Carry your own bag, or walk unencumbered?

[George Pazin]

George:

FOR SHAME!  You actually rode in a cart?  Takes balls to admit that in here man.  Next thing you know you're gonna say you actually carry 14 clubs from time to time, keep score, and notice scenery.....

I did have major knee surgery...long after riding with some of my gca friends. Payback, I suppose.

I never carry 14 clubs, rarely keep score and always notice scenery, even beverage cart girls, for the record.

 

[Tom Huckaby]

George - well you're CLOSE to getting GCA "cool" privileges restored.  Just watch it with all that scenery stuff.  You do know it doesn't matter at all of course.

[Charlie Goerges]

If I told the folks I usually play with 'thanks but no thanks' to the cart, I'm afraid harm would come to me.

[Brent Hutto]

If I told the folks I usually play with 'thanks but no thanks' to the cart, I'm afraid harm would come to me.

Has Matt V. threatened you too?

[Charlie Goerges]

If I told the folks I usually play with 'thanks but no thanks' to the cart, I'm afraid harm would come to me.

Has Matt V. threatened you too?

Hey now! Don't drag me into your kickboxing match.

[James Bennett]

I find I get my best scores when I play imaginery golf - no bag, no clubs, no balls.  Just start on the tee, imagine my swing, and head down the fairway to play my second.  No gimmes, but very few missed putts either!  And, no damage to the blessed and sacred turf!

PS  Dave Givnish.  I appreciated the comment on the 4-bagger carts.  I expected as much (that they are the slowest and arguably the least enjoyable way of playing golf) but it was good to hear an actual experience.  My club has banned the use of such carts, albeit for different reasons (turf damage being one).  One of my favourite images though is of The Three Stooges in a 4-bagger cart.  I hate to imagine what playing golf with those guys would be like.

James B

[Rob Rigg]

Tom

I had no idea what you were talking about in terms of scenery until I read the PB v Riv thread.

I'm clearly not as cool as I though I was, because scenery helps make the golfing experience complete. You cannot evaluate a course without discussing scenery.

Unless you are taking a cart, then you miss most of it anyways . . . 

[jeffwarne]

Tiger made an interesting comment yesterday.  Said he forgot how long a round of golf takes because had had been playing cart ball and only taking 2.5 hours....as for me, in my late 50's, I would surely take the cart and walk option.  When I play with my wife, who has two 'new' knees and therefore rides this is often the option I use.

That's an interesting comment by Tiger.
Coupled with his comments about how he REALLY enjoyed his time at home the last 8 months.
Could he be human?
Nicklaus enjoyed watching his kids grow up and it limited his schedule.

Noticing how long a round takes is not a good sign- I know I quit playing competively because I just couldn't take the marathon rounds and eventually had an attack of the priorities.

[Cliff Hamm]

Tiger made an interesting comment yesterday.  Said he forgot how long a round of golf takes because had had been playing cart ball and only taking 2.5 hours....as for me, in my late 50's, I would surely take the cart and walk option.  When I play with my wife, who has two 'new' knees and therefore rides this is often the option I use.

That's an interesting comment by Tiger.
Coupled with his comments about how he REALLY enjoyed his time at home the last 8 months.
Could he be human?
Nicklaus enjoyed watching his kids grow up and it limited his schedule.

Noticing how long a round takes is not a good sign- I know I quit playing competively because I just couldn't take the marathon rounds and eventually had an attack of the priorities.

Another interesting quote was Arnold Palmer at the 'Hope' being disappointed, to put it mildly, that today's pros don't play all tournaments at least every few years.  If indeed Tiger's priorities are his family I hardily applaud him.  There is nothing more important and he seems to understand that.  At the same time I do wish that he and others would play all tournaments to give back to the Tour what it has given to them.

[Tom Huckaby]

Tom

I had no idea what you were talking about in terms of scenery until I read the PB v Riv thread.

I'm clearly not as cool as I though I was, because scenery helps make the golfing experience complete. You cannot evaluate a course without discussing scenery.

Unless you are taking a cart, then you miss most of it anyways . . . 

Rob - you're cool with me, because in terms of this definition I am LOOC (the opposite of cool).

 

[Rich Goodale]

I'm a chronic walker-carrier, but I pull a cart from time to time, and will play cart-ball when required.  As to the stick your bag on a cart and walk option, this is the worst of all options, as it deprives you of both exercise and freedom whilst denying you camaraderie.  That being said, I do kinda like Dan kelly's option, but only if the caddies will also play your shots for you.  I wonder what is the going rate for that option?

[Carl Johnson]

What I've always found most interesting is the cultural bias against push carts in the U.S. -- I would get mocked at my club if I started using one!

Unfortunately golf in America continues to have elitist roots.  Push carts are viewed as only for muni golfers who traditionally could not afford a caddy.  Exclusive private clubs have never allowed push carts and I would argue it is the vestiges of elitism or worse the continuation of elitism of golf in America.

I'm familiar with so-called exclusive private clubs in the U.S. that don't allow trolleys for the "muni golfer" reason, and also ones that permit only the use of the clubs' own trolleys (for "uniformity" sake).  Of course, we're also familiar with exclusive private clubs in Scotland where trolleys are the norm for members and buggies only for the infirm.  I look at the U.S. private clubs that ban trolleys not as preserving elitism, but rather as catering to the insecurities of their membership.

[Jeff Zeagler]

My club does not allow pull carts either due to the whole "muni" issue.  However, I've used a pull carts at several clubs that rank much higher on the old private club food chain than my own.  MPCC comes to mind.

[Bill_McBride]

Tossing out all hypotheticals, I'm most likely to be carrying my bag....a small bag, with maybe 9 or 10 clubs max, and usually less than 6 balls.

Six balls, Joe? That's three times as many as you need!

----------- As for the hypothetical: I love walking golf courses without a bag on my back -- either to play the game or to watch others play it. And I'm not a big fan of either push/pull carts or caddies. So I'd have no trouble letting one of the cartballers carry my clubs for me.

BUT: The innovation I'd love to see is this: cart caddies -- caddies whose job would be simply to drive a cart carrying the clubs as the players all walked; not to tend flagsticks and provide putting lines, or any of the rest of it -- but just to carry the bags. (Oh, maybe the cart caddies could do some club cleaning, too, and some raking -- if that would keep the game moving.) Two cart caddies per foursome would be just right, I think.

Good stimulus for the economy, too. I wonder if it's in the new federal budget somewhere ....

The Robert Trent Jones International course outside DC has foiur-bagger csrts that are driven by a caddy.  His job, however, does include some putt reading and some bunker raking.  The round moves along pretty well but I would still rather have a walking caddy, even if he was carrying two bags.

[Damon Groves]

Pat,

It appears you have a hard and fast rule that applies everywhere. The reality is that some course maintenance regimes handle any type of cart traffic just fine. The main factor that determines the toughness and recuperative ability of the turf is irrigation water, IMO. Also, the length of the growing season in relation to the length of the playing season (two different things) has some bearing on the issue.

Joe

I agree completely. My home course, Santa Anita in Arcadia CA, does just fine with both pull carts and golf carts all over the place on the course.

For me if the place has caddies I will always take a caddie first. Second carry my own bag. Third choice a golf cart if the layout dictates I have to as some of the canyon courses do like a Lost Canyons. Generally do not enjoy playing with a pull cart.

There is a local par 3 course that is nothing special and has an interesting crowd. It has lights so I will play now and then to work on the short game. I was fascinated the last time I played to find they now have golf carts. Are you kidding me? How lazy can you be?

[Bill_McBride]

What I've always found most interesting is the cultural bias against push carts in the U.S. -- I would get mocked at my club if I started using one!

Unfortunately golf in America continues to have elitist roots.  Push carts are viewed as only for muni golfers who traditionally could not afford a caddy.  Exclusive private clubs have never allowed push carts and I would argue it is the vestiges of elitism or worse the continuation of elitism of golf in America.

I think the elitist disdain for push carts is an effete Eastern snobbery.  Out West they are used widely.  Last week I played the two top private clubs in Santa Barbara and got a Sun Mountain push cart from the club in both cases.  Almost everybody playing was using one.  Quite a few had the Sun Mountain battery assisted push cart which I'd like to try some time.

[John Pflum]

Assume there is no caddie option for this hypothetical:

You can either be "master of your domain," carrying your own bag as per usual,

OR--You can strap it to the back of a buggy and walk unencumbered--the other three guys are playing cart--ball, and your "chauffeur" is reasonably helpful in driving to your ball, crossing the fairway towards you, etc.

Which would you prefer?

I'd carry my own bag and walk without a doubt. 

[Pat Brockwell]

After laying off the walking for a couple of years due to a sacral/lumbar stability issue that has been resolved without surgery (YEA Pilates!) I went out last November with half of my clubs and three balls for a quick Indian Summer 9 and shot a smooth 39.  I'm thinking if I get rid of 3 more clubs and 2 balls I might break par. Makes sense now, fewer clubs=fewer strokes, very unencumbered.

[Ronald Montesano]

From my one trip out to Bandon, I recall the trolleys/pullies having extra-wide wheels to minimize damage on the greens.  They also have such eagle-eyed rangers, with at least one caddie per group, that anyone who does something improper with the pull cart gets reminded, then scolded, then strapped to the pull cart and pushed into the Pacific.

[Steve Lang]

   it must really be cold up north..

I'd ask my purpose in playing that day, like..

- strap on and ride to socialize, play the game of golf, enjoy the experi

- walk to "focus" on game,.. but have to question is it cost or "purist obsessive compulsive opinion" (POCO) to grind out a 70-100+ score on foot, lugging that 10-20 lb bag?

- walk, noting the need for exercise..  at least nine holes or maybe taking some long helper rides

- strap on and ride if i was slowing group's rate of play by walking

- i never lose touch of my clubs du jour


this lugging POCO over push/pull carting is really silly and a load of crap.  I 3 wheeler push nearly all the time that i walk ..

i regreted not moving to the dual strap earlier and moving to the stand bag earlier.. i did not let the 3 wheeler pass me by much before adopting..

.. i'm sure the lugger burns calories lifting the bag 70-100+ times a round, ..  and just as sure that there are physical impacts on back and shoulder muscles when alignment/distribution of the stress is not properly addressed.. voila dual straps, sheepskin pads, hip pads, belts etc..

lugging simply give you a little freedom of path taken (mainly crossing the green) at your bodies expense.   

all the young dudes can brag on 36 a day carrying.. a right of passage

[Brent Gremillion]

I usually carry my bag and prefer to do so. In this scenario there are two options that would change my mind. First being the request of the individual riding solo to have me share the ride to socialize. I would always yield my preference to my playing partner if they felt "snubbed" by me walking rather than sharing the ride. Second, if my playing partners have a tendency to race and cause me to nearly run between shots.
This thread is interesting bc it just happened to me while playing Torrey a few months ago. We had three. Two walkers, and a rider who had his wife with him. The rider was a mini tour player from Florida. He and his wife offered to tote my clubs on the cart and provide a semi caddy situation. I enjoyed the walk thoroughly.  The young lady did a great job as caddy.

[Carl Rogers]

The only round I have ever had with a caddie was at Pinehurst No.2, 2 years ago, because I had to have one.  Observations:
1. I found to my amazement that it was a lot easier to walk the course without the weight of the bag
2. My caddie and the caddie of another couple in the foursome helped enormously with many putts, thus shaving about 5 shots
3. I will be in the poorhouse if I have to continue with that expense

I, also, have made the move to fewer clubs, this year I will try for 10.  with only 4 or 5 balls in the bag.

If confronted with the walk or ride, it all depends on the circumstances.  With people I know well, it does not matter.  With strangers, it does not matter.  With a recent acquaintance, it all depends on the social circumstance.

Having some else drive the cart and then walking would take me a few holes to get used to.

[BHoover]

Besides taking a caddy on rare occasions, some of my favorite rounds are when a friend in a cart will haul my bag and I can walk the course unencumbered.

[Joel Zuckerman]

So strange to see this thread (which I had totally forgotten about) reappearing eight years later!  Haven't been on the site much..in fact I forgot how to post!  (Took me a few minutes to figure it out...)


So--Here we are eight years after virtually all the responses came in.  We are ALL eight years older, and 80-90% of us (being generous here) are not the same physically...creakier, less flexible, perhaps a bit less endurance, less dynamic, etc.


So--using the wonderful GCA technique of splitting 10 rounds between two GC's, I will say this:  Given the chance to hump my bag around the course vs. having it carried on the back of a playing partner's cart, I am going 10 for 10 (even 20 for 10) having the bag on the golf cart.  (In fact, carried today, had my bag on someone's cart yesterday--this is No Contest!)


Same caveat applies as earlier:  You cannot whistle for a different club like a NYC doorman.  Grab 2-3 clubs after your tee shot so as not to overly burden the cart-driver.  There is plenty of time for socializing on the tee, around the green, between holes, etc.


Staying is shape comes down to four simple words:  Eat better, keep moving. Having the chance to amble about for four hours and cover 5-6-7 miles is a blessing for those wishing to stay active, and if your buddies (or the strangers you were paired with) don't care if you walk or jog between shots, as long as you don't inconvenience them, I think it's a smashing way to play!

[Jason Chambers]

Carry.  Then caddy (they always are fun, but are rare a non private venues where I play).  Then pull cart.  Then 2 clubs and a putter.  Then a drinking bender WATCHING golf.  Then a root canal.  Then a spinal tap for fun...then, if I have to, cart ball.