Letter: Golf tournament pay policy helps students

In response to a letter questioning why volunteers are requested to "pay" to be volunteers at the BMW Championship, I offer the following response. The proceeds from the BMW Championship (formerly the Western Open) go to the Evans Scholars Foundation to provide college scholarships to financially needy caddies across the U.S. The WGA has been running this incredible program since the 1930s in honor of Charles "Chick" Evans, one of the greatest amateur golfers of all time. I was fortunate to receive an Evans Scholarship in 1978 and it is a life-changing experience on many levels.

Many of the volunteers are Evans Scholar actives (in school) or alumni. The rest are volunteers outside the organization. If you rely on volunteers for manpower how do you ensure that they will honor their commitment? As the U.S.GA does for their championships, you offer tangible items that the volunteers pay for such as hats, shirts, etc. Having some contribution helps to defray costs and increase the amount for scholarships and also provides incentive for the volunteer to show up. It is not intended to be a money making device by any means.

John M Heinz

Vernon Hills