Is Walking Better Than Using a Golf Cart?

[Archie44]

2 hours ago, Wally Fairway said:

Yes

I've always felt the I can keep in better rhythm walking, than I riding. Some of the other benefits are that you can keep your line on an shot off the fairway better when walking straight on the line; you can play as fast or faster than in a cart many times by being ready to play and not driving to your cart partners ball first.

The biggest downside is less interaction with people in your group, and not as much ease of storage or access for your beverages, phone, laser rangefinder, spare balls, tees, a second towel, jacket or hat, and these days the hole layout GPS system.

I'd still rather walk

Once again, I agree with walking.  It is great exercise!  But if you want to play golf in your retirement years, do not carry a golf bag on your shoulder(s) while you are in your 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's!  Carrying a 30-40+ pound bag of golf clubs weakens your back over time and places huge stress on your knees.  Walk all you want...just do not play golf.  Take a motorized golf cart.  I certainly wish I had done that in my younger years!  I am convinced now that I could easily shoot my age and under if only my back and knees were in better shape!

Interaction with those with whom you play is always easy while in golf carts.

[David in FL]

They’re both different.  Some prefer one, some the other.  But neither is “better”...

[FLOG4]

I prefer to walk if it is allowed. Often it is not. At times with the newer courses which meander thru housing developments you can't really walk as sometimes it is a long way green to next tee. My last 20 rounds which I have gotten in the past 5 weeks have all been bag on back. My bag I keep light. I'm off to England in 5 days and 90% of courses there do not allow carts except for medical reasons. So I have been getting ready for that. Many of the newer places which are fabulous...Bandon Dunes Streamsong to name a couple are walking only most of the year. 

[JGus]

I prefer walking with a push cart, I feel that it relaxes me more and as other have said allows you to think about your next shot as you walk to your ball.

I lived in England for 4 years and really liked the fact that most courses didn't allow carts outside of medical reasons, just seemed to make it a better round.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, Archie44 said:

Once again, I agree with walking.  It is great exercise!  But if you want to play golf in your retirement years, do not carry a golf bag on your shoulder(s) while you are in your 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's!  Carrying a 30-40+ pound bag of golf clubs weakens your back over time and places huge stress on your knees.  Walk all you want...just do not play golf.  Take a motorized golf cart.  I certainly wish I had done that in my younger years!  I am convinced now that I could easily shoot my age and under if only my back and knees were in better shape!

Interaction with those with whom you play is always easy while in golf carts.

Don't rule out the alternative:  A push cart.  The best of both worlds.

[IowaGreg]

At 60, and having low back problems, hip joint going bad, right knee going bad.  Having abused my body when I was younger, including jumping out of airplanes for a living with 80 lbs of equipment for many years.  Unless it's a very level course, I can barely do 9 walking.  I typically sit in a powered cart.  I would prefer and do have a 3 wheel bag cart, but struggle finishing a round without a lot of pain or good drugs....  LOL  Might help if I lost 60 lbs too......

 

[ncates00]

12 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Don't rule out the alternative:  A push cart.  The best of both worlds.

especially a good one.  I really like my Clicgear 3.5+.

[sjduffers]

I walk most of my rounds, with a push cart. I tried carrying, briefly, but didn't like the feeling. Pushing a cart (not pulling, which can easily hurt one shoulder or the other as the pulling is uneven) is straightforward, uses almost as much energy as carrying (e.g. around 1500 cals) and won't compromise your back.

Btw, I routinely get 12.5k to 15k steps, and it's usually a bit over 5 miles for a ~6500y course. It can be more if the tee boxes are far away from the previous greens, and it also depends on the amount of zig-zagging or backtracking going on (e.g. helping looking for balls, etc...).

[WildTurkey]

Walk with a push cart. Should be mandatory for every one that is able. I gotta laugh at those 20 somethings looking all cool while loading up the cart.   I used to be a caddie and learned to love walking the course. Decided  early on though that I would never carry my own bag.   I do remember the days of caddying 2 bags for a loop. I do not miss them.

[Archie44]

1 hour ago, WildTurkey said:

Walk with a push cart. Should be mandatory for every one that is able. I gotta laugh at those 20 somethings looking all cool while loading up the cart.   I used to be a caddie and learned to love walking the course. Decided  early on though that I would never carry my own bag.   I do remember the days of caddying 2 bags for a loop. I do not miss them.

Walking with a push cart...take a look at male golfers who do this.  They are all hunched over and pushing a 50 pound cart/bag!  It makes no sense IF you want to play golf in your senior years.  I am 73, take a motorized golf cart and am approaching shooting my age.  My posture (with Yoga) has improved my game HUGE!  Forget about being "macho" . Focus on your future so you can play golf well into your late 70's and early 80's.  Continue to walk and push a golf cart and your knees and back will not tolerate it.  I am living proof of that!

[klineka]

1 hour ago, WildTurkey said:

Walk with a push cart. Should be mandatory for every one that is able.

Why do you think that should be the case? Golf courses wouldn't like it, they make more money when people ride in carts. 

If walking with a push cart was mandatory, the number of people playing the sport would drastically decrease. Some of my friends would rather not golf than have to walk even with a push cart, and in some places like Arizona, it's borderline unsafe to walk 18 holes in the summertime

1 hour ago, WildTurkey said:

I gotta laugh at those 20 somethings looking all cool while loading up the cart.   

Not sure what's wrong with 20 somethings using golf carts? 

[rehmwa]

5 minutes ago, klineka said:

Why do you think that should be the case?

I suspect it was a just statement of how strongly he likes to walk - to emphasize the point.  Not LITERALLY wanting to force people to play a game in exactly the way he plays it.  It takes a special type of arrogance and narcissism to want to truly force people to live according ones personal and subjective rules.

[klineka]

1 minute ago, rehmwa said:

I suspect it was a just statement of how strongly he likes to walk - to emphasize the point.  Not LITERALLY wanting to force people to play a game in exactly the way he plays it. 

 You're probably right. I always tend to take posts too literally on forums. Oops.

[rehmwa]

((deleted a relatively harmless comment that could be taken out of context))

 

I twitch when I see the words "mandatory" or "law" pretty much in general

Edited May 6, 2019 by rehmwa

[Double Mocha Man]

47 minutes ago, Archie44 said:

Walking with a push cart...take a look at male golfers who do this.  They are all hunched over and pushing a 50 pound cart/bag!  It makes no sense IF you want to play golf in your senior years.  I am 73, take a motorized golf cart and am approaching shooting my age.  My posture (with Yoga) has improved my game HUGE!  Forget about being "macho" . Focus on your future so you can play golf well into your late 70's and early 80's.  Continue to walk and push a golf cart and your knees and back will not tolerate it.  I am living proof of that!

Archie... I think that may be somewhat particular to you.  I stopped carrying.  Now I have the freedom of pushing a well-oiled cart (35 lbs.) and oftentimes running with it.  Keeps me in great shape, muscle-wise and aerobically.  

[dennyjones]

2 hours ago, WildTurkey said:

Walk with a push cart. Should be mandatory for every one that is able.

That isn't practical at some course in Michigan.    There is a significant distance between greens and tees.   While I agree it's a healthy thing to do,  the other 3 guys in my foursome wouldn't play if they had to walk.     Each situation may be different.  

 

1 hour ago, Archie44 said:

take a look at male golfers who do this.  They are all hunched over and pushing a 50 pound cart/bag!

Walking with a push cart does not equate to hunched over guys.   It's a life style choice or a medical condition.   

[Archie44]

2 hours ago, dennyjones said:

That isn't practical at some course in Michigan.    There is a significant distance between greens and tees.   While I agree it's a healthy thing to do,  the other 3 guys in my foursome wouldn't play if they had to walk.     Each situation may be different.  

 

Walking with a push cart does not equate to hunched over guys.   It's a life style choice or a medical condition.   

No sir...a hunched-over posture is a result of the things we do and not do (exercise or sit at a computer all day).  This condition CAN be reversed but it takes time and dedication.  Carrying or pushing a 30-40 pound bag of golf clubs is not a good thing.  Hey!  I am all for electric carts and not gas carts!  (Environment) . But as a scratch golfer at age 22 through age 41 and after three back surgeries with fusions--the last being in 1988...and after severe pain, another surgery at age 67 in 2014, I am back to playing well again.  I work out and do Yoga every day!  My long drives are at 235 at best when I could formerly hit my drives over 300 yards or more.  (A drive and a wedge or 8 iron--at most) on long par 4 holes.) . Now it's more like a great drive and a a 19 degree hybrid or a great 6 iron!

I first learned and played the game in 1970 (thanks to my golf buddies who taught me), none of my golf buddies can play anymore because they have bad backs, sore knees and back surgeries and knee replacements.  For gosh sakes!  Save your back, knees and body and take a golf cart...and do it now!

[Double Mocha Man]

With all due respect, I don't think pushing a cart contributes to a "hunched over" posture.  I'm not a doctor but I did stay at the Pebble Beach Lodge once.  And I agree on the electric cart... so much quieter, and not stinky.