Question about walking the course

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by TJBam

We must be playing different courses.  When  I put one out 250 yards into the fairway, drive up, hit another towards the green, park and grab wedges and a putter I doubt Mr Walker is finished situating himself for his second shot.

If Mr. Walker has hit his drive less than 250, than he would've already hit his second shot and would be ready to head to the green as soon as you hit yours. So he starts his walk while you're still watching your ball land.

If he's hit his drive more than 250 and is therefore hitting his second shot after you, then what are you doing driving up to the green and waiting for him before he's hit his approach shot? Standard etiquette is you wait till someone hits their shot before moving past the spot he is hitting from.

[colin007]

We must be playing different courses.  When  I put one out 250 yards into the fairway, drive up, hit another towards the green, park and grab wedges and a putter I doubt Mr Walker is finished situating himself for his second shot.  No offense to the walkers but this is just dumb common sense.  Carts go faster.  There is nothing about a cart that makes you take 2 minutes to figure out a shot.  I know what club I am playing by the time I arrive at my drive 10 seconds later.   Walking is a great tradition and there is nothing wrong with it.  It is relaxing. But if I was behind a walker that was taking 6 strokes per hole then I would be looking to play through ASAP.  Now flame me for hating the game because I like to ride in a cart

What if the clown you're riding with sliced his tee shot into the woods and you have to help look for it?

[DocWu1948]

Originally Posted by jimmer1609

next time i play i  might try walking to see how i do then... i made me a makeshift push cart out of an old baby stroller that seems like it will work just fine !!!

Suggest you use one of the course's pull carts unless your stroller has big wheels that can roll thru soft ground and wet grass. Most strollers I've seen were designed for pavement.

[colin007]

If he's hit his drive more than 250 and is therefore hitting his second shot after you, then what are you doing driving up to the green and waiting for him before he's hit his approach shot? Standard etiquette is you wait till someone hits their shot before moving past the spot he is hitting from.

Not wanting to move ahead of the imaginary horizontal line where the farthest back ball lies is a cause for slow play. If you're 20 yards ahead and 20 yards to the side of someone else, why wouldn't you go to your ball? I go directly to my ball, unless it's directly in front of someone else's ball. If they are lallygagging for some reason, I'll go hit my ball and keep walking.

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by colin007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

If he's hit his drive more than 250 and is therefore hitting his second shot after you, then what are you doing driving up to the green and waiting for him before he's hit his approach shot? Standard etiquette is you wait till someone hits their shot before moving past the spot he is hitting from.

Not wanting to move ahead of the imaginary horizontal line where the farthest back ball lies is a cause for slow play. If you're 20 yards ahead and 20 yards to the side of someone else, why wouldn't you go to your ball? I go directly to my ball, unless it's directly in front of someone else's ball. If they are lallygagging for some reason, I'll go hit my ball and keep walking.

Certainly, but TJBam was saying he's already on the green before the walker has hit his shot to the green. That's not just rude, it's dangerous.

[colin007]

Yeah, big difference being on the green, you're right.

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by colin007

Yeah, big difference being on the green, you're right.

Actually to be fair, he was saying he's parked and has wedges and putter in hand - so technically he didn't say he's *on* the green, but I know I'd be nervous hitting my approach shot if there was anyone even in the vicinity.

[TJBam]

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

Certainly, but TJBam was saying he's already on the green before the walker has hit his shot to the green. That's not just rude, it's dangerous.

I am asking the reader to imagine the hypothetical situation on two different golf holes of equal distance.  Not that I am in a cart racing the walker getting in his way and hacking at his knees with my gold club while I drive by.  LOL I apologize for the misunderstanding.

Anyways this is silly to debate.  Carts are faster.  Humans walk 1.5-2 yards a second on average.  Do the math yourself and spare me the elementary school lesson.

I still say that I would not recommend a person shooting 105-110 walking a golf course unless he owns it.  The walkers I come across have always been good players and keep up with pace.  But will often times wave me and a buddy through if he is about to hit his second shot and sees us from the teebox.

[TJBam]

Originally Posted by colin007

What if the clown you're riding with sliced his tee shot into the woods and you have to help look for it?

Let us assume for the sanctity of this discussion that a walker and a cart rider have equal chances to "slice it into the woods."  So let me ask you this question:  Who takes longer to find an OB ball, a walker or cart rider?

Thank you.

[colin007]

Let us assume for the sanctity of this discussion that a walker and a cart rider have equal chances to "slice it into the woods."  So let me ask you this question:  Who takes longer to find an OB ball, a walker or cart rider? Thank you.

In my experience it's far more common that there be two people in a cart, which means you're kind of "stuck" with that person and where his ball ends up. So if you're both in the woods but on opposite sides from each other, playing in a cart can be cumbersome. Nobody's really arguing a single in a cart vs a single riding.

[Pablo68]

What if it's Cart Path only? Walkers will be much faster. A good player in a cart by himself will be a little faster than a good player walking. If you're playing together though, why the rush? I've yet to slow down someone playing in a cart while I'm walking. Walking gives you time to blow off a bad shot and estimate distances better.

[flintcreek6412]

It all depends on the skill of the players.  A cart guy with a drive piped down the middle with a lot of GIR will be very fast.  But a cart guy playing army golf and then needing to park the cart and walk across the green to a chip shot will take longer than the walker with a direct route.

2 courses I play have some pretty good hikes between holes and that's where the walker gets lapped.

I do think cart guys tend to fiddle more with stuff getting in an out, drinks, GPS, Range finder, cleaning and scrubbing clubs between shots, filling divots with sand.

When I walk I usually get my yardage as I walk the course because I am walking past yard markers.  Courses that set 50,75,100,125,150,175 and 200 in middle and both edges of fairway make yardage easy to figure w/o GPS or range finder.  I only use them on oddly confusing places when walking.  After my shot I sling the bag and begin walking while cleaning my club.  I don't need to stand there and do it.  Bent grass divots never seem to grow back so what's the point and I don't know about you but I don't carry a sand container with me when I walk.  And before you flame me for not replacing a divot I was told years ago by a super that he'd rather divots just lay and get picked up or mowed over later since they don't grow back.  Monday's the divots get filled by staff and grow back properly.  He might be wrong but it made sense to me.  Maybe I better ask my current super his opinion on that........

Anyway.....carts can be faster but walkers can keep up without a problem IMO.

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by TJBam

Anyways this is silly to debate.  Carts are faster.  Humans walk 1.5-2 yards a second on average.  Do the math yourself and spare me the elementary school lesson.

I don't think anyone is arguing that a single walking is slower than a single in a cart. The situation is rarely ever that simple though.

At any rate, all I was doing was supporting the notion that a walker and a rider are going to get to the green at about the same time (even though overall the walker might be slower).  If you're still refuting that I'm not sure what your rationale is for it.

Originally Posted by Pablo68

What if it's Cart Path only? Walkers will be much faster. A good player in a cart by himself will be a little faster than a good player walking.

I don't think anyone is arguing against any of that either.

To the OP: Obviously there are differing opinions, but I think we can all agree on this: You're likely to keep up just fine if you walk. If you aren't keeping up, then if you're willing to not play out the entire hole in order to keep up, you're also fine.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJBam

We must be playing different courses.  When  I put one out 250 yards into the fairway, drive up, hit another towards the green, park and grab wedges and a putter I doubt Mr Walker is finished situating himself for his second shot.

If Mr. Walker has hit his drive less than 250, than he would've already hit his second shot and would be ready to head to the green as soon as you hit yours. So he starts his walk while you're still watching your ball land.

If he's hit his drive more than 250 and is therefore hitting his second shot after you, then what are you doing driving up to the green and waiting for him before he's hit his approach shot? Standard etiquette is you wait till someone hits their shot before moving past the spot he is hitting from.

The point is, if I don't have to wait on him, I'm going to play a lot faster.  I'll put it like this.  Figurine an empty course (unlikely scenario but just for the sake of discussion).  If my friend and I start on #1 sharing a cart, and TJBam and his friend start on #10 walking, all playing 18 holes, my friend and I will be working on our second beer (at least) by the time TJ and friend get to the 9th green (their 18th hole).  I can guarantee that any day of the week and twice on Sunday.  That is a simple fact.

Just because two walkers and two riders playing together get to the green together, it doesn't mean that they play at the same pace.  The riders are spending a significant part of the round just waiting for the walkers to catch up in the fairway.  That is time that would otherwise be spent getting to the green.

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJBam

We must be playing different courses.  When  I put one out 250 yards into the fairway, drive up, hit another towards the green, park and grab wedges and a putter I doubt Mr Walker is finished situating himself for his second shot.

If Mr. Walker has hit his drive less than 250, than he would've already hit his second shot and would be ready to head to the green as soon as you hit yours. So he starts his walk while you're still watching your ball land.

If he's hit his drive more than 250 and is therefore hitting his second shot after you, then what are you doing driving up to the green and waiting for him before he's hit his approach shot? Standard etiquette is you wait till someone hits their shot before moving past the spot he is hitting from.

The point is, if I don't have to wait on him, I'm going to play a lot faster.  I'll put it like this.  Figurine an empty course (unlikely scenario but just for the sake of discussion).  If my friend and I start on #1 sharing a cart, and TJBam and his friend start on #10 walking, all playing 18 holes, my friend and I will be working on our second beer (at least) by the time TJ and friend get to the 9th green (their 18th hole).  I can guarantee that any day of the week and twice on Sunday.  That is a simple fact.

Just because two walkers and two riders playing together get to the green together, it doesn't mean that they play at the same pace.  The riders are spending a significant part of the round just waiting for the walkers to catch up in the fairway.  That is time that would otherwise be spent getting to the green.

I agree with all that, but it doesn't change this:

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

To the OP: Obviously there are differing opinions, but I think we can all agree on this: You're likely to keep up just fine if you walk. If you aren't keeping up, then if you're willing to not play out the entire hole in order to keep up, you're also fine.

In the real world, courses are crowded, the pace is slow, and you're waiting on the groups in front of you on most shots. In that real world, you're still going to be waiting on the groups in front no matter how many in your group are walking.

It sounds like you are discouraging the OP from walking the course, and I just want to make sure the OP understands that as long as his group is keeping up with the group in front of them, he is not slowing the group down by walking.

[Meltdwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

The point is, if I don't have to wait on him, I'm going to play a lot faster.  I'll put it like this.  Figurine an empty course (unlikely scenario but just for the sake of discussion).  If my friend and I start on #1 sharing a cart, and TJBam and his friend start on #10 walking, all playing 18 holes, my friend and I will be working on our second beer (at least) by the time TJ and friend get to the 9th green (their 18th hole).  I can guarantee that any day of the week and twice on Sunday.  That is a simple fact.

Just because two walkers and two riders playing together get to the green together, it doesn't mean that they play at the same pace.  The riders are spending a significant part of the round just waiting for the walkers to catch up in the fairway.  That is time that would otherwise be spent getting to the green.

I don't find this to be true at all.  Maybe with Fourputt being a longtime golfer (and his friend) and caring about slow play, and practicing a good cart strategy etc - yeah, then this specific cart of golfers will probably beat me.  Not by at least two beers (I guess depending on how fast you finish beers), but by a little.  At my home course (with is admittedly par 70), I've walked 9 in just over an hour and during that round I had to wait at times. I've always been curious to know how fast I could do it with no one in front.  But the point is I don't know if two golfers in a cart are playing 45 minute 9's very often.

But if it isn't that particular cart of golfers - that is to say basically all of the cart golfers I end up playing with - I am often on the green before them - fixing ball marks, marking my ball, asking who wants the pin in/out, etc.

As soon as they hit the approach, I start walking as the crow flies toward the green.  They watch the shot, go back to the back of the cart, re-bag the club, drive over to the cart path, drive up beside the green, de-bag a club or two or three, then walk whatever distance or hills are between the path and their ball - which might be on the other side of the green from the path.  A similar situation might be laid out for the tee box.  And most courses have some holes that are cart-path only - if not maybe a few.  If it is cart path only, the walker wins every time.

I'm not trying to say I can't be beat, but I am saying that in my experience - I wait on a 2-golfer cart as much or more than they wait on me.  And to the OP's original point, I'd say that walking isn't at all a time killer on the course.

I should also note this would not apply to a course where the green to tee distances are long.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

The point is, if I don't have to wait on him, I'm going to play a lot faster.  I'll put it like this.  Figurine an empty course (unlikely scenario but just for the sake of discussion).  If my friend and I start on #1 sharing a cart, and TJBam and his friend start on #10 walking, all playing 18 holes, my friend and I will be working on our second beer (at least) by the time TJ and friend get to the 9th green (their 18th hole).  I can guarantee that any day of the week and twice on Sunday.  That is a simple fact.

Just because two walkers and two riders playing together get to the green together, it doesn't mean that they play at the same pace.  The riders are spending a significant part of the round just waiting for the walkers to catch up in the fairway.  That is time that would otherwise be spent getting to the green.

I don't find this to be true at all.  Maybe with Fourputt being a longtime golfer (and his friend) and caring about slow play, and practicing a good cart strategy etc - yeah, then this specific cart of golfers will probably beat me.  Not by at least two beers (I guess depending on how fast you finish beers), but by a little.  At my home course (with is admittedly par 70), I've walked 9 in just over an hour and during that round I had to wait at times. I've always been curious to know how fast I could do it with no one in front.  But the point is I don't know if two golfers in a cart are playing 45 minute 9's very often.

But if it isn't that particular cart of golfers - that is to say basically all of the cart golfers I end up playing with - I am often on the green before them - fixing ball marks, marking my ball, asking who wants the pin in/out, etc.

As soon as they hit the approach, I start walking as the crow flies toward the green.  They watch the shot, go back to the back of the cart, re-bag the club, drive over to the cart path, drive up beside the green, de-bag a club or two or three, then walk whatever distance or hills are between the path and their ball - which might be on the other side of the green from the path.  A similar situation might be laid out for the tee box.  And most courses have some holes that are cart-path only - if not maybe a few.  If it is cart path only, the walker wins every time.

I'm not trying to say I can't be beat, but I am saying that in my experience - I wait on a 2-golfer cart as much or more than they wait on me.  And to the OP's original point, I'd say that walking isn't at all a time killer on the course.

I should also note this would not apply to a course where the green to tee distances are long.

You keep saying "I", so maybe you mostly play alone.  I' m talking two against two.  Put me alone in a cart and you alone walking and I'll still be faster without even trying.  Put me and my buddy each in our own cart and the two of us will be faster than you alone.  The odds are very good that we will be faster than you even if we share a cart.

[Kletus]

A walker playing an open course against people in a cart who know how to use it effectively is going to get run to death during a round of golf.   Most of the time though it really won't matter because you will run in to others and end up waiting.   Occasionally a situation will occur that will cause the cart group to slow down.. but most of the time they will easily drive to their ball, hit, and then sit back and watch the walker get to his ball and go through his routine.  They will then head to the green and be waiting on the walker to get there.  If you aren't playing ready golf this will LOOK like the walker is keeping up.. but in actuality the cart group will be spending a fair amount of time on "most" holes waiting.

With that said.... in the real world... there are lots of people in carts who have no clue what they are doing.   In those cases, or on a course with any kind of traffic for the day... the walker will keep up easily and may even be faster.   The answer as always is that IT DEPENDS on the skill level of those involved and the course situation for that day.   Walkers will almost always be faster on a "path only" day.

To the OP:

Give walking a try.   I prefer to walk with a push cart, but for the most part I never have trouble keeping up.  There are days when I get stuck with the wrong group that I have to hoof it to keep up.. but it's a rarity, and most of the time it isn't a really big difference.   I play in mixed groups all of the time and no one really cares.   We play ready golf, so if someone is lagging a little the rest of us just go ahead and play our shot.

Walking is super peaceful and I probably enjoy the overall experience better.   However, there is no way I'm walking the course in the summer heat.