Guess I should start carrying my own rake.

I can't help but wonder if he had encountered several others earlier in the day who did not rake the sand trap or bother to place the rake. I think those guys must deal with a lot of flack on some days.

Maybe he had endured his share of jerks that day and just wanted to ensure that it didn't happen again.

I know I have encountered traps where there were 2 rakes side by side and none on the opposite sides of the trap. And we have all encountered traps that had not been raked.

At the end of the day, the Ambassadors go from hole to hole cleaning up the trash, repairing the divots, straightening the rakes and raking the traps when the "entitled" couldn't be bothered.

He probably just had a bad day. 'Tis the season!

Do they send out the tractors to rake the traps every morning before the tee off times on the champs? I don't think they do on the execs.

they're out every AM on EP, at least in the trap in my backyard

Hi justjim: I don't know if ambassadors are not allowed to exercise the duties of a golf ranger/ambassador or if they cop out by claiming that they are told to refrain but what use is an ambassador if s/he can't act like one.

Why is that the rules of etiquette are not managed to remain in play? On executive courses the rule is 9 minute per hole. Some folks may not be able to manage that because of some physical deficit but certainly not all?............

bottom line is that executive courses are becoming a "no man's land"

Personal Best Regards:

You asked and I will speak my thoughts AGAIN on the same subject. I think that the reason is that;


The people who made the rules and enforce them think that people over the age of 55 should know how to behave as adults. They know that trying to change them is futile and will only lead to ugly confrontations. Due to the upbringing of certain parts of the country, the confrontations may be quicker, more direct, and continue to the point of having to bring force. The people who planned this community did not wish to behave like parents or jailers or cops.


People from your neck of the woods Rubicon, are rarely to blame for lack of manners or acting in a selfish way or appearing selfish. They may have all of these traits inwardly, but their mothers straightened them out before the age of five. Mouthing off was not considered a right or encouraged in the area you grew up. Nor was ignoring the rules. I am very sure you have not ignored a stop sign in your whole life...and I love you for it.


Incoming.....

Please go back and reread the original post. According to the post, it doesn't appear that the ambassador was making a comment about incorrect behavior as the person was still in the trap with a rake. I have been playing golf for 50 years and have never seen a ranger/ambassador preemptively correct someone. If the person in question left the trap without raking or left the rake in the wrong position I could see making a comment. That doesn't appear to be what happened. Assuming someone is going to do something wrong and then preemptively correcting them hardly seems like part of the job.

I think Dustin Johnson at the PGA at Whistling Straits 5 years ago on the final hole would have appreciated the marshal pointing out the correct sand trap procedures BEFORE he grounded his club!!!!

Maybe this person had the potential based on location in the trap to place the rake where it would take a lot of time and raking to correctly place it "after the fact"

Why do people assume the ambassadors are idiots and ignorant of the game of golf?

Hardly a similar situation with Dustin Johnson. By the way, the marshals are not responsible for preemptively reminding PGA players of the rules. Dustin Johnson could have asked for a clarification but didn't. Also, the fact that those sandy areas were considered sand traps was communicated to the players at the start of the tournament.

In this case, why did the ambassador apparently think the player was ignorant of the game of golf? I try to assume people know what they are doing until they demonstrate otherwise. The ambassadors should do so also. From the information presented by the original poster, that doesn't appear to be what happened. Since neither of us were there, I would suggest that further speculation is futile.

At many courses, the starter will give "friendly reminders" to each group before they tee off. These are typically things such as fix your ball marks, fill divots with sand, rake the traps, which holes are cart path only, maintain pace of play, etc. Further comments should be limited to when actual infractions are observed.

All true, but I always wondered why the rules official was on the left side of the fairway with a player that was out of contention when the leader was 50 yds. right of the fairway. A rules official is permitted to give facts, and could tell the player "That is a bunker"--he doesn't HAVE TO. I can understand DJ getting caught up in the moment despite multiple warnings posted about the quantity and nature of the traps on that course, but what was HIS CADDY thinking?
As far as pre-emptive reminders at TV courses go, I just don't see the harm. I've played a long time, played competitively when I was younger including some pro events (not PGA tour:1rotfl::1rotfl:), and I would never react negatively to such a reminder from an ambassador---a simple thank you suffices

An analogous situation would be the ambassador driving over to me in the middle of the fairway before I hit my approach shot and telling me that I need to fill in my divot. Or how about the ambassador driving up to me before I hit my approach shot and telling me that I need to fix my ball mark on the green. Most golfers know these things and do them. The ambassadors should say something when these actions are not taken. I think we have beaten this horse to death.

Oh no.....................you have only just begun. (46 posts).

Well, we've probably beaten it to death on TOTV. But if it were truly dead, I wouldn't have to fix 4 or 5 ball marks on every green, fill 4 or 5 divots on every fairway, and rake out 2 or 3 areas in every trap I get into, would I?

Yes, this was clearly a fail by his caddy. The marshal may have been asked for some clarification by the other player. The fact that the other player is out of contention is not a factor. All players have equal access to the marshals.

I never said bad behavior is not a problem on the courses. I always come back without sand and fix many ball marks also. How to instill better on-course behavior is a mystery.