You always see the "Quiet Please" paddles held up by marshals at golf tournaments.

But one saying, "Hush, Y'all?"

And in Hawai'i, of all places, in the Sony Open in Hawai'i at the Waialae Country Club?

It needs some explanation and there's no one better to do it than Joy Parker of Huntsville, Ala.

She's "The General," who leads a bunch of retirees from Alabama who have been coming here for years to volunteer their time and services at the PGA Tour event.

"We're called the ' 'Bama Belles' and the ' 'Bama Bubbas,' " said Parker. And they do their hush y'all-ing at the tee of Waialae's signature par-3 17th hole.

"Sometimes when the golfers come through, we also say, "Aloha, y'all."

It all began 14 years ago when Parker wanted to return to Hawai'i where she enjoyed so many wonderful memories before. Her late husband, Brandon, was a Marine colonel stationed at Camp Smith and both of their daughters were born here.

So Parker called from Huntsville and asked if she could volunteer for the then United Airlines Hawaiian Open.

"How can I volunteer? How can I be a marshal?" she asked.

"Sorry, we only take local residents. We don't take people from the Mainland," the voice on the other end said.

"No, no. I want to do it so bad. Please let me. I am so Hawaiian. I was a Hawaiian in my former life," she pleaded. "I'm one of the people they threw in the volcano as a sacrifice."

Told that only warriors were thrown in, Parker replied, "In that life, I was a man."

Her sense of humor won over the guy on the phone.

The Mama 'Bama Belle loved it so much that she has been returning as a volunteer ever since. And she has been such a good-will ambassador that she has been telling all her friends to come along. The largest group numbered nine several years ago.

This year, six are here. Besides Parker, the others are Kay Colgan, Keith and Sondra Erdman, Stewart Denney and Clynt Ratliff.

This is Colgan's seventh trip, while the Erdmans are first-timers. "We heard so much about it from Joy," said Sondra Erdman. "It's wonderful; so beautiful here. And exciting to be at the tournament."

Calling Parker "General" is apt because one thing they have in common is that they're all retired military. Colgan's late husband, Bill, was stationed at Schofield.

"We love it. It's beautiful," Colgan said. "We have the signature hole, thanks to Joy. Now they won't take it away from the 'Bama Belles. Joy's got it for as long as she wants."

Adds Parker, "They told me they'd bury me here before they would ever take it from me."

Sony Open pro-am fixtures Adam Sandler and June Jones know the 'Bama Belles and make it a point to acknowledge them when they tee it up at 17.

"And we love these golfers. They are like our sons," Colgan says.

The second thing they all have in common, obviously, is that they all golf. Keith Erdman's the most skilled, playing to a 12-handicap.

"Don't ask us," says Parker, looking at the other women. "A gentleman doesn't ask a lady her age or her handicap."

Though they all live in Alabama, the third thing they have in common, surprisingly so, is that none of them are Alabama football fans.

"You won't find a 'Bama fan here," said Sondra Erdman.

The only Alabama native is Denney, who hates the Tide because he's an Auburn graduate. "My two favorite teams are Auburn and whoever's playing Alabama," he said.

Parker and Colgan both came here twice to see Alabama play the University of Hawai'i at Aloha Stadium. Not to see the Tide, but to see them lose.

"We wore Warrior T-shirts," said Parker, who along with Colgan are originally from Tennessee and are still avid Volunteer fans.

No wonder she has that volunteer spirit. It's only because of folks like her and the other 1,300 volunteers that a golf tournament can succeed.

Besides, she says, "It's a matter of giving something back to Hawai'i. We just love the people. There is so much spiritual love here. We felt that by helping at the tournament, which helps Hawai'i charities, we were giving sometime back a little bit.

"Plus, we love golf and we love these young pros who are so kind and such gentlemen. And we love the Pacific Ocean. It just doesn't get better than this," Parker said.