Course Marshalls. Is it more of a Southern Thing?

**nike_golf** · July 22, 2010

Hey fellas. Minnesota golfer here for about 7 years now. I'll get to the point of the thread;

By a quick, rough estimated tally, I'd say I've golfed at around 50 different courses throughout my golfing "career" in the midwest. (South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa) I can count on one hand the number of times my round has been started by an official starter and I can say I've only seen a marshall at ONE course. And I had to go up to the Twin Cities to see that.

Now, contrast that to my golfing vacations down south. I've golfed in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida and Missouri. I've been started by a starter AT EVERY COURSE and I would regularly see marshalls on the course during my time on the southern golf courses.

It was always kind of funny to me. I always knew about marshalls and always knew what their job is, but before my trips down south, I've never even come across one.

At my local course, it's usually the pro who would handle any slow play issues or any other issue that may arise out on the golf course. Even w/ that said, it still takes a pretty big problem to get him out there to address it. Is this "Minnesota/Midwest" nice at play? Do we not want to pressure golfers up here?

Do I yearn for an official marshall at some of the courses up here? You bet. When/if my group encounters slow play, we know that the slow group ahead almost HAS to let us play through or we're either forced to say something to them or put up w/ it. I've had an unpleasant encounter or two w/ groups who don't like to be told they're holding my group up.

BUT, w/ no marshall, we're almost forced to take things into our own hands to deal w/ slow play.

Fellow midwest golfers, are there marshalls at courses that you frequent?

Is this more of a southern thing? In my short but extensive golfing experiences, I would have to say yes.

**Sowbug2000** · July 22, 2010

Southern Golfer here....

Most always have starters down here...

Marshalls are hit or miss...may see fewer marhsalls, at least for now, with the economic woes.

**WUTiger** · July 22, 2010

I was a bit surprised to see your experiences of few marshalls in Midwest, where Missouri is located.

In greater St. Louis area (Missouri and southwest Illinois) I regularly see course marshalls. As for starters, they often collect greens fees in the pro shop, and just tell you when to tee off. If the course is busy, the starters will announce over a loud speaker the group which should be on the tee, and the group that's next.

If the course is really crowded, you may see the starter or his assistant down on the first tee coordinating face-to-face. A full-time first tee starter has faded away in favor of better personnel usage, I would guess.

Course marshalls often operate in stealth mode, and you don't see them unless people start to slow down, or aren't fixing their divots and get a reprimand. Also, the directness of contact varies marshal to marshal, and course to course. An assertive marshall may upset a couple of golfers, but a sissy marshall who won't move people along can upset half the people on the course.

**nike_golf** · July 22, 2010

I was a bit surprised to see your experiences of few marshalls in Midwest, where Missouri is located.

I was in southern Missouri when I golfed down there. I guess you can make a case for that part of Missouri being called "Midwest" or "Southern", but I digress. (Not that important)

And when I was in Missouri golfing, I DID encounter marshalls and a starter on the first tee box. Just wanted to clarify that. Maybe I should have said upper midwest in the OP?

**melchior** · July 22, 2010

MN golfer here too; and in all my time there was only one time on a local course that I was started by a marshall (it was over a holiday weekend, I think Labor Day?) last year. That same course is also the only one that I've ever *seen* a ranger or anything of the sort on (twice).

Granted, I don't get out much, but it was weird having people telling me when to tee off; just used to "oh, they're well out of my range; so I can hit." Actually, that round was one of my better ones (one of very few that I've shot in the 90s...). Maybe I need to find more courses with Marshalls....

**ghalfaire** · July 22, 2010

WE got'em in AZ but the're called Rangers. It is such a big business here in the fall/winter months that they get as many rounds a day in as possible. In the summer the courses don't make enough to pay the water bills.

**saevel25** · July 22, 2010

yep they are called course rangers, or the starter just takes on the job as well to poral round the course.

**DaSportsGuy** · July 23, 2010

I've played 12 courses in Ohio and only two of them have had a starter/course ranger/marshall.

**alomar123** · July 23, 2010

Mine has a starters, and I guess rangers but they really just drive around and talk to regulars.

**GaijinGolfer** · July 23, 2010

Must be a southern thing because other than at the very best courses, you never really see on-course marshalls or starters here in Wisconsin.

**jamo** · July 23, 2010

I see them all the time here is MA.

**IcemanYVR** · July 23, 2010

We have marshals here in Vancouver. The 3 courses I play regularly have them, they're out there every day. I don't see them too often, but one did bring my my glove that I had somehow managed to drop on the tee box.

One of the courses I play has an actual starter shack on the first tee, but it's only in use on busy days, and they check each players ticket before allowing them to proceed, and make sure each group is ready to play at the required time.

**DocWu1948** · July 23, 2010

All courses that I've seen in Illinois, except for one or two courses that must not be doing too well, have a starter person and one ranger/marshall roving around. They don't have to pay these people very much money. Their main reward is usually low cost golf during non-peak hours.

Starter shacks/sheds are common too. They're stocked with scorecards, pencils, and towels. Sometimes fans for the staff.

P.S. These are all public courses too. In this group, the Park District courses usually have bigger budgets and better facilities for their staff.

**mattttt25** · July 23, 2010

MD, VA, DC, NJ, DE - yes.

Does cost of golf relate to whether a course has marshals? Most of the courses I play are $65-80 weekday and $80-100 weekend, and have marshals.

**te3point5** · July 23, 2010

live in MA, my course never has a starter. usually when we pay, the cashier says "go after those guys... let em get on the green first."

**Fourputt** · July 23, 2010

Colorado here. My home course has starters (I'm one of them), course assistants (ranger if you must), and also a host at the first tee to keep everything sorted out and moving smoothly. We are the busiest facility in the state, and I can't imagine trying to do my job without the assistance of the other two. The first tee host is stationed between the fist tee on our Executive 9 and the first tee on the 18 hole Championship course to keep the players headed for the course that they paid for. I have to get golfers checked in for both courses, assign carts for riders, take calls for reservations (7 days in advance), call the players to the tee, and track pace of play by recording turn and finish times for each group (and radio the ranger if there are any issues he hasn't caught). Most days it's nonstop from the moment I sit down until my relief shows up or the last golfer is out on the course.

I can see where a single course which doesn't have a lot of traffic wouldn't need all or any of those positions, but on my course they are all very necessary.

**zeg** · July 24, 2010

At the usual places I go, we don't have much in the way of rangers/marshals/assistants. You occasionally see someone out there, but I think it's one of the guys from the clubhouse scooting out in a cart to resolve something. It really never comes up, though. Starter-wise, they just have the guy in the clubhouse with a PA system calling things out. He has a view of the first tee from the window, but if there's a problem he has to head over to sort it out.

Of nicer places in the area, two had starters stationed next to the first tee (one was also doubling as a last-minute refreshment stand) and two others didn't. One did have a little booth managing the driving range and handing out cart keys that double-checked you had your receipt when you got your cart, but there was no contact after that. I imagine there were some rangers out driving around, but no one ever said anything to us. Of course, it might be different on weekends, I can only afford mid-week twilight fees at these places...

**JWL1957** · July 24, 2010

The marshalls around here spend most of their time looking for balls or talking with thier cronies on the course. Totally useless.

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