Hard as it is to believe, the single most divisive subject on this Discussion Broad is likely the game's most straightforward component ... walking! Opinions range from if you aren't walking, it's not golf to if I can't drive my cart in the fairways, I am not playing.
Alister MacKenzie's opinions on the health benefits of walking are legendary but he is dead, so we can't interview him. Next best is Todd Rohrer, President of MacKenzie Golf Bag Company. He is as devoted a walker as anyone I know but not of the fire and brimstone, preachy type that alienates rather than persuades. Here he speaks of golf as a sensory experience that must be kept simple, without clutter in your bag or in your head – so as best to enjoy the outdoors. His is a timely, compelling message - and one that you won't get from industry who wants to sell you something. You MUST carry all 14 clubs. The BIGGER the bag, the BETTER as it holds more STUFF. Really?!
We all commit errors of judgment that inertia turns into poor habits. A few years back, I used a multi-pocketed GCA nylon bag (one that Jerry Kluger had organized), and carried a full rain suit in Southern Pines in July when I typically only play six holes around the clubhouse! I had also amassed ~two dozen balls that I had picked up here and there, most of which I would never have played (one was pink). Such non-essentials, including winter golf gloves and yardage books from courses in other states, and I looked and felt like an overburdened Sherpa. Basically, I had lots of room in the bag so - stupidly and without thinking - filled it – doing nothing for my non-limber back or anything else. A great American once said, 'Stupid is as stupid does' and science teachers everywhere note that 'nature abhors a vacuum.' My overstuffed golf bag provided both those points.
The days of carrying everything but the kitchen sink are gone. I owe a lot of that to Todd as he embodies the points he makes in his Interview. I once played the Sheep Ranch with him and on the first tee, he noted, ‘I only have three balls, I trust that will be enough this afternoon.’ Less is more. The simpler you keep the sport, the more you’ll enjoy it.
Many others through their own trial and error have cottoned on to this practice. None of the local gang in Southern Pines including Chris Buie, Jay Mickle, and Jim Dodson carries 14 clubs. In fact, I tote the most with 9. I just corresponded with a gent in Seattle who wrote words to the effect, 'Why do I need a 6, 7 AND 8 iron? I am not so good that it matters.' Such sentiment is very encouraging as it signifies that being outdoors, getting exercise and having fun are top priorities. Should this enlightened attitude become even more prevalent, the game can’t be anything other than healthy.
This interview isn't meant to be a commercial for MacKenzie Bag; it's meant to be one man's take on the merits of walking and keeping the game pure. Todd doesn’t screech that there is only one way to enjoy the game. It’s his take, plain and simple, and it's a point of view that not only isn’t widely espoused but also is denigrated by many.
We delight in posting this Feature Interview today. Todd's words might expand your thinking on how to tackle the sport. His sentiments happen to resonate with me, as I strongly believed that the over-cluttered American version of the game has limited appeal. Need you even wonder why a sport has stagnated when it is too often reduced to zooming a cart between holes/homes?!
Hope you enjoy it.
Best,