Walking Pinehurst #2?

[Ari Techner]

Making a trip to Pinehurst in March to play newly renovated #2.   A friend of mine who is coming inquired with the resort about walking and carrying our own bags and he was told that you could walk and carry but if you did you would not be able to walk in the fairway or on the greens.  Basically you would be walking "cart path only".  Has anyone else ever heard of this policy or one like it?

[Jason Thurman]

Never heard of that. I was told on my visit that the only people allowed to walk and carry at No. 2 are members. Everyone else needs a cart or a caddie.

I was told on the phone while booking the round that I'd be able to carry if desired, but the pro shop follows a different policy.

[Bruce Wellmon]

I would ask our own Alex Podlogar
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,53985.msg1242253/topicseen.html#msg1242253

[Frank M]

I walk and carry a majority of the time unless I'm in extreme heat or sun and mainly take a cart because of the protection from the sun, which I am allergic to.

Also, this may seem weird to many people, but I have a pretty bad case of OCD, and won't take a caddy because I'll have to completely disinfect my clubs after anyone other than me touches them, that includes bag etc. I probably won't get by the first hole and be able to use my own clubs if someone else touches them, my bag, towel whatever. I'm weird. What can you do.

[Jon Wiggett]

Making a trip to Pinehurst in March to play newly renovated #2.   A friend of mine who is coming inquired with the resort about walking and carrying our own bags and he was told that you could walk and carry but if you did you would not be able to walk in the fairway or on the greens.  Basically you would be walking "cart path only".  Has anyone else ever heard of this policy or one like it?

Ari,

surely they must be just yanking your chain. I can not imagine that any club would come up with such a dumb policy.

Jon

[C. Sturges]

Ari,
that is to "see" the course, not play the course.  Pebble used to do the same thing.
chris

[Cory Lewis]

that is to "see" the course, not play the course.  Pebble used to do the same thing.

Yep, I do that all the time.  Whenever I have friends in town that want to see #2 we just walk down the cart path on 18.  Nobody has ever stopped us.  As long as you stay on the path and don't interfere with people playing you will never have a problem.  Jason is correct about the walking policy.  The only people allowed to walk and carry are members and they are still charged a cart fee when they do it!

[Dean DiBerardino]

The only other option to walk and carry on No. 2, other than being a Pinehurst member, is to play in the North & South!

[jeffwarne]

The only other option to walk and carry on No. 2, other than being a Pinehurst member, is to play in the North & South!

Ah, yes, ain't tradition grand

[Alex Podlogar_Pinehurst Resort]

Pinehurst Country Club members may carry and walk on No. 2 as part of the Walking Club at Pinehurst. However, in order to maintain the caddie program, Resort guests are invited to take a caddie or ride.

Alex Podlogar
Content and Social Media Manager
Pinehurst Resort

[Scott_Burroughs]

I played #2 in late December with a member (who W&C'd) as I had to use a caddie.  We saw several groups of members W&C-ing behind us.  I was jealous, big time.

[Eric Strulowitz]

Pinehurst Country Club members may carry and walk on No. 2 as part of the Walking Club at Pinehurst. However, in order to maintain the caddie program, Resort guests are invited to take a caddie or ride.

Alex Podlogar
Content and Social Media Manager
Pinehurst Resort

For crying out loud , the game was MEANT TO BE WALKED.  The playing field is the ground we walk on.    For what people are paying to pay this course, plus what they pay for lodging, food, and pro shop goods,  why can't they have the unrestrcited right to carry and walk?   This all defies logic, but who says we are entitled to logic with anything these days.   Guess it is a simple choice , don't like the rules, don't come.  That is fine, not like there are not many other fine choices in the area.   

 I remember being a guest at a private club where they gave you  a choice of paying for a cart or paying a  $7 "walking fee".  I was  astonished and have since learned that this is not a common practice, but  does extist elsewhere.  God gave us two feet, look at how many out of shape people are out there, how bad diabetes is coming, how many people are on BP meds, and walking is something to be discouraged?
The walker is the "bad guy?  .  When you think about this enough, you don't know whether to cry or LOL!   

[jeffwarne]

Pinehurst Country Club members may carry and walk on No. 2 as part of the Walking Club at Pinehurst. However, in order to maintain the caddie program, Resort guests are invited to take a caddie or ride.

Alex Podlogar
Content and Social Media Manager
Pinehurst Resort

If one rides, is he required to take a caddie?

[Eric Strulowitz]

Pinehurst Country Club members may carry and walk on No. 2 as part of the Walking Club at Pinehurst. However, in order to maintain the caddie program, Resort guests are invited to take a caddie or ride.

Alex Podlogar
Content and Social Media Manager
Pinehurst Resort

If one rides, is he required to take a caddie?

I rode last time I played, only because my partner was too out of shape to even walk 9 holes.  A forecaddy was not required, not sure if that has changed.

[Craig Disher]

The resort's decision to require caddies for walkers is reasonable for both pace of play issues and the desire of t he resort to maintain a viable caddie program. It's only recently that members were allowed to walk and carry at all times and in fact, not many of the members do. Most who play #2 - and I think that number is surprisingly small - take a cart, often their own. Many members avoid #2 because of its difficulty and their preference for driving their cart to their ball. Of course the game is meant to be walked and #2 is one of the best walking courses in the world. I just don't see the problem with requiring the occasional resort guest to use a caddie. Given the cost of staying and playing #2, the additional caddie fee shouldn't be that much of a burden. But if you want to ride, you can. Just be prepared to walk from the perimeter cart path to your ball and back on every shot.

[Sean_A]

The resort's decision to require caddies for walkers is reasonable for both pace of play issues and the desire of t he resort to maintain a viable caddie program. It's only recently that members were allowed to walk and carry at all times and in fact, not many of the members do. Most who play #2 - and I think that number is surprisingly small - take a cart, often their own. Many members avoid #2 because of its difficulty and their preference for driving their cart to their ball. Of course the game is meant to be walked and #2 is one of the best walking courses in the world. I just don't see the problem with requiring the occasional resort guest to use a caddie. Given the cost of staying and playing #2, the additional caddie fee shouldn't be that much of a burden. But if you want to ride, you can. Just be prepared to walk from the perimeter cart path to your ball and back on every shot.

I disagree.  It doesn't go over well with me any time I am coerced to do something I don't want to during a leisure activity while paying a ton of money.  Its no wonder I don't really want to go back to Pinehurst on full whack. 

Ciao     

[Connor Dougherty]

The resort's decision to require caddies for walkers is reasonable for both pace of play issues and the desire of t he resort to maintain a viable caddie program. It's only recently that members were allowed to walk and carry at all times and in fact, not many of the members do. Most who play #2 - and I think that number is surprisingly small - take a cart, often their own. Many members avoid #2 because of its difficulty and their preference for driving their cart to their ball. Of course the game is meant to be walked and #2 is one of the best walking courses in the world. I just don't see the problem with requiring the occasional resort guest to use a caddie. Given the cost of staying and playing #2, the additional caddie fee shouldn't be that much of a burden. But if you want to ride, you can. Just be prepared to walk from the perimeter cart path to your ball and back on every shot.

I disagree.  It doesn't go over well with me any time I am coerced to do something I don't want to during a leisure activity while paying a ton of money.  Its no wonder I don't really want to go back to Pinehurst on full whack. 

Ciao     

For what it's worth, Pebble Beach does not require you to take a caddy to walk and for the most part, it's a pretty viable program. I know that they have four courses to shift the caddies around, but I get the feeling that many of the people going to Pinehurst will take caddies anyway, so why force the resort golfer to take one?

Whistling Straits had a similar policy, but after shelling out $340 for the round, it seemed particularly aggravating to be forced to shell out $60 to get a caddy, especially when cart wasn't even an option. At that point, you might as well say that you're charging $400 for the round and that it comes with a caddy. Don't make it feel like I'm being nickel and dimed.

[Mark Pearce]

I agree with Sean.  If I have paid a (vast) sum of money to play a golf course the imposition on me of a cart, which I find spoils my enjoyment of a round) or a caddy (I don't need one, thanks, I enjoy carrying my own bag) is something that would make me avoid the course.  By all means increase the green fee by the cart fee and provide carts to those who want them for free but why don't force me to play the game in a way I don't want to.

[Patrick Glynn]

I am going to the resort in March are here are the options I was presented with :

1. Cart - take a cart & drive on the cart-path only
2. (a) Walking - take a caddy & walk anywhere
2. (B) Walking - do not take a caddy & walk on the cath-path only 

My mind nearly exploded at 2 (b) - they are basically saying that if I walk, I will not be allowed to walk on the fairways. This has been confirmed by the resort of 2 separate occasions.

I am all for maintaining a caddy program but thought this policy was beyond ridiculous. Taking into account the already high cost of staying at the resort, does not justify the need to take a caddy / cart IMHO.

Regards,

Patrick

[Mark Pearce]

2. (B) Walking - do not take a caddy & walk on the cath-path only 

I assumed that must have been a mistaken understanding in the OP.  That is lunacy.  Stone cold, certifiable, lunacy.  A policy (if it really is the policy, and I'm still struggling to believe it really is)devised by someone who hates walking golfers.  It's also symptomatic (and I'm sure Kris Schreiner will chime in here) of a club/resort/whatever where the tail (caddy program) is wagging the dog (golfers).

[Kevin Lynch]

I am going to the resort in March are here are the options I was presented with :

1. Cart - take a cart & drive on the cart-path only
2. (a) Walking - take a caddy & walk anywhere
2. (B) Walking - do not take a caddy & walk on the cath-path only 

My mind nearly exploded at 2 (b) - they are basically saying that if I walk, I will not be allowed to walk on the fairways. This has been confirmed by the resort of 2 separate occasions.

Option 2b completely negates the argument that the caddie requirement is to support pace of play.  I have no problem with a course mandating caddies, but please don't tell me it's driven by your concern over pace of play or "tradition" when you have options 1 and 2a.

[Kris Shreiner]

Mark,

I TOTALLY agree with your and Sean's take on this one. I have generally not been one for forcing a caddie on anyone at a public facility. The only exception to that would be in high-season periods, having the first several groups of the day required to take them, because from personal and professional experience, at multiple facilities, all you need are the first couple of groups to drop anchor and slow-play at the start of the day...and pace-of-play is ruined for the remainder. This would only be at facilities/clubs with Yanks comprising the major body of play. I've not seen that as a problem at Europen clubs unless my sometimes slower-playing American brethren were about!

For that matter, I don't believe that it always has to be mandated at a private facility either. If the caliber of the caddie program is good or better, and it is promoted in a solid manner by the facility, with a club culture that recognizes and fosters caddie golf for what it adds to MOST players that utilize them...choice SHOULD be permitted.

As to the keep the walkers on the cart path mantra- that's nuts! This brings to mind a famous line uttered often by Pebble Beach caddies when asked about taking a cart at PB. The line is, "if you REALLY want to walk Pebble...take a cart! Priceless.

Cheers,
Kris

[Jud_T]

Guys,

If you don't like it, there are plenty of other nice options available in the area.  If you want to play one of the best courses in the world, which doesn't seem to be suffering for demand, pay up and shut up. The caddies are excellent, and why anyone but a regular would want to play the course without one is beyond me.

[Mark Pearce]

Guys,

If you don't like it, there are plenty of other nice options available in the area.  If you want to play one of the best courses in the world, which doesn't seem to be suffering for demand, pay up and shut up. The caddies are excellent, and why anyone but a regular would want to play the course without one is beyond me.

All of which would make sense if they had a mandatory caddie program.  But they don't, they allow visitors to use carts.  Which means your comments don't make any sense.

[Jud_T]

If you honestly want to go play Number 2 for the first time and take a cart, which is path only, that's the worst $85 value I've ever heard of.  Caddies are apparently supplied by an outside service which perhaps explains the policy:

http://www.pinehurst.com/caddies.php