Volunteers keep Monday After The Masters running smoothly every year

Every year, several hundred people work together to put on one of the largest celebrity golf pro-am tournaments this side of the Mississippi.

The volunteers, some wearing red hats and golf shirts, do everything in their power to make sure the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Pro-Am Tournament runs smoothly.

“A lot of the same people come back to volunteer every year, so everybody pretty much knows what they’re doing,” said Joe Canti, hole captain No. 1.

Canti has been volunteering with the tournament ever since it moved from Columbia to North Myrtle Beach more than a decade ago. His reason for returning year after year?

“We always have fun,” Canti said. “The volunteers have a long day, but we try to keep it fun for them.”

More than 550 volunteers are needed every year to make sure the celebrity tournament runs without a hitch, said Laura Cupo, volunteer coordinator. Many of the workers are return volunteers, giving up a Monday each year to ensure the safety of the public and celebrities.

“These volunteers develop friendships here – they create lasting bonds,” Cupo said. “That’s why so many return year after year.”

Several thousand spectators and dozens of participants gather at The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort for the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Pro-Am Tournament every year. The event includes a celebrity long drive competition, the ESPN Live Mike & Mike radio show and golf tournament, followed by a concert by the S.C.-grown band.

The event aims to raise money for Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation, which works to even the playing field in educational funding in South Carolina. Darius Rucker, lead singer and solo country star, said the star-packed pro-am has a return of celebrities and volunteers every year.

“We’ve got a group of pretty good people that come every year,” Rucker said. “It’s for a good cause.”

Tournament volunteer positions open in early January and fill out within a few weeks, Cupo said. This year’s volunteer slots were filled in about four weeks, a new record for Cupo.

“It’s great to have that kind of support in the community,” she said.

And community is what Monday After The Masters is all about, said Mark Bryan, Hootie and Blowfish guitarist.

“For the Myrtle Beach community, it’s become an annual event where everyone comes together,” Bryan said. “There’s a real reunion feel to it, and that’s really special.

“I think that’s the best part of the tournament.”

Even the volunteer caddies get into the spirit. Kayleigh Reinke, 12, spent the day co-caddying for Tajh Boyd, former Clemson University quarterback. She isn’t old enough to caddy on her own yet, but said she “definitely” wants to volunteer next year.

“It’s so much fun getting to watch these guys do what they love,” she said.

Volunteers can choose from several jobs during the event, including driving shuttles and keeping score. Nancy Davis, of Myrtle Beach, jumped on the hospitality team with her sister Bridget Grim, who was visiting from Pennsylvania. The sisters were handing out wrist bands for entry into the clubhouse Monday afternoon.

“We were spectators for years, and finally we decided it would be fun to work it,” Davis said.

“You meet a lot of nice people, and everyone is really friendly,” Grim said. “It’s our little tradition now – it’s great.”

This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Volunteers keep Monday After The Masters running smoothly every year."