Walking vs. Riding

[Fourputt]

I do both. Just depends on the circumstances. I'm 61, I've got a problematic knee that sometimes acts up. When I can, I usually walk at least the front 9 pushing my Speed Cart, then I'll reevaluate before starting the back. This week I've walked 9, walked 18, ridden 18, and walked and ridden half and half. In midsummer, when the mercury gets into the high 90's and low 100's, I'll ride more unless I get an early start.

I really don't care what anyone chooses to do as long as they know how to keep up the pace either way.

[Pinseeker81]

I played a course last weekend that didn't even have cart paths. It was my first walking experiance. It was defenatly more relaxed and gave me more time to clear my head and think about what I needed to do.
Last 4 holes or so almost killed me though. Ended up pitching over the 17th green 3 times cause I just couldn't keep a proper posture and kept blading the ball.

I'll be playing that course a lot more in the future though cause it's only $12 for unlimited play.

[Doctorfro]

Walking is it. I have been walking as a supplement to my 5-6 day per week cardio Workouts. I have lost 25-30 lbs. We have times when we can't walk but I'd much rather walk. Today wore me out and I got tired at the end but I had run a couple miles before that. I had a threesome in front of me that wanted me to join them but wanted me to ride in the cart. When I said no, I wanted to walk they went ahead. I stayed right behind them until they finally let me play through. I was so much faster than they were.

Walk it out, boys!

[Eore]

i played in my first tournement this year for school. i shot a 47 and the guy i played with shot an 87 (for 9 holes of course)

he kept complaining that it was because he was tired from walking. wanker. walk, damn you, unless its a scramble!!!

our frosh team won by 76 Strokes! no joke

[AmenCorner]

I agree with the whole cart thing (walking is definately my preference)... but how good are your friends? I usually don't play the tips as I don't want to struggle all day. I look for something in the 6500 range. Many courses I play max out around 7000... and I would think that it's not worth playing waaaayyyy back there unless you average 260+ off the tee and carry a 5 or less.

I'm kind of generalizing about my peers that either have single digit handicaps, and/or can hit it plenty far to accomodate the tips at the courses we play at around here. I played with my buddy the other day who is an 8 handicap and 25 years old. I said "let's play the gold" and he looked at me like I was an alien. 6750 yards from the gold, I was like "man up!"

[Three Putt]

I love to walk, it's cheaper (free for me with the membership) and I play better and get to take in the sights. I hate taking a cart, but do when required (scrambles, etc.... )

A cart is just like everything else now a days...too "businesslike" ...park here...take 4 clubs, etc..

You can just walk anywhere, and have all your stuff with you.

Of course if you have to take a cart, no problem. Do whatever it takes to enjoy the greatest game ever played...

[Big_M]

I'm kind of generalizing about my peers that either have single digit handicaps, and/or can hit it plenty far to accomodate the tips at the courses we play at around here. I played with my buddy the other day who is an 8 handicap and 25 years old. I said "let's play the gold" and he looked at me like I was an alien. 6750 yards from the gold, I was like "man up!"

yeah 6750 isn't too bad, especially if you're carrying a solid single digit. For me 6800 is about the limit... If it says 6799 I might think about it, but if I see 6800 I will go put my skirt on and move up.

I do hate when courses have either 6100-6200 box, then a 6900+ box.

[Doctorfro]

That's one thing that ticks me off. Weekends until 2 you can't walk. They require you to take a cart. If there's been rain it's "cart paths only". So you end up walking back and forth from cart to ball. It's faster to walk the course. Considering all the problems with slow play I can't understand why they won't let us walk on those days.

[mikeg19_82]

I prefer walking because I think I enjoy just being outdoors and taking in whats going on. When I ride I feel rushed and don't take my shots as seriously. The only downside to walking is that I get winded on the last couple of holes. The last time I golfed I was a smoker and didn't exercise much and now that's the opposite, so hopefully I'll be able to walk 18 without getting fatigued.

[Pinseeker81]

For those of you saying you've lost a lot of weight walking the course, how often are you doing it? Once a week? Twice? More?
I guess walking once a week is 4 miles a week more than I WAS walking, but is it enough to see any results in that regard?

[connor35]

Well, I want to start walking courses more, primarily b/c with a couple of kids and sitting at a desk all day, I figure it will be some of the only exercise I have time for; therefore I bought a nice Ogio Grom (thanks TST Reviews) but the stumbling block I am hitting now is that the other members of my regular group, who still use heavy cart bags do not want to walk the course and mistakenly believe walking to be slower....anybody else run into a similar dilemna....did you get your buddies walking or just walk alone?

Just walk. They'll learn quick enough that walking doesn't slow you down.

In fact I bet you get from green to next tee faster than them. Dean Knuth, the man who invented the slope rating for the USGA also did a detailed analysis of pace of play walking vs riding. He found no difference when carts were allowed to go anyway and that walking was substantially faster when it was cart paths only. You can find the study with a google search.

[Matt P]

Just walk. They'll learn quick enough that walking doesn't slow you down.

I will look it up. We are going out this Sunday morning to a course I have played only once and I plan on walking...however, as my handicap indicates, I may be looking for my ball off the fairway after a tee shot a lot and if that slows me down then their committment to not walking will be proved (in their minds at least). Plus I am an nowhere close to being in shape at the moment so I may get a little gassed by the end, but I don't remember the course having much elevation changes...I guess that will only start to change with more walking

[allin]

I walk when ever I can, unfortunately in my peer age group few are willing to. It is not being middle aged, few are willing to put in the time on fitness. I always press in hot weather on the back nine because I know my partners wilt. I definitely play better and for me my back is much less of a problem. Bouncing in a cart, (what is it about them that brings out the led foot in so many people), and I don't get stiff. It is the looking for balls while riding two to a cart that slows you down. If both players hit it straight they are fast riding or walking. If one is crooked, they slow down both golfers, and of course people in carts seem to be less willing to give up on a lost ball.

[Matt P]

All in....I like the description, I am a crooked golfer. Need to work the driver out.

As long as the course is not tree lined, i can usually find the ball pretty quickly, and if it is a course I play a lot, I usually know right where it is.

[twotacosfor99cents]

I love to walk the course, but recently, I've had odd electrical sensations in my pec and my left upper arm, sitting with elbows on the table exacerbates this.

Anyway, since it was odd, I went to the doctor, and I found that I have Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which is a compression of the nerve bundle between the collarbone and the 1st rib, which is caused by - you guessed it - shoulder straps from backpacks or golf bags.

So, for the time being, I might have to stick to carts, but I can just pick up a bag cart - the one on the front page of this site looks cool.

[Big_M]

I will look it up. We are going out this Sunday morning to a course I have played only once and I plan on walking...however, as my handicap indicates, I may be looking for my ball off the fairway after a tee shot a lot and if that slows me down then their committment to not walking will be proved (in their minds at least). Plus I am an nowhere close to being in shape at the moment so I may get a little gassed by the end, but I don't remember the course having much elevation changes...I guess that will only start to change with more walking

Where are you playing Sunday?

[gloomis29]

Walking is definitley the way to go, I used to ride carts because I thought it was faster, but why should a round of golf be played in a hurry! But in saying that, I am definitely a fast player when it comes to being on the course, but walking allows you time to take in your surroundings, and to cool down after a bad shot, whereas a cart you get in, slam on the gas pedal and go flying up to find your ball. But the best reason for me is that it is SO much cheaper to walk, having 50k+ in student loans, I have to conserve wherever I can, plus if I walk the fiance can't be on me about spending 25-30 bucks to golf, I'm only dropping 14-18!

Just like the book says "A good walk spoiled!", not a good ride spoiled!

[Matt P]

Where are you playing Sunday?

A course called Golden Hawk, off of I-94 about 40 minutes north of Detroit:

http://www.goldenhawkgolfclub.com/ I only played it once before, but it seemed like a good early season course for getting back into the swing of things (pardon the pun).

Walking is definitley the way to go, I used to ride carts because I thought it was faster, but why should a round of golf be played in a hurry! But in saying that, I am definitely a fast player when it comes to being on the course, but walking allows you time to take in your surroundings, and to cool down after a bad shot, whereas a cart you get in, slam on the gas pedal and go flying up to find your ball. But the best reason for me is that it is SO much cheaper to walk, having 50k+ in student loans, I have to conserve wherever I can, plus if I walk the fiance can't be on me about spending 25-30 bucks to golf, I'm only dropping 14-18!

Another reason I want to walk is the money you save...at one course or two not much but over a whole season it really adds up.