“My Life as a Golf Marshall” :Your Intelligence Network

You have several sources of intelligence open to you as a Marshall.

• The Starter: The Starter has the first real view of the skills and attitudes of golfers. Are they angry or argumentative?  Are they abusive? Are they hackers? Do they reek of alcohol or cannabis? I often start my rounds on the first hole chatting up golfers. This may be your first and best intel source. It is not Afghanistan but a week-end at a municipal golf course may be close to combat.
• The Golfers: Many golfers blame delays on the group immediately ahead of them which is incorrect 90% of the time. On a shift I had there was a back up developing on the third hole but I caught up with the offenders on the 12^th hole who were running late by 25 minutes. Chasing down the source is time consuming. The more experienced golfers have the ability to see beyond the party ahead of them. They can be your ally in identifying the culprits.
• The Cart Lady: These are the ladies who zoom around the course selling beer and other alcoholic beverages and food. They can tip you off who may be pickled or getting to that point. You can also look in the garbage cans and see how many beer cans are not being sold by the cart lady but smuggled in. Most golf courses prohibit bringing in your own alcohol.
• The Reputation: If you have been around long enough you will recognize what to watch out for. There are names that say to you I have encountered this foursome before. It could be Mr. that took swing with a golf club at A Marshall. It could be the perpetual laggards that are so slow they run 25 minutes slow time and time again.
• You: Once you identify a gap of a hole ahead of a group of golfers. You have identified the criminals!
• The Marshall You Are Replacing: If you are replacing a Marshall that Marshall will give you the low down on the slow, abusive and clueless as to etiquette.