Meeting The Volunteers Of The Bob Hope Classic: Jim Johnson

Jim Johnson is the 2010 Bob Hope Classic Volunteer of the Year, but he’d never tell you that. The 20-year veteran deflects all attention onto other around him. With a staff of over 70 people, he credits all of them for his award, “I credit them entirely with my winning it,” said Johnson. “And, my winning it, is probably one of the best things that’s ever happened to me in my life. I’m just so excited about it, even now.”

Johnson started as a marshall, but has since been moved to the head of Shot Link, a program that measures distance of shots and to the pin. Regardless of what he is doing, he always puts people first, “It’s the people that I work with that are the real key. Like I said, I can’t emphasize what a great group of people I’ve got working for me.”

His excitement for volunteering even helped him recruit his wife Ethel to work with him. “I tried for years to get her involved,” said Johnson. “But I finally four years ago got her to come out with us on Sunday, the last day of the tournament, she was so impressed by what went on there, she said I want to be a part of this.”

Jim’s love for volunteering doesn’t stop at the Bob Hope Classic, he’s worked at over 100 of the Coachella Valley’s tournaments. “The Skins game, the Dinah Shore, the Frank Sinatra, the Diner’s Club when they used to have it, the Legends of Golf, the smaller tournament that Toyota put on,” explained Johnson. “Whenever they came along, we volunteered to try to get involved with them. We just had a great time, met a lot of wonderful people, worked with a lot of wonderful people.”

The Bob Hope tees off January 17 and is still looking for volunteers. For more information, check out “Seen on 3.”