Marsha Harlan says she has no job title at the Neosho golf course. But a title doesn’t seem to matter. Marsha Harlan is having a great time in the clubhouse because golf is such an important part of her life.

Marsha took her first steps on a golf course at a very young age.

“My dad took me out with him when I was only five or six,” Marsha said. “He let me pull his cart.”

Her dad also told young Marsha that he would allow her to play when she was able to hit the ball out onto the green about 100 yards. That, of course, was an incentive for her to work on her game. Finally at about age eight, she was hitting the ball the way her dad wanted, and she started to actually play the game.

And she has never stopped playing.

Born in Hays, Kan.,, Marsha moved to Joplin with her parents when she was in the eighth grade. In school, she played golf and tennis and also got involved with Junior Golf.

“I am very supportive of the Junior Golf program,” Marsha said. “We have it here at the Neosho course in the summer. I would like to see more kids involved, and I would like to see more women and girls learning to play golf.”

After Marsha graduated from Joplin High School, she attended the University of Arkansas. Then she taught four and one-half years in Joplin before coming to teach physical education and coach in the Neosho school system.

“I started out coaching volleyball and teaching P.E.,” Marsha said. “Later, I coached cheerleading and tennis. I really enjoyed coaching volleyball, but I think I enjoyed tennis more than anything else.”

After 25 years of teaching in Neosho, Marsha retired and immediately went to work at the local golf course. It was a case of having a second career doing what she truly loves.

“I work part time,” Marsha laughed, “and the rest of the time I’m out there playing.”

Asked to explain the difference in the two jobs—teaching and running the front desk at the golf course—she was ready with an answer:

 “The difference is no kids; you just have different kids.”

In her everyday duties at the golf course, Marsha collects green fees, rents golf carts, books tee times, sells snacks and concessions, and sells golf equipment and apparel.

“There’s always something going on out here,” Marsha said. “You never know who’s going to walk through that door next.”

And those who do walk through that door are greeted not only by Marsha, but by Driver, the clubhouse mascot, Marsha’s Great Pyrenees and Australian Shepherd Mix dog.

As the weather improves and temperatures rise, Marsha and Driver are very busy each day in the clubhouse.

“Things are really picking up,” Marsha said. “We have many golfers who have played here for years and are coming out just about every day and we have lots of travelers passing through who stop to play.”

Noting that some of the locals are men and women in their 70s and 80s, Marsha testified that golf is a great sport because families can play together, couples can play together and singles can group up to play.

One thing she was very clear to say is “You’re never too old to learn. It’s a great game to play for the rest of your life.”