The Masters will always hold a special place in the heart of Robin Jervey, the CWGA’s executive director from 1992-2014, who posted on Facebook Monday: “Wish I was driving up Magnolia Lane right now … love Masters Week!!! Lots of fun memories at Augusta National Golf Club”
Accompanying the post was a photo of Jervey’s badge as a rules official at the 2011 Masters. In all, she served in that capacity in four Masters, from 2008 through ’11.
But even without visiting Augusta National, this spring — and summer — will be eventful for Jervey. On May 31 at Pinehurst Country Club, she’ll receive the Distinguished Service Award from the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. (To see all those who will be honored that night, CLICK HERE.) Then on Sept. 4, Jervey plans to marry Scott Whitcomb, director of field operations for the Massachusetts Golf Association.
Indeed, change has been the norm for Jervey since the beginning of 2014 after a lot of stability during her time in Colorado. A little more than a year ago, she ended her 22-year run as the CWGA’s executive director, with former USGA regional affairs director Ann Guiberson replacing her at the CWGA helm. Then she relocated to the East Coast, where she grew up, and started her new job as director of event management for JBC Golf — and the Legends Tour, the 45-and-over LPGA senior circuit.
“I didn’t know what to expect stepping into it,” Jervey said in a phone interview this week while fighting some traffic in the Boston area. “Personally it’s been terrific with my fiance here and my parents (in the area) six months a year. Professionally, working for a woman-owned business (JBC was founded by former LPGA player Jane Blalock) with a small, all-female staff is the same dynamic as with the CWGA. But the job is quite different.”
Jervey manages operations for the Legends Tour, which this year features 10 tournaments from March through November, with stops in Arizona, Florida (four), Georgia, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Jervey’s new hometown of Plymouth, Mass. (Note: Starting in 2018, many Legends Tour players will be competing in the new U.S. Senior Women’s Open, conducted by the USGA for competitors 50 and older.)
For the Legends Tour, Jervey handles everything from shipping loads of equipment from site to site, to setting up offices and tents at each venue, to dealing with player hospitality, signage and sometimes an expo area for sponsors, etc., etc.
“Basically all the stuff not inside the ropes,” Jervey said.
Ironically, the one thing Jervey doesn’t handle is Rules of Golf matters at the tournaments. After all, she once scored 100 percent on the Rules test, and she’s officiated at U.S. Opens, U.S. Women’s Opens, U.S. Senior Opens and other USGA national championships, in addition to the Masters.
One aspect of the work Jervey has certainly enjoyed is interacting with the Legends players. For example, the field for last month’s Walgreen’s Charity Classic in Sun City West, Ariz., featured Nancy Lopez, Amy Alcott, Pat Bradley, JoAnne Carner, Juli Inkster, Betsy King, Patty Sheehan, Sandra Haynie, Jan Stephenson, Sandra Palmer and Donna Caponi, among others. Also a regular on the tour is three-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Hollis Stacy, who lived in Lakewood almost two decades and who stayed in Jervey’s home during a Legends event last year.
“It’s neat to get to know people I grew up idolizing,” Jervey said. “And they’re similar to my age. They were huge LPGA players, but you realize they’re just like you and me.
“There’s a fair amount of (interaction) with players. They mingle and hang out at venues. At our Handa Cup event, which is our equivalent of the Solheim Cup, last year I really got to know the players. The event was in a small town in Mississippi and (the group) spent pretty much the whole week together. We were at the club pretty much 24/7. It was fun. They’ve been friendly and welcoming.”
In between stops on the Legends Tour, Jervey will return to her old stomping grounds, with fiance Scott, to accept the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s Distinguished Service Award for the impact she made in Colorado golf during her 22-year tenure as the CWGA’s executive director.
“I’ll have a few friends there, and (2015 inductee) Christie Austin is a good friend and I’m sure she’ll get a slew of support. And a lot of her friends are my friends,” said Jervey, who will be making her third trip back to Colorado since leaving the CWGA. “It’ll be nice to see those people. I’m looking forward to it.”
Indeed, though Facebook has made it easier to stay in touch with old friends, co-workers and volunteers in Colorado, Jervey said that not seeing them is one of the things she misses most about no longer being the CWGA executive director. There were also some perks that went by the wayside when she left her position, such as working USGA championships as she had to step away from prominent USGA committees.
“I was given a tremendous opportunity to serve in Colorado and nationally,” said Jervey a former president of the International Association of Golf Administrators. “I was appreciative of that opportunity. It was a wonderful experience.”
