Walking with Riders

[jbil8802]

Barbajo's "5 Questions" thread with Big Max got me thinking a lot about walking the past few days. As much as I hate to admit it, I have never walked a round of golf. For most of my first 3 years of playing, I never felt like I was good enough to walk. Now I'm at the point where I'm consistently scoring in the 80s. I'm also on a quest to lose some weight. Like my hairline, my college boxing days are well behind me. I haven't worked out consistently in about 3 years but with some home gym equipment coming this week I'm getting back into it. I also really like the idea of enjoying and learning a golf course through walking it.

 

I play with two weekly groups. Everyone rides. Everyone else I play with rides. Some guys are totally against the idea of walking. I'm hoping that I can lead by example and maybe get some other guys into walking. I think that one guy walking would be faster than two guys in a cart. What about one guy walking versus one guy in a cart? I would think that the guy in the cart would be quicker (depending on a lot of variables like skill, pace of play, and cart path only situations).

 

So to the guys that walk on a regular basis, do you play with guys that ride? If so, do you feel like you struggle to keep up? What are your thoughts and experiences?

 

Just things of concern for me before I shell out $200 or more on a push cart. I know that if I used it on a regular basis it would pay for itself from savings on cart fees. As always, I appreciate everyone's feedback.

[Undershooter]

1St you have to have a push cart or you are screwed if you play with guys who ride. Singles in carts are always faster unless it's carts on path. I suggest a caddytek cart. Can be had for less than 150 and I love mine. Have 3 buddies who have them and they love them too.

2nd If your group is a fivesome your fine no matter if the others ride. Play isn't going to be lightning speed anyway. Just make sure they play ready golf.

3rd. If it's wet and carts are on the path than it's usually faster to walk than ride if it's 2 per cart.

Except for high school golf years ago I didn't ever walk. I started walking again this winter and it's great. I'm only going back to a cart if it's a tourney where I have to or if its a normal hot as Hell day here in MS in the summer. Saves me $19 a pop.

If I left something out that your curious about then just ask.

 

PS make sure you like the shoes you wear and have at least 2 pair.

[TIBA_Putt - Kyle]

I don't walk often. Mostly because a lot of my rounds are played in 100+ degree weather and the breeze from riding is nice as is the shade from the cart.

That said, I think 2 guys walking(with or without push carts) is just as fast if not faster than 2 guys in a cart. The process of driving to ball one, having guy 1 prep for shot and hit and then having to drive to ball 2 and wait for guy 2 to prep and hit is very time wasteful.

And then there's walking to and from the green to the cart instead of just off the green to the next hole. And when it's cartpath only - no question it's faster to walk.

But even with all that, most of the time you drive to the ball and then sit and wait for the group ahead of you. So there's really no time advantage there. If the course is open, sure it could be faster. But not with normal pace of play.

If I lived in a place where it wasn't hot and miserable to walk, I'd most definitely walk more for the exercise and a different view of the course. You gain much needed perspective walking up to a green from the fairway as opposed to from the side where the cart is parked.

[Blade]

I play better when I walk. I stay looser I think. I enjoy the round more when I walk as well.

[jbil8802]

Makes sense. A good part of walking out here would be staying warm in the fall and winter. In the summer we don't typically play when it's above 90 because of the humidity.

 

One course that I play regularly has 7 points between holes that are ridiculously long plus hills that would make it not worth walking. I don't think I've ever seen anyone walking that course. The others are all pretty reasonable. We have very few flat courses out here. Spending money on good shoes and socks would be an additional expense.

[BK in TEXAS]

I always walk.   Ok ... 95Ëš and under I walk.  

 

A twosome with a cart is no faster than a single walking.  The only time they might have to wait is if I am the shortest drive. I tell them at the start if our drives are close just go ahead and take your shot.  Most don't mind waiting the extra few seconds for me to get to my ball.

 

Once you're up towards the green however.....walking is faster.  Depending on the course.... I'm often the first to the next tee since I have a straight line walk and they have to go back to the cart....then follow the cart path. 

 

A SINGLE in a cart is faster most the time ... but usually they're cool about it and are happy with the company.  Otherwise they just play on alone. 

 

If it's cart path only...the one walking will do less walking than the ones in the cart.  I usually have to wait for THEM.  Might as well walk at that point.

[whiskey golf]

I played a few days ago where I walked and played with three other people in carts, split up into a twosome and a single. I didn't feel rushed to keep up and I didn't use a pushcart, although my bag was very light. I will admit that I took a ride on two parts of the course that would've taken me a little while to walk, but only to save time (I knew my playing partners, not asking a stranger for a ride). If you have a lot of stuff in your bag and want to walk, a push cart may be a good idea and make things less tiring, especially on hot days. As for speed, if the course is backed up then it won't matter whether you walk or ride since you will be waiting either way. Walking is nicer in this case because you won't be waiting as long since you are moving and not sitting in a cart. On days where the course is open and there's no waiting to hit your next shot, there can be occasions where you may feel rushed to get to your ball but it shouldn't be too bad. If your course has rental push carts, give those a try to see if they work for you and go from there. I really enjoyed walking my last round with a minimal amount of stuff in my bag and I would like to keep that up. I walked a lot during the past four years playing high school golf but I had a lot of gear which made the walks not as enjoyable, now that I don't feel the need to carry as much stuff, my bag is lighter and makes the round easier to enjoy when walking.

[markb]

I'm 56 and about 30 lbs too fat.   I walk 100% of the time, except when it's mandatory to ride in tournaments or the course requires it because of ridiculous elevation changes  or long stretches between holes.   I walk down past freezing and in the rain.  Carting it is too much of a bother and too slow.   With a trolley I go straight to my ball, my bag is always by my side, just off every tee and every green.   It is a beast, with retriever, gloves, cigar holder, cooler, Bushnell mount, umbrella holder and maybe 100 balls at all times.  (I fish for balls, bringing home at least 50 more per round and still finish in 3 hours playing two balls.   My course is always empty, what can I say.)  It looks like the inspector gadget mobile, I admit it.  But I won't give it up.

 

Some courses you simply can't walk, they don't want you to walk or it's a bother.   But if the course can be walked, walk it.   We're all getting older and fatter, and for most of us golf is our only sport and perhaps our only exercise.   Why forego it?   That said, you gotta go with what your group does.  Everybody I play with walks, we all have trolleys and we play fast, no dilly-dallying, straight to your ball, ready golf, fire.  One course I play at allows personal electric carts, so last year I bought one and a trailer and showed up like everyone else.   Lasted two rounds and I sold it.   Far more hassle than it was worth.   I got colder sitting in the cart than walking.   My joints stiffened and I didn't feel as ready to swing.   I also got wetter.   My trolley has an umbrella holder that covers my clubs and me and when it pours, I just hunker under it.   (I should get a waterproof bag to keep the gloves and towels drier, but that'll be next.)

 

The thing that absolutely drives me nuts is playing the 90 degree rule on a must ride course.   I'd rather eat glass than park 40 yards adjacent to my ball, walk over to it with three clubs and a towel, figure out the yardage, and walk 40 yards back.   I have, and will do again, take a sunday bag and carry just the 14 and hoof it, hitching rides between greens and tees, than subject myself to that circumlocutious torture.

[Kenny B]

What everyone said. They're right!

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

 Spending money on good shoes and socks would be an additional expense.

 

I started walking almost exclusively - except in tourneys - about 4 years ago.  I quickly learned the value of good shoes and socks - especially socks - and became a huge fan of True Linkswear, ECCO and especially Kentwool.  $20 for socks sounds like a lot until you walk 18 holes a couple times a week - then it's a bargain.  

 

And the nice thing about Trues - once they wear out for golf, they make great yard work or wandering around shoes. I use one old pair as slippers.  My wife rolls her eyes a lot...

[apprenti23]

I'm going to make it a habit of walking more this year (golfing more too). My clothes are getting tougher to get into and I'm not buying bigger sizes, do they make shirts with more than two x's? Haven't carried my bag since college, well, because we had to. It was easy back then and I had no problem walking 36. Well crap, my one round this year I carried my clubs and it was a struggle for 18, granted I'm 100 lbs heavier than college but my lord I was beat. The 18th had a pond on the left side, sure enough I duck hooked it, but the pond was frozen, so it skipped all the way across to the 17th rough. That was a long ass walk around the pond, hit my shot, and then back around again. Yikes. Easy par though ha!

 

I've never used a push/pull cart (because they were never cool) but I ordered myself one of those fancy clic gear carts and hope that will be a tad easier. It came last week but I haven't even unboxed it.

[Mr_Theoo]

I need to also start walking more this year. I have planned to walk 9 or so on Fridays this year since I get off work early and there is a course fairly close to my job so I can go directly from work.

[jbil8802]

Sounds like it will be easy if there's a group of three of us and the other two ride. If there's four of us I should be able to keep up since there will still be two guys in one of the carts. Now that i think about it, I know one other guy has a push cart but I've only seen him walk once so maybe I can get him to walk more. Definitely going to work out for a few weeks before I attempt it and get some Kentwool socks on the way.

[Blade]

Sounds like it will be easy if there's a group of three of us and the other two ride. If there's four of us I should be able to keep up since there will still be two guys in one of the carts. Now that i think about it, I know one other guy has a push cart but I've only seen him walk once so maybe I can get him to walk more. Definitely going to work out for a few weeks before I attempt it and get some Kentwool socks on the way.

Don't think you would need to work out for a few weeks first. It's really not a strenuous thing in most cases. You're walking with plenty of stops. It's not 6 miles without a break. It's a couple hundred yards at a time. No biggie. But that said, my favorite course near my house in NM ranges in elevation from 6500-7000 ft. and it's up and down steep grades a lot. They'll let you walk, but I ride that one!

[jbil8802]

I think I'm going to end up getting the Big Max Blade push cart. Any recommendations for "must have" accessories? Going with an umbrella holder for sure. Anything else?

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I think I'm going to end up getting the Big Max Blade push cart. Any recommendations for "must have" accessories? Going with an umbrella holder for sure. Anything else?

 

They have a mesh storage compartment that fits in the space under the bag.  Great for stowing a jacket or other stuff, if you need it.  

Don't have one but it's on the list...

[Undershooter]

If you want to save some coin and still have a nice cart that comes with accessories then try this one out. Come with cooler, umbrella holder and a net to put plenty of stuff in. Folds up small and rolls really well. http://m.ebay.com/itm/271679138223the company is caddytek and I have zero bad things to say about mine. For an extra $50 you can order a chair to fit on it too.

[jbil8802]

If you want to save some coin and still have a nice cart that comes with accessories then try this one out. Come with cooler, umbrella holder and a net to put plenty of stuff in. Folds up small and rolls really well. http://m.ebay.com/itm/271679138223the company is caddytek and I have zero bad things to say about mine. For an extra $50 you can order a chair to fit on it too.

Awesome! I'm definitely liking the price. Does the cooler stay on when you fold it up?

[RookieBlue7]

I'll tell you if you have a group of walkers and a group of cart riders (foursomes), the cart riders can start behind them on the first tee and I'd be wiling to bet you that te walkers, if they halfway know what they're doing, will finish at least 2 holes ahead of the walkers. The only exception is when there's long distances between holes and/or lots of hills are involved. On a relatively flat course, though, walkers will smoke riders every time

[ZenGolfer]

I walk about half the time and that means sometimes I walk where others ride and its really never been a big deal.

Sometimes the riders have to wait for me to catch up with them but Ive never had anyone compain to me about it.  Honestly, most of the people I get paired up with seem to spend a lot of time screwing around looking for their ball and I end up waiting on them.

Theres some courses here in Ohio that I can think of that would be annoying if you had a mix of walkers and riders, simply because some of the holes have some distances between the green and the tee of then next hole (Champions and Turnberry in Columbus are 2 that comes to mind, especially Turnberry).

[Undershooter]

Awesome! I'm definitely liking the price. Does the cooler stay on when you fold it up?

It does. The cooler is at the bottom of the mesh thing that goes from the handle to between the back two wheels. You can probably see it better if you just Google the cart and look at different pics of it.

[Severtheties]

That cart is sweet. I may check one of those out here soon.

[Undershooter]

That cart is sweet. I may check one of those out here soon.

I highly recommend it for those in the market.

[sp0rtsfan86]

Few things: One I played my home course in NJ walking but ride just about everywhere else... (most want you to drive for some reason).

 

I definitely play faster driving than walking by about an hour. I have on one occasion played 9 walking somehow. That being said, walking with three drivers requires you to usually tee off quickly and be ready to go. As a relatively athletic 26 year old I can usually be do the little things to keep pace. I have no problem walking when someone is swinging as long as my clubs aren't clanking and I'm more than 20 yards away. Around the greens, you get around much quicker.

 

Hardest part about walking for me is when I drive the ball short and am one of the last to tee off. Usually that's where they actually have to wait on me... otherwise I'm pretty good about speed. I've never really had any issues, but it does require you to play smart.