The American Junior Golf Association has awarded the Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee with the 2018 Volunteer Award.
Each year, the AJGA presents awards to the tournaments with the best individual hospitality, Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament, charitable giving and volunteer base. Awards are also given to the events with engaged media and social media participation. Finally, the AJGA recognizes the year’s most outstanding golf professional, superintendent and golf course executive, as well as the most game-changing event, best new event, best Junior Golf Hub Preview Series tournament, best AJGA Junior All-Star Series tournament, best Invitational and overall tournament of the year. Tournament awards for the 2018 season will be presented on-site at the 2019 tournaments.
“Getting this honor is very rewarding to all of us who take pride in our volunteer assignments for the AJGA,” Volunteer Chair Charles Finch said. “The award validates our spirit and energy and it helps that golf operations gets to see how much we love having tournaments as we can really excel.”
In the tournament’s second year at Reynolds Lake Oconee in 2018, there were more than 80 volunteers per day and special volunteer sub-committees to coordinate all logistical aspects. For Finch and his volunteer base, the atmosphere of the tournament makes it enjoyable for everyone who comes to help.
“The youth of the competitors is embraced by our volunteers every minute of the day,” Finch said. “Every player, every parent is so gracious to our volunteers and it results in a pleasant atmosphere.”
This can be seen through the many volunteers that enhance the overall player experience by participating in the tournament’s Junior-Am, shuttling juniors in between holes and providing live scoring on every hole. The volunteers don’t stop with just helping the players, they shuttle spectators, put out coolers each morning, prep coolers in the afternoon and assist the AJGA staff with course breakdown to help reduce the hours worked.
Seeing great golf for three days and being around these young ladies and gentlemen that represent the game so well makes it a magical experience for all of us.
For the many volunteers, working the event adds to their experience while living in the local Reynolds Lake Oconee community.
“It is the most popular tournament for our volunteers at Reynolds,” Finch said. “Each year the requests to work it increase because of how much fun the tournament is. Seeing great golf for three days and being around these young ladies and gentlemen that represent the game so well makes it a magical experience for all of us.”
The AJGA will return to Reynolds Lake Oconee for the Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee October 11-14.