Two ASU Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Manage Gates at The Masters
JONESBORO – Two faculty members from the Arkansas State University Department of Physical Therapy put their healthcare and keen observational skills to work at Augusta National Golf Club during Masters Tournament week.
Dr. Kevin Brueilly, professor and department chair, and Dr. Jim Farris, associate professor and program director, spent nine days in early April traveling to and working for the world-renowned golf venue as Security Hosts. It was their job to welcome patrons (as the golf club has renamed fans) and ensure their safety as they entered and left the premises.
“We are trained as physical therapists. And as a healthcare worker, we are accustomed to being very observant and acutely aware of our surroundings,” Brueilly explained. “These talents translate well into managing large crowds and ensuring that everyone is healthy and safe during an event.” The Director of Safety and Security at Augusta National Golf Club agreed with this premise some 8.5 years ago when Brueilly began his work at the club and has asked Dr. Brueilly to return each year since his first Masters in 2019.
Now as security host supervisor, Brueilly recruits and trains approximately 25 people
to help with the nine-day, 13-hours-daily work week as they greet and ensure the safety
of the patrons.
“We work very closely with local and state law enforcement as we all ensure the conduct,
customs and etiquette of the club and the laws of the community are upheld, while
also ensuring the patrons remember their experience at Augusta National as a truly
memorable experience, Brueilly said. “For a lot of people during the week, attending
is a lifetime bucket list item. And we want them to recall it so fondly that nothing
can compare to their experiences at Augusta.”
Additionally, the security host team is always on the lookout for healthcare issues or personal distress where they jump into action as first responders and alerting on-site healthcare personnel.
Farris raised his hand this year for his first experience at the Masters, working as a Security Host. He described the experience as, “Truly once in a lifetime, serious and sometimes difficult work. But the looks on the patrons faces when I get to tell them, ‘Welcome to Augusta National’ or ‘Welcome to the Masters’, is magical for me.”
A longtime golf enthusiast himself, Farris will always remember his week of work, but also the opportunity to move freely as a security employee while watching his favorite players on the course. “It was amazing to see the beauty and splendor of the course, but television cannot prepare you for just how difficult and undulating that golf course is,” he said.
Masters Week is the first full week of April each year, and includes the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur on Saturday, the finals of the National Drive Chip and Putt event on Sunday, and three days of practice rounds and four days of the Masters Tournament, all held at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
