Question about walking the course

[jimmer1609]

I eventually would like to start walking while playing, but I have a fear of playing slow.  As of now, I typically shoot around 105-110, hitting the 90s every now and then.  IMO I don't think I should start walking until I can consistantly shoot in the 90s.  Any suggestions ?

[trackster]

Originally Posted by jimmer1609

I eventually would like to start walking while playing, but I have a fear of playing slow.  As of now, I typically shoot around 105-110, hitting the 90s every now and then.  IMO I don't think I should start walking until I can consistantly shoot in the 90s.  Any suggestions ?

You will be fine.  Walking does not cause slow play.

[RayG]

Exactly- Walk with folks in a cart and, SURPRISE, you get to the green at the same time. And it may actually help your game. Keeping you focused, and allowing you to set up your next shot instead of zooming up and getting out, lining up and go, then repeat. It will also likely cut down on the waiting around to take a shot waiting for the group in front.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by RayG

Exactly- Walk with folks in a cart and, SURPRISE, you get to the green at the same time. And it may actually help your game. Keeping you focused, and allowing you to set up your next shot instead of zooming up and getting out, lining up and go, then repeat. It will also likely cut down on the waiting around to take a shot waiting for the group in front.

You keep believing that.  Then come play with me sometime.

To the OP:  just hit the ball and keep moving.  There is no reason a walker shouldn't be able to keep pace.  Carts may potentially be faster, but too many players don't know how to use one properly, so I wouldn't worry about it.

[champ]

Don't forgt that golf was invented long before the cart. Furthermore, its an opportunity to escape the high paced, zip and zoom rat race most Americans are way too caught up in. Get out there, get some exercise, breathe some fresh air, take time to admire the blue sky and the green grass, relax and have fun. And if you're playing slow, let the group behind you play through, and carry on.

[jimmer1609]

Thanks

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayG

Exactly- Walk with folks in a cart and, SURPRISE, you get to the green at the same time. And it may actually help your game. Keeping you focused, and allowing you to set up your next shot instead of zooming up and getting out, lining up and go, then repeat. It will also likely cut down on the waiting around to take a shot waiting for the group in front.

You keep believing that.  Then come play with me sometime.

To the OP:  just hit the ball and keep moving.  There is no reason a walker shouldn't be able to keep pace.  Carts may potentially be faster, but too many players don't know how to use one properly, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Rick, I know that people who use carts correctly are faster than walkers over the course of 18 holes.  But that bolded statement is true, even for good cart users*.  It does depend on how far the cart path is from the green, but by the time cart riders stop the cart, get out, grab their putter and any chipping club, and make the walk to the green, it is just as likely as not that a walker will beat them there.

*Edit: "In my experience, at least"

[jimmer1609]

next time i play i  might try walking to see how i do then... i made me a makeshift push cart out of an old baby stroller that seems like it will work just fine !!!

[Hacker James]

For years I walked. Then I started using a push/pull cart (not sure if that is easier or not as sometimes pulling a pull cart up an incline is not any easier than toting the bag over a shoulder). nowadays it is getting harder and harder for me to maintain the stamina and by the time I reach nr 18, I am pretty well spent (not-with-standing the temporary euphoria the last hole usually brings). Its funny how the 18th hole so often is our best.  Bear in mind I will turn 71 this month.  That's the physical part.

During the time I walked, it seemed to give me more time to plan a shot, to judge distance walking from shot to shot and of course my clubs were always there at the ready.  I found that if I rode, I would get to the ball too quickly and the shot felt a little rushed. Time wise, riding in a cart did not seem all that much different than walking, especially if a 90 degree rule was in vogue, or stay on the cart path was in effect. All to often I would walk from the cart to where the ball lie only to realize that I brought the wrong club (or clubs even).  I would rarely go back to the cart however, and would try to use what I had.  Nowadays, many carts have built in range finders that give you a better idea of yardage to the green if you happen to be close enough to use it. Also you can choose the proper club for a lay up.  That's the mental part.

Nowadays, I plan to ride and I think it is a necessity for me.  Hopefully, by now, I have learned how to use a riding cart more efficiently. If I could afford it, I would have a decent range finder such as Bushnell. That is another discussion topic though. It seems to me that they might slow a game down waiting for somebody to "scope out" each and every shot. A compromise might be wearing one of those GPS watches that at least give you fairly accurate readings to and around the green.  I have no experience with either one, so I can not really give a qualified opinion.

That's my take. Yours may differ.

[dfreuter415]

Originally Posted by jimmer1609

I eventually would like to start walking while playing, but I have a fear of playing slow.  As of now, I typically shoot around 105-110, hitting the 90s every now and then.  IMO I don't think I should start walking until I can consistantly shoot in the 90s.  Any suggestions ?

When I coached high school golf my first rule was: Walk quickly to your ball, then go though your normal routine when executing your shot. Then walk quickly to your next shot.

If you do that you will be fine.

[gsu_paintballer]

A single walker will generally be faster than a twosome in a cart (and certainly a foursome). You're not going to outrun a single in a cart, but I doubt you run into that much.

[scrilla]

Ya walking usually isn't the cause of slow play. From what I've seen its usually people sitting in the tee box taking 15 practice swings to just shank one OB and then play another ball.

[Mr. Desmond]

Walk now

[MS256]

Originally Posted by Hacker James

It seems to me that they might slow a game down waiting for somebody to "scope out" each and every shot. A compromise might be wearing one of those GPS watches that at least give you fairly accurate readings to and around the green.  I have no experience with either one, so I can not really give a qualified opinion.

Some people are really good at quickly locating the distance with a range finder and some people are not. Even the ones that are not are probably faster than people with nothing that are pacing off a yardage from the nearest yardage marker they can find (which in itself can be a chore). Drawbacks to a range finder alone are that many shots are blind, especially if they are from off line.

I use a cheap GPS that I wear on my belt. It speeds up my play for sure and also gives me the confidence to feel like I have the right club and commit more to the swing. Drawback is that on large greens I have to have a good idea how far from the front, middle, or back of the green the flag is located. I have played courses where the distance to the pin from the front or middle was marked each day with a +6 or a -5, but most I have played don't do that.

I think the PGA Tour should change the rules and allow caddies to use a GPS to speed up play. They are going to get the correct yardage anyway even if it means pacing off the yardage all the way to the green or hazard on some of the well off line shots they hit (which brings the pace of play to a standstill).

[saevel25]

Here's the thing, would pro's want GPS. I think they have an issue with the accuracy. I know range finder's say the same accuracy, i think there is something about lining up the range finder that might give caddies more confidence. Its something they can control.

But here's the thing, caddies create a yardage book. They go out and range find the whole course before hand. There are some example floating around on the internet of a caddies yardage book, its amazingly detailed. So, i doubt that GPS will help. Even when a pro is out of position, it doesn't seem they are taking that long. What gets pro's is wind. You get a wind that isn't directly down wind or a head wind. That could get in there head.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Here's the thing, would pro's want GPS. I think they have an issue with the accuracy. I know range finder's say the same accuracy, i think there is something about lining up the range finder that might give caddies more confidence. Its something they can control.

But here's the thing, caddies create a yardage book. They go out and range find the whole course before hand. There are some example floating around on the internet of a caddies yardage book, its amazingly detailed. So, i doubt that GPS will help. Even when a pro is out of position, it doesn't seem they are taking that long. What gets pro's is wind. You get a wind that isn't directly down wind or a head wind. That could get in there head.

This is OT but:

The laser is more accurate on average than the GPS, but unless you are as consistent as a Tour pro, the difference is irrelevant.  The laser is rated accurate to +/- 1 yard, and the GPS to +/- 3 yards.  In actual application, the GPS hits closer than that most of the time (I've owned 2 different models of each, and used them side by side).  For 99.99999% of the players in the world, that extra 6 feet of accuracy is meaningless because we simply don't hit our clubs consistently enough to matter.  With the variability of wind, elevation and lie, +/- 5 yards is more like it, even for a pretty good player.  After using both for a couple of years, I went with a top brand GPS because it is faster, more useful, and less hassle than a laser.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled program.

[TJBam]

We must be playing different courses.  When  I put one out 250 yards into the fairway, drive up, hit another towards the green, park and grab wedges and a putter I doubt Mr Walker is finished situating himself for his second shot.  No offense to the walkers but this is just dumb common sense.  Carts go faster.  There is nothing about a cart that makes you take 2 minutes to figure out a shot.  I know what club I am playing by the time I arrive at my drive 10 seconds later.

Walking is a great tradition and there is nothing wrong with it.  It is relaxing. But if I was behind a walker that was taking 6 strokes per hole then I would be looking to play through ASAP.  Now flame me for hating the game because I like to ride in a cart

[Meltdwhiskey]

A walker can beat a single in a cart with no 90* rule.  Carts do go faster.  But put two guys in a cart and a walker is just as fast - if not maybe a touch faster.  It is really nice to always have your clubs and such with you.  I should note that my experience is with a push cart - not carrying the bag.  That might be slower.  The push cart I have has pockets and features that are really convenient.  I would not want to carry.