A Guide to Power Cart Use for Dummies and Newbies

[rogolf]

Based on some of the comments/posts in the “Preferred Pace of Play” thread, it had been suggested that we could develop a booklet titled, “A Guide to Power Cart Use for Dummies and Newbies”.  Everyone has some experiences, good and bad. Please post your suggestions so that power cart users may benefit! (No issues with repeats from the other thread.)

Everyone may learn a few new things.

Edited May 4, 2023 by rogolf

[Mr. Bean]

1. When you are two in the cart and your balls are on the opposite sides of the fairway: drive to the ball of the passenger and leave him there with a suitable club. Then drive to your own ball. Hit your ball and drive back to pick up your passenger who has hit his own ball during your round trip.

 

2. It is not necessary to put your club in the bag after your shot. In order to be faster you may hold the club in your hand and at the next stop put that club in the bag and choose the next club to be used. This way you spend only 50% of time at your bag.

 

3. Fill your score card at the next tee, NOT by the green!

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Mr. Bean
typo

[Hawkeye77]

1. Park the darn thing between the hole and the next tee when you get near the green - not 20 yards in front.  And take your wedge and putter both if you are near the green and need to walk over to where you need to play.

 

2. Don't put any stupid speakers on it. 😀(Or "smart" ones!)

Edited May 4, 2023 by Hawkeye77

[DaveLeeNC]

If you drive a private cart and don't like to keep score, it is nice if you provide an inexpensive clipboard so your cart partner can easily do the scorekeeping. 

 

Unless you are REALLY good around the greens, take all the clubs that you might need when exiting the cart for a pitch or chip. Don't be the guy/gal who takes putter and LW for a delicate chip shot, skulls it into a bunker across the green, and has to go back to the cart for a SW.

 

PUT A SECOND BALL in your pocket in case you need to hit a provisional. And learn how MLR E-5 works (where applicable). Not a cart thing, but... 

 

dave

[North Butte]

You know that place where the cart is programmed NOT to go? The one you tried to drive last week and had to back the cart up 50 yards, beeping the whole way?

 

Here's a clue. If you try to drive there again today you will STILL not be allowed. And you'll have to back the cart up 50 yards, beeping the whole way.

 

It's amazing how some people simply can't learn that the programmed no-go zones are really there. Maybe this time it will let them drive 40 yards into the woods looking for that sliced tee shot.

[Greenie]

This really is for dummies.

 

My regular course tells you the three holes that are wet and to not drive off the cart path.

 

Every round we see an abandoned cart buried up to the axles on one of those holes.

 

They verbally tell you not to ride over the greens now. I laughed when the guy told me that.

 

He said they tell everyone that because the ranger has been catching people riding over the greens in the carts.

[Schulzmc]

3 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

1. When you are two in the cart and your balls are on the opposite sides of the fairway: drive to the ball of the passenger and leave him there with a suitable club. Then drive to your own ball. Hit your ball and drive back to pick up your passenger who has hit his own ball during your round trip.

^^^^THIS is probably the single more important thing for pace of play with a cart and the thing I see so many people get wrong. (On a side note - this may be the first time I have fully agreed with something @Mr. Bean has written. LOL)

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Schulzmc

[596]

Drive/stop close to your ball.  There is no reason to park 20 yards from your ball, walk to the ball with your range finder, walk back to the cart, pick a club, walk back to your ball, hit your shot, then walk back to your cart.  May as well just walk the course!  

 

ALWAYS park ON the cart path when near a green.  Do NOT leave your cart in front of the green.  This allows other players behind you to hit toward the front of the green.

 

ALWAYS park on the cart path at the tee box.  DO NOT park to the other side of the tee box on the grass just because it's a shorter walk to the tee box.  Lazy bums!!

 

It amazes me the number of people that pull just OFF the cart path at tees and greens. WHY?

[DaveLeeNC]

This is one that surprised me. The guys that I play golf with are mostly an old group (several 80+ golfers). One has really slowed down due to some specific physical issues and he was able to get our club to disable the GPS controls on the cart that he uses (it sets a kind of exclusion zone around the green).

 

We have another golfer who has slowed down a good bit simply due to age and we used to avoid putting these two in the same group. Now we find that it is best to pair them together in a cart so they both can take advantage of the lack of green surround exclusion zones. 

 

dave

[jdl]

2 minutes ago, 596 said:

Drive/stop close to your ball.  There is no reason to park 20 yards from your ball, walk to the ball with your range finder, walk back to the cart, pick a club, walk back to your ball, hit your shot, then walk back to your cart.  May as well just walk the course!  

 

Ha, was just going to post this one. Couple guys I play with are notorious for that.

 

Then there's also a friend who wants to walk, but doesn't like to carry or even use a push cart. So his ideal world is to have a cart and the other person drives it while he walks. That mostly works but a couple times a round he's walked ahead and has to wait because he doesn't have any clubs with him.

[uitar9]

If you can, walk and either carry or use a push cart.

[DaveLeeNC]

6 minutes ago, 596 said:

t amazes me the number of people that pull just OFF the cart path at tees and greens. WHY?

It is to let ranger traffic, other through traffic, and golfers who are playing with you but from more forward tees have a clear path past your cart. 

 

dave

[596]

10 minutes ago, DaveLeeNC said:

It is to let ranger traffic, other through traffic, and golfers who are playing with you but from more forward tees have a clear path past your cart. 

 

dave

Thats not what I see.  4somes all playing the same tee box, both carts just off the path.  It's called stupid.  The "other traffic" that passes once per round can pull around.  The other 17 holes there is no "other traffic".  I worked at a course for some years and saw this every single day.  Stay on the friggin path at tees and greens.

[betarhoalphadelta]

46 minutes ago, 596 said:

Thats not what I see.  4somes all playing the same tee box, both carts just off the path.  It's called stupid.  The "other traffic" that passes once per round can pull around.  The other 17 holes there is no "other traffic".  I worked at a course for some years and saw this every single day.  Stay on the friggin path at tees and greens.

 

Exactly. It's very rare that someone will need to get around you on the tee box, and them going around will be *one* cart off the path. ONE cart, as the exception, won't ruin the grass. 

 

But if every cart golfer goes off the path at the tee boxes "just in case" someone needs to get by, then the grass just off the cart path will be quickly ruined due to repetitive stress. 

 

At one of my courses there's only one area where carts crossing a tee box is common. The route from the 2nd green to the 3rd tee takes you past the 8th tee. So what did the course do? Put a little additional concrete area by the 8th tee and a sign that says "8th tee please park here". Nowhere else on the course is it necessary to make room for other carts when you're on the tee box. 

[Mr. Bean]

1 hour ago, DaveLeeNC said:

It is to let ranger traffic, other through traffic, and golfers who are playing with you but from more forward tees have a clear path past your cart. 

 

dave

 

Should the ranger or greenkeeper need to pass they would not pass while one of you is hitting. Any other time one of your group can move the cart to give room to them. As written by others, parking on the grass "just in case" is not a valid option.

[DaveLeeNC]

41 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

Should the ranger or greenkeeper need to pass they would not pass while one of you is hitting. Any other time one of your group can move the cart to give room to them. As written by others, parking on the grass "just in case" is not a valid option.

 

We have a good bit more through traffic (on some courses) than you are probably used to. And the ranger certainly will pass during the time that passes after we have hit and before we have left the teeing area. 

 

That habit may well make no sense where you play. But that is a judgement to be made 'on the ground' and may or may not be a valid blanket judgment. 

 

Since it is kind of a habit here and I am pretty quick, back when I was using carts I always appreciated it when the cart in front was out of my way as I seemed to always be leaving the teeing area first. 

 

But like I said - an on the ground decision. 

 

dave

 

ps. BTW, there is no 'on the grass' - it is always pinestraw around the cart paths.

Edited May 4, 2023 by DaveLeeNC

[PhilsFanDrew]

5 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

1. When you are two in the cart and your balls are on the opposite sides of the fairway: drive to the ball of the passenger and leave him there with a suitable club. Then drive to your own ball. Hit your ball and drive back to pick up your passenger who has hit his own ball during your round trip.

 

2. It is not necessary to put your club in the bag after your shot. In order to be faster you may hold the club in your hand and at the next stop put that club in the bag and choose the next club to be used. This way you spend only 50% of time at your bag.

 

3. Fill your score card at the next tee, NOT by the green!

 

 

For #1 I would go even further.  After your partner plays their shot assuming they are away, they should be walking to you and the cart while you play your 2nd shot. 

[jlbos83]

If there are four players in two carts, both carts don't have to go to every ball and wait for every player to hit.

 

When I am walking, and playing with people riding, I will tell them that if they can get to their ball and hit, even if I am out to go ahead.  Assuming that there are two in the cart, I will catch up.  There's no need for them to sit around waiting for me.

[Mr. Bean]

1 hour ago, DaveLeeNC said:

 

1) We have a good bit more through traffic (on some courses) than you are probably used to.

 

2) And the ranger certainly will pass during the time that passes after we have hit and before we have left the teeing area. 

 

 

1) Can you tell me what is that traffic? Do you have greenkeeping staff driving around and 10 different marshals? And why would you have more traffic than we do?

 

2) Maybe I was not clear enough. So, this is how it goes: Jack hits first and the marshal stops not to disturb Jack when he is hitting. While Peter is teeing his ball Jack goes to the cart and moves it so marshal can pass. Simple.

[Mr. Bean]

1 hour ago, PhilsFanDrew said:

 

For #1 I would go even further.  After your partner plays their shot assuming they are away, they should be walking to you and the cart while you play your 2nd shot. 

 

Sure, that can be done but I do not believe it speeds up things that much compared to leaving the passenger alone. It is advisable to do hat if one has fallen behind but not really necessary on a regular basis. Absolutely no harm in doing it, that's for sure.

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Mr. Bean

[DaveLeeNC]

12 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

1) Can you tell me what is that traffic? Do you have greenkeeping staff driving around and 10 different marshals? And why would you have more traffic than we do?

 

2) Maybe I was not clear enough. So, this is how it goes: Jack hits first and the marshal stops not to disturb Jack when he is hitting. While Peter is teeing his ball Jack goes to the cart and moves it so marshal can pass. Simple.

1) Our club has five courses all starting from the same place. Lots of members have carts that live at their home (no on site cart storage) and that creates a good bit of through traffic in places at times. The club controls the number of member carts allowed on the property, but it is a trade-off that creates more local traffic (in places) than is the norm. 

 

2) You can do it that way or the ranger can wait. 

 

dave

[betarhoalphadelta]

22 minutes ago, DaveLeeNC said:

1) Our club has five courses all starting from the same place. Lots of members have carts that live at their home (no on site cart storage) and that creates a good bit of through traffic in places at times. The club controls the number of member carts allowed on the property, but it is a trade-off that creates more local traffic (in places) than is the norm. 

 

 

Sounds like that's a bit of an outlier, but as you stated, your course works around that via pine straw near the paths in those locations. Definitely seems like a local workaround for a local situation. 

 

I'd say for more "typical" courses, the rule should be to keep the cart entirely on the path while teeing off. Yours sounds like the exception.

[Mudguard]

6 hours ago, DaveLeeNC said:

Don't be the guy/gal who takes putter and LW for a delicate chip shot, skulls it into a bunker across the green, and has to go back to the cart for a SW.

 

Wait, people don't use lob wedges as their default for bunker shots??

[755i]

It legit stresses me out when someone can't operate a cart properly, especially on a busy day at the course. The biggest for me is how people park around greens as well as the folks who appear locked to the cart and must be driven to the ball that is literally 20 yards from their partner's ball. 

Edited May 5, 2023 by 755i

[DaveLeeNC]

2 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

Sounds like that's a bit of an outlier, but as you stated, your course works around that via pine straw near the paths in those locations. Definitely seems like a local workaround for a local situation. 

 

I'd say for more "typical" courses, the rule should be to keep the cart entirely on the path while teeing off. Yours sounds like the exception.

Interesting that you should point this out. The situation I described is very common around here where the soil is...well, they call it 'The Sandhills" so you can guess what kind of soil we have. Much of the cart paths are unpaved (even on higher end courses) and it is very common, particularly on the 'OB side of the cart path' for the area to be pinestraw (if there are pines in the area) or just 'natural beat down nothing'. If you don't water it you don't get anything close to grass in this area (hybrid bermuda does great and is the norm here, but it really consumes water).  The courses work pretty hard at minimizing water consumption. 

 

dave

[Pepperturbo]

Nothing new, always the same issuing, for all the years I been playing.  The problem here IS, power cart or walking, none of the dummies or Newbies will have access to these comments. 

 

And have you ever wondered WHY course management, which is aware of most all the aforementioned helpful thoughts, doesn't post them in a conspicuous place and in each cart.   They could easily list them in the overhead GPS monitor too, like they do menus or instructions; only that would necessitate the cart users to willingly read them.  Guess that's why they are called lazy dummies or newbies that don't read. LOL

[bcjim]

7 hours ago, 596 said:

Drive/stop close to your ball.  There is no reason to park 20 yards from your ball, walk to the ball with your range finder, walk back to the cart, pick a club, walk back to your ball, hit your shot, then walk back to your cart.  May as well just walk the course!  

 

ALWAYS park ON the cart path when near a green.  Do NOT leave your cart in front of the green.  This allows other players behind you to hit toward the front of the green.

 

ALWAYS park on the cart path at the tee box.  DO NOT park to the other side of the tee box on the grass just because it's a shorter walk to the tee box.  Lazy bums!!

 

It amazes me the number of people that pull just OFF the cart path at tees and greens. WHY?

Its a f&^%ing epidemic around here. At my usual course, the grass around many tee boxes and greens is complete crap thanks to people pointlessly parking the cart off the path. I think people see it as some courtesy or "don't block the road" behavior. Except there is NOBODY coming and if there is, they can go around!

[betarhoalphadelta]

1 hour ago, DaveLeeNC said:

Interesting that you should point this out. The situation I described is very common around here where the soil is...well, they call it 'The Sandhills" so you can guess what kind of soil we have. Much of the cart paths are unpaved (even on higher end courses) and it is very common, particularly on the 'OB side of the cart path' for the area to be pinestraw (if there are pines in the area) or just 'natural beat down nothing'. If you don't water it you don't get anything close to grass in this area (hybrid bermuda does great and is the norm here, but it really consumes water).  The courses work pretty hard at minimizing water consumption. 

 

dave

Yeah, this is SoCal so the only things that aren't paved are golf courses and protected wilderness areas 😉 

 

I think they pave the cart paths just because people here would freak out not having a "road" to drive on lol...

 

55 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

Nothing new, always the same issuing, for all the years I been playing.  The problem here IS, power cart or walking, none of the dummies or Newbies will have access to these comments. 

 

And have you ever wondered WHY course management, which is aware of most all the aforementioned helpful thoughts, doesn't post them in a conspicuous place and in each cart.   They could easily list them in the overhead GPS monitor too, like they do menus or instructions; only that would necessitate the cart users to willingly read them.  Guess that's why they are called lazy dummies or newbies that don't read. LOL

 

I rarely take a cart, but honestly when I'm in a cart I basically never look at the GPS. I have GPS on my wrist and a rangefinder to laser the pin, and I don't even think to glance at it. 

 

Except when I was at San Juan Hills last weekend, and I kept looking at the cart when it slowed down to give me a geofencing alert while I was driving on the cart path. 🤦‍♂️

[Mr. Bean]

2 hours ago, Mudguard said:

 

Wait, people don't use lob wedges as their default for bunker shots??

 

I don't. I have a sand wedge for that.

[DaveLeeNC]

One other 'cart consideration' is when you have groups with some riding and some walking on a course with the occasional long green to tee walk. In that case it is helpful if the cart golfers let the walkers putt out first (to get a head start to the next tee) before the cart golfers putt (I am assuming stroke play here). That can really cut down on the time that the cart golfers have to wait on the next tee on those holes.

 

dave