Mandatory Carts - What are your Thoughts?

SkiBumGolfer

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As a person who prefers to walk the course at all opportunities, it drives me a little crazy when carts are mandatory. It doesn't worry me when the layout of the course makes for very long distances between holes, but when the course isn't like this, I want the option to walk (both to save the money and to get the extra exercise). Ultimately it won't stop me from playing the track or anything like that, but I will typically say something polite about it to the staff.

What do the other walkers here think? Does it bug you when you're not allowed to walk, or do you just go with the flow?

(And I will add that I am NOT trying to put down anyone who likes riding or restart the "golf was meant to be played walking" rigamarole, just looking for a genuine discussion.)
 
I like to walk and there are obviously some courses where it isn't practical. Some courses are difficult to walk due their terrain. If the course is doing this for financial reasons then I understand. They need to make a certain amount of income to stay in business or be profitable. I have the choice to play anywhere I want so, although I prefer to walk, it really doesn't bother me!!
 
There's one course in my area that basically requires carts. I was put off the first time I played the course...until I reached maybe the 3rd hole where a some of the longest transition from greens to tee boxes I've ever seen started. So in this particular case I ended up agreeing with their decision.
 
I go with the flow. There are soe courses here that would be fun to walk and play but the layout isn't walker friendly. Plus in the summer time I rarely walk.
 
As a person who prefers to walk the course at all opportunities, it drives me a little crazy when carts are mandatory. It doesn't worry me when the layout of the course makes for very long distances between holes, but when the course isn't like this, I want the option to walk (both to save the money and to get the extra exercise). Ultimately it won't stop me from playing the track or anything like that, but I will typically say something polite about it to the staff.

What do the other walkers here think? Does it bug you when you're not allowed to walk, or do you just go with the flow?

(And I will add that I am NOT trying to put down anyone who likes riding or restart the "golf was meant to be played walking" rigamarole, just looking for a genuine discussion.)

At my home course we can't walk on weekends before 2pm. I wouldn't have an issue with it, except their platform is pace of play which is a lie. It's a revenue thing.

I don't like it, but I deal with it okay. If I really want to walk I'll just wait and play in the afternoon.
 
I hate when they force you to pay the extra 20 bucks to take a cart. I will say at a few courses I get it and don't have a problem with it and I played another course (crowsnest pass) where they need to make it mandatory. I felt like a freakin mountain goat truckin around that course.
 
I hate when they force you to pay the extra 20 bucks to take a cart. I will say at a few courses I get it and don't have a problem with it and I played another course (crowsnest pass) where they need to make it mandatory. I felt like a freakin mountain goat truckin around that course.

Yeah, there was one I played in Utah once that I walked and felt the same way. Sometimes the layout and distances just dictate it...though I will say that I feel like this raises another question concerning course design in itself, but that's another discussion for another thread.
 
I will walk or ride. Depending on the group consensus. If it's mandatory then I ride. It's the courses rules. I follow course rules.
 
Local course doesn't require carts, but is the same price whether you walk or ride. Hard to justify walking when it is no cheaper.
 
I like to walk and prefer to walk, but I understand from the course perspective requiring them on weekends only. If they make it mandatory during the week, I'll probably play somewhere else.

But don't make them mandatory if it's CPO... that is just total BS.
 
At my home course we can't walk on weekends before 2pm. I wouldn't have an issue with it, except their platform is pace of play which is a lie. It's a revenue thing.

I don't like it, but I deal with it okay. If I really want to walk I'll just wait and play in the afternoon.

The bolded part is something I agree with 100%. It's all about revenue for most courses where carts are mandatory.
 
I would say I go with the flow. Most of the courses were either don't make you use a cart or if they do it seems to be for good reason.
 
ride or die! haha jk. I much prefer carts and rode exclusively last year, so I obviously have no issue with cart only courses. Walked for the first time in a good long time last night and enjoyed it though,and will probably start walking more this year as long as my back cooperates, at least for quick 9's after work. Most of the courses I have been to that are cart only is for a reason, mostly due to long distances in between holes.
 
If the course is mandatory carts in most cases I have found that its because the holes are so far apart walking would slow the pace to a crawl. I don't mind it as I usually ride anyways.
 
I get it. In college when we had to walk, it just was part of the game. 15 years ago, when I tried to walk on at Kansas State, we were playing Colbert Hills from the tips at just over 7200 yards. The distance isn't a big deal, but the fact that there are a NUMBER of holes that are between 50 and 100 yards to the next tee...THAT is. I was 21, carrying my bag and walking that course was DOUBLE tough. That's why they pretty much require carts there. It's not impossible, but there comes a point, you know? I wouldn't want to do that right now, and I'm only 36 and in decent shape.
 
The only course that forces me to ride around CT is TPC River Highlands, which is a nice course and I don't mind being forced to ride. Other than I've never been forced to ride around here.
 
The only places I've ever played that require them are either in very hot climates or in large subdivisions with long distances between holes. I don't mind in those cases, luckily haven't been forced anywhere else.

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My thing is that I personally am not a fan of it being mandatory (and paying for it). If its a green fee that is all inclusive, no biggie. I like to walk for the same reasons as many of the responses stated (exercise, $ savings, etc.). If it bothers me tho, I can choose where i play and where I give my money to, so its not going to ruin a round for me or anything silly.

I agree tho, it's about revenue generation mainly.

I walk a course that is in a subdivision (so its not walker friendly, but I will cart it in the middle of the GA heat).
 
I don't have a problem when they tell me it is cart only. I understand that they want to make money and that some places are doing it for pace of play. In college golf we had to walk everything from the tips and on courses with big terrain changes it was a hike. Today college golf has come around and transports players between holes and they walk the hole. Well at least on courses like RNK in VA that are so long between holes.
 
Does it bug you when you're not allowed to walk, or do you just go with the flow?
It does bug me, but I also realize the club/course needs to turn a profit so I go along with it. I know a club around here where members can walk, but anyone else has to ride. I hate that rule, but now being a member of a club, I see that it's fair enough.
 
The bolded part is something I agree with 100%. It's all about revenue for most courses where carts are mandatory.

I wouldn't have a problem with it either, if they'd just own up to it. I hate deception and would respect a 100% honest "we do it to make money" statement instead of hiding behind "walkers are slow"
 
The bolded part is something I agree with 100%. It's all about revenue for most courses where carts are mandatory.

Geography based.
There are tons of courses where walking is not feasible.
While there are quite a few examples where it is about the revenue, I believe it is very much geography based after working with hundreds of courses over the last few years.
 
I can be opinionated jerk about walking as part of golf, but whenever I ride in a cart I actually enjoy it. I've never played at a course with mandatory carts, but if/when I do, meh. I'm still playing golf.
 
The only time I'm bothered by "mandatory weekend carts" is when there is a cart path only rule. Just let me walk.
 
The few courses where a cart is a requirement that I've played have made sense in hindsight due to lengths between holes, etc. So I have no issue with it and trust that the course has it's reasons (hopefully besides solely for financial gain).
 
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