Marshall’s reports
RMGC is a happy club and the need for the disciplinary committee to take action is extremely rare. However, like any club, there are incidents on the course. Almost all of these are dealt with promptly and are resolved in a courteous manner. To the members’ credit, the general behaviour on the course is impeccable and is exactly what one expects from a club of our standing.
The course marshall is in the front line. He completes a daily report of events on the course. I have reviewed these reports. The following highlights some of the more important issues:
• No shows are not acceptable. If you book a tee time and then cannot make it there is no excuse for failing to call the pro shop to cancel. No shows run the risk that they will be refused future bookings.
• You may not play anywhere or at any time on the course without first contacting the pro shop.
• Slow play is a common complaint and is unacceptable. We have a guideline of 4.5 hours for a three or four ball. This is an average of 15 mins per hole. Obviously a two ball should be faster. Please leave the green promptly once you have putted out. All too frequently players stroll off the green in a leisurely fashion.
• Equally unacceptable is that there are a few faster players who constantly and irritatingly push the players in front of them even though they are well within the time guide and they themselves are being held up in front.
• Five balls are not accepted. There have been several instances of members trying to play five balls and trying to fool the marshall. If you are so attached to your four friends that you feel that you simply cannot play a round without having all of them with you then you need to get a life. Just look somewhere outside of our club for this life.
• Several members believe they have the right to drive their golf carts anywhere on the course. If you do not obey the rules you will not be allowed to drive a golf cart. I shall be proposing a one strike and you are out rule.
• A few members seem to believe they enjoy a special privilege in that they are exempt from raking bunkers. These are generally the same members who complain about others being slow. Failure to rake a bunker is a particularly serious issue. It is utterly selfish. It is a direct slap in the face to those playing behind you. It tells the world at large that you are an egocentric oaf and that you have not understood the most basic golfing issue i.e. that above all, you should show courtesy and respect to other players. The marshall’s requests to these members to rake their bunkers are often ignored or mocked. I will be making proposals that we name and shame the offenders. This will allow all the members to know the names of the people responsible for leaving their large, ugly footprints in bunkers and not only the members unfortunate enough to play behind them and have their ball land in a footprint.
Please, both on and off the course, ensure courtesy and respect for others at all times.
Andrew Pearce
Club Captain
