Running Start Doesn’t Hurt Him

When Gordie Fitzel began his high school teaching career more than 30 years ago, he didn’t give coaching golf a second thought.

He had played golf since he was about 10 and enjoyed the game greatly, but his coaching interests were slanted toward sports involving running.

Fitzel began by coaching cross-country and track and field. But after a few years, he started to consider the idea of working with the golf team.

After all, it’s a chance to play a lot of golf--much of which is free.

But he never took the idea too seriously because he was aware jobs like that were usually left to athletic directors or football coaches.

But now that Fitzel, 55, is on the downward side of his coaching career, his chance to coach golf has finally come.

He will be in charge of OCC’s first women’s golf team, which starts competitive play early next month.

Golf started as a women’s community college sport last year in California and there were six teams in the southern part of the state. Cypress was the only community college in Orange County with a team.

But OCC is one of at least four colleges to add the sport for this fall.

“Here’s my chance to get into it,” Fitzel said. “It’s a brand new deal.”

The biggest problem Fitzel faced last spring when he got the job was finding women to be on the team. Not many girls play high school golf and there were no seniors in the area ready to stock the OCC team.

“At first I said, ‘Who am I going to get to play?’ ” Fitzel said.

But he said he thought for a few minutes, then realized he had a ready-made recruiting guide.

He went into his files and got the recent student lists from the golf classes he taught at OCC and started to make phone calls.

Orange Coast now has eight women who have made firm commitments to join the team when classes start in about two weeks.

But for Fitzel the opportunity almost came too late. He had coached cross-country and track at OCC for 18 years, winning five state and seven conference titles, but finally stepped down last spring because of continuing troubles with his knees. He has had five operations.

Now that he finally has a golf team, his knees will limit his chance to play.

“I’ve got a pull cart now,” Fitzel said, “but that’s still painful. As much as I hate to ride in electric carts, that’s the best way for me to play golf.”

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Besides coaching golf, Fitzel’s love of the game might help to change the landscape of Orange Coast College.

In the fall of 1992, he took a sabbatical and visited several college campuses that have driving ranges.

Fitzel prepared a report on how OCC could do the same, and last week, one of the first planning meetings was held at OCC.

The plan at OCC calls for the soccer field to be moved to the center of the track and the range to be placed near Adams Avenue.

Several other buildings would have to be torn down and some campus services relocated before construction could start.

“It will happen,” Fitzel said, “but probably not before I retire.”

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Updates: Chris Tidland, a former Times Orange County golfer of the year while at Valencia High, also had an outstanding collegiate career at Oklahoma State where he earned All-American honors.

But he has yet to create much of a stir during his first year of the Nike Tour.

Tidland shot 76-69 last Thursday and Friday and failed to make the cut by a shot at the tour stop near St. Louis. Tidland has played in 18 events and earned $17,355 so far.

R.W. Eaks, who isn’t from Orange County but sure plays well here, is having far greater success than Tidland on the same tour.

Eaks gained fame in local golf circles by winning the last two Taco Bell Newport Beach Classic tournaments held at Newport Beach Country Club. Eaks, who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., has earned $31,000 for his two victories.

He has continued his successful ways this year, winning $60,553 on the Nike tour, including $1,800 Sunday.

Notes

International Christian Adoptions is holding a 100-hole golf marathon Sept. 23 at Redhawk Golf Club in Temecula. The organization is seeking 40 players to play 100 holes in one day. Players are to be sponsored by individuals and companies, and the goal is to raise $100,000 for the nonprofit organization licensed to provide adoption, counseling, medical and other aid to children around the world. For more information call (909) 695-3336.

Perry Hallmeyer has been selected as the head professional at Oak Creek Golf Course in Irvine, which is scheduled to open this fall. Hallmeyer, a graduate of Central Washington, has been an assistant at Pelican Hill since 1992. . . . Tom Gustafson, executive director of the Southern California PGA, has been awarded an honorary life membership in the PGA by the section. Gustafson has been with the SCPGA since 1991 and before that was with the Southern California Golf Assn.

Glenn Deck, a golf professional at Pelican Hill, has been selected “Teacher of the Year” by the SCPGA. Deck is on the SCPGA board of director and is the president of the San Diego chapter of the SCPGA.

The Orange County Golf Notebook runs weekly. Readers are encouraged to make suggestions. Call (714) 966-5904, fax (714) 966-5663 or e-mail Martin.Beck@latimes.com