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Cart Path Only

understand that it might have been fine for you, but there are others that make the wrong judgement call and dont abide by the rules and end up damaging or leaving their mark. I think this is more likely why CPO vs 90* even in alright conditions. perhaps areas of the course were a bit wet still, you happened to find an ok spot. Either way, not a big concern. one time golf course rules are set by the golf course, by paying you choose to follow them IMHO.

Additionally, i cant say i am 100% compliant in these situations, but honestly if i am caught with my hand in the cookie jar... apology and sincere explanation. move on
 
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I'll agree with everyone else, they said cart path only & it stays that way until they tell you differently.
 
I worked at a course that seemed to be wet 85% of the time even when its been dry for 3-4 days in a row. We were lucky enough to have cart path the whole way around the Course, if we did not then the wet days would of been walking only. That being said I agree with most of the reply's about rules are rules. I saw so many people do this and for us as the staff, we see you do it once and we just assume you have done it more than just that one time. The thing that usually happens is another group will see you do this once and will think to themselves hey I saw another group go off the path I can too. Then will go on to get stuck /make ruts on the wet holes. When I was a cart boy you can tell which carts had been off the path and which followed the rules.
 
When it's cart path only, I prefer to walk or push a cart.

Yes, you must abide by the rules b/c if others see you, they will do the same.:oops:
 
We had a situation the other day where the kid behind the check-in counter said 90 degrees. We get to the first tee and there is a big sign there that says Cart Path Only. So for the first three holes we stick to the cart path and in walking out to our balls over those first three holes we feel that the course is no wetter than a day earlier in the week where it was 90 degrees after a day of CPO. So when we get to the 4th hole with long walks to our ball we figure they had just not taken down the CPO sign by number one before we teed off. We pull the carts off the path but stay in the rough, not even crossing the fairway. Sure enough, the superintendent comes by and gives us heck for going off the path. We told him we were told 90 degrees by the pro shop but that didn't satisfy him so it was back to the cart path for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately, the course I now belong to has no way of notifying you once out on the course if the CPO condition has been lifted. The course I belonged to for the previous three years had GPS systems on their carts where they were able to send messages, like no more CPO, etc.

Usually it is the maintenance staff that decides whether it is CPO or not; it is not typically the call of the pro shop staff. For some there has to be a lot of casual water on the course before dictating CPO. For others it only has to be a few areas. Then others tend to be more lenient or have more faith in their members avoiding the wettest areas. That course I used to belong to, the previous superintendent was always calling for CPO, while his successor was more lenient declaring 90 degrees under similar conditions.
 
Our course is like that as well. In the winter quite often we have cart path only and some of the holes are dry enough to have carts out there, but it is the rule of the course superintendent to make90. He often call the holes he feels are not ready to have 90* and they list it in the club house and each hole that is cart path only has a sign declaring cart path only. This works well and most everyone abides by the rules. The last thing members want is to tear up the course by going out on it when asked not to do so.
 
I am in a bit of a jam. I have a bad ankle that needs surgery and cart path only really makes it difficult to complete a round. We all have seen some horrible results of carts having been driven in wet areas of the course that have done damage. I am not sure what I can do on a 'cart path only' course besides abide by that ruling? Do courses give special leeway for some individuals?
 
tommyhaka said:
I am in a bit of a jam. I have a bad ankle that needs surgery and cart path only really makes it difficult to complete a round. We all have seen some horrible results of carts having been driven in wet areas of the course that have done damage. I am not sure what I can do on a 'cart path only' course besides abide by that ruling? Do courses give special leeway for some individuals?
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Our course does for players over 80 years of age. Yet I am not sure they allow the cart path rule to be ignored even for them. They do allow them to get very close to the green though when it is 9o* play rules.
 
I find some of the smaller courses in SE Mass tend to give a lot of leeway if they know you. Had a buddy with a minor ankle after a bike spill down the Cape (Cape Cod) and they gave him the blue flag for the day. I find CPO really jams things up with pace of play as everyone has alluded to. I am a committed walker but realize there are folks who need to use a cart. Maybe that is a direction some courses can take in the Spring. If you need a cart you probably are going to respect rules and drive to dry spots, use 90 degree, etc. There is one near me which is walking only except for blue flags and seniors.
 
PatsFan said:
I think CPO contributes to slower play. Often times people only bring 1 club and then they are going back to the cart. When this happens 4-10 times a round it will jam things up. considerably.
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For you cart riders, if you do choose the wrong club, and the cart is on the opposite side of the fairway, do you just hit the club in your hand, or do you take the time to go over and get a different one?
 
Scott F said:
For you cart riders, if you do choose the wrong club, and the cart is on the opposite side of the fairway, do you just hit the club in your hand, or do you take the time to go over and get a different one?
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I'll take a couple of clubs with me. (I do normally abide with CPO guidelines, contrary to how I began this thread!)
 
With a little luck some of these guys will get old like us, won't get into the right or wrong. Sometimes common sense and understanding should come into the situation.
 
I’m with the common sense crew. It sounds like cart path only was in an abundance of caution for many holes that were wet. You guys used your brains and it was fine.

I think golf courses and a lot of people on this forum sometimes forget the amount of money that is paid for memberships and courses. Customer service is AND should be a thing. And the lack of it from golf course staff is farrrrrr too common.

The manager could’ve easily evaluated the situation and came to them with a much more level headed approach. “Hey guys just a friendly reminder today is cart part only today, this looks pretty firm, so no big deal but just try to be cautious today.”
 
CPO is so hard on me, as I have right ankle issues. The subtalar joint in my ankle is very arthritic and needs surgery, and walking on a golf course makes it wear out quickly. After 9 holes of CPO my entire foot gets numb, partly from compression neuropathy and arthritis in the ankle joint. I still get out there and endure the pain, but it is tough going.
 
Scott F said:
For you cart riders, if you do choose the wrong club, and the cart is on the opposite side of the fairway, do you just hit the club in your hand, or do you take the time to go over and get a different one?
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If I picked the wrong club and was dumb enough to not bring several clubs with me, I hit what I have in my hand and make the best of it.
 
Scott F said:
For you cart riders, if you do choose the wrong club, and the cart is on the opposite side of the fairway, do you just hit the club in your hand, or do you take the time to go over and get a different one?
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I choose the club I *think* I need, then take the one above and below it as well.
 
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