After the last putt drops, the scramble is on to clean up and break down at TPC Boston
"Our volunteers are integral. They’re the heart and soul."
NORTON — Even before Bryson DeChambeau tapped in the final, victorious putt of the Dell Technologies Championship Monday, hundreds of TPC Boston volunteers and staff already were making the herculean effort required to clean up and break down a course on the PGA Tour.
Golf carts raced up and down pathways, recycling bags teeming with a holiday weekend’s worth of empties were collected, cables were wound, and a thousand other tasks on the disassembly checklist were attended to.
Set to the backdrop of a setting sun, it marked a fitting end to the PGA Tour’s final Labor Day event in New England.
“We went out in style,’’ said PGA executive director Rich Brady. “Bryson made sure of that.’’
Of course, the PGA isn’t done with TPC Boston, but the circumstance will fundamentally change. The yearly aspect of the event is over, turning into a biannual appearance in New England (next appearing in 2020).
And the tradition of finishing on a Labor Day Monday, which began in 2003, is ending.
Still, not everyone is upset about it.
“It’ll be our first Labor Day in years,’’ says volunteer James Primo as he helped clean up near the 17th hole. A military veteran of tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan, Primo has been a volunteer at TPC Boston since 2013, while his wife, Judy, has been one for three years.
Though he’s happy to regain the long weekend, Primo said it’ll be a loss to not see golf on the holiday. He’s proud of being part of the setup, considering the job that TPC Boston does to accommodate visitors.
“I know at other events they don’t provide anything like they do here,’’ he says. “All they give them is water. Here it’s much better. They do a great job.’’
Bob Brown packs up a mobile beer bar.
Walking back near the clubhouse, the remaining crowds — which totaled an estimated 140,000 across the weekend — were coalescing into a single column stretching toward shuttle buses. From there, they were ferried back to the parking area. While traffic on the main roads might be a different story, fans were able to get to their cars with surprising efficiency.
“At a certain point, you turn around and there won’t be a soul in here except volunteers and staff,’’ said Charlie Watson, a Brockton resident who has been a volunteer at a fan information center for a decade. “I keep doing it because I like helping people find their way.’’
“Our volunteers are integral,’’ Brady said. “They’re the heart and soul.’’
According to Brady’s figures, there have been more than 1,250 volunteers throughout the process of hosting the Dell. The aftermath was handled mostly by staff and contractors, as an event that took 2½ months to prepare was disassembled in four weeks.
“Everything on-site is temporary,’’ Brady said, “so it all has to be broken down, and that takes a little time.’’
While the village of temporary buildings will take time to pack up, other things were gone before sunrise. Chip Edney, who is in charge of audio for the PGA Tour, methodically worked his way around, taking down speakers from an outdoor food court.
“We’ll be done tonight,’’ he said from atop a ladder. “It empties right out and then we’ll drive through back to Jacksonville.’’
Chip Edney wraps up audio cable.
Not far away, on the 18th green, a group of PGA interns stole a few moments to practice putting. As it was completely dark outside, they clustered around a hole and took turns putting by the light of a cellphone. For now, their work was done. It began again quickly, given the rapid turnaround of the PGA schedule, so they enjoyed their finite free time.
Up in the parking lot, the cycling system of buses switched from fans to volunteers and staff. Dorchester resident Buddy Richardson, in his 13th year working the event, oversaw the process. With things winding down, he saw the finish line.
“Before I go, I’ll do a sweep-around,’’ he said.
Officials estimated that around 140,000 golf fans showed up in Norton for the tournament.
After checking on remaining staff helping to pack things up, he focused on making sure everyone in the clubhouse had a ride.
Asked who are the last people to leave, he said, “Dishwashers.’’
Generally, 10:30 p.m. is when it all shut down. But
there were exceptions. Richardson can recall things not finishing in years past until well after midnight.
As staffers and Tour executives enjoyed a small celebration, DeChambeau exited alone out of the clubhouse to a waiting car. Where hours earlier his every movement had been tracked by thousands of fans and numerous television cameras, he seemed equally at home in quiet anonymity, departing into the night as Boston’s last Labor Day champion.
