Marshals at your course?

[DBake]

In the last two years I have yet to seen a marshal do his job. I believe their job is to keep the pace of play, responding to golfer’s questions or concerns, give playing tips for certain holes. I also believe when they are driving the course from 18 to 1, they act as a fore caddie for the groups hitting to them.

Last year my buddies and I were teeing off #1 at one of the better courses in the state "Gold Mountain", the cart path cuts the fair into two haves. Just Happens my tee ball ends up on the cart path, on our way to ours balls the marshal runs over my ball kicking it 30 yards into the rough!

Yesterday I was teeing for #13 at Tumwater Valley a muni in the state of Washington that use to be a semi-private course not to long ago. As the marshal comes of the hill in to the driving area my ball is heading his direction and fly’s right by his cart which runs next to out of bounds on the hole, rather than giving us a thumbs up or thumbs down he continues driving to the next hole cutting across the middle of the fairway. The ball was out of bounds when I was up to check on it.

Seems to me that most marshals are out their just to be there and not really doing a job, anyone else feels this way?

[Crafty]

All the marshal does at our course is smoke cigars and search for lost balls. However, we don't have a huge pace of play problem at our course, so I don't mind. He is a nice guy and is glad to help out if you ask as well.

[crawf061]

I couldn't tell you the last time I saw a marshal actually do his job. Many of the courses I play seem to have given up the concept of a marshal altogether. At least that of a roaming marshall.

[Shindig]

Probably my third or fourth regulation round, the marshal came up to us on the 14th tee and told us that he had just issued a slow-play warning to the group ahead of us and apologized for the inconvenience.

Yet to see something like that happen again.

[Monsieurgolf]

I echo the Marshall situation at most of the courses that I play. Even when I have waved one down and explained the situation (slow play, not fixing ball marks, etc), most haven't done anything about it.

The only place in which I saw Superb Marshalling was at the TPC Deere Run in Moline, IL. They not only had the pace of play timed for each hole...but talked with us, helped with holes and even questioned if we needed the group ahead to "pick up" and move along instead of hitting out of the rough. Both times I have played this course, I received excellent help and on course management by the marshalls.

[Wisco-Kid]

I think that most of the Marshals around my area take the job for the free golf and something to do. I never see a Marshal doing his/her job. There have
been many times where it would have been nice if they had though!

[meenman]

I have to say the guys at my club do a decent job - always friendly and fully investigate who the slow party really is (there is always one loudmouth blaming the group in front of him when the real problem is 2-3 groups ahead). If there is no one behind you they will give you tips when they see you having a problem with a shot.

[walk18]

most of these guys are retired, there to make a little cash and yeah, mostly free golf. They probably just don't need the aggravation of confrontation. I'm not excusing it, but that's just how it is a lot of times. Seen a few good ones though.

[iWALK18]

I don't think that there are issues during most rounds i play which warrant intervention by a marshal. I will say that an overactive marshal is more annoying. I've been 240 out from a par 5, waiting for the group ahead to clear the green and been told to hit my ball and please keep pace, which killed me because I can carry my 4 wood 240 if I pure it, I would hate to hit someone, and we had been waiting on that group all day. Thats just annoying, and unnecessary.

[raygrinberg]

My experience has been Marshall's at most courses are pretty much non-existant and/or useless.

Higher-end daily fee courses where the Marshall is often called a "player services representative" seem to do a better job. Maybe its because players shelling out $100+ have and expect a higher level of service.

[rudygu]

I don't think that there are issues during most rounds i play which warrant intervention by a marshal. I will say that an overactive marshal is more annoying. I've been 240 out from a par 5, waiting for the group ahead to clear the green and been told to hit my ball and please keep pace, which killed me because I can carry my 4 wood 240 if I pure it, I would hate to hit someone, and we had been waiting on that group all day. Thats just annoying, and unnecessary.

I hate that more than anything. Once, at a local muni, the marshal harassed me for retrieving my ball from a narrow row of trees separating two fairways. No one was behind us. I was 200 yds from the green and the group in front of us wasn't even completely on the green yet (2 were on, 1 was in a bunker and 1 was 30 yds out). We had been waiting on them all day and I'm pretty sure they had been waiting on the group ahead of them. I was walking back to my cart with the ball in my hand (I had hit 2) and the guy pulls up in his cart and just starts yelling about how I can't play the ball out of another fairway. When I explained that I wasn't in the wrong fairway and that I was waiting on the group ahead, he said something to the effect that I couldn't hit them anyway and that I was slowing play. He also lectured to me that "you aren't supposed to hit the ball into the trees" - as if I didn't know! Finally, I had listened to enough and just told him that if he stopped yelling at me, I could get on with my round. After the group ahead finished putting we finished the hole...with the marshal stalking us the entire time. This was on the 11th hole and he followed us for most of the rest of our round.

What makes this even worse is that my dad was with me. He has only played a few times and was already very self-conscious. This incident really ruined what could have been a very nice round of golf with my father.

[Lemay427]

I hardly ever see a marshall. The one thing I do if the pace of play is really slow is call up to the pro shop and tell them. This has worked everytime.

[Lemay427]

rudygu....


you should have told that asshat to F off. I know I would have.

[DirtCheap]

The course I play most doesn't have marshalls.
The only experience I have was at a course in Tulsa, Oklahoma when one came up to our group because he didn't like the way we were driving our carts.

We were on the grass in a place we weren't supposed to be (unknowingly) and he was as nice as possible about it. He pointed out the signs and went on his way.

[rudygu]

rudygu....

I wish I had. Normally I have a pretty hot temper, but I made a point of being patient to the extreme. I figured that once he had his say he would just kinda disappear. Boy, was I wrong.

[JustJpo]

This topic is one of concern not only for those on the golf course, but for those of us on the other side of the counter in the Pro Shop. It has been extremely evident, during my career in the golf industry, as well from previous posts, that it can go both ways. I hate to say it, but if you play at a muni, expect the same service. If you play at a resort, expect top notch service, this includes the Player Assistants.


As stated in a previous thread, most of the individuals that are hired for this position at a club are retired. That is correct.

The bottom line is if the Head Professional/GM/Director of Golf whoever, doesn't implement a proper pace of play strategy, you get those guys dipping in the ponds with the ball retriever, instead of properly monitoring the pace of play. Good luck all...

[jwnolefan]

Last year I was playing at Lipoma Firs down the road from me. Probably the only time in 20+ years of golf where I have had a run in with a marshall. This place has 3 9's and we were sent off the "blue" course to start. We were on the tee at #3 when the marshall comes up on us and says " you guys are way too slow, I have a tournament starting and you guys are in the way." (Uhh, why did you send us off this nine, then...) So we skip ahead and go to #5 and and hour or so later this SOB comes tearing up on us again yelling at us that we are holding up play. I look around as we were on the green of a par 5 and look back... " What the hell are you talking about? There isn't even anyone on the tee, let alone the fairway behind us!" He scratched his head and said " Well, someone is holding up play around over here... I'll get back to you." Later on he came back and gave a half ass apology, but he was such a prick... After the round my buddy (who was more pissed than me) went in to tell the guys in the proshop, and they totally didn't give a damn. I am hoping the rumors are true and that place gets torn up and developed for more housing. That's one track I will not go back to.

[Jeepthrills]

On our Wednesday night league we play behind a womens league that is very slow. They will wait on the tees on par 4's for the group ahead to reach the green before hitting. There is not one of them that could hit a 200 yard drive. Unfortunately the only ranger we see is on the first tee to check and see how many of our group is there. We have called from the course, we have gone in and complained to the manager and we have spoken to the guy at the first tee. Nothing has been done to make them speed it up. The closest thing they will do is mention it once to the league and then never follow up with it.

We have even put rules in our league to pick up the pace by adding a 10 shot max and allowing for a local rule on a lost ball. Instead of going back to the original spot of the shot, we play it like a latteral hazard and allow for the drop in the area it wen in. Our league is a couples league and most of the women and half of the men would be at the USGA max for handicaps if the course was rated.