PHOENIX — One man has spent more than a quarter century studying professional golfers, all from the 16th tee box at the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course.
Longtime Thunderbird Jock Holliman has been bringing the noise to the "loudest hole in golf" since 1997.
For 26 years, Holliman has been behind the mic, the guy who announces all the pros as they approach the tee box, hoping for the hole-in-one on par 3.
Holliman was the marshal walking with Tiger Woods and Omar Uresti on day one of the job, witnessing the famous ace that made 16 what it is today.
"Just from the moment Tiger hit it, his eyes were lasered on the ball, and people realized this thing was going in the hole. The decibel level just kept going up and up and up; it was like I was behind a 747 taking off."
It's a tough act to follow, but for the next 26 years, he's enjoyed every minute of the "greenest show on grass." He's watched as the 16th hole has transformed over the years.
"It used to be pretty rowdy, but bit by bit, we've closed in the hole with skyboxes. The coliseum has really helped us with crowd control."
The coliseum, as it's so affectionately known, is where Holliman has studied so many golf greats.
"Every pro has a slightly different address, and there's a moment when they lock down. If you call the 'quiet please' too early, the crowd will start to buzz again and if you call it too late, you interrupt the pro and they have to start over and that causes a pacing issue."
Make no mistake, Holliman said this is where all the magic happens, and some pros eat it up.
"There are several people, several pros, who like the noise. Ricky's great, Bubba is great, Chris Stroud, Bones is JT's caddy, and he gives me the sign you turn it up, you turn it down."
As a lifelong Thunderbird, Holliman is proud to be part of a brotherhood that supports many nonprofits while persistently making the greatest show on the grass even greater each and every year.
"Tim Chester is putting in two 15x40 big screens; they're going to show the players and scores, and they'll be visible throughout the whole stadium."
Even as the tournament grows and garners the attention of more spectators, for this marshal, no highlight will ever quite compare to the one with Tiger and Holliman's two sons in toe.
"The second Tiger hit the ball, it exploded, by far the most special sports moment I'll ever have and to share it with my boys was really pretty neat."
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