Why Isn't It OK To Drive Your Push Carts or Trolleys Through The Green?

[JonMA1]

Sometimes perception trumps reality. I'll ask them what their opinion is, but if the greenskeepers believe rolling a cart is damaging to the green, I'll continue to push mine to a logical position just off of it.

Still, this is an interesting topic and something I'd never thought about. Never too old to learn something new.

[natureboy]

On 12/31/2015 at 10:46 PM, WUTiger said:

The no-trolley rule would mesh with the old law of not carrying the golf bag onto the green - the idea being that the bag on the back of the golfer or caddie increased the weight concentrated on the green by the feet. Also, you never placed the bag on the green, you could leave dents or gouge the green with brads, hard base, etc.

And, trolleys with narrow wheels might rut the greens, especially in wet weather.

Does the 'old law' of not carrying the bag onto the green still apply? I've done this possibly in error of course care etiquette. I think I've walked the perimeter if I know the greens are soft. Clearly putting the bag down could mar the surface though. I wonder if the 'old law' made sense, though...and extra 25-40 pounds is much less than the difference between a smaller guy and a really big guy walking on the green.

 

27 minutes ago, Lihu said:

One advantage of carrying clubs I guess?

Have you walked across greens? Anyone object? I ask, because I have walked across greens and hoping I was not in error. Never heard a comment about it though.

[colin007]

I used to walk across the green while carrying my bag when I used to carry.

I got yelled at once for bringing my pushcart into a tee box. I looked around at all the divots on the tee and then back to my pushcart and said "Are you being serious??"

[Golfingdad]

1 hour ago, natureboy said:

Does the 'old law' of not carrying the bag onto the green still apply? I've done this possibly in error of course care etiquette. I think I've walked the perimeter if I know the greens are soft. Clearly putting the bag down could mar the surface though. I wonder if the 'old law' made sense, though...and extra 25-40 pounds is much less than the difference between a smaller guy and a really big guy walking on the green.

 

Have you walked across greens? Anyone object? I ask, because I have walked across greens and hoping I was not in error. Never heard a comment about it though.

No idea if the old rule still applies.  I sometimes carry my bag onto the green, for example if everybody is on and I can tell that nobody needs the pin I'll just cut across and grab it as I'm going to set my bag down.

One argument in my favor is that me and my bag together now weight less than I did by myself at this time last year. :)

 

[saevel25]

11 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

No idea if the old rule still applies.  I sometimes carry my bag onto the green, for example if everybody is on and I can tell that nobody needs the pin I'll just cut across and grab it as I'm going to set my bag down.

One argument in my favor is that me and my bag together now weight less than I did by myself at this time last year. :)

 

i always found that argument stupid. That if you have a 180 lb golfer with a 30 lb bag equals the weight of a 210 lb person without. 

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, natureboy said:

Have you walked across greens? Anyone object? I ask, because I have walked across greens and hoping I was not in error. Never heard a comment about it though.

How would I putt if someone objected to me walking onto or across the greens? That seems like it would be a very strange objection?

[colin007]

19 minutes ago, Lihu said:

How would I putt if someone objected to me walking onto or across the greens? That seems like it would be a very strange objection?

 

He meant walking across the green whilst carrying his bag.

[Lihu]

3 minutes ago, colin007 said:

 

He meant walking across the green whilst carrying his bag.

Yes, I know, but it's not all that different. Although, I usually walk along the fringe when carrying.

[colin007]

7 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Yes, I know, but it's not all that different. Although, I usually walk along the fringe when carrying.

So then is it different or not¿ If there's not much difference then you shouldn't have an issue walking across the green instead of on the fringe, right? Anyways, venturing slightly off topic, sorry.

[natureboy]

On 12/31/2015 at 10:46 PM, WUTiger said:

And, trolleys with narrow wheels might rut the greens, especially in wet weather.

The Australian example shows the difference in turf and weather conditions. If you soil drains quickly - and hearty turf on the greens - the rutting problem would be much less.

It's possible that one of the reasons it works in Australia is that per Shackelford's article 'everyone' takes one of those trolleys with the wider wheels or carries so they don't have a narrow wheels worry.

3 hours ago, saevel25 said:

i always found that argument stupid. That if you have a 180 lb golfer with a 30 lb bag equals the weight of a 210 lb person without. 

I would personally agree.

[Lihu]

Arguing against someone traveling across the green with a wheeled cart of any kind makes sense especially with soft greens, but someone carrying makes no sense?

[Golfingdad]

7 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Arguing against someone traveling across the green with a wheeled cart of any kind makes sense especially with soft greens, but someone carrying makes no sense?

That has been the conventional wisdom to this point and precisely the point of this thread.  I laid out in the OP why I think we might reconsider that convention.

[Lihu]

26 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

That has been the conventional wisdom to this point and precisely the point of this thread.  I laid out in the OP why I think we might reconsider that convention.

If the greens are soft we can leave long thin imprints in the direction of motion. Walking could potentially leave little craters, but not along a line.

I guess it could be argued that the lines could affect a putt more than a footprint? Not sure if in reality it's actually better for the green or not.

What I do is walk gingerly to my ball from the closest point along the fringe on really soft greens. I treat greens a lot better these days, unless it was just punched. Partly because I'm a member and partly becaus they give me really good discounts to golf and I feel like I should treat the course well.

If I saw someone pushing a cart across the green I would say something, while if someone carried his clubs across I probably wouldn't. Just conventional thinking, I guess? However, people who typically carry take better care of the course because they are usually better golfers. Most walk the fringe until they get close to their ball like me.

In any case, pace of play is not really affected by walking the fringe rather than through the green. I don't see a compelling reason to do it.

[No Mulligans]

4 minutes ago, Lihu said:

If the greens are soft we can leave long thin imprints in the direction of motion.

Have you ever seen that?

I've seen the lines of the wheels when the grass is wet but I have never seen a puch cart leave actual damage. 200 lbs. on one small portion of a foot for a walker versus 30 lbs spread over 3 or 4 wide wheels, you don't even have to do the math, the answer is obvious regardless of how carefully you walk.  Restrictions on push carts are just silly. 

9 minutes ago, Lihu said:

 However, people who typically carry take better care of the course because they are usually better golfers. Most walk the fringe until they get close to their ball like me.

I see good golfers walking all over the greens, more so than poor golfers.

[Golfingdad]

54 minutes ago, Lihu said:

If the greens are soft we can leave long thin imprints in the direction of motion. Walking could potentially leave little craters, but not along a line.

I guess it could be argued that the lines could affect a putt more than a footprint? Not sure if in reality it's actually better for the green or not.

What I do is walk gingerly to my ball from the closest point along the fringe on really soft greens. I treat greens a lot better these days, unless it was just punched. Partly because I'm a member and partly becaus they give me really good discounts to golf and I feel like I should treat the course well.

If I saw someone pushing a cart across the green I would say something, while if someone carried his clubs across I probably wouldn't. Just conventional thinking, I guess? However, people who typically carry take better care of the course because they are usually better golfers. Most walk the fringe until they get close to their ball like me.

In any case, pace of play is not really affected by walking the fringe rather than through the green. I don't see a compelling reason to do it.

That is the oddest stereotype I think I've heard in a while ... Carriers take better care of the course than pushers??  Where'd you come up with that one?

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, No Mulligans said:

I see good golfers walking all over the greens, more so than poor golfers.

Okay, you're right, I'm totally off base?

 

14 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

That is the oddest stereotype I think I've heard in a while ... Carriers take better care of the course than pushers??  Where'd you come up with that one?

Obviously, this is in my own experience. I rarely see a double bogey golfer carrying clubs.

[Golfingdad]

4 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Okay, you're right, I'm totally off base?

 

Obviously, this is in my own experience. I rarely see a double bogey golfer carrying clubs.

Youre experience is awfully limited then, and you're also off base in the sense that you're equating golfers of poor skill level with golfers that have bad etiquette.  Those are not really related.

[Dave325]

I carry my clubs and try to always walk around the fringe and place my clubs in the path to the next tee. My club has some of the best greens in the area... And I would like to see them stay that way. My rule is.... If there is any question, then error on the side of the conservative and take extra care.  Oh, since I do carry... It seems I should be playing better golf, right?  I wish that was true.