Local volunteers are lifeblood of U.S. Open
Marianne Gideon, left, and Joetta Andrews, both of Carmichaels, pose during a break at Oakmont Country Club.They are among more than 5,000 volunteers at the U.S. Open.
Greg Nardine
OAKMONT – The last thing Greg Nardine thought he would be doing at the U.S. Open was laser work.
That’s what the 34-year-old volunteer at Oakmont Country Club was asked to do during the tournament. The lasers are used not only to track a player’s shot progression around the course but also to measure distances for such things a putt.
When your television screen shows that Jim Furyk has an 11-foot putt for birdie on No. 4, that’s the work of laser measurement.
“We’re doing ball positioning, which means we tell the USGA crew how far the ball is from the hole,” said Nardine, an insurance broker who lives in North Strabane Township. “On the green here, we mark it with a laser and the computer tells you how far away it is from the hole. We had one day of training, Monday, and that was all we needed.”
Nardine is one of more than 5,000 volunteers who give their time and effort to help the U.S. Open become an enjoyable event for the fans and players. About 2,000 more were put on a volunteer waiting list.
While his job in the tower next to No. 12 green is to measure putts, volunteers do many other things, some of which are not a technical. They work the stores, check-in gates and leaderboards. They remove trash, act as crossing guards on some holes and handle seating arrangements in the grandstands.
“We didn’t have an option, but you could rank your priorities,” said Nardine, a graduate of Peters Township High School. “They mailed us a letter about six months ago to let us know.”
Nardine’s friend, Dan Baxter, also made the trip to Oakmont to help. The 61-year-old Peters Township resident also worked the Mylan Classic for four years at Southpointe Golf Club in Cecil Township and thought working the Open would be a great experience.
“We both golf, so we enjoy the game,” said Baxter, an assistant vice president for Wes Banco. “Seeing it in person makes a big difference. I was at the 2005 Masters and it was amazing. Seeing it, you notice the slope of the fairways and greens. It’s the same with Oakmont. You have to be there to see it.”
The cost to be a volunteer is $165, but each person receives two golf polo shirts, a jacket, a golf cap, meals and free entry.
“I have to admit,” said Nardine, “I did this so I could get in for free.”
Marianne Gideon decided to volunteer last year and asked her friend, Joetta Andrews, to join her. The residents of Carmichaels worked the practice rounds Tuesday and Wednesday and the first two rounds of the tournament.
“I thought it would be a great thing to do,” said Gideon, recently retired after working for 46 years at the Centerville Health Clinics.
“This was one of the things on my bucket list. I retired at the end of April, so I knew I would have the time. We applied online. At first, we got rejected, then accepted. You put down what you want to volunteer for and they come up with what’s available. You can pick your days and try to pick your shifts.”
Andrews, a teacher at Carmichaels, couldn’t turn down her friend’s request to volunteer. Andrews has golfed “a long time” at various courses and loves the game. Her family runs the Hartley Inn in Carmichaels.
Gideon worked as a volunteer for the four Mylan Classics. She does is because she is a people-person.
“I’ve met people from all over the world and 48 states,” said Gideon. “We both love to be around people.”
Gideon’s love of the game came from her mother.
“She loved to watch it on TV,” said Gideon, who is a USGA member. “That’s probably where I first learned about it. I’ve always loved to golf. I joined a league at Carmichaels and I didn’t know anything. But I learned.”