You don't have to carry that all day...

[Gresh24]

Originally Posted by ejimsmith

you people talking about how you only walk and that riding is for losers sound a lot like this guy:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-doesnt-own-a-tel,429/

No kidding.  Shorty probably hunts and grows his own food and cooks it over a fire, unlike us pansies that go to the grocery store and have indoor plumbing and electricity.

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by ejimsmith

you people talking about how you only walk and that riding is for losers sound a lot like this guy:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-doesnt-own-a-tel,429/

Nah, golf is just as bad, if not worse for your brain than TV. The anti cart sentiment is essentially a result of carts taking out the exercise and enjoyment of the course. Why not just stay indoors if you don't walk? Have the clubhouse set up some simulators for the lazy members, or a bunch of copies of Tiger Woods PGA '13. If you're going to ride in a cart, at least hire a caddy and a rickshaw driver.

[jamo]

Walking is one of my favorite parts of the game, so I walk. I have played a few courses where the distances between holes were so large that walkers weren't allowed, but that's pretty rare.

[Anjew]

Reading any post that I have seen from Shorty, he seems to love playing devil's advocate, so I would say take anything said with a grain of salt.

As for the walking vs riding debate, I agree that the person offering the ride had their heart in the right place, and was just trying to make sure that you were comfortable. It does seem strange to have offered as many times as they did, I guess they just were no good at getting the hint.

I personally like to walk most courses, as I lose a lot less golf balls that way, and I think that it is also still a very social way to play the game, if you choose to walk beside the person that you are playing with. Although I must say that if there was a fifteen minute walk between holes, as was posted earlier, I would probably ride on that course.

[ditter]

I used to play with a guy that wanted to walk, but we forced him to get a cart if he wanted to play with us. And the courses I play never ask walkers to pair with riders, with most not even allowing walkers unless the course is wide open.

I havent met a person yet that can walk as fast as a golf cart and if you think you are keeping up with a group in a cart- you most likely arent. The group is most likely slowing down for you. Think about it- if a foursome of walkers teed off in front of you and you are in a foursome with two carts, how long until you caught up to them and would be asking to play through? One hole? Two holes?

As far as exercise is concerned, I'm in good shape and dont use golf as a main form of exercise. If a person wants to do this, then more power to you. But dont subject the rest of the group to slow play.

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by ditter

I used to play with a guy that wanted to walk, but we forced him to get a cart if he wanted to play with us. And the courses I play never ask walkers to pair with riders, with most not even allowing walkers unless the course is wide open.

I havent met a person yet that can walk as fast as a golf cart and if you think you are keeping up with a group in a cart- you most likely arent. The group is most likely slowing down for you. Think about it- if a foursome of walkers teed off in front of you and you are in a foursome with two carts, how long until you caught up to them and would be asking to play through? One hole? Two holes?

As far as exercise is concerned, I'm in good shape and dont use golf as a main form of exercise. If a person wants to do this, then more power to you. But dont subject the rest of the group to slow play.

Slow play seldom has to do with carts. I catch groups ahead in carts when I'm walking all the time, especially if I'm not in a group. It's the preshot routines, not playing ready golf, taking too many shots to reach the green, taking too long to search, taking forever on the greens, especially in groups, standing around and gabbing instead of keeping it moving, and not letting people play through. Carts have been known to make these things worse.

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by ditter

I havent met a person yet that can walk as fast as a golf cart and if you think you are keeping up with a group in a cart- you most likely arent. The group is most likely slowing down for you. Think about it- if a foursome of walkers teed off in front of you and you are in a foursome with two carts, how long until you caught up to them and would be asking to play through? One hole? Two holes?

As far as exercise is concerned, I'm in good shape and dont use golf as a main form of exercise. If a person wants to do this, then more power to you. But dont subject the rest of the group to slow play.

I don't claim I can walk as fast as a golf cart.  However, I can definitely play a golf hole walking as fast (or faster) than you can riding.  More often than not, I'm sitting off the side of the fairway at 200 yards out waiting for the two guys in the cart to hit one ball, clean the club, hop in the cart, drive to the other ball, size up the shot, take a practice swing, etc. before I can even approach my ball.  On most courses, I'll be at the next tee box before the cart-guys can walk off the green to the cartpath, clean their wedge, load up their clubs, and drive around to the next tee.  There are holes where there's a significant hike from one green to the next tee.  When you catch up with me 50 yards or so down the path, and offer me a ride on the back of the cart, I'll take it if I've still got a good distance left to travel.

At my old club in VA which didn't get a lot of play, I routinely walked 18 holes in 2-1/2 hours.

[ejimsmith]

Originally Posted by ditter

I used to play with a guy that wanted to walk, but we forced him to get a cart if he wanted to play with us. And the courses I play never ask walkers to pair with riders, with most not even allowing walkers unless the course is wide open.

I havent met a person yet that can walk as fast as a golf cart and if you think you are keeping up with a group in a cart- you most likely arent. The group is most likely slowing down for you. Think about it- if a foursome of walkers teed off in front of you and you are in a foursome with two carts, how long until you caught up to them and would be asking to play through? One hole? Two holes?

As far as exercise is concerned, I'm in good shape and dont use golf as a main form of exercise. If a person wants to do this, then more power to you. But dont subject the rest of the group to slow play.

'fraid i can't agree with you on this.  i've walked numerous times where the other 3 in the foursome rode.  i certainly wasn't holding anyone up.   a good walker can keep up with a group of riders anyday.

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by LuciusWooding

Slow play seldom has to do with carts. I catch groups ahead in carts when I'm walking all the time, especially if I'm not in a group. It's the preshot routines, not playing ready golf, taking too many shots to reach the green, taking too long to search, taking forever on the greens, especially in groups, standing around and gabbing instead of keeping it moving, and not letting people play through. Carts have been known to make these things worse.

Completely agree.  It' s what you do when you get to your ball, not how you get there, that has the biggest impact on pace of play.

[Gresh24]

Of course there are walkers that can keep up with anyone a cart.  Carts don't make slow players any faster, and certainly some walkers are very slow.  Slow golfers are slow golfers and fast golfers are fast golfers regardles.

But, all things being equal, you can play faster riding.

[jetsknicks1]

Originally Posted by AmazingWhacker

I agree!  I always walk and give my friends crap if they want to rent a cart.  If I'm paired up with a rider who seems otherwise healthy I will usually find a few occassions to make my opinion known as well.  Last time I was offered a ride, my answer was 'No thanks-  carts are for the old and sick'.  I said this, of course, with a huge grin on my face to make it seem like I was trying to make a joke . . but everybody knew I wasn't joking, lol.

If you happen to get paired with a rider, do they even ask for your opinion? If not, why say anything at all? If you don't want to play with a rider then go back to the clubhouse and tell them you'll wait for another walker to show up. Everytime this subject comes up there's a faction on this forum that look down on riders and make it sound as if they're keeping to the true traditions of the game by walking. These same people of course, take advantage of every other technological(sp) advance available, tradition be damned.

I ride because I find it enjoyable, because I enjoy socialinzing with my buddies and BSing during the day. If I get paired up with somebody who want to walk hten walk, it doesn't bother me at all. If you're a walker and you don't want to play with me because I ride then don't. If you come to my muni and think there are too many riders then find another course, but I don't want to hear anybody's opinion on how I choose to enjoy the day.

[k-troop]

Just to clarify, I really don't care whether you walk or ride.  I don't think I'm better than anyone because I walk.  I walk because I like it and it makes me feel good.

I just don't understand why people in carts seem to feel sorry for me.  Obviously, I think walking is superior to riding, otherwise I would ride.

And I haven't heard anything about pizza in a while....

[burtonda]

Originally Posted by Shorty

Anyone who thinks that playing golf should involve riding in a cart in normal conditions isn't thinking right.

They aren't even gettting exercise.

Gerald Ford gave up golf, thinking he wasn't getting enough exercise. I'll bet he wasn't walking.

And when they think there's something wrong with a person walking, as stated in the OP, it's even worse.

I have only ever ridden in a cart where it is required and I avoid those courses after the first round.

Part of golf is walking - and it's one of the best parts of it.

There are many "parts" of golf and exercise is rarely the primary attraction.  Competition, self-improvement, hanging out with buddies, spending time outdoors, temporary relief from responsibility, interacting with clients, or just simply hitting a couple of good golf shots are much more important motivators to the vast majority of regular golfers.  You are doing the sport a disservice when you demean golfers who choose to get their exercise elsewhere.

[rustyredcab]

All else being equal -- and it never is -- riding is faster than walking. It seems an observable fact.

Sure, many good players can walk as fast as bad players in carts. Sure many walkers can keep up with the group ahead of them (that is just as often a comment on the group ahead of them). Sure there are courses designed for walking that cut down the gap between walking and riding. I guess it is possible to design a course and cart path rules that make riding slower than walking but I have not seen it. The simple fact is that it takes less time to get to your ball in a cart than it does walking. And unless the course makes rides park so far from the greens that the time is equalized, it is faster to ride... all else being equal. When it is a cart path only day, it very often is faster to walk -- but that is not what we are talking about here.

I never hassle or insult a walker. The OP felt riders were insulting him by offering him a ride. Other posts in the thread called riders names. Others have said they look for the opportunity to insult the riders (BTW, you can't tell by looking at me but I am sick and may or may not have many years of golf left in me. Still want to bring that up because I'm in a cart?)

Can't we all just get along?

[nevets88]

Bethpage Black - Played as a single and lucky.

Originally Posted by LuciusWooding

OK, how'd you manage to get onto Bethpage Black twice? I believe there is some sort of arcane procedure involving the sacrifice of young children and the worship of ancient, nameless Gods in order to get on there... Is it just a matter of being a single?

Also, this thread is now about NY pizza.

[Golfingdad]

Goodfella has the right idea.  Make the offer once, then leave it alone.  If I'm walking, now I know my partner is courteous and if the need arises later for me to need a ride, I'll ask him.

I play with my father-in-law a lot at his retirement community and their course is an easy walk.  In fact, several of the members drive golf carts from home to the course, park them, walk 18, then drive their golf carts home.  Other than that, most all decent courses around here are cart-mandatory so the point is moot.

[B-Con]

I always get offers to ride when I'm walking. I decline and just make sure that I don't slow them down so they have no reason to keep asking me to.

[sean_miller]

I've been a single walker in a group of riders. I've been a walking twosome with a riding twosome. Sometimes us walkers have to wait on almost every shot and other times we struggle to keep up. This can be due to course design and the skill level and playing style of the other players. If all 4 players hit decent drives and there's no "cart paths only" rule, then the riders will get to their balls first. In my experience two good players with good etiquette sharing a cart can really fly along.Unfortunately finding two good golfers with etiquette is rare enough, but finding them sharing the same cart is like winning the lottery. It's possible, and I've seen it and read about it, so I know it happens, but it's never happened to me personally.

I like k-troops thoughts. I prefer to walk, but if we're all in play or we're headed to a distant teebox, of course I'll jump on the back or hold my bag while they scoosh over. It's not rocket science - are the walking police going to give me a ticket if I ride for a couple hundred yards?