By Samantha Esposito, age 14, Makefield Highlands Golf Club/Council Rock South High School
I had the incredible opportunity to be a standard bearer for the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open in Lancaster, PA, earlier this
year. A standard bearer is someone who walks alongside the professionals inside the ropes, holding a ten-pound sign that
shows who the players are and if their scores are under or over par. It was important that I paid attention to the shots
and kept my sign up to date so the spectators could be informed of not only who was in the group but also how they
were hitting for the day. Over my three days of volunteering, I walked with past champions of the Women’s U.S. Open,
including Jeongeun Lee, Brittany Lang, Kim A-Lim, Minjee Lee, and Yuka Saso, who ended up winning the tournament.
While holding the score sign, I observed many things that the professionals do. One being how long they took to line
up their putt. They seemed to check the lines of the green several times. They were also always checking which way the
wind was coming from. The professionals really tried to stay in their own heads, keeping calm after a poor shot and enjoying
the game by walking and talking with their competition in thegroup from time to time.
Before the round started each day, my assigned groups’ pro and caddy introduced themselves to me with a handshake. I
followed behind with the official scorer, walking hole-to-hole and updating the board. The crowds grew larger by the day.
Each pro gave me a signed ball after the day was over.
Being a standard bearer was a great way to see the players close up and learn how professionals approach the game. I
am very grateful that I was able to be there in person for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Next year, the U.S. Women’s
Open will be held in Erin Hills, Wisconsin, and if it wasn’t so far away, I would certainly volunteer again.
Samantha is a participant in the Makefield Highlands
Players Program, a WGGB Grantee