Different Handicap for Walkers?

[rehmwa]

16 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

But there are plenty of guys on tour who are overweight.  Kind of gives the opposite impression: you can walk 7000+ yard courses four times a week (or two if MC) plus practice/pro-am rounds and still look like a couch potato. 

True.  But it still stands, I would hope they would 'encourage' fitness for the on screen visuals.

Conversely, maybe they do market to the 'everyday' man.  Maybe that was the switch from "These Guys are GOOD" to the ridiculous "Live Under Par"....

[gbogey]

Some tour pros may be overweight but they are fit.  OR at least they should be because if you have a $1 million a year career that requires fitness it should be a priority.

I think that it would be an interesting social experiment for a club to offer strokes off for walkers. My bet is that some would protest, others would not, and some who were not totally used to walking would try it to "save a few strokes." As I said I play better when I walk, mainly for rhythm reasons but also for the things you perceive better when walking, but I'm very used to it and I walk better mid-season than early season. For those who never walk, I'm sure walking would send them into a tailspin.  I will say that the times I have walked 3 days in a row the golf doesn't seem that sharp on the 3rd day, although that likely could be said for riding 3 days in a row as well.

[ChetlovesMer]

I'm one of those guys that tells myself (and others) that I play better when walking the course. It's perfectly likely, however, that this is just my imagination and in reality I play equally whether I walk or ride. 

[iacas]

41 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

True.  But it still stands, I would hope they would 'encourage' fitness for the on screen visuals.

? The tour promotes good golfers.

Chubby guys on Tour are still fit guys, just like a lot of NFL players can be "heavy" but still fit.

[phillyk]

The only time I feel I play worse is when I ride and am playing a quick 9 after work or something. Those rushed rounds are well, rushed. Its hard to rush when walking. If Im playing a relaxed, typical round I don’t really see a difference in score if I walk or ride. 

[rehmwa]

1 hour ago, gbogey said:

Some tour pros may be overweight but they are fit.  OR at least they should be because if you have a $1 million a year career that requires fitness it should be a priority.

Sure - but my comment is about viewership and image, the cosmetics presented to attract viewership.  It might be more subtle in the PGA vs the LPGA, but it's always there.  Right or wrong.

[AlDena]

1 hour ago, Foot Wedge said:

Learn something new every day!

Yup, good thread!

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

? The tour promotes good golfers.

Chubby guys on Tour are still fit guys, just like a lot of NFL players can be "heavy" but still fit.

This is true. There’s a difference between ‘fit’ and ‘healthy.’

[sjduffers]

I walk most of my rounds (with a push cart) and feel that I score better when I walk then when I ride. As has been said, it's because of a better rhythm and a chance to absorb the environment better including the layout of the reminder of the hole, when walking. It's probably also because those courses where I ride tend to be less familiar to me and also harder, in general.

That said, I don't think it should make a difference in handicaps. There are always circumstances that favor one golfer over an other, e.g. some courses are better suited to people who draw to to people who fade, and some are better suited to long hitters and some are better suited to people that can keep the ball in the middle with narrow tree-lined fairways... Once you decide to play in an event, knowing what it entails, just do the best you can with the skills (handicap) you've got. That's all.

[LeftyWhiff]

Interesting topic/discussion thread.

Personally, I play much better walking with a push cart. Riding breaks up my rhythm, especially when sharing the cart, and I'm not as tuned to the conditions affecting shots using it. I also find chasing/locating balls, managing cart paths and such a pain, especially riding with a partner, and all that can affect shots as well.

All that said, there is one course that I play that is very hilly, and on the last couple of holes there fatigue does affect my score when walking, particularly on a hot day. This year I've walked it most times and I'm in better shape so I notice it less.

NO opinion on handicap effects, or adjusting them to walking or riding.

[Papa Steve 55]

I don't know if I play better walking, but I sure enjoy the round more walking. I guess that might help a shot or two.