PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – At TPC Sawgrass, some retirees are doing far more than talking golf. They’re quietly turning tour tips into lifelines for people who need help the most.
They call themselves the TPC Sawgrass Storytellers.
These are about 50 retirees from all walks of life – many of whom don’t even play golf – who spend their days leading visitors through the sprawling 77,000‑square‑foot clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass in St. Johns County, then on to the most popular holes of the course. For a lot of guests, it’s their very first time stepping onto the famous property.
“We get quite a few steps during our tour,” laughs Storytellers Captain Fred DiBiase. “It’s a fairly large clubhouse…quite a big building with lots of memorabilia in it.”
On any given day, a visitor might find storyteller and retiree Scott Reneau greeting them with a warm smile and a deep knowledge of the game. He starts with the basics: “The golf course that hugs the clubhouse was built in 1979, 1980 and 1981. The first Players Championship here teed off in 1982. “
But it’s the behind‑the‑scenes details that make the tour special.
Scott shares how then‑PGA Tour Commissioner Dean Beeman, who stood about 5′7”, wanted to change the way fans saw golf. “At other sports, he could always see the action.” Scott goes on to explain how on some golf courses, shorter fans were stuck peering over taller crowds with no view. So Beeman pitched an idea to course architect Pete Dye: Build mounds alongside the fairways so spectators could stand higher and everyone could see.
Those mounds – now a signature part of TPC Sawgrass – started as a simple question about fairness and access.
In many ways, that’s exactly what the Storytellers are still doing today.
Turning Tips Into Charity
Storytellers volunteer their time. They accept tips and gratuities from guests who enjoy the tours. Then they do something unusual: They don’t keep a cent.
“Since we were formed in 2007, when the new clubhouse opened here at TPC Sawgrass, we’ve collected over $325,000 that we’ve donated to local charities,” Fred says.
“In tips?” News4Jax Anchor Joy Purdy asks.
“In tips,” Fred confirms. “And people who just appreciate what we do and offer us their gratuity.”
In 2025 alone, the group raised $36,000 and awarded that money to five different charities in the region.
One of those organizations is Operation Barnabas.
A Lifeline For Veterans
“This is John Green,” Joy introduces. “He is the co‑founder of Operation Barnabas. That’s one of the charities that the Storytellers have helped with their tips.”
John’s mission is focused and urgent.
“Since 2017 we have worked with incarcerated and homeless veterans here in the Northeast Florida area, and that’s expanding,” he explains. “We’re now in the Central Florida and Orlando area and going into southeast Georgia.”
Joy asks the question many viewers are likely wondering: where does the Storytellers’ money actually go?
“Man, number one thing is housing,” John says. “That’s where the tips from those golf tours make the biggest impact.
Operation Barnabas helps get veterans off the streets or out of unstable situations and into safe, secure housing – the foundation for rebuilding a life.
“That’s where this money [from The Storytellers] really helps the most,” John emphasizes.
A Job They Never Want To Quit
Back on the tour, Scott points out a special moment every golfer dreams of.
“When the players get done, this is when they sign their scorecards,” he says inside the clubhouse. “And if you’re the winner, then your country’s flag flies for a year.”
It’s a detail that sends chills through golf fans. But for Scott, the real thrill is the people.
Joy can feel it. “I can feel the energy that you have doing this and how excited you are to tell these stories. How much longer do you think you want to do this?” she asks.
“Oh, I love it,” Scott replies. “So I think I’m kind of the way most of the Storytellers are – that we’ll do it until they tell us it’s time to move on. But as I said, it’s so exciting to meet people from all over the world.”
They come for the stories of championship golf. They leave having quietly supported veterans, local nonprofits and neighbors in need.
How the Storytellers began – and how to join
The Storyteller program was born in 2007, the same year the new TPC Sawgrass clubhouse opened. What started as a way to guide visitors through the historic property has grown into a powerful charitable engine.
Some Storytellers don’t golf at all. But they love the game, its history and the chance to give back.
To get in touch with the TPC Sawgrass Storytellers team – or learn more about the charities they support – contact the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse or visit tpc.com.