Carry your own bag, or walk unencumbered?

[Joel Zuckerman]

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?

[Garland Bayley]

Rent a pull-cart.

[Joe Hancock]

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.

Joe

[Eric_Terhorst]

No contest--carry it myself, and avoid playing with the guys who insist on playing cart-ball

[John Foley]

Joel - I'd walk half to 2/3 and then ride in.

Chauffered golf?

I'd be a little ticked if someone did not want to ride with me and wanted me to chauffer his bag.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Ride in the cart with the rest of them.

[Joe Hancock]

No contest--carry it myself, and avoid playing with the guys who insist on playing cart-ball

As purist-cool as that sounds, I can't make myself feel that strongly against it.

Joe

[PCCraig]

I 10000000% hate pull carts. They do no good for anyone, they are for people who generally can't physically carry their own bag and either 1) want to walk but don't want pay for a cart, (which would help the golf club in revenue) or 2) pay for a caddy.

Then someone may say that this would be the same as someone who carries their own bag, nope because a pull cart can cause more damage to the course than a two person motor cart. (Esp. when people pull them right next to the green).

Sorry for the rant.

I would always prefer to walk, first with a caddy and secondly carrying my own bag, and lastly with a cart.

[Mike Wagner]

Late afternoon summer round trying to get in as many as possible - strap 'em on!

Normal pace - pack my own.

[Garland Bayley]

I 10000000% hate pull carts. They do no good for anyone, they are for people who generally can't physically carry their own bag and either 1) want to walk but don't want pay for a cart, (which would help the golf club in revenue) or 2) pay for a caddy.

Then someone may say that this would be the same as someone who carries their own bag, nope because a pull cart can cause more damage to the course than a two person motor cart. (Esp. when people pull them right next to the green).

Sorry for the rant.

I would always prefer to walk, first with a caddy and secondly carrying my own bag, and lastly with a cart.

Pat,

Don't shoot me for just being the messenger. But, the USGA says almost no one charges enough for carts to pay for the damage they do.

So logically it seems you want me to hinder the finances of the course.

You are right about one thing. I love to walk, but my knees are telling me no.

EDIT: Oh, and do you have a resource for that pull cart damage. To me it sounds completely made up. Am I incorrect in repeating that I have heard that Bandon Dunes lets people on the green with their pull carts?

[Kyle Harris]

I 10000000% hate pull carts. They do no good for anyone, they are for people who generally can't physically carry their own bag and either 1) want to walk but don't want pay for a cart, (which would help the golf club in revenue) or 2) pay for a caddy.

Then someone may say that this would be the same as someone who carries their own bag, nope because a pull cart can cause more damage to the course than a two person motor cart. (Esp. when people pull them right next to the green).

Sorry for the rant.

I would always prefer to walk, first with a caddy and secondly carrying my own bag, and lastly with a cart.

The "more damage from a pull cart" thing is a total myth. By the logic employed in that argument, one does the most damage by carrying a bag.

[PCCraig]

I 10000000% hate pull carts. They do no good for anyone, they are for people who generally can't physically carry their own bag and either 1) want to walk but don't want pay for a cart, (which would help the golf club in revenue) or 2) pay for a caddy.

Then someone may say that this would be the same as someone who carries their own bag, nope because a pull cart can cause more damage to the course than a two person motor cart. (Esp. when people pull them right next to the green).

Sorry for the rant.

I would always prefer to walk, first with a caddy and secondly carrying my own bag, and lastly with a cart.

Pat,

Don't shoot me for just being the messenger. But, the USGA says almost no one charges enough for carts to pay for the damage they do.

So logically it seems you want me to hinder the finances of the course.

You are right about one thing. I love to walk, but my knees are telling me no.

EDIT: Oh, and do you have a resource for that pull cart damage. To me it sounds completely made up. Am I incorrect in repeating that I have heard that Bandon Dunes lets people on the green with their pull carts?

I would either 1) carry your bag, 2) hire a caddy, or 3) keep your cart (pushed or motor) on the path or in the rough.

[Joe Hancock]

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

[Garland Bayley]

I 10000000% hate pull carts. They do no good for anyone, they are for people who generally can't physically carry their own bag and either 1) want to walk but don't want pay for a cart, (which would help the golf club in revenue) or 2) pay for a caddy.

Then someone may say that this would be the same as someone who carries their own bag, nope because a pull cart can cause more damage to the course than a two person motor cart. (Esp. when people pull them right next to the green).

Sorry for the rant.

I would always prefer to walk, first with a caddy and secondly carrying my own bag, and lastly with a cart.

Pat,

Don't shoot me for just being the messenger. But, the USGA says almost no one charges enough for carts to pay for the damage they do.

So logically it seems you want me to hinder the finances of the course.

You are right about one thing. I love to walk, but my knees are telling me no.

EDIT: Oh, and do you have a resource for that pull cart damage. To me it sounds completely made up. Am I incorrect in repeating that I have heard that Bandon Dunes lets people on the green with their pull carts?

I would either 1) carry your bag, 2) hire a caddy, or 3) keep your cart (pushed or motor) on the path or in the rough.

I recon that will be necessary when pigs fly.

[James Bennett]

If we want to minimise damage to the course, I suggest we require all golfers to wear at least EEE-wide shoes, and at least two sizes oversize if they are less than a 10.

And, people with  shirts larger than L  (or pants larger than 36" waist) also pay more.

And, people carrying more than two sleeves of balls, or one umbrella, or a bag bigger than 9".

Just think of the damage these people are doing to the course with this excessive, unnecessary weight on such a small footprint area.



 

James B

ps, I either carry or use a pull/push cart, which at my club can be (and is) wheeled directly over the greens.  However, I would gladly hitch a ride on a steep uphill haul or any significant green to tee trek.

[David_Tepper]

Pat Craig -

On any given day, my guess is 50% or more of the golfers playing in Great Britain & Ireland use pull carts (trolleys).  The vast majority of the courses I have seen there suffer no apparent ill effects from that. My guess is the situation is very much the same in Australia and New Zealand.

I find it ludicrous that certain clubs/courses in the U.S. do not allow pull-carts.

DT

[Garland Bayley]

Dang James,

You're going to have me playing in snow shoes. Please don't insist I only play the Artic Open.

Course in a few years that will require water skis instead.

[Joe Hancock]

Pat,

Here's a real life example of where your cart in the rough rule didn't work:

I was the super at a course that was built through a wooded property. The fairways were wide enough, and grassed with bluegrass. The holes had trees on each side, with a fairly narrow strip of bluegrass/ fescue for the rough. We actually had signs on the carts asking customers to keep the carts in the fairway, as that was the toughest grass on the course. We had no problems, and did little to control the traffic patterns...I think the more random you let the traffic flow, the least amount of damage you'll have. (Doesn't work everywhere).

Joe

[RSLivingston_III]

Well, you can see the stay (?) through the hole in the leather where it rides against my hip.
Hope that answers the question.

[Carl Johnson]

I can't answer this in the abstract.  I'd rather not ride, but I'd never put my bag on a cart (buggy) and ask someone else to drive my bag for me while I walk.  If my bag's on the cart, I am, too.  It would be an insult to my partner or fellow competitor to do otherwise.  If three of a four ball are riding, I'm riding.  For me, golf as a lonely game is no fun.  If at least one other in the group walked, and the course was walkable, I'd carry (at age 67) with a light bag . . . or, if a pull (or push) cart (trolley) was allowed, I'd use mine if available or rent one.  Last summer I played the Greywalls course at the Marquette Golf Club in Michigan for the first time.  A couple of members invited me to join them.  They had carts (buggies).  I rode with them.  They talked with me about the course, life, and golf.  I'm not real sure how it would be, physically, to walk this course, but there is no way I could have enjoyed this round if I'd walked while these guys road, carrying my bag for me or not.  As for a caddy, that's such a rare option I can't put it in the equation.

[Lyne Morrison]

Garland – this is the information you are after, with the appropriate paragraph copied.

http://www.usga.org/turf/regional_updates/regional_reports/northwest/05-28-2003.html

You Are Telling Players to Take Their Pull-Carts Where?! For those of you fortunate enough to have traveled down the Oregon Coast to Bandon Dunes, you have experienced some of the best the U.S. has to offer in links golf. Fescues dominate the site, however, this grass performed poorly when concentrated traffic was added near greens and tees. Enter a rather unique idea taken from Australia and introduced by Mr. Ken Nice, superintendent, Pacific Dunes. The players at both courses are now requested to pull their carts across the greens to minimize traffic damage. After the first year, this idea appears to be working with less damage noted in high traffic areas when compared to 2002.



Pat - I'm thinking your comments may be based on your own individual experience.

In Australia we don't hire caddies - just not the way we do things here - and golfers of all ages prefer to walk rather than ride in buggies (golf carts). While most clubs have a few golf carts, they are not an essential part of our culture and are greatly out numbered by 'pull carts' - a few resort courses may be the exception.

At my club - a private club, we have around ten golf carts and you require a medical certificate to use one in most instances - and you need to call ahead to request it. Remember not all golfers are under thirty.

We also take ‘pull carts’ across the green to negate wear in the surrounds. I have been a member for over thirty years and don’t recall this policy - which by all accounts achieves its aim - having been changed.

So down here - some carry, some pull, almost all walk, few ride.

Cheers -- Lyne

[Sean_A]

As much as I like to carry, I am not gonna be the odd man out.  Sometimes you gotta go with the flow.  Though I would be happy to hop off with the bag and do meet ups here and there when awkward carting situations arise. 

Lately I have been considering getting a trolley for those odd times when I play a few days in a row because it helps the back a bit.  The problem with trolleys on most of the courses I play is one is often routed around large areas while if one carries there are many shortcuts. Plus, the hassle of dealing with a trolley in and out of the boot doesn't look clever.  We shall see - I suspect its only a matter of time.

Pat - live and let live.

Ciao

[Andrew Mitchell]

If it was my home course I would walk & use my Powakaddy

I generally don't take my electric trolley to other courses so I would walk and carry but hop on the back of the buggy for any long walks between green and next tee whilst telling my playing partners that they were lazy for taking the cart    I did that for three rounds in Portugal last year.

[Alister Matheson]

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 would walk carrying my own bag as usual  all the  time unless forced to take transport beacause of club policy .
We all know walking is by far better in terms of the overall experiance if fit to do so and i for one need the extra time walking to get the previous poor shot out of my brain and get set for the next poor one 

[Anthony Gray]

Rent a pull-cart.

   Because of a bad back it is my only option.

  Anthony