today was the first day of play, which will continue on until Sunday.  We'll see if this fine weather holds.  So far it has been spectacular and a huge contrast to two years ago when the event was rained out  in spite of heroic efforts by greenskeepers to squeegee off greens and provide shelter for fans and players.  It was awful.

As a matter of fact, with Valentine's Day coming up, the AT&T in full swing (oops, pun), and gorgeous weather shining in every direction, folks are getting a little giddy around here.  A fine state of affairs for everyone.