Rollin', Rollin' Rollin. Keep Them Golfers Rollin'

      As most of you know, I have a very soft spot in my heart for the golf course marshaling staff. this comes from my many years of giving back to the game and my local course as a course assistant so I have walked in the shoes of a course marshal. In fact, I am again putting on my "Marshal"s Hat" today for the first time in almost ten years. I'm on the job again.
      The job is not riding around in a cart with a funny little red flag, a radio and a sign on the cart that says "Marshal" and just tell people to pick up their pace of play. As I have said, you are an ambassador for the course out there and not a mean traffic cop. The job of Course Assistant is very important to the operation of any course.
      Course Assistants are there to assist golfers and to keep the pace of play moving. As representatives first and foremost of the course they need to be courteous and professional.  They are the "face" of the golf course operation and as such pretty much set the tone for the golfer's experience of that particular golf facility. Marshals also need to keep in mind that what they are doing is a job with many requirements, not just a way for them to receive free golf. I have run across many of these guys and gals and they have really put a black mark on  Course Assistant programs. Have fun and speed up play to keep things going, but also remember that golf is to be played in a leisurely manner.  It is not a track meet.
       Yes, you are there to hunt down lost golf balls. There may be a major question as far as this concept is concerned.  You are there to help golfers on the course find their ball should they lose them. This is after they have hit an errant shot, not a couple of hours after the ball was lost and you want to recover that ProV for your own play.  You are there to help players, not help yourselves. As a player, I have seen this happen many times.  It should be dealt with and expectations should be made clearer to the marshaling staff.
       What happens where there is a lull in play and golfers playing the course are few and far between.  I have seen this on the very hot days in Central California where I live. It gets hot out there with temperatures reaching 108.  Since it's that hot and there is nobody on the course, why not find a shady spot and take a nap. No, I think not. How about helping the greenskeeper out and fix a few divots on the green. That is what that funny stick that you were given is for. How about filling some of the divots on the par three tees or in the fairway with turf mixture or sand so that they repair sooner. Remember that hissy fit you threw when your ball landed in that fairway divot becuse it wasn't repaired by the guy who made it? Maybe you should have repaired it on your shift when you weren't doing anything because the course was slow.  Oh wait, you were taking a nap under a shady tree because it was hot and there was nobody around. The Greens Keeping staff has been cut at most courses, so in order to keep the course in great shape it takes everyone contributing, including the marshals.
       Yes, marshals are responsible for keeping up the pace of play as one of their duties.  But the job is so much more. All in all, most Course Assistants are very dedicated and do a marvelous job. For me, the free golf is great but I get more out of the fact that I am giving back to the game I love so much and the course I play.

The job begins at the first tee.