What do you guys think about golf carts being allowed right off the greens?

Barberakb

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What do you guys think about golf carts being allowed right off the greens?

They allow it at my course for people that supposedly have a handicap of some sort.

But honestly, of all the people I see using it about 80% of them seem to get around the golf course just fine.
And sometimes it tears up the course, depending on how they drive.

I'm not really sure how you would limit this or how someone proves that they NEED this service.

But for some reason it usually irritates me.

With that said, I definitely wouldn't want to limit this for golfers that do need it.

Thoughts?
 
No reason they need to be any closer than 10 feet of the green. I really think if they are able to get out and swing the club, then they should be able enough to walk 10 feet to the green and to there ball. Just my opinion.
 
Might be hard for a low or lower budgeted course to do, but I have played courses where the carts have GPS and if you get to close to the green it will kill the cart and default to reverse only until you get out of the "zone". After 3 times the ranger will come out and give you a warning. One more time after that you are excused from the course.
 
I hate it and it pisses me off when I see capable people pulling their carts close to the green. I have no problem with older players doing so, but when I see lazy arses do it, I get peeved.

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I've always seen the rule as 30 feet within tees and greens when off the cart path. I've seen people park it on the fringe, which is pushing the envelope. I also think if you have a handicap flag you should be able to produce proof that you need it. If you have a handicap placard for your car, then you can get a handicap flag for golf. And if there are two in a group, they should ride together. I've seen people I KNOW don't need to have a flag, drive wherever they want because the person they are with is the reason for the flag.
 
Where I am at I guess they don't enforce it. People literally drive right up to the green.

I have used the GPS carts that's slow down and stop as u get closer. They can be annoying but also very good if they work right
 
Some guys at our course do it and they're the 1st ones to complain about the greens, tee boxes, fringe ect... I wish we could stop it but it usually only works for a few holes.
 
I don't have any problem with sticking to the current limitations. I could see how if they relax those standards, it could be easier for some to abuse.
 
If the course allows it, drive you carts in the green for all I care. If it causes problems for me I'll just play somewhere else.

A certain percentage of people are going to do whatever they can get away with, regardless of the impact on others. This is on the course for not doing anything about it.
 
Happens all the time at my course. Some of it is due to course layout and not really having anywhere to park or drive a cart.

I dont think anyone likes it, but it happens all the time.

~Rock
 
I think it's course dependent. On wet, soggy courses then yes, keeep the cart away from the green but in a hot dry summer I don't think it hurts to get close to the green (not right on top of the fringe or anything) but dropping your partner off and driving to the back of the green shouldn't be an issue.
 
I have watched people push their hand cart over the green itself. That irks me even more than the carts driving close to it.
 
I have watched people push their hand cart over the green itself. That irks me even more than the carts driving close to it.

I've never used a push cart, but I feel like this would do less damage than even walking on the green. Could be very wrong but it seems like as long as they push straight across the green it should be no damage or bumps.
 
No reason they need to be any closer than 10 feet of the green. I really think if they are able to get out and swing the club, then they should be able enough to walk 10 feet to the green and to there ball. Just my opinion.

DITTO!!!
 
carts shouldn't be near the greens. They flatten the rough at best, and leave ruts at worst. People want golf to be cheaper, If walking from the adjacent cart path to the putting surface is too much to bear, maybe checkers is a better sporting option....

Almost every course I play has ropes across the fairway prior to the green and cart path curbs near there to further discourage driving near the bunkers and putting surface.
 
Happens at our course also. Some people need it but it gets abused and it is just plain a bad idea in general if you aren't going to police it!
 
What do you guys think about golf carts being allowed right off the greens?

My understanding was carts aren't even allowed in the approach to the green let alone right next to it.
 
I've been on a few courses that allow it right up to the green complex with the assumption that you know what you're doing and common sense applies about where to and not to park your cart.
 
I was playing Pelican Hill years ago (can't recall which of the courses) and one guy in the group in front of us drove right onto a green, parked, got out and putted. We called the shop and the ranger came out with the GM to kick them off the course, apparently it happened 3x already. No one spoke a lick of english in the group.
 
I've never used a push cart, but I feel like this would do less damage than even walking on the green. Could be very wrong but it seems like as long as they push straight across the green it should be no damage or bumps.



I tell you the thing not part of this conversation but the physics may apply...this is something my regular playing partners do approx. 15 times a round despite being guys who are overall conscientious about repairing their own ballmarks plus 2 and it drives me nuts....the drop the flagstick. WHAM a nice couple of sparkling new divots in the green from the metal digging out chunks and the part that holds the smaller flag that tells you back, front or center. I try to be the one to get the flag and I step off the green, catch it with my putter head and gently lower it to the ground in the rough. I play with a lot of guys who will drop clubs on the green as well and I have seen the greens chewed up a bit by that.


I think the cart thing...the pressure is distributed on a much narrower area which puts a deeper impression is why I suspect it is worse. A physics major will probably change my idea but that is my assupmption/understanding and, this is purely anecdotal, I have seen more tire marks from carts than footprints deforming the green your results may vary
 
I tell you the thing not part of this conversation but the physics may apply...this is something my regular playing partners do approx. 15 times a round despite being guys who are overall conscientious about repairing their own ballmarks plus 2 and it drives me nuts....the drop the flagstick. WHAM a nice couple of sparkling new divots in the green from the metal digging out chunks and the part that holds the smaller flag that tells you back, front or center. I try to be the one to get the flag and I step off the green, catch it with my putter head and gently lower it to the ground in the rough. I play with a lot of guys who will drop clubs on the green as well and I have seen the greens chewed up a bit by that.


I think the cart thing...the pressure is distributed on a much narrower area which puts a deeper impression is why I suspect it is worse. A physics major will probably change my idea but that is my assupmption/understanding and, this is purely anecdotal, I have seen more tire marks from carts than footprints deforming the green your results may vary

To this day I still try to always pull the pin and drop it flag end off the green. The base goes on the fringe. When I lay it on the green, I do so gently. However, I have played with a lot of greenskeepers who drop it like you say above so maybe it's not as big a deal as some of us think.
 
I hate it and it pisses me off when I see capable people pulling their carts close to the green. I have no problem with older players doing so, but when I see lazy arses do it, I get peeved.

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I agree 1000%!
 
No reason they need to be any closer than 10 feet of the green. I really think if they are able to get out and swing the club, then they should be able enough to walk 10 feet to the green and to there ball. Just my opinion.

Agree with this 100%.
 
Unless a person is handicapped, I see no reason for being within 10 feet or so of the green. We have special circumstances at ALVGC, with wounded warriors. SOme have special carts which they can drive right on to the green; other have handicap flags on their carts which allows them at the edge of the green.
 
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