Do you carry your bag in America?

[rkim291968]

Bandon Dunes courses in Oregon don't allow carts but they are ok with push carts, and hiring caddies.   This is the only major US courses I know that carts are a no-no - a welcome practice.   We brought our own push carts and hired a group caddy (who voluntarily pushed my wife's cart for the most part).   I never felt comfortable with someone carrying my bag, serving my tea, washing my shoes, ....

[dkolo]

  rkim291968 said:

Bandon Dunes courses in Oregon don't allow carts but they are ok with push carts, and hiring caddies.   This is the only major US courses I know that carts are a no-no - a welcome practice.   We brought our own push carts and hired a group caddy (who voluntarily pushed my wife's cart for the most part).   I never felt comfortable with someone carrying my bag, serving my tea, washing my shoes, ....

I alluded to it earlier, but Bethpage Black has a similar caddies and pushcarts, but no riding carts policy. From what I hear, it's a brutal walk with the length and all the ups and downs.

[MrFlipper]

  rkim291968 said:

Bandon Dunes courses in Oregon don't allow carts but they are ok with push carts, and hiring caddies.   This is the only major US courses I know that carts are a no-no - a welcome practice.   We brought our own push carts and hired a group caddy (who voluntarily pushed my wife's cart for the most part).   I never felt comfortable with someone carrying my bag, serving my tea, washing my shoes, ....

That's too bad, especially with famous courses that you may not play again or are very expensive, caddies can increase the enjoyment significantly. And walking without carrying your own bag is pretty fun, too.

They can tell you what line to take, what shots to play, and if you are really fortunate, they will club you. Having a good caddy club you and help with the lines makes for a truly memorable experience.

If you take a cart or pull cart to a course you don't know well, you are setting yourself up for disappointment ("aw man I didn't know I needed an extra club", etc).

Try a caddy, let them guide you around. It can be a remarkably satisfying experience that is almost impossible to have on your own.

[Golfingdad]

  rkim291968 said:

Bandon Dunes courses in Oregon don't allow carts but they are ok with push carts, and hiring caddies.   This is the only major US courses I know that carts are a no-no - a welcome practice.   We brought our own push carts and hired a group caddy (who voluntarily pushed my wife's cart for the most part).   I never felt comfortable with someone carrying my bag, serving my tea, washing my shoes, ....

  dkolo said:

I alluded to it earlier, but Bethpage Black has a similar caddies and pushcarts, but no riding carts policy. From what I hear, it's a brutal walk with the length and all the ups and downs.

Chambers Bay, I believe, is also in this group.

---

There are no courses around me that I know of that forbid riding carts at any time.  There are several (majority even??) that include that cart in the greens fee to highly encourage, or perhaps even require, you to ride, as they falsely believe that it speeds things up.  Plus, as @tristanhilton85 said, many of our newer Socal courses are laid out to meander around houses or canyons or both and have several long traverses between holes.

Heck, there are two courses in San Diego County where the hole-to-hole travels are so integral to the course that they are NAMED after them: The Crossings at Carlsbad and The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe.

[rkim291968]

  MrFlipper said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

Bandon Dunes courses in Oregon don't allow carts but they are ok with push carts, and hiring caddies.   This is the only major US courses I know that carts are a no-no - a welcome practice.   We brought our own push carts and hired a group caddy (who voluntarily pushed my wife's cart for the most part).   I never felt comfortable with someone carrying my bag, serving my tea, washing my shoes, ....

That's too bad, especially with famous courses that you may not play again or are very expensive, caddies can increase the enjoyment significantly. And walking without carrying your own bag is pretty fun, too.

They can tell you what line to take, what shots to play, and if you are really fortunate, they will club you. Having a good caddy club you and help with the lines makes for a truly memorable experience.

If you take a cart or pull cart to a course you don't know well, you are setting yourself up for disappointment ("aw man I didn't know I needed an extra club", etc).

Try a caddy, let them guide you around. It can be a remarkably satisfying experience that is almost impossible to have on your own.

I didn't mean to imply that I don't want to hire caddies as I have no problem using group caddies.   While I am physically fit, I don't think I will hire a full caddy.    I see kids in their 20s & 30s hiring full caddy (or riding cart on a 9-hole par 3 course) when they can hire a group caddy.   I kind of cringe on that but I understand people have different preferences.

[Lihu]

I was thinking of starting to carry my clubs, but I can walk a lot faster with a push cart.

[dkolo]

  Lihu said:

I was thinking of starting to carry my clubs, but I can walk a lot faster with a push cart.

I get drenched in sweat carrying my bag on the course since I'd use both straps. Hard to get evaporative cooling when you have the clubs pinned against your back whenever you're moving. I'd carry in a pinch, like if I had a chance to grab a few holes unexpectedly when I just thought I was hitting the range, but it'd be tough to do for a full 18 in the summer. I did it when I started out, and I went with carts pretty quickly.

As for caddies, I've never played in a group with caddies, or even played a course that offered them, so I'm speculating, but I'd be pretty weirded out having one, I think. I research new courses heavily and at some point, I'd just take my chances with regards to no local knowledge. I'd just feel weird with the dynamic of having a personal helper like that. That's just a best guess knowing me and my anxiety.

[jsgolfer]

I carried my bag until I hurt my lower back last year.  Went to the three wheel push cart, and now that my back is better, not sure I will go back.  I loved to carry my bag, but my back is so much better now, so probably will stick with the cart.

[colin007]

never heard of a course around me that bans pushcarts.

i had one marshal tell me to get my pushcart off the tee box.  he said it could damage it.  i looked down at all the divot holes and shrugged my shoulders....

[jsgolfer]

  colin007 said:

i had one marshal tell me to get my pushcart off the tee box.  he said it could damage it.  i looked down at all the divot holes and shrugged my shoulders....

I've even had someone come and tell me to take my bag off the tee when I was carrying because they said it would damage the tee.

[dkolo]

  jsgolfer said:

I've even had someone come and tell me to take my bag off the tee when I was carrying because they said it would damage the tee.

The tee is basically fairway in my mind. Whatever. It's not worth a fight either way.

[jsgolfer]

  dkolo said:

The tee is basically fairway in my mind. Whatever. It's not worth a fight either way.

Exactly

[saevel25]

  jsgolfer said:

I've even had someone come and tell me to take my bag off the tee when I was carrying because they said it would damage the tee.

Nope

[oregongolfguy]

I have almost always carried my bag traditionally.  But having some lower back problems has lead me to looking at push carts.  I plan on buying a push cart by this weekend.  I enjoy walking courses and lean towards courses that are a reasonable walk.  Luckily my home course seems to be a pretty easy walk with the exception of the last 3 holes which include a long very steep hill.  But the course besides that is relatively flat and its not a long walk from green to tee box.

[tristanhilton85]

If more courses around me allowed walking or were set up better for it, I think I would consider getting a push cart.

[Fourputt]

  jsgolfer said:

I don't think I've seen a course ban walking, but some of the newer courses have such long walks between holes, I don't think a walker could keep up.

Now a lot of places will still charge you the cart fee whether you walk or not if it's included in their fee.

Lots of courses, especially resort courses, are cart mandatory.  Your bag will be placed on the cart when you arrive, and removed when you finish.  I've known guys to do a lot of walking once they get away from the clubhouse, but the bag stays on the cart.  In many cases that I'm familiar with, the walk is so brutal that it just doesn't make any sense.  Some of the mountain courses I play are at elevations approaching 9000 feet, with lots of ups and downs, and some with long distances from green to tee.  Even pushing a trolley would be no fun.  Nobody wants to be the guy that the rest of the group is always waiting on.

[jgreen85]

I walk as much as possible. I got a <2 lbs bag for Christmas. The bag is no frills, but fits all of my clubs and is easy on my back. Did experience some irritation on my right shoulder (like the straps are scratching them putting my bag on/off).

[colin007]

  jgreen85 said:

I walk as much as possible. I got a <2 lbs bag for Christmas. The bag is no frills, but fits all of my clubs and is easy on my back. Did experience some irritation on my right shoulder (like the straps are scratching them putting my bag on/off).

hey @jgreen85 , which bag is that?