The green on the valances that frame the large tents along the midway doesn’t match the green on the banners that flutter around them — or the green on the Women’s Open logo. Jones wants them all to match exactly. So he calls his vendor in Los Angeles. The crew works all night and gets valances with the corrected color to him just in time for the arrival of the first spectators on Saturday morning.
Jones is a detail man. To him the details make good golf tournaments grow into great ones. The ultimate goal for all of his Championships is for them to be considered the standard by which all others are measured.
“It’s the details that make the difference,” Jones says. “It’s the little touches that people notice that make a big difference. People notice them and really appreciate them.”
As for the different shades of green, Jones says, “People would notice. It looked pretty bad.”
Lately life has been hectic for Jones, who also ran the U.S. Open in Pinehurst two years ago. This time of year doesn’t leave much time for his wife, Nicole, and his 13-month-old daughter, Katie. He averages 12 cell phone calls an hour, a dozen or so radio transmissions, and at least 12 Mountain Dews a day.
“I gotta stay hydrated and caffeinated,” he says.
Jones parked his cart beside the 18th fairway to help Kristin Xippolitos, who the handles the television networks for USGA, do a little international diplomacy. It seems NBC wants to switch camera positions with the Japanese television network for a better angle down the 18th hole.
One problem, though. A couple of pine branches block the view from the spot where the Japanese crew will be moved. Jones breaks out his big, black “bible” and promptly finds the number for a local tree trimmer. He makes the call. Problem solved. Branches trimmed. Crisis averted. And the USGA is happy.
“We have a whole crew of folks who go out of their way to look after us,” Jones says. “I can call them in the middle of the night and these guys will take care of it. These guys and my staff are exceptional.
“I’m not sure we could get that kind of support in a big city. This community gets excited about the Championship and wants to get involved with it.”
As soon as Xippolitos strolls down the path, a couple of spectators approach the ever-approachable Jones and ask if he will snap a couple of pictures of them. Jones quickly obliges. Then another group stops him to ask for directions to the merchandise tent. Jones, using his native Tar Heel drawl, politely shows them the way: Walk a mile or take a five-minute bus ride. The ladies choose one of the half-dozen buses Jones has chartered for just such an occasion.
Before he can pick up his cell phone, one of Reg’s friends stops by to tell how impressive the presentation of the Championship is.
“Everything looks great. It all flows so great,” says Michael Gantt, a financial adviser with Morgan Stanley in Pinehurst. “I especially liked the tractor ride in from the parking lot. It’s a nice little touch that brings you into a great atmosphere.”
Jones always likes positive customer feedback. He keeps tabs on their experiences by experiencing the Open from their perspective. “I always eat at different concession stands and use the public restrooms,” he says. “If I don’t, I won’t know what it’s like for the customers.”
Success, Reg Jones says, is in the details.
