Does anyone walk anymore?

[NoRebound]

I wish more courses around me allowed/tolerated walking.  Granted two of the courses on my normal rota wind through a housing development and simply can't be walked (unless you're into a 15 mile hike) but I do miss the pace of walking and the time it gives my brain to digest my surroundings and the next shot.

[Don Figgins]

Yes, I walk my home course, TPC Colorado virtually every time I play. I’m a founding member since 2017. The walk is an average of 16000 steps, so approximately 8 miles. I use my Bat Caddy battery powered golf bag cart and play with other walkers 4-5 days/week when the course is playable.

[GPS111]

A dozen or so years ago the USGA had a walking program with a pledge to walk courses.  Even had a place to sign your pledge to walking.

https://www.usga.org/articles/2012/04/course-care-take-the-pledge-for-greener-golf-21474846468.html

Chambers Bay in Washington where the 2015 US Open was played is a walking only course although exceptions are made for cart use for handicapped.  But for the most part you are not riding.  

[Kenms3762]

I prefer to walk but most of the courses around here aren't walker friendly (too much elevation changes and distance between tees). I did buy a cart last year and i walk whenever i play walker friendly courses. 

For those thinking of purchasing a cart. My recommendations. Get a seat. Brake lock on the handle instead of near the wheel. An attached bag to put things ( jackets, i take off my bag straps when i use my cart, etc.). 

[MIKEOGOLF]

I walk if allowed 98% of the time. It's so much more enjoyable for me and great exercise. Allows more perspective of green contours. I've had back issues that don't allow me to carry, but hope to get back to carrying this year. Carrying allows me as I'm walking to clean and dry my club, put my head cover on, take my glove off, walk across a green with my clubs(marking my ball and cleaning it), keep score, glove on, tee and ball out of pocket, driver out and head cover off. This saves up to a minute a hole over a push cart.

[Golf2Much]

My golfing buddy and I belong to a golf club that used to allow members to walk the back nine early in the morning (until about 8:30) and later in the afternoon as part of the membership.  After we attended a golf school, we agreed to meet one day a week to walk a few holes in the back playing multiple balls to practice what we learned.  I bought a pull cart and we found the practice and helping one another with the drills we learned helped to sustain our improvement.

This year however, the course decided to charge an additional $750 on top of your membership for the privilege of walking nine holes.  We talked to the owner and his rationale was that walkers do not spend any money at the course.  They don't pay cart fees and the bar isn't opened when they finish so they don't drink.  Of course, he conveniently doesn't count the $2300 membership fee in his argument, especially since the course is basically just sitting there unused until the first group makes the turn.  So, my pull cart collects dust in my shed and I likely will not be walking until they change their minds on the added fee.

[Manny]

I think I would take my money and golf some place else, charging you to walk? Really?

Does he charge you for the air you breath also? The sun that shines on you?

[GPS111]

2 hours ago, Golf2Much said:

My golfing buddy and I belong to a golf club that used to allow members to walk the back nine early in the morning (until about 8:30) and later in the afternoon as part of the membership.  After we attended a golf school, we agreed to meet one day a week to walk a few holes in the back playing multiple balls to practice what we learned.  I bought a pull cart and we found the practice and helping one another with the drills we learned helped to sustain our improvement.

This year however, the course decided to charge an additional $750 on top of your membership for the privilege of walking nine holes.  We talked to the owner and his rationale was that walkers do not spend any money at the course.  They don't pay cart fees and the bar isn't opened when they finish so they don't drink.  Of course, he conveniently doesn't count the $2300 membership fee in his argument, especially since the course is basically just sitting there unused until the first group makes the turn.  So, my pull cart collects dust in my shed and I likely will not be walking until they change their minds on the added fee.

That is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard about a golf course.  Isn't that what green fees or memberships are for?  To be able to play the course?  If I choose to walk vs "spending money" to rent a cart I need to be penalized?  Maybe he needs penalized by taking your business somewhere else.  

He would have been better off just saying membership went up $750.  

[Bang60]

On 4/1/2023 at 1:15 AM, Golf2Much said:

My golfing buddy and I belong to a golf club that used to allow members to walk the back nine early in the morning (until about 8:30) and later in the afternoon as part of the membership.  After we attended a golf school, we agreed to meet one day a week to walk a few holes in the back playing multiple balls to practice what we learned.  I bought a pull cart and we found the practice and helping one another with the drills we learned helped to sustain our improvement.

This year however, the course decided to charge an additional $750 on top of your membership for the privilege of walking nine holes.  We talked to the owner and his rationale was that walkers do not spend any money at the course.  They don't pay cart fees and the bar isn't opened when they finish so they don't drink.  Of course, he conveniently doesn't count the $2300 membership fee in his argument, especially since the course is basically just sitting there unused until the first group makes the turn.  So, my pull cart collects dust in my shed and I likely will not be walking until they change their minds on the added fee.

I went to another course for this very reason, plus the bs etiquette rules they’ve got…

[DoubleBogie33]

Yup, walk 3 to 4 times a week have a Clicgear push cart that helps me along.  I've had both my hips resurfaced and getting out walking helps considerably.

[Drmer_boy]

I still walk, not every weekend, but I do like it, nice and relaxing.

[jehresmann]

I typically play better while carting, actually. Though I do think having a really nice push/pull cart could be a game-changer for walking - which I do not have at this time. That's another forum question... but I believe riding keeps my legs fresher and gets me to my ball faster so I can take my time with club selection and shot strategy.

[chisag]

1 hour ago, jehresmann said:

That's another forum question... but I believe riding keeps my legs fresher and gets me to my ball faster so I can take my time with club selection and shot strategy.

 

... Since you asked, walking with a push cart/remote cart can keep your body "active" with blood flowing and granted I am in good shape and walk 5 times a week, even at age 70 fresh legs are never a problem. I have much more of a problem sitting and standing over and over again when riding in a cart. If possible I always let my pard drive and I walk as much as possible when in a cart. I also have plenty of time to consider my next shot when approaching the ball so club selection and shot strategy is already happening before I get to my ball. Since the vast majority of the time I have to wait for the group in front before I can execute my shot, I can't ever remember a time when walking was slower than riding when sharing a cart with another player. 

[funkyjudge]

42 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Since you asked, walking with a push cart/remote cart can keep your body "active" with blood flowing and granted I am in good shape and walk 5 times a week, even at age 70 fresh legs are never a problem. I have much more of a problem sitting and standing over and over again when riding in a cart. If possible I always let my pard drive and I walk as much as possible when in a cart. I also have plenty of time to consider my next shot when approaching the ball so club selection and shot strategy is already happening before I get to my ball. Since the vast majority of the time I have to wait for the group in front before I can execute my shot, I can't ever remember a time when walking was slower than riding when sharing a cart with another player. 

I walk 3.5 to 4.5 miles almost every single day that I don’t play golf, and I have only ridden in a cart one time since May, 2022. I do ride during my annual Myrtle Beach golf trips, but only because it is required at virtually every golf course down there. Even then, I usually walk between shots.

BTW, I just turned 74 years old two weeks ago.

Edited April 6 by funkyjudge

[silver & black]

My brother and I were behind a 4 some of walkers today. Damn.... what a long day it was.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

3 minutes ago, silver & black said:

My brother and I were behind a 4 some of walkers today. Damn.... what a long day it was.

That is something I just don't understand. I play 18 holes in a cart in 2 hours and 15 minutes. I play 18 holes walking in 2 hours and 30 minutes. I'm not running either at my age. They must not be playing ready golf and probably spending more time stationary chatting instead of walking and chatting. 

[chisag]

24 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

That is something I just don't understand. I play 18 holes in a cart in 2 hours and 15 minutes. I play 18 holes walking in 2 hours and 30 minutes. I'm not running either at my age. They must not be playing ready golf and probably spending more time stationary chatting instead of walking and chatting. 

 

... Yup a head scratcher for sure. One of my playing cards is 80 and uses a push cart and we are always waiting for the group in front and 90% of the time they are in riding carts. There are certainly slow walkers out there but they are pretty rare in my experience. I would add I never play in the mornings and rarely on the weekend so that could figure into it. 

... I have said this many times but walkers are almost always faster than those riding in carts. Mostly because walkers play ready golf, go to their own balls and rarely flag down the cart girl for a stop that always seems to take too long. We actually had to wait yesterday after the cart girl serviced the group in front of us riding in carts that was 1.5 holes behind when another two carts from two holes ahead saw her and doubled back to the middle of our fairway! By the time they finished and drove off we were on that tee box for almost 15 minutes but still caught the group ahead by the next fairway. 

[Pete Birmingham]

19 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

 

28 minutes ago, silver & black said:

My brother and I were behind a 4 some of walkers today. Damn.... what a long day it was.

That is ridiculous, and (in my experience) totally out of character for walkers. I walk with a foursome and always have. Foursomes behind us, in carts, almost never come within a shot of us. We play in about 3:40, without rushing.

[funkyjudge]

52 minutes ago, silver & black said:

My brother and I were behind a 4 some of walkers today. Damn.... what a long day it was.

That’s crazy! I have NEVER seen a group of walkers who play slowly. Last Monday, in my 9-hole league, all four of my group walked (two carried their bags; two used hand carts). We waited on virtually every shot, and we finished almost AN HOUR AHEAD of the foursome behind us (all riders).

[Manny]

Why did you ask to play through? My group we play fast, and If a group is on our hinnys we ask them to play through