Extra fee to have a non-golfer ride along in your cart?

[gsu_paintballer 2]

What are your opinions on this? I understand it if you are playing a course where random people are paired together. However, the courses I play allow singles to go out alone. For that reason, it doesn't affect the course at all if I go out by myself or if someone rides along with me.

I've quit playing at two courses because of this, and I think it's ridiculous. Like I said, if the course was going to pair me up, I would understand the charge. However, I don't get it when singles are allowed out alone.

[Undr Par 1]

What are your opinions on this? I understand it if you are playing a course where random people are paired together. However, the courses I play allow singles to go out alone. For that reason, it doesn't affect the course at all if I go out by myself or if someone rides along with me.

doesn't make sense to me either, unless they think you're trying to rip them off and the person riding with you would eventually play somewhere around the turn or something....... I've heard of people taking their young children and not having too pay for them......

[Tulsa 1]

The extra rider fee should only apply when, because of your rider someone else will have to take an additional cart. In this instance that clearly isn't the case and people are following the rule to the letter and ignoring the intent.

[Kevintensity 0]

I think it shouldnt have an extra cost unless it takes an extra cart. Also, If me and a buddy ride, we share a cart but both pay 14$ for 18 holes. If I play alone and ride, I pay 14$. So since we share a cart shouldnt it cost us just 7$ each? I always wondered this, and have thought of asking for separate carts just to see what they would say

[Danattherock 10]

It is just a rip off and serves no purpose other than to put a few bucks in their pockets. My wife rides with me sometimes and for that reason, I will not play a course that charges for a riding non-golfer. Too many courses out there.

[Parker0065 31]

The first time I ran into this was 5 years ago. My Father in law wanted to go play a course that boasted beautiful views of the mountains. My son was 6 and wasn't playing on the course at that time. When we went to pay the guy said that will be an extra $15 for the kid to ride. I immediately said well we will go somewhere else! My Father in law insisted he wanted to play the course and he would pay the extra for my son. I reluctantly agreed but let the guy at the counter know I thought it was rediculous.

I later told the pro at my home course and he also thought it was rediculous. His feeling is you should do everything you can to get kids on the course because they will someday be your future customers.

It turned out the course with the so called beautiful mountain views was a cow pasture and will never get mine or my sons business again! Not because it's a garbage course, thats just one reason, but mainly because of thier greed and lack of promotion of the game to juniors!!!!!!

[goblue107501 10]

I think it shouldnt have an extra cost unless it takes an extra cart. Also, If me and a buddy ride, we share a cart but both pay 14$ for 18 holes. If I play alone and ride, I pay 14$. So since we share a cart shouldnt it cost us just 7$ each? I always wondered this, and have thought of asking for separate carts just to see what they would say

Basically what they are saying is that the cart fee is $28. If you go out solo you only pay half of that. Some courses word it as the cart fee per person is $14. Either way, they are getting $14 from everyone who uses a cart.

It is a little ridiculous that many courses won't let a non-player ride for free. I can understand it on a busy Saturday where they may not have enough carts, but as someone else said, if I go out solo or as the third person of a threesome, why couldn't someone come along for the ride?

[1par2win 25]

I was told once that it's a liability issue. According to this source, by paying green fees or in this case a cart fee the golf course is not liable for any injuires incurred by a golf ball, flying clubs, or whatever. The point of sale is the agreement. If someone were not to have paid the course could be held liable since there was no transaction. I have no idea if this is true or not and my source who is an honest guy isn't a course owner but at the time I heard it it made sense. Now I am curious about this. I'm going to dig into this further.

[Mr3Putt 0]

Fee or not, you should be glad the course is letting a non-player out with you at all.

I've seen many courses that will only allow golfers on the course. Nobody else. Maybe it's a liability issue.

Cart revenue is a profit center for the courses that use them. If you don't want to pay the extra fee for a ride along spectator, it looks like you have 2 clear choices.

1. Only play courses that allows free passengers.

2. Leave the non player at home.

To complain because a business is charging a fee for something it normally charges a fee for, is senseless. Aren't cart fees usually separate from greens fees anyway? You pay a cart fee to ride in a cart, and pay a greens fee to play golf.

Is the non player doing one of those activities?

Because he's not doing one, should the other be free?

[deafheaven 0]

Fee or not, you should be glad the course is letting a non-player out with you at all.

Don't go bringing logic into the discussion

Seriously though... the only time I feel the course is being somewhat greedy is when they try to charge a full fee for the cart regardless of whether there is one or two people in the cart. My buddies and I play as a threesome 95% of the time and there are some courses that charge $25 bucks for a cart regardless the number of players.

[jorruss 1]

It's a damn shame, but down here in FL, many courses don't allow walking. One course in my area used to allow walking, but a large group of walkers formed and was taking away from cart revenue, so they decided to instigate a "trail" fee for the walkers to recoup a bit of the losses. The walkers complained and went elsewhere to play.

Then, to further discourage the members to ride the course instead of walking, they raised the "trail" fee to equal the cart fee. This in effect forced members to purchase a cart every time they played, if they use it or not. They also disallowed walking after 8:00 am and as a result, most of the walkers left and/or didn't renew their membership.

It never ceases to amaze me - the extent to which a club will go to to make a buck. The latest exploit: Dropping membership to the USGA's GHIN system and buying a $99 handicap software. The $35 annual handicap fee remains. Instead of the GHIN network getting $25 and the club taking $10, they take all $35 and provide this "homebrew" handicap, which is not even USGA approved. Sad.

[Big_M 1]

The extra rider fee should only apply when, because of your rider someone else will have to take an additional cart. In this instance that clearly isn't the case and people are following the rule to the letter and ignoring the intent.

completely agree... unless the course is busy and the rider creates a problem, then it should be free.

I was told once that it's a liability issue. According to this source, by paying green fees or in this case a cart fee the golf course is not liable for any injuires incurred by a golf ball, flying clubs, or whatever. The point of sale is the agreement. If someone were not to have paid the course could be held liable since there was no transaction. I have no idea if this is true or not and my source who is an honest guy isn't a course owner but at the time I heard it it made sense. Now I am curious about this. I'm going to dig into this further.

Then they could always charge a nominal fee like $1.00 or $2.00, not the $10-15 that many courses charge.

[GDWindowpane 0]

Stupid off topic question, is GHIN pronounced like the clear alchohol "gin" or like "guin" as in the beer "Guiness"?

[jorruss 1]

Stupid off topic question, is GHIN pronounced like the clear alcohol "gin" or like "guin" as in the beer "Guiness"?

GHIN (Golf Handicap and Information Network) is pronounced like the alcohol...

[buttuh 0]

I don't agree with the fee, but it is what it is. I like to take my 6 year old son out with me sometimes so he can just tag along and have fun. He doesn't play yet because he just doesn't have the necessary attention span. Sometimes if the starter guy is cool, he'll let my son ride. Other times they'll charge my son the green fee as if he was playing.

[JML22 0]

Yeah the place i play at the cart prices are more than the twilight green fees

[westlake 0]

My home course lets my wife ride along. She likes to go just to get outside/take pictures/read a book. If she goes, we usually wait till later in the day, however.