George Allmann will help supervise players and fans at this week’s PGA Championship in Kohler, Wis. It’s a daunting job but in some ways easier than umpiring softball games in The Villages.
“Softball’s tougher; golfers and fans are a little easier to handle than softball players back home,” said Allmann, 70, who lives in the Village of Polo Ridge with his wife, Barbara. He is serving as a marshal on the 6th hole at the Whistling Straits Golf Course. The PGA is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sport and the final major of the year.
Allmann is a retired Wisconsin school administrator who owns a summer home in the state. He regularly umpires softball games in The Villages but has worked as a marshall at major golf tournaments in Florida for the past five years.
A marshal helps control the crowd and keep things quiet for the players. Allmann and the other marshals do that by putting their hands up in the air when a player is driving, hitting or putting the ball.
Marshals also spot the ball after a player hits it. And they help out whenever needed.
“Earlier this week, we had a male fan who got hit in the head with a ball, near the 6th hole,” Allmann said. “The fan was OK we helped him as much as we could. The player gave him an autographed ball. It all worked out.”
The 6th hole at Whistling Straits is considered the fourth most challenging on the course, Allmann said. It is 410 yards long and a Par 4. The green is surrounded by bunkers.
In addition to a challenge for golfers, marshals also have their hands full on the hole.
“It has three crosswalks and a bleacher gallery that holds thousands of fans,” Allmann said. “It also has two television stations (for cameras and reporters), and an entry from the 5th hole, and an exit to hole No. 7.” He added that about 20 marshals are on duty at the 6th hole throughout the day.
Allmann gets no money for his work. Marshals are volunteers and each one has to pay $205 for an official shirt and cap.
“It’s worth it because I love being here, watching the greatest golfers in the world and being a part of it,” Allmann said.
He added that being a marshall, “is like being a cop. The biggest thing is crowd control. We’re here for the golfers, the fans and to keep things under control.”
Crowds of about 20,000 people are expected to attend Saturday’s and Sunday’stournament, which is televised by TNT-TV. Allmann usually puts in an 8-hour day, starting around 11:30 a.m. and going to about 7 p.m.
Allmann is too busy working to watch the tournament. All he can do is follow the leaderboard to see who is on top.
“We’re not allowed to cheer or root for any individual,” he said. But, he added, it is still a thrill for him to be up close and personal with such golf standouts as Phil Mickelson, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Jason Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.
Allmann, like most Wisconsin fans, has a personal favorite in home state golfer Steve Stricker. “He’s from Wisconsin, so everybody here likes him,” he said.
Despite his experience in golf’s big time, Allmann rarely plays the game back in The Villages. He admits he’s just a duffer.
When asked what his handicap is, Allmann replied: “my game.”
