Working at a Golf Course

**denver_nuggs_15** · February 22, 2009

I have worked every position on a golf course, outside services(cart/range boy), golf shop assistant, starter, marshall, now I am a professional caddie. Out of everything, caddies is by far the best, money-wise and fun-wise. I work at a ultra exclusive private club ranked in the top #100, and it is the nicest track I have ever seen, I play it once a week no charge....dope. But out of the realistic jobs, golf shop is the best. It can get kinda slow standing around just taking money all day, but you get to interact with a bunch of guys, and you will notice guys from other golf courses will come in, and improves your chances of getting an invitation to their course. Cart boy is great if you dont like people, you can smoke a bowl, and go spend a couple hours driving the picker around making a game of pickin up balls, I loved driving the picker and taunting guys on the driving range, most of them aim for you and they suck, but Ive been belted over 100 times, its pretty loud but funny. Believe me, they need people with more experience to do maintenance work, they have the hardest jobs. Be a marshall if you can, all you do is drive around the course and mark down times, and tell people nice shot(since most marshalls dont actually speed anybody up) good luck to ya.

What do you mean professional caddie? Like Steve Williams or something like that? That would be sweet.

I'm a caddie as well and it's a sweet job. We had to go through an unpaid training program to do it though. It's hard work, but the money is worth it. It's not for everyone though. We get to play 3 times per week, so it's pretty sick. I think the guys who work with the carts in the proshop get the same perks, too. Plus, we all get like a 30% discount in the proshop. I found out about this after I bought my i10s!

**flopdarock** · February 22, 2009

But I generally work from 20 to 25 hours a week though, too. And I have to do more than just be the starter for one course. We have 2 courses that the starter manages, as well as call ins for advance reservations. My day can be quite hectic. If I have the early shift I get to the course before sunup, get the carts out of the garage and onto the line, then open the starter booth. I take checkins for both courses (plus manage the waiting list for walk-ons), page players to the tees, record turn times and finish times on the 18 hole course to help manage pace of play, and also handle the phone for both day of play and advance reservations (up to one week). So on a busy day (which most are at our facility) it can get really crazy.

dude... wow... thats crazy... either my course has wayyyy too many employees... or your course needs to hire more ppl... hahaha... you are doing like 4 ppls jobs at my course... im surprised they dont have you cooking also

**Fourputt** · February 23, 2009

dude... wow... thats crazy... either my course has wayyyy too many employees... or your course needs to hire more ppl... hahaha... you are doing like 4 ppls jobs at my course... im surprised they dont have you cooking also

At least it keeps me off the streets and out of the crack houses....

**LongDrive04** · February 23, 2009

But I generally work from 20 to 25 hours a week though, too. And I have to do more than just be the starter for one course. We have 2 courses that the starter manages, as well as call ins for advance reservations. My day can be quite hectic. If I have the early shift I get to the course before sunup, get the carts out of the garage and onto the line, then open the starter booth. I take checkins for both courses (plus manage the waiting list for walk-ons), page players to the tees, record turn times and finish times on the 18 hole course to help manage pace of play, and also handle the phone for both day of play and advance reservations (up to one week). So on a busy day (which most are at our facility) it can get really crazy.

Yeah I really dont have it that hectic, I just sign the people in and watch them tee off. 6-7 hours a week tops. I do help the cart guy rinse off the carts sometimes though....

Oh I get to hear some interesting stories too. You would be amazed at how many people could have gone pro at some point.....

**LBlack14** · February 23, 2009

One thing I know for sure is if you work on the grounds crew, you will be doing physical labor. Some heavy, some light. It's not all about sitting on a mower and passing the time cutting grass. You will need to have good work ethic, and take pride in what you do because if something is done half-arsed you won't last long. But the benefit is knowing you took part in grooming something for hundreds of people to enjoy and that you made a difference, however direct/indirect it may have been, in the playability of the golf course.

True Dat!!! I only had to read to this post. I've been a Course Maintenance guy at 3 different private clubs for over 20 years. If you think at 16 your gonna get on 1 of them BADA$$ mowers...fagetaboutit.

**lhshurdl3r** · February 23, 2009

True Dat!!! I only had to read to this post. I've been a Course Maintenance guy at 3 different private clubs for over 20 years. If you think at 16 your gonna get on 1 of them BADA$$ mowers...fagetaboutit.

Truth. Start loading up the handmower for the greens ;)

**flopdarock** · February 23, 2009

the course i work at is open year round and is only 'closed' on christmas day...
yesterday was raining/sleeting like a mofo and only 1 guy braved it to play with 3 others no showing on the tee sheet...
so 6 of us show up for work to cater to 1 guy... hahaha... we ended up bsing the rest of the day...

what do you guys do when there's nothing doing? i usually go ball hawking if it wasnt pouring

**kingofcars08** · February 23, 2009

well...we play poker or xbox in the employee locker room. But when I worked in the Golf Shop, I would just putt all day with the different scotty's we had for sale, or watch the golf channel, maybe hang out with the bartender and hit on her. When I worked outside services we would alway grab some balls and a few clubs and drive out to an empty hole and play it a couple times.

**flopdarock** · February 23, 2009

we actually had a poker tourny out of the blue one miserably rainy/windy/cold day... we just sat in the clubhouse in front of the tv... brought the proshop handheld phone in... cart guys... pro shop guys... marshalls... maintenance guys... even one of the club pros got in on the action... it was hillarious and fun... we only got one call the whole day and they didnt ask to play that day

**LBlack14** · February 23, 2009

Truth. Start loading up the handmower for the greens ;)

Ya know most kids look at that as some crap job, I love walking greens. It's nice when you get done and see those lazer straight stripes and challenge the kids to do the same, not to mention the great walk you get 1st thing in the morning, feels good. I always have a sense of accomplishment when I walk greens and volunteer for it.

**Fourputt** · February 23, 2009

the course i work at is open year round and is only 'closed' on christmas day...

Most of the seasonal employees are just on call during the winter. We get called in only if the weather is nice enough that the course is booked up. This week is one of those weeks... with temps in the low 70's, I'll be working a 7 hour shift on Wednesday. Today they even had a ranger working the course, and that is very rare in the winter.

**chipper2** · February 23, 2009

I'm semi-retired and when I get fully retired then I will look for a part time golf course job to help my "golf habit". Starter or Pro Shop work would be fun, even being the Lone Ranger without Tonto.

**lhshurdl3r** · February 23, 2009

Ya know most kids look at that as some crap job, I love walking greens. It's nice when you get done and see those lazer straight stripes and challenge the kids to do the same, not to mention the great walk you get 1st thing in the morning, feels good. I always have a sense of accomplishment when I walk greens and volunteer for it.

It gets boring doing it every morning, but it never gets dull seeing those perfect stripes after you finish each one lol My favorite was striping the fairways.

**MrKadash** · February 23, 2009

Ya know most kids look at that as some crap job, I love walking greens. It's nice when you get done and see those lazer straight stripes and challenge the kids to do the same, not to mention the great walk you get 1st thing in the morning, feels good. I always have a sense of accomplishment when I walk greens and volunteer for it.

Congratulations, you get "it". I always send my best out to walk mow greens because it's the bread and butter of the golfers experience from a playability standpoint, IMO. I learned how to walk mow greens many years ago through a rewards challenge. My Super would send out eight or ten different guys each day of the week and he would go out and rate the job done by each, and at the end of the week or (bi-week) the guy that did the best job got a padded paycheck. I got good real fast...

There are many important jobs at a golf course, pro shop work included. I just happened to be involved in every job imaginable at a club, and ended up working the maintenance end, and don't regret it for a second.

**LBlack14** · February 24, 2009

Congratulations, you get "it". I always send my best out to walk mow greens because it's the bread and butter of the golfers experience from a playability standpoint, IMO. I learned how to walk mow greens many years ago through a rewards challenge. My Super would send out eight or ten different guys each day of the week and he would go out and rate the job done by each, and at the end of the week or (bi-week) the guy that did the best job got a padded paycheck. I got good real fast...

Yep some people don't care and just can't wait to get done and do something else. I personally take pride in my ability to cut straight/show striped lines be it greens, tees, fairway, approaches etc. I even try to stripe up rough when I cut it and am on the proper mower to d it. I've noticed that there aren't alot of people with the talent to do it(cut straight lines) and it does take some talent. Folks don't even know. After 21 years in the biz I still care!

**svchiefs19** · February 24, 2009

the course im applying at doesnt have caddies, so i cant try to do that. im just going to apply and say that im open to do any job at the course. i figure is spend all my money on golf anyway, so i might as well make money and get free golf at the same time.

thanks for all the input. it sounds like there are a lot of perks to working at a golf course and i really want to try it out. now i can just hope that i get the job. thanks again!!!!!!!!!

**flopdarock** · February 24, 2009

i say this thread gets officially hijacked and course employees post in it for various things... hahaha... like a chat thread for ppl grinding it out at the course...

oh an to the OP... good luck man... hope you get the job

**kfowler** · February 24, 2009

I had a friend of mine who was a club pro at a course. His degree was in golf management. I said during his time there he played the least amount of golf in his life. He said he never had time to actually go out in play. That sucks! He sells insurance now so I imagine he now has plenty of time.

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