Etiquette question - walking across green carrying clubs

[Backsticks]

On the course, it is fine. Traffic is evenly distributed so same as normal play.
We did have to put a notice not to do so on our new putting green though. Path to first tee from clubhouse goes two sides of a rectangle around it, and bag carriers were cutting the diagonal across the green. Cant say I actually saw wear, but you could guess that it would have done so as they would all have been walking the same line.
Have never heard of it as not a done thing on a course.

 

[Canary Kid]

Can’t imagine why anyone would consider that it was unacceptable. Very odd.

 

[North Mimms]

I’m hardly the ”blazer brigade” but the less traffic on the greens the better. It can’t be much further to walk around. I see some people pulling their trolley between the edge of the green and green side bunker and some show respect and go around the bunker. What we all want is pristine greens.

I'm with you on not using trolleys between greenside bunkers and greens. Also those who wheel trolleys round a green as close as possible with wheel cm away from putting surface.

 

[KenL]

I'm with you on not using trolleys between greenside bunkers and greens. Also those who wheel trolleys round a green as close as possible with wheel cm away from putting surface.

Why would this be a worry when the greenkepers drive over the greens every day with equipment that weighs a ton or even more.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I have amused people on occasion by picking up my bag and trolley and walking across a green. As previously stated, I will still be a lot lighter than some unladen players.
And then there is the "No trolleys beyond this point" signs. A quick detach of the bag and onwards I go, then re-attach moments later. Such fun.

 

[RRidges]

I have amused people on occasion by picking up my bag and trolley and walking across a green. As previously stated, I will still be a lot lighter than some unladen players.
And then there is the "No trolleys beyond this point" signs. A quick detach of the bag and onwards I go, then re-attach moments later. Such fun.

Back home a couple of states (Vic and NSW) encourage players to walk, with push trolleys, across greens as opposed to around them. This includes some of the very top courses like Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne. The logic is that there's less wear caused by traffic from random directions than from using a constant path. Seems to work as sand belt greens are immaculate. Doesn't happen here in US though in spite of some of the sizes of the natives.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Isn’t this why St. Andrews don’t allow trolleys? They don’t want the same route round the edge of the green worn out, they want players to walk across the green

 

[Tashyboy]

I think if there point of view is that it is based on “ etiquette “, it is a poor point of view. Now they have said what they have said. It would be interesting if they still poo poo your right decision to walk across the green. Continue to do so. ?

 

[Slab]

I’ve only recently started carrying and had never really thought about it.
Now that I have thought, I realise I don’t walk across a green carrying the bag, although not doing it wasn’t a conscious decision, it just happened

I’ve just ran through all the holes in my head and there are no exits to next tee directly behind any green, so as I approach any green from fairway I either veer left/right to drop bag and if I was to walk across a green it would actually require a diversion

 

[KenL]

Isn’t this why St. Andrews don’t allow trolleys? They don’t want the same route round the edge of the green worn out, they want players to walk across the green

No, it is because they want you to take a caddy.

 

[Canary Kid]

Isn’t this why St. Andrews don’t allow trolleys? They don’t want the same route round the edge of the green worn out, they want players to walk across the green

Just looked on their website and trolleys are allowed. They say “There are currently no restrictions on the use of trolleys for the Old Course. However should there be excessive wear and tear to the course, this may require to be changed at short notice”. There's no need to book trolleys in advance, simply turn up and hire them from the starter's boxes of the New, Jubilee and Balgove Courses, the reception desk in the Eden Clubhouse for the Eden and Strathtyrum Courses and The Castle Course reception desk for The Castle Course.”

 

[Jimaroid]

A trial to allow continual use of trolleys on the Old was begun in 2016 and as far as I can recall became a permanent feature all year round from about 2018 onwards.

But it's better to carry on the Old as it's easier to walk across greens.

 

[sunshine]

Back home a couple of states (Vic and NSW) encourage players to walk, with push trolleys, across greens as opposed to around them. This includes some of the very top courses like Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne. The logic is that there's less wear caused by traffic from random directions than from using a constant path. Seems to work as sand belt greens are immaculate. Doesn't happen here in US though in spite of some of the sizes of the natives.

This makes sense when the greens are firm. Wouldn't work in the UK where trollies would leave tyre marks across the green for a lot of the year.

 

[BiMGuy]

Back home a couple of states (Vic and NSW) encourage players to walk, with push trolleys, across greens as opposed to around them. This includes some of the very top courses like Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne. The logic is that there's less wear caused by traffic from random directions than from using a constant path. Seems to work as sand belt greens are immaculate. Doesn't happen here in US though in spite of some of the sizes of the natives.

Our green keepers have put ropes out round our green complexes and some tee boxes to stop people taking trolleys and carts too close to the greens. Which are in great condition.
But what it has done is cause a massive amount of wear to the areas everyone now uses as we all have to follow the same path.

Personally I think there would be less damage by allowing people to wander random wherever their ball takes them.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

A trial to allow continual use of trolleys on the Old was begun in 2016 and as far as I can recall became a permanent feature all year round from about 2018 onwards.

But it's better to carry on the Old as it's easier to walk across greens.

Interesting, thank you. When I was there in 2018, I'm sure it was no trolleys, but could be misremembering.

Playing 108 holes of golf over 4 days without a trolley was hard going....

 

[Jimaroid]

Interesting, thank you. When I was there in 2018, I'm sure it was no trolleys, but could be misremembering.

Playing 108 holes of golf over 4 days without a trolley was hard going....

Not suggesting you’re misremembering, probably just unlucky timing or conditions at the time? But I think it went full time in the autumn that year.

I do remember for a longish period where nobody seemed to know for certain if they’d need a carry bag on the day. And sometimes that still seems to happen? I suspect a lot of hearsay gets thrown around as fact.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Not suggesting you’re misremembering, probably just unlucky timing or conditions at the time? But I think it went full time in the autumn that year.

I do remember for a longish period where nobody seemed to know for certain if they’d need a carry bag on the day. And sometimes that still seems to happen? I suspect a lot of hearsay gets thrown around as fact.

Thank you - I was there in July 2018, which was that incredibly hot summer. Everything was scorched brown and running fast. Brilliant experience ?

 

[sunshine]

I suspect a lot of hearsay gets thrown around as fact.

Hearsay v facts: There's probably a thread about it on this forum.

 

[KenL]

Can we just call them greens rather than green complexes? ?‍

 

[sunshine]

Can we just call them greens rather than green complexes? ?‍

I interpret green complexes to include the area surrounding the green, e.g. elevation, run off areas, mounding, greenside bunkers. Maybe I'm the only one!