Will we see a new generation of walkers?

[bladehunter]

True. I had a guy try to by my kids junior sized clic gear last week. I’d have sold it to him to but it was too top heavy with his big bag. Lol. Kid got an adult sized one for his birthday last year. So I’ll likely give his junior one to a kid on his pga junior league team if they ever start back up.

 

it’s definitely causing more to walk at my club. And I love it !

[QuigleyDU]

I think you are going to see more individual type carts more than you will see walkers.

[bonvivantva]

I just bought my first push cart. I've rented them plenty, but if I'm going to play any during the craziness, it will only be if I can have zero interaction with suspect surfaces. I really enjoy walking when I play by myself, but when I'm playing with my friends and having a few beers, I'll definitely still prefer the cart. Hopefully the investment in the push cart will cause me to get in some more solo rounds.

[mantan]

I'm another person wh

I experienced that myself this week. The local PGATSS employee laughed when I asked if they had any in stock. He says they flew off the shelf the last two weeks. I I ended up buying a BagBoy Nitron off Amazon from DallasGolf.

I had an older push cart that was on it's last legs. A lot of courses around here don't really encourage walking. In some ways I get it. A lot of them are spread out with long walks from green to tee. And once summer hits, it's just too hot by noon.

I got a taste of that Wednesday. I walked the course on as 90* afternoon. I ran through a big bottle of water on the front 9. There was no water jugs or cart girl. The clubhouse grill was understandably closed so I couldn't buy anything at the turn. I'll know on warm days to pack a ton of water.

[conroy923]

I've been enjoying it, and will likely walk more when things go back to normal. But i'll have a tough time to not jump in a cart in the heat of the summer.

[straka82]

We have a unique set up right now . We know the groundskeeper at out local course that’s closed . But what we do is park at his house and walk a 13 hole loop that pretty much stays out of sight of any roads or houses than can see on the course

prolly done it 10 times over this few weeks during COVID and can honestly say I’m playing better than ever .. 13 holes seems like the perfect amount to walk

[deadsolid...shank]

Not me, I’m back in the cart as soon as I can.

[vandyfan]

Reviving this thread to see where we are in 2024. I would say that there are a lot more "golfers" now, but I don't think the actual percentage of walkers vs riders has tilted towards the walkers...unfortunately. People still seem to love their golf carts, regardless of what kind of shape they are in. I think because a number of people view golf as a "leisure activity" instead of an actual sport. And who knows, maybe they are right? Personally, I love walking and it makes my overall experience better, I notice way more about the golf course and I get some slight whiff of exercise. Generally play better as well. At this point, I think COVID has probably saved some golf courses with additional players but (to me) kind of weakened the overall golf experience for me. Not to sound like a jerk (but probably going to) it seems like there are waaaay more terrible golfers out there than there used to be despite golf equipment being as easy to hit as it ever has been. In that instance, why not at least get a good walk in? Baffling. 

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

Clubs are easier to hit these days? Somebody could have told me...... 🤨

 

In the heat of the summer, walking isn't really the best idea even in Charlotte. You want a little breeze to cool off, and that ain't happening unless you're on a cart. 😄 

 

Still, I planned on walking starting last fall, but circumstances kind of put the squeeze on that. Maybe this coming fall....

 

[SnowbirdTom]

Walker with electric bag buggy.  My back thanks me by not being sore.  I rode 9 today, totally out of sorts with my game doing so.  Back to the MGI buggy Sunday for 18.

[bobfoster]

1 hour ago, vandyfan said:

Reviving this thread to see where we are in 2024. I would say that there are a lot more "golfers" now, but I don't think the actual percentage of walkers vs riders has tilted towards the walkers...unfortunately. People still seem to love their golf carts, regardless of what kind of shape they are in. I think because a number of people view golf as a "leisure activity" instead of an actual sport. And who knows, maybe they are right? Personally, I love walking and it makes my overall experience better, I notice way more about the golf course and I get some slight whiff of exercise. Generally play better as well. At this point, I think COVID has probably saved some golf courses with additional players but (to me) kind of weakened the overall golf experience for me. Not to sound like a jerk (but probably going to) it seems like there are waaaay more terrible golfers out there than there used to be despite golf equipment being as easy to hit as it ever has been. In that instance, why not at least get a good walk in? Baffling. 

 

Wow - jumped in just to look at this thread, but what a flash from the past! The Covid days were so intense, but somehow seem way in the past now (almost like the craziness was just some dream I woke up from and hardly remember anymore). 

 

Hard to tell if there are more walkers (as a percentage). There certainly are more golfers. I do think there's a big difference between walkers that carry and those that push a hand cart (far more of the latter than the former).

 

But I'm with you @vandyfan. Grew up (60's - 70s) wehen carts weren't that common. If fact, made pocket money caddying at a local club when I was in HS. At the time (at least at my local courses), unless you were old or disabled you didn't use a cart. Part of golf was the walking. Even to this day, when I'm forced to ride in a cart (e.g., when some course requires it because they just want more revenue, or during charity scrambles & etc.) I secretly feel like I'm somehow cheating. 

[Mcfly]

66 years old, living in western Ky.  Our course is 6,800 yards with four of the eighteen holes having substantial hills to climb.  I'm retired and have played approximately seventy rounds so far this year.  At most, I may have ridden two or three times.  That being said, seeing players walking is the exception on our course, and we get a lot of play.    Even kids in their early/mid teens (get off my lawn) are riding unless they are part of a high school match.  We have a regular group of eight players, and four of us walk.  All together I can think of maybe ten regulars at our course who walk.  

[BoloSportGolf]

Picked up golf this year, in my 40's. 

Prefer walking, keeps my head in the game.

 

I'm fit, so don't mind it, and rock a half-set, so not too heavy.

[Philpug]

My wife and I invested in push carts this year to work on our health, I am 60 she is 57. Our local course is relatively flat so it will be a good walk spoiled. We are plannoing on at least 20 rounds walking ... we will see how it goes from there. 

[Nickb333]

40 minutes ago, Philpug said:

My wife and I invested in push carts this year to work on our health, I am 60 she is 57. Our local course is relatively flat so it will be a good walk spoiled. We are plannoing on at least 20 rounds walking ... we will see how it goes from there. 

We’re a few years ahead of you but just beginning a similar journey. 
 

Wife is 66 and committed to walking 9 at least 3x per week. Bought her a Zip soon there after. She loves it. 
 

I just enrolled in Medicare but I’m going to carry 7 or 8 clubs as long as possible. I’ve never liked pushing a cart. Don’t know why. 
 

So far so good. Our course has a few mild hills. We too will see how it goes. Won’t mind riding once in awhile when it gets hot. We do get a nice ocean breeze in the afternoon so again, we’ll see. 

[naval2006]

In my country walking is the norm. You see people in their 70s or 80s playing 18 holes in any course. Also, those generations are way faster than the young ones by a mile. Anyway, the golden golfers have been walking rounds for ages so they are pretty used to it. 
 

I remember my times in the US, it was a cart culture. I used to ask if walking was allowed at the courses I played and the answer was always NO. I stopped asking.  I’m sure private clubs manage this differently; but average, walking a track is hard in the US. 

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, naval2006 said:

In my country walking is the norm. You see people in their 70s or 80s playing 18 holes in any course. Also, those generations are way faster than the young ones by a mile. Anyway, the golden golfers have been walking rounds for ages so they are pretty used to it. 
 

I remember my times in the US, it was a cart culture. I used to ask if walking was allowed at the courses I played and the answer was always NO. I stopped asking.  I’m sure private clubs manage this differently; but average, walking a track is hard in the US. 

 

Nah. There are a handful of courses in the U.S. that are tough to walk, but it's far, far from average. I've walked over 500 courses in the last 29 months, and the vast majority were fairly easy.

 

What amazes me is the number of times I was told by the course staffers that the course was difficult to walk, and it turned out to be a casual stroll. I really have no idea what they're thinking. A couple of 100 or 200 yds hikes between holes, or an occasional hill, does not make a course hard to walk. A few weeks ago I was required to take a cart, and when I asked why they had a no-walking policy, I was told that the climb from the 1st green to the 2nd teebox was tough. Lol. It was probably a 4 story climb at most. 

 

[MSkibisky]

I personally feel like I play better (and enjoy the course more) when I walk - never been a fan of riding, unless the course is a hilly monster.

[Hickory4ever]

In my neck of the woods, mandatory power carts are rare even on hilly courses. In the last couple decades, I see more people (including young people) riding but nothing like what I see with my trips to the US. At my home course, a semi private, a higher percentage of green fee players choose carts compared to our members.

 

I have always preferred walking, even on hilly courses and I am 70 years old. I intend for that to continue. 

[Philpug]

On 4/10/2024 at 6:16 PM, Philpug said:

My wife and I invested in push carts this year to work on our health, I am 60 she is 57. Our local course is relatively flat so it will be a good walk spoiled. We are plannoing on at least 20 rounds walking ... we will see how it goes from there. 

OK, yesterday was our first day using out ClicGear push carts and I will say there are pluses and minuses. 

 

Plus:

Obvious health, a good 5 mile walk spoiled. 

 

Minus:

Where I play a lot with my wife, I feel riding in the cart,  allows us to play together wnere walking it feels like we are just playing at the same time and we don't get the quality time I like with her. I am sure for soem others, this might be in the plus column 😉 

[WipeyFade]

I am to the point where I would rather not play golf than take a cart. 90% of my golf is played at my local muni and most of the people who walk the course are well into retirement years. I am 35 and with the exception of the local high school teams that use the course I am the youngest walker I know. I have tried to get people I work with to come out and walk the course with me but they don't seem interested at all. 

 

Addressing the amount of bad golfers on the course, I see it all the time. I am no where near good (a good day is sub 90), but the the amount of golfers I see that can barely make contact is astounding. Honestly, most of these people are in there 20s, I call them the "Good Good crowd". I hate to sound like a jerk, but at this point growing the game is overrated. 

[Argonne69]

I don't see where this new generation of walkers will be coming from. In my recent experience, 90 percent of players in their 20s and 30s ride. It's only when you get into the 40s that I see an increase in the number of walkers. Like myself, many are doing it for the exercise. 

 

It's very rare for me to play a course where half or more of the players are walking. On many days I'm the only one I see walking, or one of a very small handful. 

 

[Golfbit2X]

I'm a long-time golfer, playing since the 1980s but had a 29 year hiatus.

 

Walking was the only option at my home course overseas when I started out.

 

Rediscovered golf again during COVID in 2021 and made a conscious choice to walk again due to health concerns and also to save on costs. 

 

I've invested in a used Alphard V1 mated to a Clicgear 3.5+ push cart ($350.00) that I've heavily modified to allow an external auxiliary battery pack connection to provide power for 27 holes. 

 

I admit that I was a little bit crazy 🤪 to take a 12 hour road trip to buy my powered push cart but looking back now, every mile from that 700 mile trip was well worth it. 

 

Spending 4+ hours for an 18 hole round sitting in a golf cart doesn't really cut it for me as I enjoy walking and significant exercise plus I don't mind an additional 5 yrs. of life expectancy. 😄

 

For more info on the benefits of walking, check out this recent article from Golf Digest.

 

In addition, walking allows me to have a better flow and gives me the ability to continue playing during winter time (I play year-round, even in below-freezing temperature) unassisted by any artificial heating equipment with the exception of a strap-on back heater that I use in lieu of warming up at the driving range.  

 

Now, I make it a point to walk even for tournaments in the two golf leagues that I participate in except for courses that don't allow walking. I'm also an all-weather walker so rain, sleet, hail and wind weather elements are ok w/ me. 

 

The only time I will not walk is if lightning is in the area or if the temperature is higher than 95°F or if the course is not walker friendly.

 

However, I've pushed my body to the limits sometimes and on one occassion during a golf league tournament, I had to hitch a ride with someone on a golf cart as I started to experience leg cramps on hole # 12 at Harbor Links.

 

On the other hand, I enjoy saving a significant amount of moolah walking and based on my calculations, I've actually saved more than $2,880 ($24 cart fee x 120 rounds) for the past 3 years that I've been walking. 

 

Nevertheless, I don't want to judge riders for their preference as there may be a good reason for their choices. We know that golf is an inclusive sport that able-bodied people can choose to play it by walking while also giving physically-challenged people the option to use golf carts.

 

However, there are downsides to walking. On holes with blind shots, I have to make the extra effort to walk to a good vantage spot to determine my aim point.

 

I also have to devote at least 15 minutes to assemble my powered push cart and another 15 minutes to pack it in. 

 

However, as a walker, I'm more in control of my schedule and can choose to play twilight or late afternoon without worrying about not being able to complete 18 holes. This also allows me to gain additional savings as twilight rates are 50% less than regular green fee rates. 

 

To be able to play twilight golf, I've outfitted my powered pushcart with LED floodlights and long throw flashlights that enable me to finish my 18 hole round even in complete darkness. 

 

The trade-off with riders is that they have to return their carts at a specified time so this is a limitation that I'm not worried about. 

 

I understand that most humans tend to be set in their ways but I still hope that other able-bodied golfers will consider to give walking a try. However, I wouldn't recommend the extreme path I took.

 

For more info on walking golfers, check out THE WALKING GOLFERS SOCIETY.

 

Edited April 12 by Golfbit2X

[SurfDuffer]

I'm a dedicated carrying walker.  I can't stand cart golf and the only time you will find me in a cart is during charity scrambles.  I'll be 55 this year.  Its not getting easier but I press onward. 🙂

[kiwigolf72]

At the club I play at 90% of players walk.

To play in comps and drive you need a medical certificate.

[North Butte]

At the courses I play most often, I'd say the ratio is about 70% riders and 30% walkers. The walking percentage is only that high because a) I play only at the few courses locally which allow walking, most requires carts, and b) because a lot of the walkers are retired guys who play 4-5 times a week. 

 

The median age of riders I've seen lately is probably around 40-ish. Median age or walkers is more like 65. When the golf cohorts currently aged 50+ die out I do not think walking will be anything other than a niche activity in USA. Very, very, very few 20-somethings, 30-somethings or 40-somethings today would evev consider playing golf without being in a cart, ever. 

[david.c.w]

Our club certainly has more walkers than we did in 2019.  So to OP's question, yes, a generation of walkers has been born/re-born. 

 

In the Fall/Winter/Spring, I walk 75% of rounds.  The cart days are generally the Friday afternoon days where everyone is done with work for the week.  However in the summer I generally take a cart due to the heat and humidity.  We have some steep hills to climb, especially on our front 9.  If I walk in the summer I have sweat dripping off the bill of my cap when putting on the 9th hole, and I look like I just got out of a pool.  That is not fun.

 

If I am able to get off the back 9 on a summer evening I walk, but summer 18 hole rounds are almost all carts.  I am 50 and overweight, but fitter than most.  

 

I prefer to carry vs push.  Pushing does something to my shoulders back, especially up the bigger hills.  We cannot have our own pushcarts.  If I was able to bring my own I probably would have bought a remote controlled R2D2 thing a while ago. 

[klebs01]

On 4/12/2024 at 2:28 PM, Golfbit2X said:

also have to devote at least 15 minutes to assemble my powered push cart and another 15 minutes to pack it in.

I have the same setup minus your battery modifications. Shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds set up or pack. 

[Golfbit2X]

1 hour ago, david.c.w said:

Our club certainly has more walkers than we did in 2019.  So to OP's question, yes, a generation of walkers has been born/re-born. 

 

In the Fall/Winter/Spring, I walk 75% of rounds.  The cart days are generally the Friday afternoon days where everyone is done with work for the week.  However in the summer I generally take a cart due to the heat and humidity.  We have some steep hills to climb, especially on our front 9.  If I walk in the summer I have sweat dripping off the bill of my cap when putting on the 9th hole, and I look like I just got out of a pool.  That is not fun.

 

If I am able to get off the back 9 on a summer evening I walk, but summer 18 hole rounds are almost all carts.  I am 50 and overweight, but fitter than most.  

 

I prefer to carry vs push.  Pushing does something to my shoulders back, especially up the bigger hills.  We cannot have our own pushcarts.  If I was able to bring my own I probably would have bought a remote controlled R2D2 thing a while ago. 

I also carry but only for 9 Hole courses like Harbor Links Executive course near my home. 

[HoosierHacker89]

I'm neutral to walking vs riding at this point in time. I play maybe once a month, so I'm just happy to be on the course. I don't have any expectations of my game, so I'll just do whatever the group is doing. One buddy of mine like to walk so ill walk. Dad likes to ride so I'll ride. I'm pretty agnostic towards the whole thing. 

 Around Indy and its 99%+ riding around here for most players.