Question:
Mr. Sweeney, I fear you are an alarmist. I play better than 150 rounds per year all over the U.S. and only encountered 2 courses that wouldn’t let us walk. Now I ride about half the time, mostly when I play with my wife, because she has a bad back and can’t carry, but the rest of the time I walk and throughly enjoy it. But, I also am very glad to have that option should I want to ride. You sound like every one should go back to the old ways, like you have. Good luck with your horse and buggy, we want to be sure and preserve our dirt roads and byways, so cars are out. Be reasonable, we can all get along on the same courses. Larry Clark – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all walking golfers: Two games are being played today on American golf courses, one by walkers who play the game as it should be played; the other by riders in mechanized carts who delude themselves into believing that they also are playing this venerable game. The sad fact is that this latter group now far outnumbers the purists of the game who are gradually being eliminated by such devices as mandatory golf policies adopted by an ever increasing number of golf courses. It is estimated that walkers will become extinct in ten years unless some radicle changes are made in the immediate future. The touring pros are well aware of the situation and are taking steps right now to preserve several courses that will enable them to continue with their championship tournaments. Note the number of TPCs that are being built and the interest exhibited in buying such classic courses as Balmoral, Winged Foot and other traditional layouts designed for walkers, not carts. Where does this leave the average player who is out for a day of fresh air and exercize playing the finest game yet invented?. He either boards the gas/electric buggy or he remains in the clubhouse playing gin rummy. What can be done about it? It appears hopeless. Twenty years ago attempts were made to influence the U.S.G.A. into dividing the game into two distinct sports, with separate rules, handicaps etc. Proponents of preserving the walking element were overrun by the go-cart faction whose main incentive was the big money to be realized. Nevertheless this movement remains as the only viable solution that has any chance of preserving golf as an athletic sport. All remaining walkers should join the U.S.G.A. as associate members and get behind all efforts to put walkers on the governing board. A concerted effort might still be successful in creating the two separate sports that exist on America’s courses today.There are still several million of you out there. You had better move to take action before its too late! Tom Sweeney
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -o
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I live in Florida and most golf courses don’t allow walkers during peak playing times in the day. It slows down the game too much but if you want to play early in the morning or later in the afternoon (usually after 3 p.m.) you can walk. A couple of these course have even put in global positioning systems so that you can tell how far your cart is from the whole. It speeds uip play dramatically. When I spend my time in Wisconsin most course let you walk, except at very ritzy courses. to me, the best situation is having a caddy and walking but unfortunately that day has passed. Kevin
Who says walking slows down the game? I tend to disagree. I walk at my CC every weekend and we almost always finish within 4 hours. We frequently are waiting on the guys in carts in front of us. Keep complaining about not being able to walk!!!!!! SF
Response:
I live in Florida and most golf courses don’t allow walkers during peak playing times in the day. It slows down the game too much but if you want to play early in the morning or later in the afternoon (usually after 3 p.m.) you can walk. A couple of these course have even put in global positioning systems so that you can tell how far your cart is from the whole. It speeds uip play dramatically. When I spend my time in Wisconsin most course let you walk, except at very ritzy courses. to me, the best situation is having a caddy and walking but unfortunately that day has passed. Kevin
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Twenty years ago attempts were made to influence the U.S.G.A. into dividing the game into two distinct sports, with separate rules, handicaps etc. I didn’t know that. At first blush it would seem like a sensible maintaining a handicap or even following the rules. When it comes down to it, most of the people out on golf courses these days are there for the beer, chitchat and/or back slapping, and what would be the point in worrying about whether or not they’re in carts? The things that bother me most about cartgolfing are: 1) Mandatory carts 2) No carts off the path 3) Getting paired up with cartgolfers I don’t much like those oversize sidewalks running through the grass either, but if I could just have 1, 2, and 3 my way I would try to get along. -joseph
I think all cart paths should be place in the middle of the fairway. Anyone who is accurate enough to hit the ball dead straight will be rewarded with an extra 50?, 100?, 150? yards on their tee shot. — ** Chris McNaught Centennial Golf Course ** ** Nampa, Idaho 83651 ** ** ** ** http://www.netnow.micron.net/~mcnaught ** ** ** ** GOLF PUTS A MAN’S CHARACTER ON THE ANVIL AND HIS ** ** RICHEST QUALITIES PATIENCE, POISE, RESTRAINT ** ** TO THE FLAME. **
Response:
Obviously I haven’t been around enough. I thought it was a shame that one of the better local courses (here in AZ) has a carts-only policy until mid afternoon. Well, here is a list of some NC tracks courtesy of the Golf Digest site (www.golf.com/golfdigest/). Look at all this "mandatory cart" cr*p. I was born and grew up in Western North Carolina and have never had much of a problem hiking up hills, although I remember as a kid how much visiting city slickers huffed and puffed trying to follow me … This is some of the most beautiful country on the planet, a place where it rarely breaks 80 in the summer, which is completely clogged up by gawkers during the fall peak color and by inept drivers during ski season … it’s just the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen in the summer, and you’re supposed to take it in from a go-kart??? What’s going on here? "Too hilly?" Not. "Too slow?" Not. <sigh I’m beginning to understand why everyone seemed to hate the "developers." -joseph — North Carolina mountains at a glance (All phones area code 704, unless otherwise stated) Weather Asheville average spring temperature is 63 degrees; summer, 71; fall, 47; winter, 41. It is colder in the higher elevations. Airport Asheville Regional Airport serves area. Golf ** Black Mountain G. Cse., Black Mountain (14 mi. E of Asheville): Green fees $27 weekdays, $32 weekends/holidays. Mandatory cart included. Walking allowed after 12:30 p.m. Phone 669-2710. Boone G.C. (unrated), Boone (75 mi. NE of Asheville): Fees $35 to $45 with cart (mandatory to 2 p.m. daily). Phone (fax) 264-8760. *1/2 Buncombe County G. Cse., Asheville: Fees $10 to $15, cart $10 per person. Walking allowed. Phone 298-1867. Colony Lake Lure G. Resort at Fairfield Mountains, Lake Lure (35 mi. SE of Asheville): *** Apple Valley G. Cse., resort guest $21 to $34, nonguest $25 to $39. Mandatory cart included. **1/2 Bald Mountain G. Cse., fees same as above including cart (mandatory to 2 p.m., April to October). Phone 625-2888, 625-2626 or 800-260-1040. Crooked Creek G.C. (unrated), Hendersonville (25 mi. S of Asheville): Fee $25 with cart, mandatory to 12:30 p.m. weekdays, 4 p.m. weekends/holidays, April through October. Phone 692-2011. Cummings Cove G. & C.C. (unrated), Hendersonville (25 mi. S of Asheville): Fee $15, cart $10 (mandatory to 2 p.m. on weekends/holidays). Phone 891-9412. ***1/2 Etowah Valley C.C. and G. Lodge (27 holes), Etowah (20 mi. NW of Hendersonville): Fee $29, cart $15 (mandatory weekdays to 12:30 p.m. and weekends to 4:30 p.m.). Phone 891-7141, 800-451-8174. **1/2 French Broad G. Center, Fletcher (15 mi. SE of Asheville): Fees $25 to $35 with cart (mandatory to 1 p.m. in season). Phone 687-8545. *** Glen Cannon C.C., Brevard (20 mi. S of Asheville): Fees $40 to $50 with mandatory cart. Phone 883-8175. **1/2 The Grove Park Inn Resort, Asheville: Fees $40 to $66 with mandatory cart. Walking after 4 p.m. (pullcarts not permitted). Phone 252-2711. ** High Hampton Inn & C.C., Cashiers (50 mi. SW of Asheville): Resort guest $26, nonguest $28. Full cart $22. Walking allowed. (Hotel closed Dec. 1 to April 1.) Phone 743-2450, 800-334-2551. ***1/2 Hound Ears C. and Lodge, Blowing Rock (90 mi. NE of Asheville): Fee $38, full cart $14 mandatory before 4 p.m.Phone 963-5831. Lake Junaluska G. Cse. (unrated), Waynesville (25 mi. W. of Asheville): Fees $8 to $12, full cart $24. Phone 456-5777. Lake Toxaway C.C. (unrated), Lake Toxaway (53 mi. SW of Asheville): Resort guests only, $60. Mandatory cart $25. Phone 966-4020. **** Linville G.C., Linville (60 mi. NE of Asheville): Fee $55 including mandatory cart. Phone 733-4363. *** Maggie Valley Resort & C.C., Maggie Valley (25 mi. W of Asheville): Resort guest $15 to $24, nonguest $15 to $34. Full cart $26 to $30 (mandatory to 2:30 p.m., March to November). Phone 926-6013. Mountain Glen G.C. (unrated), Newland: Fees $21, April-May, October; $31, June to September. Cart $9 per person. Phone 733-5804. ***1/2 Mount Mitchell G.C., Burnsville (55 mi. NE of Asheville): Resort guest $36 to $49, nonguest $40 to $49. Cart included (mandatory weekdays to 1 p.m., Fri./weekends to 3 p.m.). Phone 675-5454. ***1/2 Reems Creek G.C., Weaverville (10 mi. N of Asheville): Fees $39 to $44 with mandatory cart. Phone 645-4393. *** Sapphire Mountain G.C., Sapphire (45 mi. S of Asheville): Resort guest $28 to $38, nonguest $37 to $50. Mandatory cart included. Phone 743-1174. *** Springdale C.C. & Resort, Canton (25 mi. SW of Asheville): Fees $25 to $35 with mandatory cart. Walking allowed after 4 p.m. Unlimited golf available in resort package. Phone 235-8451, 800-553-3027. **1/2 Waynesville C.C. Inn, Waynesville (30 mi. W of Asheville): Resort guest $13 to $23, nonguest $13 to $28. Cart $28 (mandatory to 1:30 p.m., Mon. and Tues., 3 p.m. Wed. through Sun.). Phone 452-4617, 800-627-6250.
Response:
Twenty years ago attempts were made to influence the U.S.G.A. into dividing the game into two distinct sports, with separate rules, handicaps etc.
I didn’t know that. At first blush it would seem like a sensible maintaining a handicap or even following the rules. When it comes down to it, most of the people out on golf courses these days are there for the beer, chitchat and/or back slapping, and what would be the point in worrying about whether or not they’re in carts? The things that bother me most about cartgolfing are: 1) Mandatory carts 2) No carts off the path 3) Getting paired up with cartgolfers I don’t much like those oversize sidewalks running through the grass either, but if I could just have 1, 2, and 3 my way I would try to get along. -joseph
Response:
To all walking golfers: Two games are being played today on American golf courses, one by walkers who play the game as it should be played; the other by riders in mechanized carts who delude themselves into believing that they also are playing this venerable game. The sad fact is that this latter group now far outnumbers the purists of the game who are gradually being eliminated by such devices as mandatory golf policies adopted by an ever increasing number of golf courses. It is estimated that walkers will become extinct in ten years unless some radicle changes are made in the immediate future. The touring pros are well aware of the situation and are taking steps right now to preserve several courses that will enable them to continue with their championship tournaments. Note the number of TPCs that are being built and the interest exhibited in buying such classic courses as Balmoral, Winged Foot and other traditional layouts designed for walkers, not carts. Where does this leave the average player who is out for a day of fresh air and exercize playing the finest game yet invented?. He either boards the gas/electric buggy or he remains in the clubhouse playing gin rummy. What can be done about it? It appears hopeless. Twenty years ago attempts were made to influence the U.S.G.A. into dividing the game into two distinct sports, with separate rules, handicaps etc. Proponents of preserving the walking element were overrun by the go-cart faction whose main incentive was the big money to be realized. Nevertheless this movement remains as the only viable solution that has any chance of preserving golf as an athletic sport. All remaining walkers should join the U.S.G.A. as associate members and get behind all efforts to put walkers on the governing board. A concerted effort might still be successful in creating the two separate sports that exist on America’s courses today.There are still several million of you out there. You had better move to take action before its too late! Tom Sweeney o