Behind the Scenes

Here are some faces you might never see, but without whom the tournament at Quail Hollow would not be the same:

LOCKER ROOM SUPERINTENDENT

Calvin Cunningham

The men's locker room at the Quail Hollow Club is a sanctuary of sorts. It is filled with rows of wooden lockers, leather furniture and a bar in the main room. In the back, there's a smaller room where appetizers are served, drinks are shared and flat-screen televisions keep members, their guests and PGA Tour players updated on the weather, business and sports. For 11 years, it has been Calvin Cunningham's domain. He knows the members and the pros, what they drink, what they wear and how they act. If the mood is right and the members ask for it, Cunningham can imitate many of Charlotte's most influential people while they chuckle at themselves.

Charm, style and attention to detail have allowed Cunningham to make a difficult job look easy.

"Calvin has become a part of the whole Quail Hollow experience," club President Johnny Harris said. "He understands the real sense of humor of this club that almost no one understands. Most people view us as staunchy and formal. We're anything but that. Calvin knows that.

"We hired him 11 years ago and it's been a love-in ever since." -- Ron Green Jr.

GROUNDS SUPERINTENDENT

Jeff Kent

Jeff Kent likes to post quotes on his office wall at the Quail Hollow Club.

One of his favorites, from PGA Tour player Lucas Glover: "I like where you have to ... think a little bit, and you definitely have to do that (at Quail Hollow)."

To Kent, Quail Hollow's grounds superintendent, there is no higher praise.

His job is to maintain Quail Hollow's immaculate fairways, rough, greens and bunkers, not only during Wachovia Championship week but for the club's membership the rest of year.

"I kind of look at the whole course as a painting," said Kent, 37. "There's a balance we have to keep between how things look and making sure they stay in as good a shape as possible."

Kent, the father of three, supervises a staff of 40—about 20 of whom have degrees in turf management. Sixty more groundskeepers from around the country are in town this week to help out.

Kent's chief source of concern is what he can't control: The weather. His No. 1 challenge is keeping the rough at a uniform height.

"But that's what makes this such a good job," he said. "There are so many things that are happening out there." -- David Scott

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Paula Burnett

Paula Burnett wants her army of volunteers at the Wachovia Championship to have "PFF."

That means: Patience. Flexibility. Fun.

As the volunteer coordinator, Burnett supervises 2,500 people who donate their time to help the tournament run smoothly (there's a waiting list of about 400). Nearly half the group works as marshals, whose primary job is crowd control. They're the ones holding their arms up for quiet.

The most sought-after job is walking scorekeeper, the person who accompanies each golfer and keys each shot into a small computer.

"That's a really cool job," said Burnett. "But you've got to stay on your toes."

Next-most popular job: The standard bearers who carry each group's score around the course.

Burnett, 48, has been with the tournament since its 2003 inception. She knows the importance of the folks who work for her.

"Without them," she said, "we don't have a tournament to put on." -- David Scott

Provider:
Knight-Ridder / Tribune Business News / Charlotte Observer, The (NC)