The Adelaide grandma behind LIV Golf’s success: how Kristine Tapp brought together 729 volunteers

The real star of LIV Golf Adelaide has been revealed – and it wasn’t big name golfers such as Phil Mickelson and Cameron Smith but an Adelaide grandmother.

Kristine Tapp has been recognised as hero who made LIV Golf Adelaide happen. Picture: Kelly Barnes

If you think world golfing greats such as Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson were the stars of 2023 LIV Golf Adelaide event, think again.

The unrivalled superstar was the Adelaide grandma who corralled more than 700 good Samaritan sporting enthusiasts to pull off the largest volunteer recruitment campaign of the global golfing event series, anywhere in the world.

Kristine Tapp, 68, as volunteer “chief marshall” of the Grange Golf Club leg of the tournament which attracted 77,000 spectators in April, recruited and managed 729 volunteers from across the state, interstate and New Zealand.

Her lead role involved setting tasks, drawing up rosters, making sure all volunteers had uniforms, food, transport – and clean toilets to use.

The high-energy, mile-a-minute-talking septuagenarian did her job so well, she was asked to share her secrets, to replicate her success at other LIV Golf sites.

Last night she was named Golf SA Volunteer of the Year.

“I just sobbed (with the) shock and happiness … but really, it is all those beautiful people I have worked with, all those lovely volunteers, who made this happen,” Mrs Tapp said.

Kris Tapp has been named Golf SÃ’s Volunteer of the Year for her work leading a team of 729 volunteers at the LIV Golf event. Picture: Kelly Barnes

A member at Grange since 1989, the volunteer stalwart is a former lady captain and long-time committee member, twice helping organise the Women’s Australian Open.

“I had a list of 500 names of people who helped previously at the Women’s Australian Open but then LIV said they needed more and more,” she said

“I started ringing people up and saying, ‘you can do this’ and was gobsmacked by how many volunteers I got … it was incredible, people just put their hand up to be part of it.

“It was hard work but we knew what we were doing,” she said.

“I don’t think anyone could actually comprehend the hours and hours that went into it

“We’d get to the course at 6am in the dark and leave about 9pm in the dark … we had to create rosters for the next day … I’d ring (my husband) Andy and say, ‘I am just on my way home, can you pour me a red wine and a double brandy please?

“There were some hiccups but I’d just keep smiling, laughing and thanking everybody … the appreciation from spectators was incredible; I had Chief Marshall on my cart and people were saluting me – I just thought, this it was hilarious.”

Originally published as The Adelaide grandma behind LIV Golf’s success: how Kristine Tapp brought together 729 volunteers