En-Joie Preps for Dick's Open

8/13/2012 (Updated 6:50:18 PM)

(Source: Jason Weinstein)

With Tournament Week here, volunteers and staff are putting the finishing touches on En-Joie for the Dick's Open.

"It's really last-minute preparation. Just kind of dotting the "i"'s and crossing the "t"s - a little bit of polish here and there," said Tournament Director John Karedes.

The greens were mostly empty Monday. A handful of golfers are getting in some practice rounds today. But for those golfers, organizers, and volunteers, today is most certainly the calm before the storm.

"Yeah, pretty much.  We get slammed," said volunteer Andrew Watkins.

Andrew Watkins has worked the grill at the 19th hole for 17 years. It's a popular spot during the tournament.

"Sometimes we have 20, 30 people out the door," said Watkins.
And sometimes some of those people are the golfers themselves.

"All the time. Anytime they come around the turn, a lot of them stop right back here. They stop in for food," said Watkins.

And today was prep time for vendors, too. Sam Lupo has been serving spiedies at the tournament since 1988.

"We're bringing in over 4,000 pounds of meat to cook along with the french fries and our crew. We start on Wednesday and go right through Sunday," said Lupo.

Lupo says he's seen a lot change over the past few years.

"At the end of the BC Open days  things were starting to wind down a little bit. The Champions Tour came back on and it's just as strong as ever. Last year our sandwich count was back as good as the old days, the heydays of when the course was extremely busy," said Lupo.

Practice rounds for the entire field take place tomorrow. Pro-ams will be Wednesday and Thursday with tournament play beginning

****Friday. In Endicott, Jason Weinstein, FOX 40 News.****

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