Walking Sand Hills

[Larry_Keltto]

I've been invited to play at Sand Hills, and obviously I'm overjoyed. But I have a question about carts.

I read a story online this week by Jaime Diaz in T&L Golf, and he says Sand Hills has riding carts. This surprised me. I've never pictured carts at Sand Hills, except to get to the first tee.

I'm wondering: what percentage of players use riding carts at Sand Hills? What percentage use pull carts? (I almost always use a pull cart, and I prefer the Brits' term for them -- trolleys.)

I find it hard to imagine using a riding cart in that setting.

[Jim Franklin]

I played 36 a day in 100+ degree temps last August for three days and yes we walked with caddies in the morning and rode in the afternoon. I did not see any "trollies".

[larry_munger]

3 options, walk and carry, caddie, cart. Trollies would be hard given the sandy waste areas all around the course.

[tonyt]

I'd reckon that a course that can accommodate a motorised cart can probably also provide for a pull buggy.

[Tony Petersen]

  I just got back from playing Sand Hills (July 21-23). Played 45 holes a day both walking and with a cart. Depending on the situation, I would recommend walking in the a.m. then grabbing a cart for another 27 in the afternoon. I'm not big on carts, but at a course like Sand Hills, the more holes played, the better IMHO. Play from the tips, it truly is a GREAT test of golf!!! And yes, it's everything you've imagined and more!

[Jason Hines]

Hi Larry,

Everyone else has pretty much pegged it, walk in the morning and soak it up, its hilly, but not bad.  In the afternoon, take a cart so you can get in as many holes as you want as well as making the weekend long and relaxing.

Jason

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Dan Proctor said it to me himself about Wildhorse, these cattleman spend all day walking and riding horses around these sand hills herding their cattle and doing their chores. The last thing want to think of is walking a golf course after doing that all day or all week--they want their carts!

[Brad Swanson]

Tommy,
   And ride is what they do at Wildhorse.  During my 30 hour/54 hole sprint at Wild Horse several weeks ago with Mr. Wildhorse Daley, there was only one other group I knew of that walked their round.  When I replied to someone in passing in the clubhouse that was "impressed" that I walked 18 holes that day and told them it was actually 36 holes, they were astounded.  Quite a shame on such a walkable course.

Cheers,
Brad Swanson

[RJ_Daley]

Tommy, I have to think that a very small percentage of WH players have been herding cattle all morning or all week.  A lot of folks playing Wild Horse are on golf safari's, travelling and something of resort golf players.  Now a few of the local players may have been riding around fields in AC cabs on their tractors, and many of the locals do work hard at various jobs.  But, folks do that in Wisconsin too, and many more of them walk here!  I guess my last mission in life is to move out there and try and set some sort of example to encourage them to walk.  That may not play well with the expected cart fee that probably helps keep the green fee down.  But, I just wish they'd begin to appreciate the walking aspect more.