http://garrygolden.com/wp-includes/php-compat My home course isn’t open yet, but spring is finally truly here, and last weekend 16 of us played at Richter Park, one of the best munis in the United States: great course, stirring scenery, terrific pro, committed regulars, you name it. There’s just one problem: Richter doesn’t allow walking on weekend mornings, even if you pay the cart fee. The thinking, presumably, is that carts are good for pace of play. But, as anyone who walks regularly knows, four golfers on foot will almost always play faster than four golfers in two carts, because four golfers in two carts will almost always spend most of their time either doing nothing (because they’re waiting for someone else to do something) or aimlessly driving around. (The U.S.G.A., which is studying pace of play, should test this. And why not? They spend money on stuff that’s way dumber.)
Burgers, beer, and the Masters afterward, of course.
I played a course in Nashville a few years ago, Gaylord Springs, that allowed walking (with no reduction in the “cart-included” greens fee) but would not allow me to use my ClicGear pushcart. No rationale was given.
We’ve played courses like that. I think they have a (totally irrational) belief that pushcarts are bad for golf courses. On the great Sand Belt courses near Melbourne, Australia (Kingston Heath, Victoria, Royal Melbourne, etc.) golfers are not only allowed but asked to roll their pushcarts over the greens. And why not? They weigh way less than mowers do, and they spread weight better than golfers’ feet.