Inside Info for Golfers

Hello. Having been involved in all aspects of the golf industry, I would like to point out some things that might go unnoticed to visiting golfers. Since moving to the Myrtle Beach area (Jan. 1997) I have worked in numerous positions in the golf industry. Including: pro shop desk clerk, bartender, cart attendant, ranger, and starter. I have also played golf from Maine to Florida. Here are a few things to remember when you visit a golf course. First and foremost, know what your group(s) name is, what course your playing, and what your tee time is. You would think that is just common sense, but it's not, just ask any cart attendant. If you are here on vacation, relax, the course you're at is staffed to accommodate you and your guests. If you're playing where there are multiple courses at the same location, identify where your course is and pull up to that bag drop. Put your shoes on at the condo/hotel or in the parking lot. Putting your shoes on at the bag drop blocks traffic and puts a halt to the bag drop procedure. I have had to diffuse potential altercations between guys with one shoe on and the golfers waiting behind them. Please think before you ask a question. Dealing with 2-3 thousand people per week, we hear numerous dumb questions. Please limit your dumb questions to 2. More than 2 dumb questions means that there will be no tip for the cart attendant. Some dumb questions I have been asked:

?- Do you have a clubhouse? Answer-Let me check my GPS Sir. Yes Sir, (pointing) 3 story building, on top of the hill.

?- (Excited golfer) We're the Simpson group, we have 8 guys, how are you going to put us out? Answer- Here at Smith C.C. we put 8-somes out 3-2-3, you should have seen the look on his face.


?- What's the course record and where's the first tee? Answer-The course record is 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the first tee is still occupied.

?- Is this course nice? Answer- No it's awful, I'm surprised we did 30 thousand rounds last year.
Most of my replies are received as intended, sometimes the person will seem upset, but calms down when he realizes all of his friends are laughing.

Food for thought. Tips for cart guys has been 1 dollar per bag for 40 years. How about we bump that up to 2 dollars per bag. The attendants are well worth it. If people knew what the guys/gals have to clean out of the carts, they would have a different perspective. Some of the things I have seen or handled include: bloody band aids/tape, tissues with "nasty" in them, a used/chewed wad of tobacco, and even a soiled adult diaper, C'mon people. All of that for minimum wage + gratuities. Another thing that should be noted, the people that you deal with are not the ones who make the policies. When a starter or cart attendant tells you that you can't take your cart to the driving range or to the parking lot, live with it, they are just doing their job. Translation, if your upset with something that happens during your golfing experience, don't beat up the little guy. You can ask them for the name of the manager or director of golf. When booking your tee time over the phone please get to the point. The fact that your down here visiting your aunt, who lives with her cousin at the beach, and you will be playing with your brother, who you have not seen since your Uncle Rocco's wedding is not relavent. The line of people waiting to check in will appreciate it. If you do run across someone who is rude or cannot perform their job to an acceptable level, please inform someone, proshop or manager. I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people. It is amazing how many times complete strangers will know someone that you know or lived on the same street as the guy working with you. So let's all relax, enjoy each other and have fun. Hope to see on the links! Peace, Love and all the Above. God Bless, Sugar.