PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

For me, IT was an experience of a lifetime.

The “it” was having the privilege to volunteer at the NCAA Division 1 Women’s and Men’s Golf Finals held at Eugene Country Club and sponsored by the Club and the University of Oregon.

More than 150 women and 150 men from 30 schools around the country descended on Eugene Country Club for two weeks of golf magic at a 90-year-old facility that won acclaim from everyone who played it.

One coach even said: “I hope we can come back here again within five years.”

Given that the course was closed to members for about three weeks, including practice and the two weeks of tournament play, not sure if members would sign up for another stint. But one thing is clear: The reputation of the U of O and Eugene Country Club got a huge boost, both with local crowds covering the course and live coverage by the Golf Channel.

That wasn’t all. The U of O men’s team won several match play challenges in great form to do what no team had done for 15 years, which is to win the national title on its home course. What’s more, the top U of O player, Aaron Wise, won medalist honors in his last college tournament, given that he is turning pro immediately and setting out to make a name for himself on the Canadian Tour.

Further, beyond expectations, the women’s team also made the final eight-team match play field while one of its top players, Caroline Inglis, set a course record 65 in one of her tournament rounds.

As a lucky volunteer at this event, one of more than 400, I have a few other impressions:

• It takes guts to bid to host this national tournament, given all the logistics involved in getting 30 teams around the course with Golf Channel coverage – and settling for the fact that members would be barred from playing on “their” course for three weeks.

• Golf Channel investment in going live is nothing if not incredible. Fully 10 semi-truck loads of equipment were on site and the Golf Channel staff numbered more than 100. Plus, a recognizable stable on of on-air talent made their way around the course for both the women’s and men’s events.

One of my roles as a volunteer was to get outfitted with head-gear and follow matches, relaying information to a traffic manager on the status of play, In turn, he advised the director who positioned cameras and talent to get the best action. Fun to be just a bit on the inside.

On a few holes the other day, PGA tour player John Cook was on the same hole as I was and I almost offered to help him call the action. Discretion got the better part of valor, so I stayed silent!

• Another of my roles was to be a “walking scorer,” which means that, after every hole, I would relay the result, via my cell phone (which was on silent, I add), to the central scoring facility, which then sent scores on-line so those interested in the action – parents, grand-parents, friends – could follow hole-by-hole even if they were not able to be on-site

For a golf addict like me, this was a great experience, made even greater by the top performance of the U of O teams.

So, GO DUCKS!