Etiquette question - walking across green carrying clubs

[RRidges]

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.

Seems self-defeating to me, at least around Greens. And a pain to play over, through or take down then put back up for a chip.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I have been carrying for a couple of weeks as my trolley has been 'away'. And on occasions when I have wandered across a green with my bag on back it has fleetingly crossed my mind whether or not I should be doing so. It's a good number of years (10+) since I carried a full set regularly and I can't remember if I used to do that. I am pretty sure that I did and no one was bothered - and as far as I am concerned its absolutely OK to do so. But I have wondered.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

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!

Nope you're not, that's how I'd differentiate as well.

The green is literally the green alone, "complex" brings in the rest of the design

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Nope you're not, that's how I'd differentiate as well.

The green is literally the green alone, "complex" brings in the rest of the design

As an aside…the last winter maintenance period we reconstructed and reorganised our bunkering and contouring around the green of our short par 3.

The green itself hasn’t been touched but the green complex as a whole is hugely changed and IMO massively improved - with the whole feeling very different indeed. Indeed standing on the green itself and putting - rather weirdly - seem very different even though the green hasn’t changed one iota. Standing on the tee, the changes to the green complex for me demonstrates the power of player perception in course design.

https://www.farnhamgolfclub.co.uk/uploads/farnham/File/13th before and after slides May 2022.pdf

The ‘After’ pictures really exemplify what we have done to every bunker across the course - and why our pros are running ‘improve your bunker play’ sessions ?

 

[clubchamp98]

Seems self-defeating to me, at least around Greens. And a pain to play over, through or take down then put back up for a chip.

We just paint white lines you must follow with a trolley.
We change the route every couple of weeks to lower the wear and tear.

 

[clubchamp98]

As an aside…the last winter maintenance period we reconstructed and reorganised our bunkering and contouring around the green of our short par 3.

The green itself hasn’t been touched but the green complex as a whole is hugely changed and IMO massively improved - with the whole feeling very different indeed. Indeed standing on the green itself and putting - rather weirdly - seem very different even though the green hasn’t changed one iota. Standing on the tee, the changes to the green complex for me demonstrates the power of player perception in course design.

https://www.farnhamgolfclub.co.uk/uploads/farnham/File/13th before and after slides May 2022.pdf

The ‘After’ pictures really exemplify what we have done to every bunker across the course - and why our pros are running ‘improve your bunker play’ sessions ?

That looks really nice!
Congrats to your greens team.
It does give the impression of more slope and elevation around the green.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

That looks really nice!
Congrats to your greens team.
It does give the impression of more slope and elevation around the green.

Doesnt it, almost as if the green is sitting in a shallow bowl, which it isn’t really.

 

[Backsticks]

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

I wonder how long more, in these enlightened times, the caddy idea will continue.
Such menial labour, dating from a time when Sir wasnt going to do anything so beneath him as push a trolley, let alone carry something, and men, or boys, were grateful to be thrown tuppence to help his lordship out. Surely the concept is such an anachronism, that it is time for the R&A to legislate him/her, out of the landscape of golf ?

 

[sunshine]

I wonder how long more, in these enlightened times, the caddy idea will continue.
Such menial labour, dating from a time when Sir wasnt going to do anything so beneath him as push a trolley, let alone carry something, and men, or boys, were grateful to be thrown tuppence to help his lordship out. Surely the concept is such an anachronism, that it is time for the R&A to legislate him/her, out of the landscape of golf ?

How many sports include a provision for a servant to carry your equipment?

 

[Canary Kid]

I would never use a caddy … not only is it a sport and hence should promote exercise, but there is a 90% chance that he would be a better player than me!

 

[Sats]

For context - this was a discussion between myself and two other... equally mature.... ladies. (yeah, I'm in my 60s)
So we are players who routinely ALWAYS use a trolley.

The discussion was about winter trolley bans and the decision to limit exemptions to the ban.
All three of us had carried a half set during trolley bans.
They had reverted to using their trolleys once allowed, but I mentioned that I had continued to carry for several more weeks "because I'm lazy and don't like walking the long way round the green with my trolley, at least I can take a short cut across the green when I'm carrying"

They insisted that it's very poor etiquette to walk on the green carrying one's clubs, despite the fact that ME + CLUBS weighs considerably less that several of our heftier male players.

Have I been committing a serious faux pas? I would never LEAVE my bag on the green.

I'd be interested in all opinions but especially those from an older more traditional background, y'know the blazer brigade

This is always my argument, I weigh 75kg and with my bag at most 80kg, there are golfers who weight far more than that.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I walked across our 18th Green yesterday carrying my clubs - in full view of the clubhouse and everyone sitting on the terrace - and for no reason other than I was doing it and our greens are magnificent at the moment - I felt awkward.