Cart golf

[WMitch6]

I have come to the realization that one of the main causes of slow play is the golf cart. Once again ignorance is the culprit. People don't know how to play out of a cart! Who's to blame? The golf course for the most part. Courses should issue guidelines for cart users.

We've all seen the following - too often

Circle the wagons! Both carts go to the first ball. Everybody waits for the player to hit. Both carts go to the second ball. Everybody waits for the next player to hit - and so on .....

My arse is stuck to the seat! Player A sits in the cart until player B hits his ball. Even though player A's ball is close by. He gets out of the cart and selects a club only after player B has hit.

Wrong friggen' club! Player A walks all the way across the fairway from his cart ony to discover that he grabbed his 6 iron instead of his 5 iron. It doesn't matter that he hits both clubs the same distance - 30 yards. He knows it's a 5 iron shot so he walks all the way back to the cart to get just the right club. He then hits it 30 yards.

The cart shield! Cart is parked in front of the green. Presumably for protection from the po'd foursome behind them. Players leaving the green take the time to place their putter in exactly the right space in the bag, tally up the score and perhaps even discuss how they played the hole.

My parking spot! Easily confused with the cart shield. Player hits 20 yards right of green. Leaves cart path and drives to his ball. Chips on to green, grabs putter and putts out. Then has to walk back to the cart and drive around the front of the green because the cart path to the next hole is on the other side.

I'm sure there are lots more.

[Andy_79]

The waiting for the noise of them to stop/start is what gets me, too. You've settled over the ball and are waiting for the engine of it to start. Not at all good.,...

[warbirdlover]

The FASTEST play can also be attributed to cart golf. Get to the ball faster. Drop one guy off with his clubs and go to your ball. Around the green take all the clubs you need when leaving the cart.

When cart golf is slow is when:

"carts on cart path only" (why use a cart?)

And the other stuff you mentioned.

And not running the cart while others are hitting is common sense itiquette.

[WMitch6]

WBL - You're right about carts being faster when used correctly. I very seldom ride, but I've played in a foursome where we all had individual carts. We played at Warp 9 speed. My complaint is that a lot of cart players don't know how to play using a cart.

I forgot one of my other cart complaints. I call it ...

Drop back and punt! Player hits his tee shot into the heavy rough. They drive off and start looking 200 yds from the tee. After 4-5 minutes they start slowly driving back towards the tee and find the ball only 100 yds out. Player gets out and hits the ball still 20 yds short of where they were first looking.

[ejdahl21]

A cart is only a tool. It can help or it can hinder, depending on the users.
Ignorance and apathy are the real problems. If your house is poorly built, who do you blame ? The carpenter or the hammer ?

[Pa Jayhawk]

Yeah another vote that a golf cart is a tool, and if it is the cause of slow play you need to blame the tool in charge of the cart and not the cart. I have played a round on a very short course by myself not catching anyone in around 45 minutes, played with my wife as a twosome a number of times in well under 1:30. The fastest I have walked the course as a single is upwards of 1:30.

Just a matter of knowing how to save time. I will still walk quite a bit out of the cart. It is when people try and do this and leave the other in charge with no thought of the quickest way to get 2 people to the green with their clubs. Also a matter of not just planning for that hole, but the next. Like taking the club you will tee off with on the next hole to the green with you if it will save you from walking twice as much to save having to carry an extra club. Or if you are 30 yards out and the cart area is fifty, grab your crap and get moving, don't expect me to wait for you to hit and come back. In the same sense I will be grabbing my crap and telling you I will meet you on the green if the situation is reversed. To many people also think it might distract if they pull to the other side of the fairway 20 yards forward. If I can see something 20 yards forward and 50 yards wide, I am not looking at the right target. I will grab a couple clubs in case the wind may change prior to the green clearing, and tell you I will meet at your ball.

Personally, while I would likely have to wait for a high majority of the people in front of me if I walk and they are in a cart, I can assure you I will definitely be waiting for the person that is walking while I am in a cart.

So again, whether you walk or ride you can keep pace if you use common sense, you put the same idiot that you mention being slow out of a cart on the course without a cart and it would make for a long and miserable day IMO.

[Wi-Golfer]

I have played my fastest rds when I use a cart....if the course ahead of me is empty. I can play 9 holes in just a touch over an hr, but for some reason 18 holes takes me 2.5 hrs??

On my home course I prefer to walk but there are instances where I prefer to take a cart such as....

If they are included with the green fees or sometimes are required....which today I played in the Dells & carts were required.

If I have worked all day & am not to tired to golf but am too tired to drag my bag around up & down the hills.

Sometimes you get a screaming deal on a cart where it's like $5 & there is no way I will pass that up

That all being said, I don't think having a cart speeds up play at all on your average public course due to what's been mentioned already. It took me 2 hrs & 15 minutes to play 9 holes earlier & it wasn't because of carts. It was due to 2 old guys playing 2 groups in front of me...& by old I mean they were probably at least 75. Neither one could hit a ball further than 80 yds & when they did contact the ball ended up in the woods where they would spend 5 minutes looking for it. Of course the couple directly behind them & in front of me didn't help the situation either since the old guys would be 200 yds in front & this couple wouldn't hit their balls because they "might hit them"...hell neither one of them had a shot over 150 yds all day either.

The couple behind me said it was like that yesterday too & it took them 7 hrs to play 18 holes.......screw that, I would have left. And whats funny is they have signs posted right on the carts about keeping pace & they even have Rangers....one of which sat & watched the 2 old duffers spend 10 damn minutes in the woods looking for 1 ball & of course he didnt say a word. I wont be going back there on a weekend ever. I don't mind taking my time but it gets frustrating when you get into a little groove & are hitting the ball halfway decently only to get iced down by the jokers 2 groups in front.

[JEFF4i]

Well, I really don't get the 90* rule. One of the most popular courses around here took it out of effect, and I noticed no difference in the course conditions.

[cypressperch]

almost have to ride a cart. Of course, they want you to ride so that you have to pay. Few people can walk as fast as a cart can move. On such courses, those walking will slow things down.

If, however, there is a day when they say "Cart Path Only", then a walker might very well keep up with or play faster than someone in a cart. These are the days that I usually choose to walk. My lighter bag will come into play on such days.

Some courses do not have to ever have the 90* rule. Bent grass is very tough stuff. If the course is bent all over, no problem. I was surprised to learn on some courses that the 90* rule was actually there to minimize cart traffic in the rough which was not bent. Seemed to me that a sign posted such as "Keep carts out of rough" would have done better. If you have Bermuda on your course, there are times that the 90* rule becomes sort of a compromise between Cart Path Only and Go Anywhere In Carts. Excessive draught or excessive rain creates situations that require limited travel on the course in carts.

CP

[Bignose]

Many courses are designed do that you almost have to ride a cart.

That is so true, especially some of these courses built around housing developments. The teebox is too often very far away from the previous green. This where the walkers have no chance -- nothing the walkers can do from green to teebox to compare with riding a cart. But, this is modern course development, not sure what can be done except to take your business to the more walker-friendly courses.

[mont86]

Originally Posted by WMitch6

I have come to the realization that one of the main causes of slow play is the golf cart. Once again ignorance is the culprit. People don't know how to play out of a cart! Who's to blame? The golf course for the most part. Courses should issue guidelines for cart users.

We've all seen the following - too often

Circle the wagons! Both carts go to the first ball. Everybody waits for the player to hit. Both carts go to the second ball. Everybody waits for the next player to hit - and so on .....

My arse is stuck to the seat! Player A sits in the cart until player B hits his ball. Even though player A's ball is close by. He gets out of the cart and selects a club only after player B has hit.

Wrong friggen' club! Player A walks all the way across the fairway from his cart ony to discover that he grabbed his 6 iron instead of his 5 iron. It doesn't matter that he hits both clubs the same distance - 30 yards. He knows it's a 5 iron shot so he walks all the way back to the cart to get just the right club. He then hits it 30 yards.

The cart shield! Cart is parked in front of the green. Presumably for protection from the po'd foursome behind them. Players leaving the green take the time to place their putter in exactly the right space in the bag, tally up the score and perhaps even discuss how they played the hole.

My parking spot! Easily confused with the cart shield. Player hits 20 yards right of green. Leaves cart path and drives to his ball. Chips on to green, grabs putter and putts out. Then has to walk back to the cart and drive around the front of the green because the cart path to the next hole is on the other side.

I'm sure there are lots more.

This should be a sticky, mandatory reading... I agree totally!!
I hate using a cart because I keep losing my ball.