Why are there so many push cart haters?

[WWBDD]

Quote:

I recently asked a few golfing friends of mine about whether or not they have a push cart and what recomendations they had. I couldn't believe the ridicule and jokes made at my expense for wanting to get a new push cart.

Honestly, I don't know anyone who carries their bag.

Where do they put their drink?

[Roblar]

I use a push-cart primarily because I have a bad ankle that just gives out periodically (like today :( ). I like to keep any extra weight off it.  That said, I prefer to carry my bag.  I think it's easier to move around the course, and you don't have to deal with the extra gear.  The push cart makes it too easy to carry extra 'stuff' --- carrying always helped me keep it simple.

The push-cart is a close second though --- I actually dislike driving a cart.

[boogielicious]

Your friends may razz you now, but when you get to your 40s and are still walking 18, they will be limping, have bad backs and will be in carts.

I walk whenever possible.  I use a pull cart.  I have worn down knees from years of running and bike racing.  Without the pull cart, I would have to ride a cart, which make my game much slower.  Some of my golf buddies carry, but make no comment about the pull cart.  The drive cart guys are always bitching though because they think they are faster, but in reality slower.

I just got my wife a 4 pound Mizuno cart bag that she loves.

Do what is best for you.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by WWBDD

Honestly, I don't know anyone who carries their bag.

Where do they put their drink?

No kidding. Whenever I carry the beers get way too shaken up, and spray all over the place.

[misty_mountainhop]

Originally Posted by boogielicious

Your friends may razz you now, but when you get to your 40s and are still walking 18, they will be limping, have bad backs and will be in carts....

I'm going on 46 now. Always carried since I started (~11) - I'm not limping yet and the back's reasonable. Getting to the stage now where if I'm playing a 36-hole comp, both rounds on the one day, I'll seriously consider getting a push cart. Not got it yet though...

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

No kidding. Whenever I carry the beers get way too shaken up, and spray all over the place.

Ah. That's a bugger isn't it?? I get round it by carrying a flask of 3:1 brandy/port mix or a decent malt .

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by misty_mountainhop

Quote:

Originally Posted by boogielicious

Your friends may razz you now, but when you get to your 40s and are still walking 18, they will be limping, have bad backs and will be in carts....

I'm going on 46 now. Always carried since I started (~11) - I'm not limping yet and the back's reasonable. Getting to the stage now where if I'm playing a 36-hole comp, both rounds on the one day, I'll seriously consider getting a push cart. Not got it yet though...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

No kidding. Whenever I carry the beers get way too shaken up, and spray all over the place.

Ah. That's a bugger isn't it?? I get round it by carrying a flask of 3:1 brandy/port mix or a decent malt .

Imagine taking the time to get an ergonomically perfect backpack and selectively filling it with just enough high gear to get you out and back in one piece. Then when you hit the trailhead someone hands you a cart to use since carrying it is too difficult and you'll hurt yourself. Maybe some guys here can hit their golf balls with such laser precision they never need to leave the flat surface of the fairway, but shadow me for a round on a hilly course with lots of rough and assorted waste areas and you'll see why I don't personally care for a cart. Carrying is also a good way for me to keep my golf accessory hording in check. When I find myself getting tired too early in a round it's a good indication that 1.) I need more fuel right now, 2.) I need more excercise later 3.) I'm carrying too many extra balls and such, and 4.) my flask is too full - better address that right away.

[newtogolf]

That's it, you're a good golfer so you probably only need 2-3 balls for a round at max.  While I've lowered the number of balls I lose, it's still not safe for me to hit a course with less than 6-8, especially if there's a water hazard.  I bought a light weight carry bag, might have to try it one round and see if I like it.  Pushing / pulling a cart has worked well for me thus far.

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Imagine taking the time to get an ergonomically perfect backpack and selectively filling it with just enough high gear to get you out and back in one piece. Then when you hit the trailhead someone hands you a cart to use since carrying it is too difficult and you'll hurt yourself. Maybe some guys here can hit their golf balls with such laser precision they never need to leave the flat surface of the fairway, but shadow me for a round on a hilly course with lots of rough and assorted waste areas and you'll see why I don't personally care for a cart. Carrying is also a good way for me to keep my golf accessory hording in check. When I find myself getting tired too early in a round it's a good indication that 1.) I need more fuel right now, 2.) I need more excercise later 3.) I'm carrying too many extra balls and such, and 4.) my flask is too full - better address that right away.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

That's it, you're a good golfer so you probably only need 2-3 balls for a round at max.  While I've lowered the number of balls I lose, it's still not safe for me to hit a course with less than 6-8, especially if there's a water hazard.  I bought a light weight carry bag, might have to try it one round and see if I like it.  Pushing / pulling a cart has worked well for me thus far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Imagine taking the time to get an ergonomically perfect backpack and selectively filling it with just enough high gear to get you out and back in one piece. Then when you hit the trailhead someone hands you a cart to use since carrying it is too difficult and you'll hurt yourself. Maybe some guys here can hit their golf balls with such laser precision they never need to leave the flat surface of the fairway, but shadow me for a round on a hilly course with lots of rough and assorted waste areas and you'll see why I don't personally care for a cart. Carrying is also a good way for me to keep my golf accessory hording in check. When I find myself getting tired too early in a round it's a good indication that 1.) I need more fuel right now, 2.) I need more excercise later 3.) I'm carrying too many extra balls and such, and 4.) my flask is too full - better address that right away.

I typically have ~ a dozen balls, rain gear, 14 clubs, bottles of water, a small first aid kit, mittens and a toque that never seem out of season in Alberta, and assorted food items and personal effects.

I'm not trying to convert anyone, but my back feels better carrying a balanced bag than pushing or pulling a wheeled cart. To each their own.

[Chief Broom]

I've been razzed before by friends about my Clic Gear cart, but it's all good natured and even if it wasn't I'd still laugh it off.  I used to always carry my bag but the last two summers here in the south-east US converted me.  I count my Clic Gear cart as one of the best golf expenditures I've made.  There is a contingent of older golfers at my club who always carry, but I was getting minor, but annoying, recurring back and shoulder pain that carrying my bag wasn't helping.  Overall for me using a push cart is the best solution for maximizing exercise, saving money, carrying a full complement of gear, and enjoying my round.  I always recommend doing what works best for you.

[Ernest Jones]

I bought a second hand pull-cart for two reasons 1) my bag isn't a stand bag so constantly laying it down (otherwise it just falls over, usually mid-backswing) was getting to be a drag, especially when you decide to change clubs often 2) my strap broke off during a round and the cart was $20 as opposed to $100 for a new bag.

If I had a decent stand-bag I'd probably carry. One thing that is for sure is I hate riding. For one thing, it's a lot easier to lose track of where your ball landed when some yahoo is zipping you around in a cart. The other thing that kills riding for me is when your playing partner has rode off with your clubs in search of his ball and you've decided that maybe, just maybe, this is a perfect 6iron and your stuck with a 7iron. Or a more typical situation for me: You take your 7 iron, he rides off, you chunk your 7 about 40 yards and have to hit it again and now you can't change clubs

The fizzy beer was just a joke, golf is a whisky game.

[Laws of Woo]

I prefer to walk the majority of the time. It tends to be faster as a couple courses I play frequently have cart path only rules for the carts...Plus I can use the exercise. But when I walk, I'd much rather carry. Pushing or pulling that cart gets annoying and can strain my arm, where when I'm carrying, its a lightweight comfortable bag that sits like a book bag. Plus as another said, I can go places more easily while carrying.

I have a Sun Mountain 3.5, and I have 14 clubs in it at all times. Plenty of room for back up balls, tees, gloves, a rain jacket if its in the forcast, a flask, etc...

[The Tin Man]

I have never heard anyone comment on the course about anyone using a hand cart or carrying.

[bradsul]

I both carry and use a push cart.  I haven't had any comments when I use my push cart aside from the occasional 'how do you find it compared to a pull cart'.  I generally use the push cart when it's 30C+ with 90%+ humidity up here in Ontario, otherwise I'm probably carrying.

[WUTiger]

It appears that you play with an "in your face" crowd of trash-talkers. If you weren't playing golf, they'd probably get on  your case about something else. In my  opinion, this doesn't reflect the attitude of most golfers.

Years ago I used a pull cart: it worked fairly well, but at least once a round it started rolling down the hill, spilled over sideways, or was 6" too wide to fit between gaps in the no-go riding cart restraining cables.

I don't own a push cart, but they have big design advantages over the old pull carts. Three or more wheels does wonders for stability, as does the braking system. Although unfolded push carts have a larger footprint than the old pull carts, they travel much more compactly.

I can carry my bag for nine on a par-3 course, or one of the shorter parkland nines, but eighteen is a bit too much. The main course I play right now requires riding carts - five places you have a quarter mile between green and next tee. That's the reason I don't have a push trolley.

[k-troop]

I keep 14 clubs, a dozen balls, two towels, and a thermos of coffee in my bag.  I carry it with no problems.  I've been carrying my clubs since I was 11, and not sure that I'd know any other way to do it.  I had to take a year off from walking in 2010 due to a really bad ankle injury that lead to some foot problems, but never any shoulder or back problems.

I do ride a lot of rounds, such as when I play a resort course where the cart fee is included, with friends who insist on riding, or when I'm playing with my drinking buddies.  I probably walk 2/3 of my rounds.

I have a buddy, 37-yo, who has a push cart.  He's in as good or better shape than me.  I break his balls about the push cart, but that's just guys being guys--I don't care how he gets his clubs around the course.

Interesting factoid:  I was visiting this buddy in Dallas a month ago, and we decided to go play golf at a semi-private club.  It was cold, so we were definitely going to walk.  The club would not let him use his push cart--the marshall stopped us on the range and said if he was going to use a hand cart, he had to rent one from the club.

[LuciusWooding]

I thought we all outgrew peer pressure after High School...

[Jim Ludden]

I love my Sun Mountain push cart and would use daily BUT my club doesn't allow personal carts so I end having to use one of theirs which isn't near as good. They say they want conformity at the club (translates to revenue $6). I walk 50/50 depending on whom I'm playing with. Much better exercise in steps. Avg walking is 12,000 steps as compared to 2,000 riding

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Jim Ludden

I love my Sun Mountain push cart and would use daily BUT my club doesn't allow personal carts so I end having to use one of theirs which isn't near as good. They say they want conformity at the club (translates to revenue $6). I walk 50/50 depending on whom I'm playing with. Much better exercise in steps. Avg walking is 12,000 steps as compared to 2,000 riding

That is truly asinine.