Will we see a new generation of walkers?

[i*windows]

In Europe everyone walks, maybe at one or two of the courses in Spain in the summer people take a buggy but on the whole people walk and push carts or carry. In the last ten years I've only played with one guy who always takes a buggy, but he has one leg shorter than the other and struggles to walk.

[golfkrzy10]

Man I hope so! That'd be a small silver lining for golf and health!

[BKN1964]

Since asking my original question, I've found that many courses are allowing carts, and allowing or enforcing one player per cart.

More importantly for me: Even though I live in an area that has a very low infection rate, I've stopped playing as of last Saturday until we're past this mess.

I fully intend to continue walking as I always have unless my health changes where I can no longer do so.

[Bonneville85308]

Interesting anecdote: My pushcart broke last week to the extent that I couldn't fix it or continue using it and the whole thing needs to be replaced. PGATSS, GG, and the indie shop in my area are closed. I called probably 8 different big indie golf stores around the country that are still shipping things and they all told me that they've sold more push carts in the past month than the prior year, inventory is very low, all they have left are a few pushcarts in unpopular/weird colors. Apparently Clicgear is shut down and not shipping anything either.

[Mych]

Houston has about 4-6 more weeks of walkability... Starting mid-May, you're taking your life into your hands if you try to walk 7 miles in 95 degree heat and 90% humidity.

I've walked almost every round this year, so I'm not looking forward to the months of May-October. I see lots of early mornings and late evenings in order for me to continue walking.

[duffer987]

I know we didn't have the dire humidity in Austin you guys get in Houston, but early and done was the only way I'd get in rounds once the temps got to and stayed in the 90s. Late autumn/early spring were great, could walk and play 36 on a Saturday, but ya needing to be hiding from the sun come 11am for 1/2 the year was a bummer.

[wmblake2000]

I have washed my hands more in the last 6 weeks than cumulative for the previous 67 yrs.

[wmblake2000]

Really? I see the reverse on muni's here in So Cal. Young guys ride, old guys walk.

[Wormkiller]

IMO buggies should be banned on all courses, especially in countries like the USA with such huge incidences of obesity.

Or at least only special provisions given to the very weak - kind of like mobility scooters in general society.

There is absolutely no excuse to not walk a course if you can. Its a perfect opportunity for many sedentary, overweight people to do some light exercise.

[Yuck]

As an obese 60 year old, walking is a must for me. I always preferred walking, but I have been doing 100% of the time for the last year or so. 3.5 hour pace is comfortable, 3 hours is doable, but I do need to keep moving. 95% of my rounds, I am the only walker. A side benefit is I have gone from pushing 300 lbs to the mid 250’s. I play 3 days a week year round. The downside is walking cost exactly the same as riding for me. Because of my natural cheapness, it feels like paying for an all you can eat buffet while on a diet.

[FairwayFred]

Yes at my club in MI all the younger guys walk it seems. All the older guys ride.

[Sean2]

I agree. I will be 65 next month. Last season I walked over 150 rounds. I only take a cart on very hot, humid days as my cardiologist insists, or if I play a course that is cart only...which is rare. I not only play golf for the golf, but the walking is a critical component as well. My biggest golf achievement was walking 36 holes twice last year, lol.

[Ghostwedge]

Good on you Yuck, walking is the way to play. My home course charges an extra $7 per nine holes of golf w/cart. Find another place to play. Robbery that your charged the same as a cart rate.

[Sean2]

I see that as well.

[Sean2]

@Yuck Great job Yuck! Keep it going...assuming you can play. :-) I am 65 next month myself and walk 99% of my rounds.

[wmblake2000]

I am betting part of it is we old guys (playing muni’s) like cheap (sr rates, etc) and carts are extra. Plus we think of golf as exercise, like @Sean2.

[596]

During the stay at home I'm making up the difference in walking 18 holes three times a week by increasing my cycling from 4 days to 6 days a week. I now ride about 120 miles a week on my virtual smart trainer in the man cave. It's rather important to maintain the fitness so when we do get back to golf, 18 holes will still be easy.

[Sean2]

Nice! That looks like fun. I wish I had something like that, as I can't walk/hike everyday...it is raining today and is supposed to rain tomorrow as well.

[eddiebigeddie]

I'll throw my 1 cent in here. I'm 42 years old and just walked 18 for the first time in my life on the golf course this past weekend. Now I consider myself in good shape as I lift 3 days a week and do cardio (4-5 miles per day) 5 days a week. Living in Kentucky (most courses) in my area walking is almost impossible. My home course is spread out pretty good and has a ton of hills that would make walking AWFUL. The other 2 courses in the area are very similar, either longer with hills or shorter with more hills. Now I did really enjoy my 18 this past weekend as myself & 2 others walked and just had a good time (1 other rode as he had a huge staff bag & walking wasn't really in his cards that day). I did notice getting tired by the last 1-2 holes but it wasn't unbearable at all. I believe if I did it more often it wouldn't be bad at all. There's only 2 other courses within 45-60 minutes that I would even consider walking though and that's what really sucks because it was a very good workout.

 

But like a lot of others have said, the minute carts are allowed, I see most people jumping on board like they never left.

[Bigjohn141]

In the US here and no lock down yet. I’ve been really thinking about taking up walking the course lately. I actually have a gas cart that I currently use, especially when my wife and son comes along for 9 holes. I get caught up in bad shots and my mind take a over for a little bit which equals a few bad holes. I’m thinking that if I walk, I can use the extra time to reset. I could always use the exercise too.

[hanginnwangin]

Just do it. It’s worth it. Trust me. If you get caught, they kick you off and you don’t come back... no Biggy.

[zonadub]

Another who will be turning 65 (next week). We sold our riding cart 12 years ago and both my wife and I have Speed Carts. A couple years ago, we got remote controlled electric carts, she has a Bat Caddy and I have a CartTek. Living in southern Arizona, we only ride when it gets extremely hot (once last year), when I went to the cart barn to get the cart, the attendant just laughed and said it must be hot today. I also have light carry bags and use them quite a bit. My wife hates riding, and I prefer to walk because it gives me a better feel for distance and also allows me a better perspective as I approach the green from the front instead of the cart path on the side.

To answer the original question of this thread: Our course will not see a change in riding cart usage after this is over. Those who ride, will continue to ride. Many private carts here and they will continue to use them.

[Petethreeput]

for myself, I truly prefer walking. I rarely do it though. I own my cart. Our course has a 1 person per cart rule in effect. When my wife and I play 9, we walk exclusively bc we both prefer it. I am not old, big boned, or any health issues, I just don’t walk. Two reasons why I ride every time I play.

i can carry my beer, but it’s usually pretty well shaken when I open one. Huge plus for the cart for this guy.

more importantly though, I feel like I am in a rush as the guys in my group in carts zoom by me i can’t help but think to hurry. Even though I know a foursome walking is faster than 4 in two carts over 18 holes.

because of this thread. I am going to walk the front nine this morning today in my group (ride the back) and see how it feels in relation to the others who will all have their own carts.

 

 

[scruffynick]

Can't get my head round course banning walking... Huh??? Is that the main objective of golf, understand buggy bans in winter especially here in the UK because of the wet grounds.... But why would a course stop people wanting to walk the course either with a push cart, power caddy or plain and simple Sunday bag. It doesn't compute to me that

[italianstallion]

I booked a tee time at my local course in Orlando last week, a course that requires carts. I’ve been politely asking for a year if I can walk, as I take about 75% of the rounds I play to courses much further away in Orlando that allow me to walk. I like this course...it’s less than a mile from my house and super tight and challenging so it makes me a good golfer.

I showed up on Sunday and wasn’t paired with anybody, but four groups of four had just gone off in front of me. I thought to myself “today has to be the day they allow me to walk.” I asked the pro shop if I could walk, and they said “talk to the starter.” I paid my greens fee and headed to the range, then went to the starter 15 minutes before my tee time.

I confirmed with the starter that I wasn’t paired with anybody, then I asked if I could walk seeing how there was four 4-somes in front of me. He said “we don’t allow walkers, if you go over there we’ll get you set up on a cart.” Although he knows who I am, I explained to him that I’m a regular at the course. He said he couldn’t allow it as it would “kill pace of play.” I pressed a bit more, and he said if I didn’t want to take a cart he’d be happy to offer me a refund. I told him that the course really should consider a program that allows regulars to walk, especially in the summer when this particular course is cartpath only due to how wet it gets after daily afternoon storms.

Ultimately I told him I’d rather go play elsewhere and walk than sit out there as a single behind four full groups in a cart, so I went to the pro shop and got my refund. I just really have a hard time supporting a course that is so set on not allowing people to walk, regardless of the situation.

[Mych]

There's some weird deja vu or time machine stuff going on. This is 100% me if you exchange 60 for 42.

[Mych]

I hate the stigma that walkers slow down the pace. Walkers aren't slow... slow players who walk are slow just like slow riders.

I played a course Sunday that is notorious for poor pace of play and 5 hour rounds. They've instituted a walking only policy, so I figured it was worth a shot and I finished my round in 3:13. Walkers are NOT the problem. It's when people don't understand course management and people who take an unreasonable amount of time from the time the cart stops to the time they hit their shot. Get out of the cart, drink some beer, get the rangefinder, scope the distance, pick a club, test the wind, pick a different club, 20 waggles, step back, 20 more waggles, then hit a shot 50 yards off line and go hunting in the bushes for it for 5 minutes.

When I'm walking, by the time I get to my ball I've already looked at the yard markings on the course, looked at the orientation of the green/flag, and decided on an approach to my next shot. All that's left is to check the final distance, pick the club, and hit the shot.

[duffer987]

Are you replying to a particular post? I didn't see anyone talking about banning walking? Quite the contrary it's the cart-ban due to Covid19 in some places.

Anyhoo, there are a bunch of courses in the US built in housing estates that necessitate the use of a cart/buggy due to the distances between holes, while not the holes themselves. Unfortunately for some, those are the only types of course in their area to play.

[scruffynick]

Not on this thread but I know some course in the US and world wide ban walking, you have to have a cart.... Understandable because of the long walks between tees and greens etc.... But if you want to walk, why stop someone? Had this in Italy and Spain, it wasn't mid day heat and I just thought it alien that I'm being stopped from walking playing golf.... It's just me, but if I can't walk the course I don't bother playing

[mustang6298]

I lift a couple times a week so that keeps me in shape. I wouldn’t want to play without carts in my usual foursome.