Calligraphy makes Travelers Championship scoreboard classic

Dave Koenig walks back and forth along the green wooden platform at TPC River Highlands. He bends down and reaches high, penning in each golfer’s name and score on the giant scoreboard neatly and efficiently.

«A few years ago, the tour decided to get away from scoreboards,» Koenig said. «It’s disappointing. When you go to a baseball game, you see every score from around the league. Fans love the summary board: who shot what, and who’s leading, and who’s one back. If a tournament doesn’t have this, it feels like it’s missing something.»

A 67-year-old wine distributor from Mississippi, Koenig fills in scoreboards at two to three tournaments each season. He’s done it for 15 years, traveling to this event, the Zurich Classic in New Orleans, the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia, the Viking Classic in his home state and a few LPGA Tour events.

He said he’s always loved penmanship and golf. He knew some people associated with the PGA Tour and began helping out with the scoreboard at one tournament. From there he got the opportunity to fill in a scoreboard on his own, and he’s been doing it ever since.

Fans stroll by. Some admire his work, some are looking for scores, some pose for pictures in front of the board.

«I’ve had people ask me, ‘Wow, can you do my wedding invitations?’» Koenig said. «‘Yes, if you can find some envelopes this big I’d be glad to do them.’»

Another said, «You can really write.» Koenig’s response: «Yeah, I got an A in penmanship, but unfortunately I flunked spelling.»

He writes with his right hand, carefully using calligraphy pens with flat tips. That gives the numbers definition, he explains. There are black, green, red and blue ones.

He arrives at the course by 5:30 a.m. and he doesn’t stop until around 7 p.m. Breaks are minimal. Things start slowing down after the cut is made. Thursdays and Fridays are brutal, he says.

Years ago, Koenig said, players would have to walk up to the scoreboards to see the scores and figure out the pairings for the next day.

In the age of electronic scoreboards, computers and smartphones, Koenig and the Travelers Championship are part of the select few keeping the tradition alive.

Calligraphy makes Travelers Championship scoreboard classic

Source: www.nhregister.com