Many people — who otherwise would give up the game — have been able to play and enjoy the game because of golf cars (carts).
That is good for those who are not able to walk the course.
Unfortunately use of carts has too often reduced the amount of daily exercise we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle for those of us who are capable of walking the course.
It can be argued that carts have not necessarily reduced the time to play a round, nor improved the social aspects the game offers.
In many cases, courses have been designed with the cart in mind to optimize the layout of a development.
Carts are one of the biggest profit centers for the golf club and thus it is difficult to suggest that we scale back on the use of carts and encourage walking.
Please share your thoughts on the pros and cons of the extensive use of carts in golf.
Enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. I can’t walk with a weight, but I have I been walking on the golf course thanks to my three-decade old Powacady. I have the two-wheel model with a single control. It took 15-minutes per 18-hole round off my play times.
I made the mistake of buying a more expensive hands-free model with 7 buttons. It required you to read the fairway like a putt to get it started on the correct line. I am back with old faithful.
When I can rent a reasonably priced robo-caddy than can give correct pin yardages, help me find my ball, and yell “Fore!” I’ll give that a try.
I run a Public Golf Course in Mexico and Mexican Golfers are addicted to Golf Carts. The Golf Cart is one of golfs’ vices, for that reason, I never discount the cart, I don’t offer cart packages, I have a cart path only policy for carts and the carts are not cheap to rent. I actively encourage players to walk our course. As a previous gentleman mentioned, after years of playing in a cart, walking the course can be a more enjoyable experience and puts your more in touch with the environmental aspect of golf. I agree that carts are here to stay, but I highly recommend walking whenever possible.
PS Courses forbidding players to walk should be struck off their respective associations list!
Carts have their place, but I much prefer walking a course. Unfortunately, many courses require carts, and when cart path only rules are in effect, it can really take the enjoyment out of the game.
Ideally, I’d love to see a resurgence in young people caddying. Few if any public courses in the northeast US offer them, and at many private clubs the caddies are cost prohibitive.
Caddying might well have been the most enjoyable job I’ve ever held as a youngster. Not only did I earn money, and get free access to golf, but it also taught me every other aspect of the game.
To me, encouraging young people to caddy would solve many of golf’s problems. Caddies can speed up pace of play because they can find lost balls, take traps, and help slower players keep pace. Encouraging young people, in particular, to caddy can help grow the sport by getting more young people involved in the sport. Hiring teenagers to caddy gives them work experience and income, but can also make caddying more price-competitive with carts, since these youngsters aren’t likely looking for full time adult wages.
Finally, if given the choice between a caddy and a cart for a similar price, I’d choose the caddy every time. Unfortunately, this would cut into the profits that courses make through cart rentals since carts don’t demand a paycheck. Nevertheless, I would love to see the USGA or some other major player in the game help promote a resurgence in youth caddies.
Agree that price is an issue, and we have the same problem in the NY area. That’s why I’d encourage courses to get rid of the “pro” caddies and bring in “junior” caddies (or offer them at discounted prices). If a 16 year old kid is willing to flip burgers for $10/hour, that would equate to $40 for a 4 hour round of golf. Even at $15/hour, that’s only $60 and could be split between 2 golfers if the caddy is big enough to carry double.
The problem is that there’s little incentive for the courses to do this since it won’t make them any money. It would really be up to the players/members (i.e. consumers) to demand it.
Carts? Ugh! I have moved house and now live in an area where many club members are 70+ (I am 70). I like to walk but doing that when three others ride gives me an idea of what it must have been like for an infantryman to serve alongside Patton’s mechanised divisions. I do feel fresher after the game but I have enjoyed it less. I don’t concentrate as much because I can’t go straight to my ball a spend a minute working out what to do on the next shot because I have been on another part of the course looking for someone’s ball or sitting there while they take two or three shots then going to my ball and rushing the shot to make up time. All my club covers finish in a basket at the back of the seats, most of my clubs finish up in two sections of the bag and that bag seems to have a putter well designed to finish where the strap goes across and makes it hard to get the putter in. I’m sounding like a grumpy old man aren’t I? Sorry about that.
Unfortunately for me, I started developing bursitis in both hips just as I turned 50. It has gotten progressively worse over the last 25 years and I now have to take my cart places on the course where others are not allowed. Even though I fly my handicap flag every time I play, people still complain to the course owner about where my cart goes. I wish they would approach me about their problem with my cart. I would GLADLY trade my affliction for their ability to walk. I walked every step of every course from age 18 to 55. I just physically cannot make it nowadays. I still try to play 6 days a wk, though.
Could you imagine how long a 25 handicapper would take to play a modern course with a 1/2 mile walk between holes? 6+ hours of torture.
Golf is supposed to be fun. Most people would not play without a cart. It’s still about 6000 steps per round with a cart. Good exercise for most. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise to complement.
If you are worried about “growing the game”, then keep the carts. I’m not worried, because fewer players mean less crowded courses. I don’t feel any need to grow the game. I’m good with it now.
Personally I hate carts but couldn’t care less if others prefer them. I’m far from being antisocial, but I prefer the quiet and solitude walking provides. I also like going towards my ball so I can begin planning the next shot. And finally, when I get to my ball after missing the green I always have the correct club.
Now on the positive side, I also carry my clubs so it’s real easy to jump on the back and avoid the occasional 2000 yd green to tee.
I am 60 and in fairly good shape. After riding a cart for most of my golfing life, I started walking a few years ago, and found that I enjoyed it very much. Walking puts you in contact with the ground, and I agree has nothing to do with pace of play. I would still revert to the cart in extreme heat.
My knee has started acting up again the last couple of years, so now riding is a necessity. The knee doesn’t bother my swing, just walking. I have a home gym,
so get my exercise there.
In a couple of years when I get the knee replaced, I may start walking again!
Whether a person rides or walks has very little to do with pace of play in my experience. Whether you ride or walk, if you have to get your exact distance with your GPS every shot, even though you have only a 30% chance of hitting whatever club you pick within 40 yards of that distance, and when you treat every putt like it’s the 18th green on Sunday at the US Open, you are going to be a slow player. Add in time spent looking for your ball in the rough or trees (some of our courses have trees that eat balls, necessitating a trip back to the tee), and you have a slow round. While I personally prefer to walk, except in the summer when it’s over 100, it’s not for me to judge whether someone else should walk or ride.
You should check out Lou Riccio’s book “Pace of Play Bible”, available on Amazon. Dr. Riccio is a Professor at Columbia and consultant to the USGA. He has analyzed slow pace of play and determined the culprit is tee times: too close together. If they were spaced out10 minutes apart (instead of 6-8), not only would rounds be shorter, but clubs would make more money and get more rounds.
My group is nearing 70 if not past that and we always prefer to walk. Some course are not designed for walking with large distances between holes. We get very grumpy if 4 of us walking takes 4 hours to play. We’ve been held up by 4somes in carts on more than one occasion but for the most part we keep up with everyone. Wishing there were more courses in Florida that allow walking. We have to wait until noon in the winter (high season) to play but are more than willing to wait.
Let’s begin by saying that golf with a cart is not golf as designed. Call it gart. The gart game is similar to golf in that it uses the same equipment and balls. However, as a walking plus target game – it is not golf. My scores when playing gart are typically 5 strokes higher than golf. The pace to the ball is rushed and time to ponder diminished. While the pace to the ball is rushed – it’s ironic to me that most of the longest times I have spent on a golf course have been due to mandatory use of carts.
The worst offenders of this are resort area courses. As Frank mentioned they are profit centers; however, I have indicated that I would be happy to pay for the cart, not use it (less wear n tear for the course), for the opportunity to walk and play golf. And still be denied. Told: “if I let you do it -others will want to”. I fail to understand why this is a bad thing.
The POV that carts allow folks less able to play the game is questionable. The golf swing by and large requires some degree of leg usage. I know there are exceptional disabled golfers who do very well absent their legs. Certainly golfers who by varying circumstances have had leg injuries and are using prosthetics have every right to enjoy the game and make use of the cart. Very elder golfers also have earned a right to the cart in order to play a round.
Yet for the majority of people who love to play golf? Walking is the biggest part of the game. Stripping it and forcing cart usage diminishes the experience. I agree fully with Hank. Aside from these modern courses which at times are designed with up to a mile of carry between holes – courses ought to provide the walking option. Garters who are not in shape will always defer to the cart. It’s a pity when golfers are forced to a lower common denominator.
Dear Frank, although I am 73 years old I would love to be able to walk while I am playing golf, but do to health problems (heart and COPD) this is not a possibility. While I look like a perfect specimen, well maybe not so perfect, I get some dirty looks when I park in the handicap spots and when I park the cart a little closer to the green or tee box than normal. Used to be we handicappers could get a blue flag but more and more courses are eliminating the handicap flags. I have even had a superintendent say if you need a handicap flag maybe you shouldn’t be playing golf. My retort was under my breath, maybe you need a swift kick in the Cojones.
Hi all, belonging to a small nine hole Country Club we for years were a walk only club. The years have passed and we have succumb to carts and now put in cart paths. There’s nothing like walking to keep you in the moment but as the days get hot people migrate to the golf carts. One observation to be made at our club is that the introduction of the carts have allowed long time members that weren’t able to walk anymore a new lease on there golfing life and not having to settle for the social side of the club. Thumbs up to those carts keeping people in the game for a lifetime.
I am a USGA Walking Member, 75 years old, still carry my bag, play at least three times per week on a parkland course opened in 1925, and am going to walk until I can’t anymore. Agree that carts are terrific for those who can’t walk, but there are sure lots of folks using them that could benefit by walking the course instead. Part of the evolution, I guess, and in many cases course design is the culprit IMHO. Cheers!
Not sure I would call the old courses stinky in comparison to new brawny courses. Many modern courses have holes that yawn over 600 yds and are fairly uninteresting.
Yet your point is insightful. Yes, many courses are simply decoration for huge housing developments. I wouldn’t blame the designer. The developer hires them and allocates the acreage.
To your question of whether they are walkable or not? They are. Difficult for sure. Yet they are. I have steady play on a 1896 Oceanside course. No one calls it stinky. I also have steady play on a 1973 non Development parkland course. Quite hilly in places. Again, a good walk not stinky.
There are times when I enjoy using a cart, but much prefer walking (and carrying). I feel insulted by courses that are easily walk-able requiring the use of a cart.
I am 73 and walk many times a week (3-5 18-27 hole rounds) at my local Muni that is quite hilly on the second nine. In moderate temperatures the walk is easy with my super light bag. In hot weather I have a battery powered push cart.
I understand the cart issues from the course perspective. If they hold tournaments, they have to have enough carts to handle the load, and need to recoup the cost of the carts. Thus, many courses require carts all the time, or on weekends and holidays. They usually cite the need for speed, but I note most courses do not have marshals monitoring and enforcing pace of play. I can usually keep up my pace of play to match most cart users. I have no problem paying a modest walking fee during weekends and holidays to help the course recoup their costs.
No walking allowed when the course is enforcing cart path only due to weather or just because they want to is especially annoying. I can walk a course a lot faster than twosomes playing from a cart from the cart path. The downside to cart path only is the golfer feels forced to try to keep the ball close to the path and not play the course as it lies.
I especially enjoy walking and using a caddie on high-end courses. It is usually the only way I can walk and fully experience the course, and the caddie helps me get my best performance out of the round. That is why I enjoyed my experience many years ago at Bandon Dunes. Cart use is discouraged, and walking is part of the design of the courses. I wish more courses would honor the spirit and history of golf and encourage walking whenever possible.
franklygolf 
Enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. I can’t walk with a weight, but I have I been walking on the golf course thanks to my three-decade old Powacady. I have the two-wheel model with a single control. It took 15-minutes per 18-hole round off my play times.
I made the mistake of buying a more expensive hands-free model with 7 buttons. It required you to read the fairway like a putt to get it started on the correct line. I am back with old faithful.
When I can rent a reasonably priced robo-caddy than can give correct pin yardages, help me find my ball, and yell “Fore!” I’ll give that a try.
I run a Public Golf Course in Mexico and Mexican Golfers are addicted to Golf Carts. The Golf Cart is one of golfs’ vices, for that reason, I never discount the cart, I don’t offer cart packages, I have a cart path only policy for carts and the carts are not cheap to rent. I actively encourage players to walk our course. As a previous gentleman mentioned, after years of playing in a cart, walking the course can be a more enjoyable experience and puts your more in touch with the environmental aspect of golf. I agree that carts are here to stay, but I highly recommend walking whenever possible.
PS Courses forbidding players to walk should be struck off their respective associations list!
Carts have their place, but I much prefer walking a course. Unfortunately, many courses require carts, and when cart path only rules are in effect, it can really take the enjoyment out of the game.
Ideally, I’d love to see a resurgence in young people caddying. Few if any public courses in the northeast US offer them, and at many private clubs the caddies are cost prohibitive.
Caddying might well have been the most enjoyable job I’ve ever held as a youngster. Not only did I earn money, and get free access to golf, but it also taught me every other aspect of the game.
To me, encouraging young people to caddy would solve many of golf’s problems. Caddies can speed up pace of play because they can find lost balls, take traps, and help slower players keep pace. Encouraging young people, in particular, to caddy can help grow the sport by getting more young people involved in the sport. Hiring teenagers to caddy gives them work experience and income, but can also make caddying more price-competitive with carts, since these youngsters aren’t likely looking for full time adult wages.
Finally, if given the choice between a caddy and a cart for a similar price, I’d choose the caddy every time. Unfortunately, this would cut into the profits that courses make through cart rentals since carts don’t demand a paycheck. Nevertheless, I would love to see the USGA or some other major player in the game help promote a resurgence in youth caddies.
I’d love to see caddies at the same price as carts. But in Northern Virginia, carts are $25, caddies are $100. Who can afford an extra $100/round?
Agree that price is an issue, and we have the same problem in the NY area. That’s why I’d encourage courses to get rid of the “pro” caddies and bring in “junior” caddies (or offer them at discounted prices). If a 16 year old kid is willing to flip burgers for $10/hour, that would equate to $40 for a 4 hour round of golf. Even at $15/hour, that’s only $60 and could be split between 2 golfers if the caddy is big enough to carry double.
The problem is that there’s little incentive for the courses to do this since it won’t make them any money. It would really be up to the players/members (i.e. consumers) to demand it.
Well said, Stephen!
Carts? Ugh! I have moved house and now live in an area where many club members are 70+ (I am 70). I like to walk but doing that when three others ride gives me an idea of what it must have been like for an infantryman to serve alongside Patton’s mechanised divisions. I do feel fresher after the game but I have enjoyed it less. I don’t concentrate as much because I can’t go straight to my ball a spend a minute working out what to do on the next shot because I have been on another part of the course looking for someone’s ball or sitting there while they take two or three shots then going to my ball and rushing the shot to make up time. All my club covers finish in a basket at the back of the seats, most of my clubs finish up in two sections of the bag and that bag seems to have a putter well designed to finish where the strap goes across and makes it hard to get the putter in. I’m sounding like a grumpy old man aren’t I? Sorry about that.
Unfortunately for me, I started developing bursitis in both hips just as I turned 50. It has gotten progressively worse over the last 25 years and I now have to take my cart places on the course where others are not allowed. Even though I fly my handicap flag every time I play, people still complain to the course owner about where my cart goes. I wish they would approach me about their problem with my cart. I would GLADLY trade my affliction for their ability to walk. I walked every step of every course from age 18 to 55. I just physically cannot make it nowadays. I still try to play 6 days a wk, though.
Could you imagine how long a 25 handicapper would take to play a modern course with a 1/2 mile walk between holes? 6+ hours of torture.
Golf is supposed to be fun. Most people would not play without a cart. It’s still about 6000 steps per round with a cart. Good exercise for most. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise to complement.
If you are worried about “growing the game”, then keep the carts. I’m not worried, because fewer players mean less crowded courses. I don’t feel any need to grow the game. I’m good with it now.
MRH
Personally I hate carts but couldn’t care less if others prefer them. I’m far from being antisocial, but I prefer the quiet and solitude walking provides. I also like going towards my ball so I can begin planning the next shot. And finally, when I get to my ball after missing the green I always have the correct club.
Now on the positive side, I also carry my clubs so it’s real easy to jump on the back and avoid the occasional 2000 yd green to tee.
I am 60 and in fairly good shape. After riding a cart for most of my golfing life, I started walking a few years ago, and found that I enjoyed it very much. Walking puts you in contact with the ground, and I agree has nothing to do with pace of play. I would still revert to the cart in extreme heat.
My knee has started acting up again the last couple of years, so now riding is a necessity. The knee doesn’t bother my swing, just walking. I have a home gym,
so get my exercise there.
In a couple of years when I get the knee replaced, I may start walking again!
Whether a person rides or walks has very little to do with pace of play in my experience. Whether you ride or walk, if you have to get your exact distance with your GPS every shot, even though you have only a 30% chance of hitting whatever club you pick within 40 yards of that distance, and when you treat every putt like it’s the 18th green on Sunday at the US Open, you are going to be a slow player. Add in time spent looking for your ball in the rough or trees (some of our courses have trees that eat balls, necessitating a trip back to the tee), and you have a slow round. While I personally prefer to walk, except in the summer when it’s over 100, it’s not for me to judge whether someone else should walk or ride.
You should check out Lou Riccio’s book “Pace of Play Bible”, available on Amazon. Dr. Riccio is a Professor at Columbia and consultant to the USGA. He has analyzed slow pace of play and determined the culprit is tee times: too close together. If they were spaced out10 minutes apart (instead of 6-8), not only would rounds be shorter, but clubs would make more money and get more rounds.
MRH
If it were not for carts, I could not play
A lot of seniors are in that condition
My group is nearing 70 if not past that and we always prefer to walk. Some course are not designed for walking with large distances between holes. We get very grumpy if 4 of us walking takes 4 hours to play. We’ve been held up by 4somes in carts on more than one occasion but for the most part we keep up with everyone. Wishing there were more courses in Florida that allow walking. We have to wait until noon in the winter (high season) to play but are more than willing to wait.
Let’s begin by saying that golf with a cart is not golf as designed. Call it gart. The gart game is similar to golf in that it uses the same equipment and balls. However, as a walking plus target game – it is not golf. My scores when playing gart are typically 5 strokes higher than golf. The pace to the ball is rushed and time to ponder diminished. While the pace to the ball is rushed – it’s ironic to me that most of the longest times I have spent on a golf course have been due to mandatory use of carts.
The worst offenders of this are resort area courses. As Frank mentioned they are profit centers; however, I have indicated that I would be happy to pay for the cart, not use it (less wear n tear for the course), for the opportunity to walk and play golf. And still be denied. Told: “if I let you do it -others will want to”. I fail to understand why this is a bad thing.
The POV that carts allow folks less able to play the game is questionable. The golf swing by and large requires some degree of leg usage. I know there are exceptional disabled golfers who do very well absent their legs. Certainly golfers who by varying circumstances have had leg injuries and are using prosthetics have every right to enjoy the game and make use of the cart. Very elder golfers also have earned a right to the cart in order to play a round.
Yet for the majority of people who love to play golf? Walking is the biggest part of the game. Stripping it and forcing cart usage diminishes the experience. I agree fully with Hank. Aside from these modern courses which at times are designed with up to a mile of carry between holes – courses ought to provide the walking option. Garters who are not in shape will always defer to the cart. It’s a pity when golfers are forced to a lower common denominator.
Dear Frank, although I am 73 years old I would love to be able to walk while I am playing golf, but do to health problems (heart and COPD) this is not a possibility. While I look like a perfect specimen, well maybe not so perfect, I get some dirty looks when I park in the handicap spots and when I park the cart a little closer to the green or tee box than normal. Used to be we handicappers could get a blue flag but more and more courses are eliminating the handicap flags. I have even had a superintendent say if you need a handicap flag maybe you shouldn’t be playing golf. My retort was under my breath, maybe you need a swift kick in the Cojones.
Hi all, belonging to a small nine hole Country Club we for years were a walk only club. The years have passed and we have succumb to carts and now put in cart paths. There’s nothing like walking to keep you in the moment but as the days get hot people migrate to the golf carts. One observation to be made at our club is that the introduction of the carts have allowed long time members that weren’t able to walk anymore a new lease on there golfing life and not having to settle for the social side of the club. Thumbs up to those carts keeping people in the game for a lifetime.
I am a USGA Walking Member, 75 years old, still carry my bag, play at least three times per week on a parkland course opened in 1925, and am going to walk until I can’t anymore. Agree that carts are terrific for those who can’t walk, but there are sure lots of folks using them that could benefit by walking the course instead. Part of the evolution, I guess, and in many cases course design is the culprit IMHO. Cheers!
You are right. Old courses have tees and greens right beside each other. Easy to walk.
But usually a stinky course, compared with the new ones.
New courses are spread out for real estate: 1/2 mile between the green and next tee, many times crossing a major road. Can you walk this?
Blame Nicklaus, Norman, Crenshaw, Fazio, Jones, Dye,
MRH
Not sure I would call the old courses stinky in comparison to new brawny courses. Many modern courses have holes that yawn over 600 yds and are fairly uninteresting.
Yet your point is insightful. Yes, many courses are simply decoration for huge housing developments. I wouldn’t blame the designer. The developer hires them and allocates the acreage.
To your question of whether they are walkable or not? They are. Difficult for sure. Yet they are. I have steady play on a 1896 Oceanside course. No one calls it stinky. I also have steady play on a 1973 non Development parkland course. Quite hilly in places. Again, a good walk not stinky.
There are times when I enjoy using a cart, but much prefer walking (and carrying). I feel insulted by courses that are easily walk-able requiring the use of a cart.
I am 73 and walk many times a week (3-5 18-27 hole rounds) at my local Muni that is quite hilly on the second nine. In moderate temperatures the walk is easy with my super light bag. In hot weather I have a battery powered push cart.
I understand the cart issues from the course perspective. If they hold tournaments, they have to have enough carts to handle the load, and need to recoup the cost of the carts. Thus, many courses require carts all the time, or on weekends and holidays. They usually cite the need for speed, but I note most courses do not have marshals monitoring and enforcing pace of play. I can usually keep up my pace of play to match most cart users. I have no problem paying a modest walking fee during weekends and holidays to help the course recoup their costs.
No walking allowed when the course is enforcing cart path only due to weather or just because they want to is especially annoying. I can walk a course a lot faster than twosomes playing from a cart from the cart path. The downside to cart path only is the golfer feels forced to try to keep the ball close to the path and not play the course as it lies.
I especially enjoy walking and using a caddie on high-end courses. It is usually the only way I can walk and fully experience the course, and the caddie helps me get my best performance out of the round. That is why I enjoyed my experience many years ago at Bandon Dunes. Cart use is discouraged, and walking is part of the design of the courses. I wish more courses would honor the spirit and history of golf and encourage walking whenever possible.
Very well stated.