DATE: Saturday, October 11, 1997            TAG: 9710110500

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG                      LENGTH:   50 lines

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ALLOW US TO INTRODUCE KINGSMILL'S STARTERS

If you've ever been to the Michelob Championship, you've seen him, or certainly heard him.

``Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome . . . ''

Chuck Wistar, 82, hasn't missed a round of the tournament in 17 years at Kingsmill's River Course. Including the Wednesday pro-ams, that's 88 rounds and counting that he's served as one of the starters.

Asked to describe his distinguishing characteristic in the task, Wistar summed it up in a word: ``Loudmouth.''

He and his cohorts are the fellows who bellow the names of the players when they start their rounds, and welcome them to the final green when they finish.

Friday afternoon Wistar and his rich baritone voice were at the 18th green. As the players approached, he ambled the 15 yards from his chair next to the grandstand over to the edge of the green, looked at a card with the names of the players approaching the green and did his thing.

``You basically use the same lingo, but sometimes you add something to it,'' Wistar said.

The starters so far have been wearing green knickers, white shirts and white Ben Hogan caps. It's the clothing line of Payne Stewart.

``One of the golfers came up to me and goes, `Oh, geez, I thought you were Payne Stewart. I thought I was on the wrong tee,' '' said Terry Driscoll, the William and Mary athletic director who is in his first year as a starter.

Today they will be wearing button-down shirts, ties and blue blazers along with the knickers. The starters have the distinction not only of getting to mingle a bit with the players - they hand them their scorecards at the beginning and introduce them to the scorer and standardbearers - but they also enjoy a bit of the limelight in front of the gallery.

``This is the volunteer job of the tournament,'' said starter committee chairman Bill Jacoby, a retired commanding officer of the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. ``It's the most sought-after position, and it's one probably as enjoyed by the volunteers who do it as anything.''

Anyone waiting to take the place of Wistar, a 20-handicapper, may have to be patient.

``I've known the face for 17 years,'' Kingsmill touring pro Curtis Strange said. ``I've known he's been around a long time, I didn't realize he'd been around for every one.'' ILLUSTRATION: NHAT MEYER/The Virginian-Pilot

Chuck Wistar, 82, has served as a starter for 88 rounds and

counting. Asked his distinguishing characteristic, he replies,

``Loudmouth.'' KEYWORDS: MICHELOB GOLF TOURNAMENT

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