GolfHos

I played on Sunday and I walked the course despite the fact that the cart fee is included. I much prefer walking to riding whenever possible. The course was water logged after several days of heavy rain, and carts were restricted to cart path only. Over the course of the round I stood and watched the golfers walk back and forth, from cart to ball, and often back again to get their clubs before returning to their ball. It was painful to witness, and it seemed obvious to me that at the end of the day they probably walked nearly as far as I did, and surely were more frustrated by the less than linear path they took across the course. Yet despite the obvious advantage one could have by simply picking up their bag and walking the course, I saw one other walker the entire day, and this was a treeless "links" course where it was possible to see most of the course from many vantage points. Further, the course is extremely walkable with the tees being very closely tied to the greens.

So I said to myself, "What up with that?" Is it the "Cart Fee Included" that makes people unable to untether themselves from the cart; a "paid for it, might as well use it" mentality? Or do people really like to ride in golf carts? My ten year old likes to ride in the cart too, but she also like Hannah Montana and Fruit Roll Ups, so she clearly has no taste in much of anything.

What say you, golfhos?

Around here pretty much everything goes with a green fee and a cart add-on so I'm not influenced at all by a "paid for it, might as well use it" mentality. 

I'd much rather walk and do so most of the time.  I'll ride on hilly/mountain courses (we have some doozies).  I'll also ride when it's brutally hot.  I've walked about five 18s in a row and I always walk my 9s no matter where they are.  I think the last time I had a cart was with spacey and campy.  That course is borderline too much elevation.  Even so, I'd consider walking it but there are a couple of spots where you could get a hole behind just walking from green to tee.  Walking in the cold/rain doesn't bother me at all.  In fact, it keeps me warm and I definitely prefer it.

I walked Pebble Beach and carried my own bag.  I swear I was the only walker I saw all day who didn't have a caddy.  Rich old guy syndrome mostly I should think.

edit:  We have a few carts required courses so obviously I ride on those.

Ditto the water of life.

This year is the first the year I have ever carted it more than I walked, I put on quite a bit of weight the last couple of years, and got way out of shape.  

My home course is not the easiest walk, and the few times I did walk, it kicked my ass.   That said, I hate playing out of cart, I find it to be a totally different experience, and in no way as enjoyable and relaxing as walking.  

I've walked, and will walk again, but only if I have too.  It's a bitch trying to hand carry beer for 18 holes.

I cart it.

Option 2

I enjoy walking and most of my rounds are that way. I hurt my shoulder two years ago and bought a push cart. I still use it regularly.

I would say 10% of my rounds are riding. Usually "carts included" courses. Once in a while I'll get a cart if it's going to be a social round with a few more beers than usual.  8)

Push Carts and walking rules!

Depending on the conditions, I do either. Our league rides, so I do too. If it is terribly hot, I ride. If I'm on a new course, by myself, I might ride, jsut in case there is a lot of elevation change or long distances between tees. Other than that, I walk with a pushcart.

I've never ridden a cart.  Carts are unaffordable amenities.  Besides, I like to walk; I enjoy the walk. 

Well I have a Casey Martin ribbon on mine.

I probably walk about half the time.  Mostly when I play by myself.  If the other members in my group are riding, I'll ride.  It's too hard to keep up if I'm the only walker (I walk 18 in about 3-1/2 hours).  If it's too hot I'll also ride.

I use to ride all the time. I have walked as much as I have rode this year. When it's 98*+ I will tend to ride a cart, but then if it is 98*+ I will tend not to play anyway. I feel though I am getting to the point that I want a push cart. I enjoy the walk too.

I've used a pushcart this year.  I feel much better after a round compared to carrying.  I'm also not concerned with getting my bag as light as possible.  When I carried, I'd take almost all of the junk out of my bag and a club or two.

I walk as much as possible.  Most of the courses I play are muni's so I can just get a green fee.  And I'll always walk if it is cart path only for carts cause what's the point of riding then.  I ride during the company scrambles or if all my friends are getting a cart.  Then I'll have some beers and such. 

The group of more serious golfers I play mostly walks unless temps in the upper 90's and greater.

I much prefer everyone being able to walk to their ball and hit when it is their turn.  I hate watching the cart waltz with both carts going back and forth to each ball one after another.

option 2.   walking is much better experience, especially around here in the fall.  ride when course requires it  or the course design makes it impractical to walk (grandview, for example)

then again, i'm weird. i like to carry my bag rather than push/pull cart.
 8)

I hate the pull/push cart. I used to use one before someone was smart enough to invent the double shoulder straps, but now I always carry. It's much easier to get to some of the god forsaken places I hit my shots when carrying instead of pulling the bag.

Werd pushcarts are for guys that use iron covers. [sm_devil]

I use iron covers because I walk and carry! All that racket drives me nuts. I like to walk in silence. Plus, it lets me keep moving when others are hitting since my clubs aren't clanking together and causing a distraction.

I don't mind the clanking but I do pause and wait for others near me to hit so I don't just clank by.

Do you clean the club before covering it?

I've calculate that based on the rounds I've played this year, I've walked 900 miles.  I've also calculated after said rounds I've consumed 22 gallons of beer.  Therefore, I get 41 miles/gallon.  Not too shabby..............

Nice.   ;D

The rythmic clanking of my clubs is very soothing to me, in fact, it is the one thing that is keeping my fat ass from getting a push/pull cart.

I bought a push cart last season. Won't likely ever schlep a bag again. That's just how I roll.

I don't know. Sometimes? Usually not though. I usually put the cover in my pocket and put it back on the club after picking up my bag and beginning to walk. What's the point of the question?  :)

LOL  No point really.  I'm terrible at keeping my clubs clean.  Just wondered if pepople that put covers on their irons were more apt/militant about it.

Ok, yes and no. I'm semi-militant about keeping them clean off the course. Since I play at regular intervals (once a week, usually) part of my routine is to come home from golf, put on some sports, have a beer, clean my clubs. On the course I don't care, but since they're usually clean at the start of the round they usually don't get very dirty. If there is dirt in the grooves I'll get it out, otherwise I don't give it a thought.

I try to walk whenever possible.  I've had cashiers in the pro shop and playing partners look at me like I'm from Mars when I say I'm still going to walk even though the cart was included in the green fee.

Some course layouts piss me off, though.  If I'm the only one walking and the other three are in a cart, I hate when I have to sprint between holes that have huge distances between them just to catch up.

Also, places with multiple courses or three sets of nines can be a pain.  Sometimes it's a serious hike at the turn or to the range.

Bad course routings are a walker's nightmare, although if I'm paired up with riders I'm never shy about hitching a ride when there is a long stretch between holes. It's amazing how little your feet hurt when walking 275 yards to a nice drive while that same distance to a tee box is murder.

(http://www.bikernewsonline.com/uploaded_images/sports-caddy-784230.jpg)
 [sm_shock]

LMAO, my brother and I had a pretty lengthy discussion the other day about how to get clubs to the course on a bike. That one looks like you'd need a Gold Wing, though.

50/50

I prefer to walk.

I used to be a militant walker, but over the last couple of years I've done more cart riding than I normally would've to bribe Blader Jr into the game.  Basically, it's much more fun for a kid to ride, and if the choice was walk and play, or do something at home by himself, he'd choose the later.

It was a compromise I was willing to make.

But he absolutely LOVES being at the club now, and almost can't get enough golf, even if he has to walk to play.

Now that Blader jr is basically addicted, I'll morph back into a militant walker.

There is no question that kids like the cart. When I play with my daughter, if we play nine we'll walk, if we play eighteen we ride. Of course, she has a caddy, so when she walks she only has to carry herself.

I walk whenever possible, for me.  If the rest of the group is riding, or my playing partner wants to ride - then I will do so.  But I prefer to walk.

It was actually one of the deciding factors in my choice of clubs early this year.