Taming Tiger’s Fans

When you are a 29-year-old who has won over $41 million in a sport, have been selected “Player of the Year” six years in a row by three major golf organizations, and are known as Tiger Woods, you probably need on-the-job protection.

That’s where Randy Starr comes in. Randy, a territory manager for Golden Star Inc., a manufacturer of mats and mops, has been a volunteer golf tournament marshal for more than 17 years. His prize volunteer assignment — for which he takes a week of vacation annually — is serving as a personal roving marshal for Tiger Woods at the World Golf Championships event played at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

Randy, who lives in Canton, Ohio, accompanies Tiger everywhere on the golf course before and after the tournament. “We escort him from the clubhouse, to the driving range, to the first tee, and through all 18 holes. We guard him, make sure he gets safely from one point to the next, watch for unruly spectators, and look for anything that distracts Tiger or causes problems on the golf course,” said Randy.

As long as Tiger plays his usual perfect game, it’s an easy job for Randy. “But, if he hits a really bad shot, we might have to move 2,000 to 3,000 spectators out of the way so Tiger can get to his ball.”

People are always trying to get close to Tiger. “Everybody wants to pat him on the back after a shot, so it’s our job to keep people away from him,” Randy said. He also told me that fans show up with golf ball retrievers (those long telescopic poles designed to get balls out of water hazards) and use the retriever to try to get the ball to Tiger for his autograph.

It’s unusual for famous players like Tiger to go anywhere undisturbed. Randy once helped Tiger, his girlfriend, and his caddy find a quiet and private place to have dinner after a golf match.

“Afterward, they stopped for ice cream, and Tiger himself bought the ice cream cones. Nobody at the shop bothered him. He was so happy to just be a ‘regular guy’ that he gave the server a $10 tip.”

According to Randy: “Being a marshal is not for the faint of heart. Once we almost had to wrestle a woman to the ground who grabbed the bumper of Tiger’s car and wouldn’t let go. Having to physically restrain people is the worst thing about this job.”

Luckily, the volunteer marshals get help from others, including Tiger’s caddy who is an ex-rugby player, and a federal ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) officer who works at the tournament with a bomb-sniffing dog.

Are the fans always so difficult to control? “Not always,” said Randy. “Sometimes they’re helpful. Once, the tournament was delayed by rain, so we were finishing in the dark. On the final hole, Tiger had to hit about 150 years to the green. He hit the ball but you couldn’t see it in the dark.

“The spectators surrounded the walkways and the green and lit their lighters to help Tiger see the hole and finish his round of golf,” Randy said.

What a good idea! The next time you go to a golf tournament, don’t forget your lighter. You might just find yourself in a lovely candlelit setting with Tiger Woods.

Gretchen Roufs, a 15-year janitorial supply industry veteran, owns Auxiliary Marketing Services of San Antonio. To suggest someone you think should be featured in “freetime,” contact her at (210) 601-4572 or e-mail.