Courses with mandatory carts

[golferboy]

I dont know about other forum members but i am not a fan of riding a golf cart when i play. I just seem to enjoy the round and play much better when I am walking. No here goes my rant.......one of my favourite courses is tangle creek just south of Barrie. I think it is one of the best newer courses in ontario. Well last year the green fee was $65 for a prime time round. To me that was reasonable, considering the course is challenging, scenic, in great shape, is well marshalled, and has great practice facilities. Well now I discover that the green fee is $96.00 including mandatory cart and taxes! That is outrageous.....I mean every course should provide the player with the option of walking. I dont see carts speeding up the pace of play...its just a money grab.

And thats my rant.

[Nocturnal]

Dang, I was considering joining Tangle Creek this summer, but like you I prefer to walk the course. Ah well :(

[pudubny]

Golferboy,
I am surprised they have gone that route but perhaps it has something to do with the fact that National Pines is no longer available to the public.
I will admit that Tangle Creek was one of the more difficult walking courses I ever attempted. But I was a "smoker" then and have quit over the holidays. Was looking forward to attempting to walk it again now that I am in better condition. I really like the course layout for the most part and thought it was a great value.
As for cart manditory courses. It is a slap in the face of the tradition of the game. It rarely if ever improves the pace of the game although they will quote that mantra to all who complain. In fact on days when the fairways are soggy and they go "cart-path only" it severely slows down play. Courses do not like leasing or buying carts from the cart suppliers only to have 50% of them sit there on many days. They work out these premium leasing deals with the cart suppliers. It is so rigid that you must pay the cart fee even if if you do not want a cart and allow you to walk. Angus Glen will allow you to walk many afternoons but you do not get a discount.
All that being said I have played a few courses that would be extremely difficult to walk so I welcome the cart. None of the GTA's cart manditory courses are on that list.
My friend lives in Jacksonville Florida, one of the flatest pieces of ground anywhere on Earth and many of the courses are cart manditory. It is a business decision that has nothing to do with the customer or the game itself.
Nothing aganst carts, I welcome a cart once in a while and I understand the need for them in some segments of the population.

[golferboy]

Golferboy,
I am surprised they have gone that route but perhaps it has something to do with the fact that National Pines is no longer available to the public.
I will admit that Tangle Creek was one of the more difficult walking courses I ever attempted. But I was a "smoker" then and have quit over the holidays. Was looking forward to attempting to walk it again now that I am in better condition. I really like the course layout for the most part and thought it was a great value.
As for cart manditory courses. It is a slap in the face of the tradition of the game. It rarely if ever improves the pace of the game although they will quote that mantra to all who complain. In fact on days when the fairways are soggy and they go "cart-path only" it severely slows down play. Courses do not like leasing or buying carts from the cart suppliers only to have 50% of them sit there on many days. They work out these premium leasing deals with the cart suppliers. It is so rigid that you must pay the cart fee even if if you do not want a cart and allow you to walk. Angus Glen will allow you to walk many afternoons but you do not get a discount.
All that being said I have played a few courses that would be extremely difficult to walk so I welcome the cart. None of the GTA's cart manditory courses are on that list.
My friend lives in Jacksonville Florida, one of the flatest pieces of ground anywhere on Earth and many of the courses are cart manditory. It is a business decision that has nothing to do with the customer or the game itself.
Nothing aganst carts, I welcome a cart once in a while and I understand the need for them in some segments of the population.
I totall agree with you, that it should be an "option" as there are some people who need or want carts....but for those of us that pefer to walk, the option should be there.
I think one of the slowest rounds i ever played was at Royal Woodbine...a short course with mandatroy carts and a 90* rule in effect. What a waste!

Tangle Creek is a tough walk, pretty hilly....but I just enjoy walking the course, with my bag slung across my shoulders and a beer on one hand....I find carts often spill my beer

[Grass Roots Tour]

I dont know about other forum members but i am not a fan of riding a golf cart when i play. I just seem to enjoy the round and play much better when I am walking. No here goes my rant.......one of my favourite courses is tangle creek just south of Barrie. I think it is one of the best newer courses in ontario. Well last year the green fee was $65 for a prime time round. To me that was reasonable, considering the course is challenging, scenic, in great shape, is well marshalled, and has great practice facilities. Well now I discover that the green fee is $96.00 including mandatory cart and taxes! That is outrageous.....I mean every course should provide the player with the option of walking. I dont see carts speeding up the pace of play...its just a money grab.

And thats my rant.

Seems to me as though the entire golf industry is a cash grab. I'm a "member" of Paris Grand G. C. and they're service is sooo poor that they don't even call us members; we're "gold card holders". Hows that for a slap in the face?
Paris Grand is by far the hardest course I have ever walked... its a close second to Deerhurst Highlands in elevation changes. My group still prefers to walk this cart mandatory track.
I have found that anyone who has any skill on the links prefers to walk. You won't see a scratch player riding a cart in a tournament by choice, it just doesn't happen. Conversely, you never see the weekend choppers carrying they're twelve pack while they search the countryside for the lastest 40 yard slice after having not yelled fore.
As REAL golfers we need to send a message to course owners that implementing mandatory carts as another cash grab isn't going to fly. Lets all patronize the tracks who remember when golf wasn't soo popular and members were needed to survive as a business. Members take better care of they're golf course, they respect the rules and ettiquette. I could go on about this forever. I just think GREED is playing too much a role in todays golf industry. If the trend continues we will have nobody with any skill on the links in 20 years. Good players are playing less and less due to prices. Juniors won't play near as much cause memberships are all but non-existant. Many courses don't even have a pro (Paris again becomes the shinning example) Somebody must be thinking these thoughts with me. Anyone??

[Mok]

Grass Roots:

don't have much of a choice for me, i have to avoid those mandatory cart courses! they are too pricey! hahahah

[Grass Roots Tour]

Grass Roots:

don't have much of a choice for me, i have to avoid those mandatory cart courses! they are too pricey! hahahah
No kidding, maybe try coming out my way (west of you) and enjoying some cheaper golf on great tracks. I'd be happy to be anyones' guide to golf in the Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Paris area.

[golferboy]

No kidding, maybe try coming out my way (west of you) and enjoying some cheaper golf on great tracks. I'd be happy to be anyones' guide to golf in the Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Paris area.
I will take you up on your offer this summer. Have you played Savannah links?

[Focker Singh]

Like you I don't like to ride either. Part of the game is to enjoy the scenery and get some exercise. Also, helps me keep track of my distances to the pin, etc. Can't tell if you're 126 away when you use a cart.

For a course to have mandatory carts its purely a cash grab. I truly believe in giving the golfer the option. Like many of you said, walking is sometimes faster than a 4some on carts. Most coures however will only have a mandatory cart rule during prime time and afterwards, you have the option. From a course owners point of view. If you've invested in 200 carts, why not try to have them paid off or make the most money out of it while you can?

[Mule56]

Golferboy,
Nothing aganst carts, I welcome a cart once in a while and I understand the need for them in some segments of the population.
I have to agree with Pud and GB. I've played a few rounds were a cart was a welcome sight. For the most part though I only ride in charity events or when the course conditions require it (mountain terrain). After that a 6:15 a.m walk in the early morning dew just can't be beat.
It's ashame that courses feel the need to force carts and the cost on the people that don't need or want them. But I also understand the reasoning (be it right or wrong) behind their choice.
Mule