Buggies in Club Qualifying Competitions

[jim8flog]

But you still have to walk the course with a buggy you don't.

I would disagree with that point of view also. Many clubs require buggy users to keep to buggy paths and there are some courses where the hire buggies are fitted with GPS controls that stop the buggy if it gets within a certain distance of a tee or green.

I agree that a buggy user does not walk as far but for someone like me the amount of walking required is very noticeable.

 

[Slab]

Plenty courses just can’t have (or not worth having) buggys because the course is so compact &/or overlapping layout

And it’s not just the tee to green to consider i.e Would an equivalent ability handicap golfer who most of the time only has to walk 30-40 paces to the next tee, play or score worse (be a poorer golfer and at a disadvantage) than Player B who regularly walks 100-200 yards from green to tee, when they play each other’s course?

What then if player B gets a battery remote trolley, wouldn’t a buggy for Player A simply level the playing field again because without it he’s now doubly disadvantaged carrying around a long green to tee course

It’s not going to be long (some variants exist already) before battery efficiency/size allows for a battery trolley to have a ‘footrest’ at the rear so the player can hop-on (even one footed) onto his ‘trolley’

I would disagree with that point of view also. Many clubs require buggy users to keep to buggy paths and there are some courses where the hire buggies are fitted with GPS controls that stop the buggy if it gets within a certain distance of a tee or green.

I agree that a buggy user does not walk as far but for someone like me the amount of walking required is very noticeable.

Yup agree its common in poor weather (right angles to path) or protected/dangerous areas. My pedometer (even with inaccuracies) still shows considerable walking activity after a round in a buggy which must be near equivalent to some of the compact SSS 67 courses

 

[clubchamp98]

I would be interested on views, or particularly club policies, on using buggies in your club's monthly medals / stablefords, and trophy competitions.

One club I know has a 'no buggies' in these competitions unless a medical reason is provided, another has a no restrictions at all. Thoughts please.

as long as it’s the same for EVERYONE,

 

[Orikoru]

We'll agree to disagree I think. Are you as fresh at the end of your round as you are at the start ? I know I'm not, I also know or at least believe I'd be a lot fresher near the end using a buggy than walking.

Yeah of course you would. To say using a buggy wouldn't be an advantage is a joke. Where I live there are a lot of hilly courses, in particular Rickmansworth, Pinner Hill, etc. Actually getting round on foot with a bit of puff left is half the battle, and I'm not even old (comparatively...). On a course like that, having a buggy to zip up and down the hills would see you vastly less exhausted for the last 6 holes, and thus able to play better golf.

 

[dewsweeper]

Really? Come on, there is a fair discussion to be had on this.

I agree with you LT.
Quite surprised at Duncan's rather glib response, his views are normally ones I respect on all things golf.

 

[Fish]

Medical cert at mine, although when I was suffering quite a lot with my gout at one time, I asked if I needed a certificate and was told it would be ok as they knew my issue was genuine, so we’re not strict.

I hate using a buggy, especially on busy courses and in the winter when it’s cold or in the rain, I think it’s worse then, your hanging around more stationary inbeteeen shots getting colder.

This was hugely evident at Woburn a few years ago, I was frozen waiting for greens to clear or simply waiting to take the next shot, or waiting for Rick to hit his 1 iron, whereas if I’d been walking I’d have been warmer and focussed more, not stiff, soaking or frozen stiff.

 

[Doh]

Anyone can use them in all comps at our place, having said that not a lot do. I think it can be a bit antisocial if you are in a fourball and only two of you have a buggie.

 

[duncan mackie]

I agree with you LT.
Quite surprised at Duncan's rather glib response, his views are normally ones I respect on all things golf.

I'm sorry if it came over as glib; it wasn't intended that way.
I had spent a lot of time explaining the principle that the crux of the isue (as set out in the original post) is in handicap golf.
Tyrion seemed to accept the principle but then bought short term advantage into his argument - to which I was merely trying to highlight that this onvioualy exists in a wide range of situations from the purchase of better equipment to the purchase of lessons.

Handicapping bringing balance back in due course (as it does with the use of a buggy).

Others have highlighted how the use of power trolley over carrying can realistically be considered similar to the use of a buggy over a power trolley.

 

[jim8flog]

Really picking up on the point of Duncan's post.

The fact that I always use a buggy is reflected in my handicap, without the use of a buggy even if I could get round the course I would expect to have a much higher handicap because of what my specific problems are and how they affect my swing.

 

[chellie]

Only allowed with a medical certificate at ours.

The course was not built with buggies in mind.

There can be 160 + men entering the Saturday competition. It would be ridiculous if everyone could use buggies.

 

[dewsweeper]

I'm sorry if it came over as glib; it wasn't intended that way.
I had spent a lot of time explaining the principle that the crux of the isue (as set out in the original post) is in handicap golf.
Tyrion seemed to accept the principle but then bought short term advantage into his argument - to which I was merely trying to highlight that this onvioualy exists in a wide range of situations from the purchase of better equipment to the purchase of lessons.

Handicapping bringing balance back in due course (as it does with the use of a buggy).

Others have highlighted how the use of power trolley over carrying can realistically be considered similar to the use of a buggy over a power trolley.

Apologies Duncan, poor choice of words.

 

[duncan mackie]

Apologies Duncan, poor choice of words.

Lol; me too!