Every Golf Course Is Walkable

[Howard Riefs]

Comment on the following statement: "every golf course is walkable."
 

I'll defer to The Walking Golfer, which does rank some courses as "essentially unwalkable."

http://www.thewalkinggolfer.com/twg_walkability_ratings

[Kalen Braley]

Comment on the following statement: "every golf course is walkable."

Folks hike the entire Appalachian Trial every year.  If that's possible, then is there a single golf course in the world that is un-walkable?

Can't walk this course:

Oh please....Jesus could easily walk that one...

[Jason Connor]

On my home course there are often times mixed groups containing walkers and riders.

On most holes the riders will beat me to where our tee shots land (and they just hit).

But usually I will beat the riders from green to the next tee (so I just hit first).

So there is really no difference in walking and riding in terms of pace of play there.  In fact the USGA's Dean Knuth (the pope of the slope) did an analysis and demonstrated that on reasonable courses, walking is equally as fast as riding.

Now on some courses clearly walking is slower.  Therefore mixed groups would have a tougher time.  So they are not practically walkable.

[JNC Lyon]

Comment on the following statement: "every golf course is walkable."
 

I'll defer to The Walking Golfer, which does rank some courses as "essentially unwalkable."

http://www.thewalkinggolfer.com/twg_walkability_ratings

From the guide: Morgan Hill Golf Club: "the course is essentially unwalkable." FALSE.  See my post above about walking Morgan Hill.

[Scott_Burroughs]

I've stated my opinion on this matter in the past, but here was a fun hike (carrying my bag).  At Silver Creek Valley in San Jose, CA, from the 7th green below, it was (seemingly) a few hundred steps up to the 8th tee, where the long hedge is at upper left center, where the houses end.  Hard to believe from this pic, but the 8th hole was a par 5 that was significantly uphill (to the right, doglegging left) from there.

There was another hike up steps on the back nine, not quite this long.

[Garland Bayley]

Jon,

I don't pay green fees to go hiking. I can go hiking for free in much better locals that Morgan Hill, etc. Maybe you right coast types are so hard up on outdoors environments that you'll put up with fee paid hiking, but on the left coast we aren't at that stage.

[JNC Lyon]

Jon,

I don't pay green fees to go hiking. I can go hiking for free in much better locals that Morgan Hill, etc. Maybe you right coast types are so hard up on outdoors environments that you'll put up with fee paid hiking, but on the left coast we aren't at that stage.

Re-read my post on Morgan Hill.  I wasn't putting up with the "hiking" (it was really only hiking on a couple of holes)--I thought it enhanced the experience.  Maybe this is just my point of view: golf is an outdoor sport, and I prefer my golf courses to be rugged.  If a little stretching of the legs is involved, then I'm all for it.

[Bob_Huntley]

Anyone played Tehama in Carmel Valley, CA? One could certainly walk it, but I can't imagine anyone who would want to.

David,

I know a couple of guys that have and on many an occasion.

Bob

[Tom Yost]

Ventana Canyon - Canyon course might be a challenge at 2 pm on a clear August day.

[JNC Lyon]

Ventana Canyon - Canyon course might be a challenge at 2 pm on a clear August day.

Now THAT I've never seen.

[JNC Lyon]

I've stated my opinion on this matter in the past, but here was a fun hike (carrying my bag).  At Silver Creek Valley in San Jose, CA, from the 7th green below, it was (seemingly) a few hundred steps up to the 8th tee, where the long hedge is at upper left center, where the houses end.  Hard to believe from this pic, but the 8th hole was a par 5 that was significantly uphill (to the right, doglegging left) from there.

There was another hike up steps on the back nine, not quite this long.

If that is a few hundred steps, it had to be a pretty intense walk.  I remember the staircase at Russell Square in London was 170 steps--after climbing up those stairs with a golf bag on your bag, you realize that 170 steps is a hell of a lot of steps.

Putting things in perspective: I made the 30-minute walk out and back to Sandwich from the train station, so a few hundred yards between a green and a tee doesn't seem like a lot.  I realize not everyone is as fanatical, but still...

[Michael Whitaker]

Jon,

I've played golf with you and I know that you think nearly every course is walkable... if you define walkable as a course that can eventually be traversed given enough time and energy. Hell, you even walked Dismal River, which I would consider a non-walking course... although you did opt to play the 18th hole from the lower tee instead of climbing up to the stratospheric tee high above. 

I played three courses this past week in Mesquite that I would consider some of the most unwalkable I have ever seen:  Falcon Ridge, Oasis-Palmer, and Wolf Creek. They would make walking Dismal River seem a like a stroll around the local mall with your Granny. FR and O-P were two of the worst courses I have ever played... a complete disjointed mess of holes that climbed up and down hills with long stretches between them that were like severely snaking roller coaster rides. Could they be walked? Yes, but it would probably take a certified Sherpa, and oxygen tank, and about about seven hours.

Wolf Creek? Another Golden Tee video game inspired course filled with holes built for no other reason than "wow factor." Most start on top of mountainous terrain in order to provide eye-popping views. While not as bad as FR or O-P, Wolf Creek is some crazy sort of fantasy course... where someone would have to be doing some serious mind altering drugs to even want to attempt walking the place.

Why someone would want to play (much less walk) these kinds of courses is beyond me. They are horrendous.

[Melvyn Morrow]

EVERY GOLF COURSE IS WALKABLE - its those courses set aside for other games that are not - remembering Golf is a WAKING game ride and its Cart Balling. Is there a difference, of course there is, seek the article 'Excess of Energy' published by a US scientific journal in 1920 (included in Part 1 of my feature interview) when they just studied the energy utilised to lift and set down clubs within a round, that was before they considered looking at the effect of walking over riding (which did not exist in the 1920).

So if its golf you are talking about then every course is walkable otherwise it isn’t golf.

[Andy Troeger]

I've played Ventana Canyon (with Tom Y. in fact) and Wolf Creek--I probably wouldn't enjoy walking either one of them. Seriously though, Ironbridge in Colorado makes both of those look like easy walks. I'd try Wolf Creek first--at least the course is fun in a "once in awhile" type of manner.

When you look at the layout below for Ironbridge, keep in mind that #10-13 are on the mountain, the rest of the course is in the valley. Look at the walks between #1/2, #8/9, #9/10!, and #13/14. When going from #13 to #14, you have to go back to the clubhouse area first (via the path shown in the diagram. There is no shortcut. 

http://www.ironbridgeclub.com/golf/thecourse.php

[Sam Morrow]

I've played Ventana Canyon (with Tom Y. in fact) and Wolf Creek--I probably wouldn't enjoy walking either one of them. Seriously though, Ironbridge in Colorado makes both of those look like easy walks. I'd try Wolf Creek first--at least the course is fun in a "once in awhile" type of manner.

When you look at the layout below for Ironbridge, keep in mind that #10-13 are on the mountain, the rest of the course is in the valley. Look at the walks between #1/2, #8/9, #9/10!, and #13/14. When going from #13 to #14, you have to go back to the clubhouse area first (via the path shown in the diagram. There is no shortcut.  

http://www.ironbridgeclub.com/golf/thecourse.php

Ironbridge would be a crazy walk, seemed like 1 green to 2 tee was 5 miles.

[Bill_McBride]

On my home course there are often times mixed groups containing walkers and riders.

On most holes the riders will beat me to where our tee shots land (and they just hit).

But usually I will beat the riders from green to the next tee (so I just hit first).

So there is really no difference in walking and riding in terms of pace of play there.  In fact the USGA's Dean Knuth (the pope of the slope) did an analysis and demonstrated that on reasonable courses, walking is equally as fast as riding.

Now on some courses clearly walking is slower.  Therefore mixed groups would have a tougher time.  So they are not practically walkable.

It's the rhythym of play that's the problem with walkers vs. riders.    If you are walking with riders behind, the riders will wait until you are out of range, hit their tee shots and then race out to their balls.  There they sit while you putt out and clear the green.    It gets old seeing them waiting out in the fairway.    At the end of the day everybody plays at the same pace but not the same rhythym.    I much prefer the more constant movement of walking.   

[David_Tepper]

"I know a couple of guys that have and on many an occasion."

Bob Huntly -

Next time you see those guys who have walked Tehama multiple times, tell them they have the respect and admiration of a guy who has run 4 marathons (and finished one in under 3 hours!).

DT   

[Dan Grossman]

Have any of you played Moorpark CC in California?  That place has to be unwalkable by anyone's definition. In my book, if you can't play in 4 hrs or less walking, it's not walk able.

[Dave Givnish]

How about amending the question to "Every Golf Course is Walkable that was built before xxxx?"?

When did an American real estate developer figure out that they could double the value of their land if they put homes on the course?  1960's in Palm Springs and Florida? 1970's in Hawaii?  1980's in Arizona?  I did some work for an engineering firm that platted lots for residential communities.  It looked to me that they maximized the lots first, and then gave that the GCA to build what they could in the open space.  They probably could have used the Ventana directional signs.

Add Terravita in Scottsdale, Seven Canyons in Sedona, three of the 6 courses at Desert Mountain, StoneRidge Canyon in Prescott to the walking-challenged list in Arizona.

[Eric Smith]

Mike,

No doubt John Lyon is a gamer and I admire his youthful exuberance in walking at Dismal last summer, which is a priority for me as well when I get back out there. On my most recent visit these guys played in front of us and our fivesome (in carts) couldn't quite catch them.







I'm told there is a member from the bay area who has walked every round he's played at Dismal, so he'd likely argue the other way, as has CJ in another thread. My only suggestion to help to promote more walking rounds there would be to maintain proper foot paths through the tall fescue from greens to tees and tees to fairways, which I expect we'll begin to see more of this upcoming season and beyond.

[Mike Hamilton]

Comment on the following statement: "every golf course is walkable."

I'll defer to The Walking Golfer, which does rank some courses as "essentially unwalkable."
http://www.thewalkinggolfer.com/twg_walkability_ratings

Interesting list....but I have walked Mattaponi Springs and Devil's Knob in Virginia (essentially unwalkable) twice each and didn't think too bad.  Devil's Knob, though is a hilly hike and, conicidentally, about half a mile off the Appalachian Trail in spots, but a fun walk if you are in shape.  TWG rates Stonehouse in Toano, Va as a tough walk.  I wouldn't even consider walking it.  Hills are tough, 1 mile walks from green to tee are out in my book.

Where would Dismal rate on the list?

[Michael Whitaker]

Eric,

Obviously, Dismal CAN be walked, but it was never DESIGNED to be walked.

Your last photo makes my point. Only the truly hard core are going to walk a course where you have to go mountain climbing. I enjoyed playing Dismal, but I would never consider walking it... and, I'm not a pussy went it comes to walking.

[Eric Smith]

Mike,

There is a tee in that last photo 5 paces off the back of the green. It is not a short member's tee either. Other than that black tee up above where is the golfer asked to climb mountains? I can't think of any.

[Michael Whitaker]

Eric,

As you know... I've played Dismal, and I've seen the terrain (thanks to your kind invitation). It is an exciting course to play, but it was not designed to be walked. I understand the fun some would get from taking on the challenge of walking Dismal. But, let's not pull any punches here... it would definitely be a Challenge to walk (with a capital C). I prefer to walk when I play golf, however, I do not enjoy scaling steep hills or traversing long stretches of rough terrain between holes. Climbing up steep hills then stumbling back down over loose soil into ravines is not my idea of fun. But, that is why they make chocolate and vanilla.

[JC Jones]

The question is, why walk when there is a perfectly good cart to ride?