UNIVERSITY PLACE — They’ll guide you to a grandstand seat, ring up purchases in the Merchandise Pavilion and find and point to the final resting place of poorly hit tee shots.
Most important of all, they’ll direct you to the nearest portable restroom.
A vast army of 5,254 volunteers clad in khaki and royal blue, including 4,000 from Washington, have helped make the 115th U.S. Open Championship a memorable experience for spectators and players.
“We look at them as the backbone of the championship,” Eric Steimer, assistant manager of the 2015 U.S. Open, said.
Volunteers have been working three or four six-hour shifts — either in the morning (7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) or afternoon (1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) — throughout the past week.
They were required to purchase a $165 volunteer clothing package, but also receive payment in the form of meals, beverages and admission to each day of the tournament.
It’s a pretty good deal considering week-long fan packages were $450 and sold out well in advance of the championship.
“I didn’t mind at all,” volunteer Bob Darling, 65, of Port Angeles said.
Darling is working in the massive, 41,000-square feet Merchandise Pavilion.
“It’s a great opportunity to get in there and watch the best players in the world,” he said.
“Daily tickets were expensive [a minimum $125 for championship rounds], so $165 for the week is no big deal.”
Port Townsend’s John Chiles, 74, is a member at Chambers Bay, and not surprisingly, has been in prime position for much of the week as a course marshal.
“They really put the Chambers Bay Men’s Club at the top of the line, and we all got in to volunteer because we are on the membership roster,” Chiles said.
Every hole requires 13 marshals: four on each side of the fairway, three near the green and two on the tee box.
Hole responsibilities include quieting the crowd during play, finding errant tee shots and assisting spectators.
“They [the USGA] are very particular about dealing with the ropes,” Chiles said.
“They have instructed us on how to coil the ropes and are really worried about tripping spectators.”
A psychiatrist and former professor at the University of Washington, Chiles and his wife Judith own Two Coyote Vineyard in the Yakima Valley.
The vineyard’s 2013 Knight Hill Two Coyote Verdelho also was picked by the Washington State Wine Commission to be showcased in the Chambers Bay VIP hospitality pavilion throughout the week.
Chiles’ last scheduled volunteer shift was Saturday, but he said he’d be back Monday if an 18-hole playoff is required.
“I’m most excited about the chance to be inside the ropes,” Chiles said.
“There are so few people offered this privilege.”
Peninsula Golf Club member Gary McLaughlin, 67, of Port Angeles, is serving as a grandstand marshal team leader, spending one day on the 16th green and four days at the mammoth 6,000-seat grandstand on the 18th green.
“The grandstand marshals are responsible for helping people find seats and shutting down the stands when they are full,” McLaughlin said.
“Marshals also hand out entry cards for fans when they need to leave to go to the bathroom, or grab something to eat or drink.
“Fans get 30-45 minutes to go and come back without losing their seat.”
McLaughlin, a member of the Washington State Golf Association and part of a committee that rates courses around the state, is no stranger to volunteer work at USGA events.
He served as a fairway marshal for the USGA’s first foray at Chambers Bay, the 2010 U.S. Amateur; as a walking scorer for the 2011 Junior Amateur won by Jordan Spieth at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton; and as a marshal at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links last year at the Home Course in Dupont.
“To be a volunteer that helps the game and gives something back to the game,” McLaughlin said was his motivation to volunteer.
“It’s a little cliche, sure.
“Also, obviously, with a big event like this, to see this caliber of players, especially in the Pacific Northwest, when this is maybe the only time to see them, it’s a huge motivation.”
McLaughlin hopes his final day in charge of the biggest stand on the biggest stage of golf will go off without a hitch.
“Just not doing anything wrong,” McLaughlin said with a laugh.
“Just not messing it up. I’m there to help the championship work well and I hope I don’t do anything to contradict that.”
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.