Why do some golf courses only allow members to walk?

[jkelley9]

Anybody know what the reason would be for this? I'm travelling to the keys this weekend and will be there a week. Limited golf courses to choose from. The one that looks best is a semi-private country club but when I asked if I would be allowed to walk they said "only our members are allowed to walk."

Anyone got an ideas as to what the purpose is behind this separation? Just curious.

[DaveP043]

My best guess, money.  With members, they're assured of continuing revenue.  With a visitor, they want to get what they can while you're there.  Its also possible that they've had problems with visitors walking in the past, either heat-related or pace of play.

I see the same thing when I travel, most resort courses want you in a cart.  Two exceptions that I can think of are MidPines and Pine Needles in North Carolina.  You don't get a discount if you choose to walk, but you're allowed to if you like.  They even have decent 3-wheel push trolleys for you to borrow (not rent, there's no charge) if you want one.

[Missouri Swede]

My guess would be an attempt to improve pace of play.  The courses I play most often, I (almost always) walk.  I usually know where my ball went just based on strike, even if I lose sight of it, because I'm familiar with the lay of the land, where the ball is likely to roll, etc.

Put me on an unfamiliar course, and I will almost always want a cart, because I'm more likely to lose track of my ball.  Better golfers who keep it in the fairway might not need this advantage. 

[GolfLug]

I think both pace of play (non-members supposedly wouldn't care to maintain as much as members) and revenue as well. With members they don't want to force them to pay for the cart if they don't want to. Sort of discount for being a member.

Having said that my course allows everybody (it is semi private so we get plenty non-member play as well) to walk on whatever day. OT, but it is a great walking course as is fairly flat and allows even the senior members to walk without much fatigue.

[bkuehn1952]

35 minutes ago, jkelley9 said:

Anyone got an ideas as to what the purpose is behind this separation? Just curious.

No idea although the thoughts previously posted make sense.  If you decide to ask when you are down there, maybe share the response with the rest of us.

[jsgolfer]

I think it is revenue.  Our course will let you walk, but it is the same price walking or riding.

[Groucho Valentine]

Its for revenue, like others have said. Clubs that do allow it for members only do so in name. Round for round, they probably pay the same as the rider does. 

[Patch]

I would imagine that members have paid for the previliage to walk. Non members have not. 

[shanksalot]

Ka ching! It is all about revenew Baby!! The funny part is WHY should you have to pay to walk a course. Whether member or non member paying a greens fee?? It has to be due to the money issue. It is certainly not because golfers in carts play faster. I find just the opposite.  Walkers may walk down the fairway together but when they get near to where their ball is they spit up and go to their ball and get ready to hit. Many players in carts drive to one of their balls, but that player does not take out a club and let the other guy go to his ball they stay and watch him hit then put back his club and THEN drive to the other guys ball and repeat the process.

[jkelley9]

So perhaps the general consensus from y'alls responses is, maybe if I just ask them when I get there if I just pay for a cart and they have push carts that they'll let me walk? I don't really care about the money. I prefer walking.

[DaveP043]

10 hours ago, jkelley9 said:

So perhaps the general consensus from y'alls responses is, maybe if I just ask them when I get there if I just pay for a cart and they have push carts that they'll let me walk? I don't really care about the money. I prefer walking.

You never lose anything by asking, and sometimes you get what you want.  The worst thing that can happen is that you end up taking a cart, and that's what you're expecting already.  Enjoy the Keys!

[kpaulhus]

Another possibility, even though its more than likely 97% for revenue, is people dont realize how hot it gets down there. The membership is used to it. Taking a cart could keep you from over heating walking in that muggy sweaty nasty HOT weather. 

[BuckeyeNut]

On 4/5/2017 at 2:42 PM, jkelley9 said:

Anybody know what the reason would be for this? I'm travelling to the keys this weekend and will be there a week. Limited golf courses to choose from. The one that looks best is a semi-private country club but when I asked if I would be allowed to walk they said "only our members are allowed to walk."

Anyone got an ideas as to what the purpose is behind this separation? Just curious.

I played a course in Malaysia that required us to rent a cart.......and hire a caddy!    LOL...no joke!   If you are a tourist, you have to pay up.  That's how it is and all there is to it.  

The caddy would jump on the back of a cart and ride standing on the back as we drove.    We should have made him run!!  Haha

Edited April 26, 2017 by BuckeyeNut

[MrDC]

They want the money, and it's a BS move, just charge more for the green fees and let people walk, golf is a game best played that way, it's more enjoyable, don't take that away from players.

[Billsy]

As member of a club with both walking and caddies, it does come down to revenue. The carts generate a predictable revenue stream based on usage. Caddies offer a wonderful experience but, do not return revenue to the club. 

[p1n9183]

I asked this question to a club that apply that policy and they answer me (off the record) that it was for security.

Here in argentina the courses that have Carts always have houses arround the course, By forcing the guests to ride carts with a tracker device they can know exactly where is the cart at all time, if they see something strange like the cart stops for a long time or the cart goes to a restricted or unusual area they can quickly go and check.

As a summary they don´t what the guest to fool arround the houses nearby, so they track them.

    

[poser]

My course allows walking but, no push carts kinda sucks cause I like my pushcart .

[jkelley9]

FYI when I inquired about it to the CC (I played 3 or 4 rounds there) the lady in the pro shop didn't know, but the starter told me that it's for money. I don't think he understood me when I asked him if I could walk anyways and just pay for the cart. He looked confused and said if I wouldn't mind if I could just take the cart so I said okay lol.

So weird!

But on the last day and a different starter they said that basically they don't have a push cart rental system so they just say no walkers. I sure as heck wasn't going to carry my bag in Florida so I went with the cart after that too. Not even sure if I had a choice then or not either, though.