Non-playing cart riders?

[Norm66]

My wife is trying (sort of) to learn to golf. She's a little uncoordinated and gets frustrated pretty easily (we play a local par-3), but enjoys being out on the course with me. When I play by myself 9 times out of 10 I walk, but it's begun to be a tradition for her to ride with me on 18 holes a couple times a month.

Saturday we tried a new (to me) course and was surprised that they charged us $6 extra for my wife to ride along. I should mention that the course was not busy so it wasn't as if her riding along made a foursome with three carts, cart-wise it was the same as if it were just me. Also, it wasn't the nicest course I've played on (not bad, just not as nice).

I understand it may cost a little extra in gas to haul two arses around in a cart, but they've certainly lost my good will by charging extra.

My question then is, how common is this? Have we been getting a break at the places where they know my face or what? Does anyone else's wife ever join them for a cart ride?

[CusePhil]

I used to ride along with my dad when I was younger (when I was 7 or so). Some places actually charged my dad full price for two people, others just let me ride along for free. I'd say 70% let me ride for free, and the the other 30% of the courses charged.

[JeffG]

That sounds pretty cheap to me (as in, pretty low...not inexpensive!). I would definitely raise an eyebrow if they told me they'll charge extra for a rider. Perhaps they are wondering if she'll actually play a little with your clubs once you get out there, I'm not sure.

I haven't played a whole range of courses before but i've never really heard of that.

[hurley9192]

I've heard of it. Happens more often on resort courses, especially in Hawaii. I think it's crap, but there are those who will take advantage of it, so they have to charge everyone. $6 isn't bad...some places will charge $30 to ride along.

[cdriver]

My wife used to ride along with me and the course never charged me for her just being in the cart. This summer a buddy and I have plans for my wife to drive the cart with both our clubs on it while we walk the course. She will sorta be our caddy. We would plan to pay for the full cart in that case. I think that is only fair.

[Parker0065]

The first time I heard of it was a couple years back we had a little family golf outing, just myself, my father inlaw, my brother inlaw, and my son who was 7 at the time and only went along to ride with us. We had never been to this place and when we went in to pay my father inlaw said he wanted to pay for all of us, which was a nice jesture, but when the guy in the proshop charged for my son to ride I told my father inlaw let's go somewhere else. To me it wasn't about the money, even though it was my father inlaw paying, it was the principal that they would charge you to let your kids ride along and learn something about the game. My father inlaw said don't worry about it and he paid and we played, but will never go back there again.


At my home course our Pro has got the best outlook on junior golfers I've ever seen. He would never allow this to happen if it was a junior involved. He really knows how to promote the game to kids by holding summer camps and junior leagues at very low rates to the parents. From a business point of view this is very smart because like he say's, These kids are my future customers!


But I very rarely ride, maybe once or twice a year if I'm playing with a group that doesn't want to walk. My son and I always walk at our home course. So maybe this whole non riders pay thing is more prevelant than I realize!

[Norm66]

Well, after starting this thread yesterday I now feel like an idiot. Turns out, the greens fee w/ cart was $29. No extra was charged for my wife to ride along. I misunderstood something the Pro said and thought it was $23 w/ $6 extra for the rider. I'm glad I wasn't too upset and also glad I didn't mention the course by name (not that it would matter). Now I don't think the course was worth $29, but that's an entirely different matter.