As we have been on our summer travels, it has been surprising to note the increase in the number of golf carts being used in places that previously had few, if any, available for hire.
I was very disappointed to see young, fit golfers with no apparent need for a cart, driving around the courses in St Andrews, Scotland.
There are some advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of the golf cart.
Probably the greatest advantage of golf cart usage is for those who are aging or disabled and are genuinely unable to walk 18 holes. This alone should warrant the need for a small supply of carts. Also, people located in warmer climates where in the middle of summer, walking a round is a step too far need access to golf carts. Many golf clubs make money from cart rental, so this too helps golf clubs in testing times.
However in my opinion, the introduction of motorized carts, not trolleys, into the game – except for the genuinely needy — has not been an innovation which has enhanced our 500+ year old game.
If we abandoned our carts for a round or two, and walked, we’d find that:
- Using caddies, light weight carry bags or pull or powered trolleys — the pace of play would improve
- We would be healthier for the exercise and would not require a cart
- We could be more sociable with our four-ball rather than spending the round talking mostly to only one of our playing partners
- The environment and the game would be less polluted and more attractive. Walking allows us to connect to the environment more readily than driving a cart.
- Without the golf cart, golf courses would be designed to be more walkable, in the style of some of the old classic courses, rather than routed with huge distances between holes, which make many golf courses today totally un-walkable
- Excessive alcohol consumption on the course would be reduced (ever tried carrying a six pack of beer and ice bucket around in your golf bag?)
I know that cart manufacturers and even some club professionals will not agree with anything I have said.
I would like to hear from you: are golf carts good for the game? Share your thoughts by replying below.
Frank
franklygolf 
I live in the Palm Springs, Ca. area where the average daily summer temperature is 105 degrees. To allow any player to walk a course during the summer months is inviting a liability lawsuit especially if the player is not familiar with the basics of surviving golfing in the desert. So during the summer using a cart is mandatory and an excellent way to avoid ending up in the ER with Heat Exhaustion or worse heat stroke.
During the fall and winter months using a cart is also mandatory because the average age of our snowbird players is 70 – 80.
There are several Executive Courses which can be used but caution must be used by the Course Operator that walking players are physically fit to walk.
I concur with Frank’s comments about Cart Etiquette. My experience as a former Marshall and now Rules Official is most players do not understand the basics
of operating an Electric Cart and have disregard for the basic safety rules to avoid serious injury to them selves and other players.
I have discussed basic operating principles with several Club Teaching Pros and they agree however students want to learn how to hit it like Tiger and Annika and cart operation is ancillary to the reason they go to a Pro.
cdrlarry
I have to agree with Bob and Mary. Carts can and should reduce the time for a round. Carts are the ultimate ‘Ready to Play vehicles’. Some of the problems involved? a+b are playing c+d. A+B outdrive D+ by 30 yds. Instead of driving up the side of the fairway even with their shots, a+b decide to sit it the cart and discuss their marital problems or regale each other with old jokes. Meantime, c+d hit their second shots past them. At this point, A confers with B about what club to hit. Both go to their respective bags and pull out one club. B walks to his ball and decides he hasn’t enough club – so returns to the cart. Meanwhile, C+D are ready to hit their third shots. A hasn’t even gotten out of the cart as he is waiting for B to hit.
The absolute topper to this short tale is that all four golfers are over 220 yds to the green and they are waiting for the group ahead of them to finish out. The longerst driver in the abcd group can lash out a 210yd drive with a tee- but will he hit his second shot? We all know this answer.
I’m 65 with bad knees and a sore back, but if I can’t drive it more than 210 yds and I have 220 yds to go (no tee), I hit.
Golf is a great game, and as we all get older we have to make adjustments including brain functioning.
love you Frank and Valerie
I feel very strongly that the golf cart has hurt the game. It has brought a lot of people into the game whose only desire is to ride the cart and drink and act crazy. They would have no interest in playing if they had to walk. These same “golfers” are typically poor players, slow players and lacking in etiquette.
The purpose of the golf cart was originally to help elderly and handicapped golfers to continue playing the game. Unfortunately, golf courses have promoted the use of carts to raise prices and profits and lure more customers to help the bottom line.
My friends and I are in our late 60’s and still walk the course. We hope to continue to do so for a good many years.
I am torn on the use of carts. Living in hilly Western Pennsylvania there are many of the better courses in the area that cannot be walked unless you are part mountain goat and demand the use of a cart. However there are any number of wonderful courses around here that could easily be walked but the courses, in the name of their bottom line, force the use of them.
While I am not a old codger by any stretch there is another part of this question. I grew up as a caddy at a local country club. I learned the game while making money and had use of a great layout every Monday and a pro who would work his way around the course offering a quick lesson here and there. The cart has replaced the caddy and with it is taking any number of future players off the course.
I would love to be able to put my bag on my shoulder and walk. I used to do so almost exclusively, and would still prefer to do so. However, due to back surgery and a knee that will be replaced in about 4 weeks, I am unable to do so. I have played nearly 100 rounds this year. If I had to walk, that # would be 0. I am very aware that my place on the course is immediately behind the group in front of me, not immediately in front of the group behind me.
After a debilitating accident, though I looked fit, walking 18 holes, even on a flat piece of property left – and still leaves – me totally spent at the end of the round. The dilemma is walk, get exhausted, and make progress in my overall cardio or sit in a cart and wait after rushing up to hit the next shot behind three walkers up in the bushes looking for the lost ball and coming out with 5. The culprit is not always the cart. I have walked many time with guys that were in carts and feel like I ran from shot to shot, so I have a difficult time buying into the cart being the cause of slow play. Carts don’t cause slow play, the player causes slow play. I still prefer to walk because it is one of the prime reasons to play – to reach level of fitness we take for granted because of our health. Walk a mile (or 4) in my shoes and you’ll realize how much we take walking for granted. Will I ever fully dispense with a cart? No, my playing partner has had two back surgeries. Would I prefer to walk? Not if it means I have to run from shot to shot to keep up. It is frustrating seeing your “group” 150 yards ahead of you figuring out how they are going to hit their next shot waiting for the “slow guy” to catch up. There are plenty of reasons to keep carts… for the purpose of swilling beer? Not a very good one in my opinion.
I agree with Frank that many players need to learn how to best use the golf cart. So many times you see the driver of the cart sitting with the other player in the cart waiting for the group in front of them to get off the green. The driver of the cart could have dropped off the other player with his club selection and gone to find his ball or get ready to hit his shot when the group leaves the green. Instead he will wait for the first player to hit and then they both go over to the other players ball. Heaven forbid that one player may actually walk a few steps. I like to use carts but I don’t like when it is abused and slows down play.
You can make an arguement that carts increase speed of play, and you can also make the case that they slow play. The reality is that those golfers who are aware of their responsibility to play at a good place will do so, and those who are totally unaware or just don’t care will play slow, regardless of whether walking or riding. When I was young I preferred to walk and carry… now I’m old and can’t carry or walk the full course. But my wife and I comfortably play 18 holes in just over three hours. Slow play is not resolved by walking vs riding… it is resolved by golfers respecting others on the course.
Unfortunately, my home course does not allow walking. There are some long treks from green to the next tee, but the main reason is that the pros get a share of the cart fee. I walk whenever I can on other courses and much prefer this it, both for the exercise and to have all my clubs with me when I get to the ball. Walking does speed up the game and on busy weekends if I find that with three other walkers, we usually end up waiting behind four cart users.
For those who are able to walk, I maintain you’re missing half of the enjoyment of the game when you ride. I walk nine holes approximately once a week with 8 or 9 clubs to lighten the load. Driver, putter, a bunch from the middle and we’re good to go. Golf course sights and sounds are much truer and memorable when walking and the quote about reading the greens from walking onto them is spot on. If a course won’t allow me to walk I likely won’t play there. I’m 56, would rather walk nine than ride 18 any day, and will do so as long as I can.
I carried my clubs for many years and often played faster,than playing companions riding in a cart. But now in my mid 50s carrying my clubs is too hard on my back, and even pushcarts are out of the question given my joint health (knees and hips). I still walk the occaisional round, but the Texas heat makes that difficult more than half the year.
One advantage I didn’t see mentioned is that a cart enables me to play more golf. I have often played 108 holes in a two day weekend. Walking that would have been 36 holes only.
If everyone respected the course, understood how to play quick golf while riding, and generally conducted themselves in a civilized manner then carts in no way harm the game. Sadly, that is not often the case. Still, when carts are used properly, golfers riding will usually play faster than walkers. It is frustrating for me, when riding, to follow walkers on a weekend. I spend most of my day waiting, being frustrated, and my game suffers. While I know there are walkers out there who do play quickly, the vast majority do not, and many have poor course etiquette as well, dragging their carts across greens and tee boxes, or leaving them in the way because they were too lazy to carry them back to a tee box.
Too be frank, I would like to see a return to caddies, but the economics of the day in America make that difficult. At minimum wage it is simply too expensive.
Lastly, I have to remark on your comments about carts reducing excessive drinking. Wasn’t it the fact a bottle of scotch lasted exactly 18 holes the reason we have that number today? That would seem to indicate drinking was part of the tradition, not the other way around.
I agree. The only time I would ride would be in the middle of a hot and humid summer (I’m too old for that now.) One course near me has at least one green to tee of approximately 1/2 mile. The course I play most says you can walk, of course the cart fee is included in what you pay and there is no walking rate. Also you better be able to carry or provide your own trolley.
Choosing a cart is a matter of personal preference or a necessary tool to be able to play. For those that are in the personal preference category, the health benefits are well dcoumented. I started walking more this year because I discovered that I play better. I have time to think about my next shot as I walk. Also, I discovered that my hips and lower back feel better and stay more flexible during my round. Hence, I swing better and score better when I walk. I walked about 50% of my 40+ rounds this season. I eased into walking 18. For those that want to do the same, I suggest walking 9 and riding 9. It will take about 4 – 5 rounds of walking 18 holes until it feels like old hat again. I suggest you give it a try. Just make sure your Dr is says you are able to. I have a 3 wheeled push cart, but much prefer to carry a light weight bag. Try each to find your preference.
I have been golf walking since 1950 and have enjoyed the friendship of those I’ve played golf with.
I do agree with no cart playing golf with the exceptions you mentioned. My health is good for my age and some find it hard to believe that I was born in 1940. I would like to see more of the pull carts at courses and on the courses as well. I enjoyed the old at St Andrews with fresh air the exercise.
Thanks for the e-mails.
The loss of money that the courses would feel might end up meaning fewer places to play. I played the Rick Smith tradition course at Treetops in Michigan this year. It was designed as a walking course and had varnished flag sticks with pennants on top. One thing that struck me was the first tee was a 5 minute cart ride from the clubhouse! We might have been able to get a ride out but not sure how we would have gotten back.
And people do need to learn how to use a cart. Some walking is required to play quickly.