[Evan_Green]

What do you think are the 5 best courses that either require carts for all rounds or theoretically allow walking but could only be walked by the very determined/fit?

[Phil_the_Author]

How about Bethpage Black which has a NO CARTS policy. Walking is MANDATORY!

[John Moore II]

The 5 best courses I have played that would be nearly impossible to walk would be Bryan Park (Champions), PGA (Dye), Bear's Best Atlanta, Thanksgiving Point, and TPC Wakefield Plantation.

--So, overall, my list should prove 2 things, I have played a limited number of great courses, the ones I have played have been easily walkable, and that most likely, few truly great courses are not walkable, unless you could very hilly terrain.

[David Stamm]

Stone Eagle comes to mind. I don't remember PGA West being very walkable and Ojai can be done, but it's tough in spots. Pelican Hills courses aren't excatly walker friendly.

[ChipOat]

Due to the topography, about half the courses in Westchester County are near-impossible killers on any hot, summer day - even if your poor caddy is carrying 2 bags.

I'll throw in Westchester CC (both courses), Ardsley, and Whipporwill as first suggestions.

Interestingly, neither WFW, WFE or Quaker Ridge are especially demanding treks.  Maybe that more benign topography was a factor in their getting to greatness?

[Dan King]

Most cartball courses are crap. I'm guessing because competition between cartball courses is so weak, Kapalua Plantation course is farrrr better than any other cartball course I've ever seen.

Cheers,
Dan King

Ye're makin' a great mistake if ye think the gemme is meant for the shots. The gemme is meant for walkin'.
 --Shivas Irons (Golf in the Kingdom)

[Jeff Tang]

Wolf Creek in NV, the terrain is brutal as it is, but throw in the heat and I can't imagine walking that course.

[Kalen Braley]

The 5 best courses I have played that would be nearly impossible to walk would be Bryan Park (Champions), PGA (Dye), Bear's Best Atlanta, Thanksgiving Point, and TPC Wakefield Plantation.

--So, overall, my list should prove 2 things, I have played a limited number of great courses, the ones I have played have been easily walkable, and that most likely, few truly great courses are not walkable, unless you could very hilly terrain.

JKM,

I should have shown you South Mountain when you were here in SLC.  Walking that course makes TP look like a walk in the park...Its 6 miles of up and down and up and down again.  But the fun found on the course is every bit as good as TP if not better.

I still have an open invite for anyone to try South Mountain.  If you can do it, I'll re-imburse your green fees and give you a $100 to boot.  It really is a fun course to play and has some good holes, but certainly the most unwalkable course I've ever played.

[Brad Tufts]

Kapalua Plantation...

[Chip Gaskins]

Breckenridge Golf Club and Royal New Kent

[Jim Tang]

How about The River Course at Blackwolf Run?  I've walked it, but man I was in traction for a week after.  And I am in decent shape and walk almost all the time.

[Matt Bosela]

I'd throw Princeville (Prince Course) into the equation as well...

[JESII]

Breckenridge Golf Club and Royal New Kent

haven't played Brekenridge, but RNK is the only course I have played that I would not walk and I would go back to...I really love it.

[John Moore II]

The 5 best courses I have played that would be nearly impossible to walk would be Bryan Park (Champions), PGA (Dye), Bear's Best Atlanta, Thanksgiving Point, and TPC Wakefield Plantation.

--So, overall, my list should prove 2 things, I have played a limited number of great courses, the ones I have played have been easily walkable, and that most likely, few truly great courses are not walkable, unless you could very hilly terrain.

JKM,

I should have shown you South Mountain when you were here in SLC.  Walking that course makes TP look like a walk in the park...Its 6 miles of up and down and up and down again.  But the fun found on the course is every bit as good as TP if not better.

I still have an open invite for anyone to try South Mountain.  If you can do it, I'll re-imburse your green fees and give you a $100 to boot.  It really is a fun course to play and has some good holes, but certainly the most unwalkable course I've ever played.

I'll take that bet. Lets try for Thursday October 9.

[RJ_Daley]

A walk only for the very fit, but I'd say Sutton Bay is right up there.  Maybe put Greywalls in that category as well. 

I obviously haven't been there, but what about Cape Kidnappers? 

[Andy Troeger]

Blackwolf Run River
Castle Pines
Black Mesa
Paa-Ko Ridge
Forest Highlands Canyon

All five of those could possibly be walked so I'm not sure how applicable they are to the category, but at the same time the terrain of all of them would be what would make the walk really difficult, generally not long walks between holes. Most of the walks are caused by natural features that must be crossed but not with a golf ball.

Of the bunch Paa-Ko is probably the least walkable of the bunch. The others I think could be done, and I know quite a few people have walked Paa-Ko, but its a hike. Lakota Canyon would be another one fitting the same category.

I can't think of a course I'd name for this category that was tough to walk over what should have been easily walkable terrain, if that makes sense.

[J_ Crisham]

Blackwolf Run River
Castle Pines
Black Mesa
Paa-Ko Ridge
Forest Highlands Canyon

All five of those could possibly be walked so I'm not sure how applicable they are to the category, but at the same time the terrain of all of them would be what would make the walk really difficult, generally not long walks between holes. Most of the walks are caused by natural features that must be crossed but not with a golf ball.

Of the bunch Paa-Ko is probably the least walkable of the bunch. The others I think could be done, and I know quite a few people have walked Paa-Ko, but its a hike. Lakota Canyon would be another one fitting the same category.

I can't think of a course I'd name for this category that was tough to walk over what should have been easily walkable terrain, if that makes sense.

Andy, I didn't think Blackwolf Run river was too hard to walk-2 years ago I walked 36 carrying my own bag. I'm 44 yrs old. There are a couple of big hills but it is doable-just my opinion. Jack

[Mike Boehm]

Of those I've played, Tidewater is probably the best.

[Joel_Stewart]

Cascata in Las Vegas is impossible.  I would bet that no one has ever walked 18 holes.

[Kyle Henderson]

Lakota Canyon, Dismal River

[Sean_A]

Judging from some of the psychos who drive all night to play golf, I doubt there are many truly unwalkable golf courses.  For me its more a question of does the walk detract from the game?  The only course I have seen where I thought the walk took away some of the fun and that I would return to is Tobacco Road.  I spose I just don't play many cart courses.  They just don't interest me.

Ciao

[Tom_Doak]

RJ:  Cape Kidnappers is quite walkable now.  When we started, I wasn't sure.  I played 15 holes with the boys just as we were starting construction, and it was a tough walk -- but we had to climb down through the canyons on #6 and #14.  With the bridges, it's much, much easier.

I have yet to design a course that really isn't walkable; I think walkability is important to golf, and not just because of rankings.  Black Forest and Lost Dunes have some very long transitions, and Stone Eagle is very hilly, so from a practical standpoint not many people walk the whole course in those cases, but I have walked all three without getting tired enough for it to affect my game.  (But, I was younger then.)

Then again, I am not saying I would NEVER build a course that couldn't be walked.  There are plenty of sites out there on which that would be impossible, and I would not rule out all of them as unworthy.  Even if a cart is involved, most courses provide plenty of opportunity for exercise along the way ... at Stone Eagle, for example, it's common for people to walk most of the holes but hop into the cart with a forecaddie a few times a round, and that works just fine.

I won't list my top 5 because I don't know where you would draw the line of "unwalkable".  I played Forest Highlands years ago with Weiskopf and we both walked it ... I carried my bag ... it was a long day but a fun one.

[Andy Troeger]

Blackwolf Run River
Castle Pines
Black Mesa
Paa-Ko Ridge
Forest Highlands Canyon

All five of those could possibly be walked so I'm not sure how applicable they are to the category, but at the same time the terrain of all of them would be what would make the walk really difficult, generally not long walks between holes. Most of the walks are caused by natural features that must be crossed but not with a golf ball.

Of the bunch Paa-Ko is probably the least walkable of the bunch. The others I think could be done, and I know quite a few people have walked Paa-Ko, but its a hike. Lakota Canyon would be another one fitting the same category.

I can't think of a course I'd name for this category that was tough to walk over what should have been easily walkable terrain, if that makes sense.

Andy, I didn't think Blackwolf Run river was too hard to walk-2 years ago I walked 36 carrying my own bag. I'm 44 yrs old. There are a couple of big hills but it is doable-just my opinion. Jack

I didn't walk, so I'll take your word for it. Does seem like it would be easier than the others I listed, although Forest Highlands' only walking issue would be the couple of times you head down into the canyon (#9, then 17/18) so it might not really be that bad either. Castle Pines and Black Mesa are do-able, and BM makes every effort possible to accommodate walkers which is nice, its just rugged terrain. I listed Blackwolf Run first only because I thought it was the best course of the bunch.

[cary lichtenstein]

Sanctuary
Dismal River
Kapalua Plantation
Wolf Creek
Highland Links

[Brad Huff]

Paa-Ko Ridge

Of the bunch Paa-Ko is probably the least walkable of the bunch. The others I think could be done, and I know quite a few people have walked Paa-Ko, but its a hike. Lakota Canyon would be another one fitting the same category.

That was going to be my vote.  Add to it that it's at altitude for most of us at well...

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