Keeping things up to par

NAME: Gordie Fitzel

HOME: Huntington Beach

TITLE: Standard bearers co-chairman

HE IS

A major score for volunteer standard bearers

DAILY DUTIES: Fitzel and co-chairman Randy Loats are often the first

volunteers to arrive at the Newport Beach Country Club and usually,

they’re among the last to leave. Long before the standard bearers hit the

green with their score signs, Fitzel is working to make sure they’re

equipped and that they report to the right place on the golf course.

Every day, each of the 26 volunteer standard bearers must have their

standard -- a sign mounted on a pole -- a shoulder harness in which they

mount the standard and a bib containing plastic numbers to announce the

scores. And it’s Fitzel’s job to make sure it all comes off without a

hitch.

“After the volunteers finish their assignments, we have to take apart

all the signs,” he said. “Then, when we find out what the next day’s

pairings are, we have to get all their names on the signs for the next

day.”

Fitzel considers his behind-the-scenes work to be supporting the

standard bearers who, he says, have the really tough jobs.

“They have probably the most physically demanding duties,” Fitzel

said. “In the wind and the rain and any conditions they have to be out

there walking the fairway. It’s hard work, but they got into it because

they wanted to.”

When Fitzel’s job is done right, it makes it easier for the standard

bearers to do their job in full public view. An official scorer who

follows them around takes the heat off the standard bearers by making

sure the scores are right.

“I’ve heard of standard bearers having wrong scores before,” he said,

“But not this tournament, not this year.”