Do You Prefer to Walk or Ride?

[Acemyass]

I for myself almost always walk. Some lbs to much. So it can't be wrong to walk instead of taking it the easy way and the cart.

Also, driving would take away something from me. Golf is a sport in the end and driving around the course just don't fit my definition of sports.

How do you take it?

[jmanbooyaa]

I love the walk. I only take a cart if the course requires it. 

[Bonvivant]

If it is blistering hot I ride. Anything under 85 F I'll walk, unless I am trying to get done before dark.

[mcanadiens]

34 minutes ago, Acemyass said:

I for myself almost always walk. Some lbs to much. So it can't be wrong to walk instead of taking it the easy way and the cart.

Also, driving would take away something from me. Golf is a sport in the end and driving around the course just don't fit my definition of sports.

How do you take it?

It costs me $14 (12.62 euro) to ride a cart just about anywhere around here, so I'll walk whenever it is reasonable. 

The home courses are very easy to walk, but other courses would be a bit tough. Also, when its above 90 degrees (32.2 C), it's really hard to turn down the cart. 

 

[IowaGreg]

I would prefer to walk and while I still could walk a course, I didn't see much difference in scoring.  These days do to back issues, arthritis in the hip joints and knees, I might be able to walk 9 depending on the course.  It's either ride or just give up golf. 

 

[Darkfrog]

I walk for the exercise, but also because I like the experience of walking. I find that I am more observant of the course design and surroundings when walking, rather than riding in a cart and quickly moving from spot to spot.

[Acemyass]

1 hour ago, IowaGreg said:

I would prefer to walk and while I still could walk a course, I didn't see much difference in scoring.  These days do to back issues, arthritis in the hip joints and knees, I might be able to walk 9 depending on the course.  It's either ride or just give up golf. 

 

I'd rather ride all day long in your case, as long as I can play some golf.

The heat may be another factor I would prefer to ride. But since it barely get's above 75* in my place, I don't have the choice

Edited December 5, 2019 by Acemyass
Some grammar and spelling mistakes

[AlDena]

When I was young, I walked because I was cheap. Now that I'm old, I ride because I'm lazy. When sharing a cart, I like to walk to the green, or when looking for a ball that missed the fairway, or to my ball when the cart is at my partner's ball.

[Edsland]

I’m 65 with one knee that needs an overhaul soon, I can walk the 9 comfortably but 18 I need to ride to enjoy it pain free. 

[luchnia]

21 hours ago, Darkfrog said:

I walk for the exercise, but also because I like the experience of walking. I find that I am more observant of the course design and surroundings when walking, rather than riding in a cart and quickly moving from spot to spot.

I ride or walk depending. I do walk 9 for my exercise. When I play 9 at my home course, I walk and I find it is so much more relaxing and as the observance of the surroundings really makes a nice enjoyable outing. I am amazed at the difference in walking and riding.

[Sandy Divot]

Walk. I will ride if it is hot.

[leftybutnotPM]

The only reason for not walking is if the golf course insists or if you have a physical injury that prevents you from walking. Or maybe if it's extremely hot. Even when I am playing and there are two carts plus me walking it doesn't affect speed. Golf is a game where you walk. If you can't walk, fair enough. Otherwise you aren't experiencing the nuances of the course at walking speed and you are getting less than zero exercise because the sitting is bad for you.

[iacas]

6 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

The only reason for not walking is if the golf course insists or if you have a physical injury that prevents you from walking. Or maybe if it's extremely hot. Even when I am playing and there are two carts plus me walking it doesn't affect speed. Golf is a game where you walk. If you can't walk, fair enough. Otherwise you aren't experiencing the nuances of the course at walking speed and you are getting less than zero exercise because the sitting is bad for you.

Meh, no. Hard disagree there.

I enjoy walking and do most of the times I can, but it's another form of snobby to say that kind of stuff, IMO.

[Acemyass]

9 minutes ago, iacas said:

Meh, no. Hard disagree there.

I enjoy walking and do most of the times I can, but it's another form of snobby to say that kind of stuff, IMO.

Where is a point to disagree resp. a form of snobby in his statement? Are you taking up the nuances of a course driving a cart? I doubt so. Are you getting zero and even less exercise from your golfing activities? I think so.

Edited December 6, 2019 by Acemyass

[iacas]

15 minutes ago, Acemyass said:

Where is a point to disagree resp. a form of snobby in his statement? Are you taking up the nuances of a course driving a cart? I doubt so. Are you getting zero and even less exercise from your golfing activities? I think so.

The snobbiness is where he declares what golf "is" for everyone. Sorry, but no - people can enjoy golf differently and it's still golf.

I don't disagree that you miss out on some "nuances" and as I said I prefer to walk myself more often than not, but there are times when I'll take a cart and not feel a damn bit of shame for it. Besides, you don't need to see the "nuances" on a course you've played a hundred times, and golf is about a hell of a lot more than "exercise."

"Golf is for men only." "Golf is for walking only." "Golf is for people who can dress appropriately." "Golf is for good players only."

They all have hints or outright snobby tones.

[leftybutnotPM]

21 minutes ago, iacas said:

Meh, no. Hard disagree there.

I enjoy walking and do most of the times I can, but it's another form of snobby to say that kind of stuff, IMO.

I think that if you are brought up in a golfing culture where the norm is to walk and wealthy clubs have a couple of carts to allow very elderly and infirm players to continue playing you might see carts differently. When I was younger you'd see women in their 80s walking.

I never even saw a golf cart until I was about 30. And anyone who was young and fit would be laughed at if they were in one.

I know that carts are just accepted as the way a lot of people in a lot of countries get around a golf courses, but That wasn't always the case.

If it allows someone to play who otherwise wouldn't great. And if people want to ride I no longer care, but what I'm saying is that someone who has always ridden might see golf in a slightly different (and improved) light if they chose to walk occasionally. They would certainly gain a greater  appreciation of the architecture of a good course.

 

[billchao]

I prefer walking. The only times I ride are when the cart is included in the greens fees and/or when I'm playing with friends that are riding.

[iacas]

26 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

I think that if you are brought up in a golfing culture where the norm is to walk and wealthy clubs have a couple of carts to allow very elderly and infirm players to continue playing you might see carts differently.

You don't know much about the golfing culture in which I grew up. What you think you know, you're assuming. I'm simply telling you that I disagree with the "golf is walking" and the exclusionary overtones.

26 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

I never even saw a golf cart until I was about 30. And anyone who was young and fit would be laughed at if they were in one.

Well, that's kinda rude. You don't know what the deal is.

I introduced a friend of mine, since passed, to golf. He'd ride a cart to play a 4300 yard executive course. What you couldn't see was that he was on his second and would eventually be on his third heart. He otherwise looked fit. You know what they say about assuming.

Golf is about playing golf. It's not about any one part of it, or playing it only the way you think it should be played.

26 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

If it allows someone to play who otherwise wouldn't great.

No, screw that. I'm out on this whole take. A perfectly healthy 20-year old choosing to ride in a cart instead of walking is not somehow "less than." Screw that. He's playing golf, and good for him.

26 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

what I'm saying is that someone who has always ridden might see golf in a slightly different (and improved) light if they chose to walk occasionally.

That's not what you said.

And I think the vast majority of golfers couldn't really care less about the architecture. That's not why they are out there playing.