Is it wrong to be a proud golfer who walks and points out the bad traits of cart riders?

[Michael J Lee 2]

Hi, I am a golfer who walks with push carts and even a battery operated cart for my bag and one of the main reasons I golf is because of the exercise I get doing it! I will someday use a riding cart when I am unable to walk but until then I will walk. I respect anyone who golfs with a riding cart because of hip or knee problems for instance and I applaud their doing it. However, I don't appreciate having to compete with the cart riders who zoom all over the course and the way the management of the golf courses try to ram so many golfers through to make more money and encourage riding carts to the detriment of the enjoyment of golfing by walkers. Also, these cart riders violate the rules of the courses by bringing in coolers full of beer and whiskey and often are smoking cigars that you can smell 100 yards away. Really, this is a huge problem and I don't see anyone talking about it. In fact, I have been "canceled" by one of the other threads on MyGolfSpy for even bringing up this topic. But I speak with some authority because I travel quite a bit and their are even regional differences on this and the further south you go the bigger the problem (eg., I get criticized for wanting to walk at some courses). Really! The trend is not our friend! What do you think?

[cnosil 24,376]

12 minutes ago, Michael J Lee said:

Hi, I am a golfer who walks with push carts and even a battery operated cart for my bag and one of the main reasons I golf is because of the exercise I get doing it! I will someday use a riding cart when I am unable to walk but until then I will walk. I respect anyone who golfs with a riding cart because of hip or knee problems for instance and I applaud their doing it. However, I don't appreciate having to compete with the cart riders who zoom all over the course and the way the management of the golf courses try to ram so many golfers through to make more money and encourage riding carts to the detriment of the enjoyment of golfing by walkers. Also, these cart riders violate the rules of the courses by bringing in coolers full of beer and whiskey and often are smoking cigars that you can smell 100 yards away. Really, this is a huge problem and I don't see anyone talking about it. In fact, I have been "canceled" by one of the other threads on MyGolfSpy for even bringing up this topic. But I speak with some authority because I travel quite a bit and their are even regional differences on this and the further south you go the bigger the problem (eg., I get criticized for wanting to walk at some courses). Really! The trend is not our friend! What do you think?

You simply sound like an angry get off my lawn type of person that does not respect a large portion of the golfing world.    People who walk also bring coolers or outside beverages to the course, smoke cigars, and contribute to pace of play issues.  It seems to be a huge problem in your eyes but mark be not to others.  Some courses only allow walking at certain times or prohibit walking due to the course layout.  You can always play at a different course or time if you really want to walk.   I don’t know what post got “cancelled” but  you don’t seem up for a discussion on the topic so you were probably very my way or the highway in any response you would have made.  

[russtopherb 9,322]

There are golfers that bring beer from home?

I'm shocked. Shocked, I say.

[cnosil 24,376]

Just now, russtopherb said:

There are golfers that bring beer from home?

I'm shocked. Shocked, I say.

And WHISKEY!!!    

[tommc23 12,804]

12 minutes ago, cnosil said:

You simply sound like an angry get off my lawn type of person that does not respect a large portion of the golfing world.    People who walk also bring coolers or outside beverages to the course, smoke cigars, and contribute to pace of play issues.  It seems to be a huge problem in your eyes but mark be not to others.  Some courses only allow walking at certain times or prohibit walking due to the course layout.  You can always play at a different course or time if you really want to walk.   I don’t know what post got “cancelled” but  you don’t seem up for a discussion on the topic so you were probably very my way or the highway in any response you would have made.  

I walk and smoke cigars! Walk and smoke who would have guessed that’s possible. It definitely keeps the bugs down and it’s enjoyable for me.

[Rickp 28,533]

43 minutes ago, tommc23 said:

I walk and smoke cigars! Walk and smoke who would have guessed that’s possible. It definitely keeps the bugs down and it’s enjoyable for me.

I did the same, 2 cigars a round while walking.    
Didn’t do the alcohol until after round.

[Shapotomous 4,816]

55 minutes ago, tommc23 said:

I walk and smoke cigars! Walk and smoke who would have guessed that’s possible. It definitely keeps the bugs down and it’s enjoyable for me.

I don't smoke but don't mind riding in the cart (gasp!!) of a cigar smoker since it does help keep the bugs away.

Does this mean we shouldn't be doing fireball shots for birdies?? 

I have rode a higher % this year than ever because our membership includes a cart and I am usually getting out late afternoon or evening and it allows me to play faster and jump around a sparsely populated course to get in as many holes as possible.  

 

[greggarner 1,252]

I took a course a couple years back to get my bartending license here in NC and that's when I learned that it's a violation of state law to bring alcohol of any kind onto a golf course. AND it's the course that gets punished for a violation and not the golfer. So when I (hypothetically, of course) bring my cooler full of Ultras and a couple airline bottles of birdie juice, the course could lose their license to serve. 

I asked the head pro about it and he said, "hell, I don't care. Nobody's coming out here checking on that $h#*." 

In terms of what's germane to the thread, the only things I truly care about: 

1. play in less than 5 hours and/or let me play through
2. don't hit into me
3. either don't restrict walking times or include the cart fee in the price or charge me a cart fee and let me walk anyways (I get you want to make money. I'm not mad about it. I just prefer to walk. And yeah, I get pretty salty when they say, "you can't walk bEcAuSe pAcE-oF-pLaY.")

[tommc23 12,804]

5 minutes ago, greggarner said:

I took a course a couple years back to get my bartending license here in NC and that's when I learned that it's a violation of state law to bring alcohol of any kind onto a golf course. AND it's the course that gets punished for a violation and not the golfer. So when I (hypothetically, of course) bring my cooler full of Ultras and a couple airline bottles of birdie juice, the course could lose their license to serve. 

I asked the head pro about it and he said, "hell, I don't care. Nobody's coming out here checking on that $h#*." 

In terms of what's germane to the thread, the only things I truly care about: 

1. play in less than 5 hours and/or let me play through
2. don't hit into me
3. either don't restrict walking times or include the cart fee in the price or charge me a cart fee and let me walk anyways (I get you want to make money. I'm not mad about it. I just prefer to walk. And yeah, I get pretty salty when they say, "you can't walk bEcAuSe pAcE-oF-pLaY.")

I agree with the pace of play. I walk fast I typically get a round done in 3 hours, by far not what @Shanksterdoes but I fell 3 hours is a good pace

[Shapotomous 4,816]

The most shocking thing I learned from this thread is you need a license to be a bartender in NC...... one of the great bastions of moonshine..... think of the irony!  

[Rickp 28,533]

20 minutes ago, greggarner said:

I took a course a couple years back to get my bartending license here in NC and that's when I learned that it's a violation of state law to bring alcohol of any kind onto a golf course. AND it's the course that gets punished for a violation and not the golfer. So when I (hypothetically, of course) bring my cooler full of Ultras and a couple airline bottles of birdie juice, the course could lose their license to serve. 

I asked the head pro about it and he said, "hell, I don't care. Nobody's coming out here checking on that $h#*." 

In terms of what's germane to the thread, the only things I truly care about: 

1. play in less than 5 hours and/or let me play through
2. don't hit into me
3. either don't restrict walking times or include the cart fee in the price or charge me a cart fee and let me walk anyways (I get you want to make money. I'm not mad about it. I just prefer to walk. And yeah, I get pretty salty when they say, "you can't walk bEcAuSe pAcE-oF-pLaY.")

Using the excuse that walkers are slow is bogus.  Walkers can be just as fast and if 2 in a cart sometimes faster.

miss walking but knees/age stopped that a while ago.  

[Riverboat 781]

I don't mind the cigars nearly as much as the pot. Marijuana use on our local courses has soared the past few years. Never could stand the smell of it, but worse is that most of the smokers get worse and MUCH slower as the round goes on. Keep weeds and weed off my course, please. 

[greggarner 1,252]

2 hours ago, Shapotomous said:

The most shocking thing I learned from this thread is you need a license to be a bartender in NC...... one of the great bastions of moonshine..... think of the irony!  

Yeah, liquor laws here definitely over-corrected... A couple years back, there was a huge push by golf courses and restaurants for legislation that would allow alcohol on Sundays before noon. As such, the 'brunch bill' was born (and passed!) But you still can't buy liquor on Sundays. (All of our liquor stores are state-run)

[cnosil 24,376]

2 hours ago, greggarner said:

Yeah, liquor laws here definitely over-corrected... A couple years back, there was a huge push by golf courses and restaurants for legislation that would allow alcohol on Sundays before noon. As such, the 'brunch bill' was born (and passed!) But you still can't buy liquor on Sundays. (All of our liquor stores are state-run)

I remember those laws when heading down to OBX for the weekend.  

[fixyurdivot 16,550]

I walk with my push cart as often as I can, and where golf course layout/policy allows.  It's great exercise and I prefer the pace.  I find I'm able to focus better on my game when not hoping in/out of carts - particularly when with a second rider.  I cannot recall a situation where my walking with a cart and those riding in carts created an issue.  As @Rickppointed out, I find walkers to be as fast (maybe faster) than carts with two players.  We play a couple of courses here in Yuma that simply do not allow walking do to the long distances between a handful of greens and tees... one almost 1/2 mile .  I play another course where you can walk (and I do) but the rate is the same as having the cart ... how's that for dedication? 

Courses squeezing in extra tee time slots really has little to do with walk or ride.  Those that do compress times are simply trying to maximize play but they really should know how their course plays and whether it's more a detriment to the patrons experience.  I find courses that utilize marshal's generally keep pace of play in good shape. 

As for the BYOB, cigars, and cigarettes, I put them in the same category as sunflower seeds and chew.  If you create burn spots or litter the greens and tees with your vices, I'll sort of kindly let you know about it.  If you respond in a defiant manner, I'll let the course management know about it as well.

We've had numerous threads that discuss walking, riding, and bad habits on the course.  If anyone's been banned for it, that's news to me.

[CarlH 7,949]

As you might have surmised, generalized judgmental that place blame on one "group" of individuals based on one's opinion typically doesn't bode well in online forums.  Obviously, not everyone shares the same opinion.  While there are indeed bad seeds in every group of golfers, it's just ill informed to place judgement on all walkers, all cart riders, etc based on those few bad seeds.  

[Tiftaaft 723]

20 hours ago, Michael J Lee said:

Hi, I am a golfer who walks with push carts and even a battery operated cart for my bag and one of the main reasons I golf is because of the exercise I get doing it! I will someday use a riding cart when I am unable to walk but until then I will walk. I respect anyone who golfs with a riding cart because of hip or knee problems for instance and I applaud their doing it. However, I don't appreciate having to compete with the cart riders who zoom all over the course and the way the management of the golf courses try to ram so many golfers through to make more money and encourage riding carts to the detriment of the enjoyment of golfing by walkers. Also, these cart riders violate the rules of the courses by bringing in coolers full of beer and whiskey and often are smoking cigars that you can smell 100 yards away. Really, this is a huge problem and I don't see anyone talking about it. In fact, I have been "canceled" by one of the other threads on MyGolfSpy for even bringing up this topic. But I speak with some authority because I travel quite a bit and their are even regional differences on this and the further south you go the bigger the problem (eg., I get criticized for wanting to walk at some courses). Really! The trend is not our friend! What do you think?

While I prefer to walk (and carry), I ride more than I should for my game and health (it's better for me, and I'm more connected to my game when I walk).  So... 

Dear OP

• I usually drive a cart and follow the course rules for cart paths/90 degrees as needed for respect to the course
• I haven't had a knee or hip replacement, though I did get a new pair of Footjoys last month.
• I live in Houston - about as far south as you can get
• I don't smoke, though some days you can smell my bad game from 100 yards away
• I don't drink alcohol on the course
• My course has a cooler attached to all the carts...so I don't have to bring my own
• I replace and sand my divots, and others in the vicinity of my own
• I fix my ball marks and others I see on the way to my ball on the green
• I rake my traps, and other players footprints while I'm there (more often than I would like)
• I play faster in a cart which allows me to spend more time making the course and experience better for my fellow golfers
• I DO zoom around the course when there is nobody holding me back and can play 18 in 2.5 hours on occasion... but also have played rounds at 5+ hours when the course is busy.  It's golf.  
• I patiently wait for the the 4 walkers in front of me to wave me through when they are looking for their ball in the hazard.
• I am not a detriment to any golfer on the course... rider, walker or limper
• While I'm not confident in my game from day to day - I am confident in my etiquette on the course (etiquette for the course AND for my fellow golfers).
• I am not unique in the above bullets
• Your comments are over generalized and directed at the few, not the majority.

[JerryB 933]

While everyone is entitled to their own opinion on these matters, I'm really struggling to understand why this discussion was initiated in the golf ball section of the forum.  Does golf etiquette not extend to the internet?

Edited November 3, 2021 by JerryB
Spelling

[Tiftaaft 723]

6 minutes ago, JerryB said:

While everyone is entitled to their own opinion on these matters, I'm really struggling to understand why this discussion was initiated in the golf ball section of the forum.  Does golf etiquette not extend to the internet?

I play Titleist ProV1x left dash.  As soon as I raise $185, I'll buy a dozen left dots... wait... that is another thread.  

Edited November 3, 2021 by Tiftaaft

[TexasFullSend 56]

The real problem is the people that play game improvement clubs and not blades!!! Then they walk around the club house thinking they are so good at golf..... ITS OUTRAGEOUS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who gives a damn what others do on the course! Let people enjoy the game the way they want too!