Golf Random Irritations

[Imurg]

Throughout winter we regularly have the Please carry if you can on the daily update....
If I'm p,aying 9 on my own first thing then I'll carry
If I'm doing 18 then the trolley comes out....my joints dislike me for days if I carry for 18.
If they don't want me to use a trolley then the No Trolleys sign will be up...and ill carry for 9.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

If carry is optional then it is exactly that. If people want to feel superior about carrying then crack on but if the club allows trolleys then people can use them. Grass recovers, every year. I've yet to see it not do in the many years I've been playing, and people have used trolleys throughout where I've played.

It’s not about “feeling superior” because someone carry’s when it’s been asked - it’s about people feeling some pride with their course and wanting to help protect as best as they can - the greenstaff aren’t expecting everyone to carry because there are some where that’s not possible but even if 10% carry instead it will make a difference - and if the greenstaff are saying it’s making a difference in regards the damage and how well and quick in recovers then that works for our members.

I also find that those that won’t bother carrying even when they are physically able to will be the first to complain about the mess and state of the course when it’s damaged and holes are closed or shortened

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I also find that those that won’t bother carrying even when they are physically able to will be the first to complain about the mess and state of the course when it’s damaged and holes are closed or shortened

You can't beat a good generalisation .

Grass gets worn by feet and by trolleys. Grass recovers. The end.

I've yet to see a course in April, March either, that looks damaged by trolleys. If trolleys are making that much of a mess on certain courses then that suggest the course should not be open in the first place.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You can't beat a good generalisation .

Grass gets worn by feet and by trolleys. Grass recovers. The end.

I've yet to see a course in April, March either, that looks damaged by trolleys. If trolleys are making that much of a mess on certain courses then that suggest the course should not be open in the first place.

It’s not a generalisation it’s an observation- suggesting people may feel “superior” because they carry could be a generalisation

But I think you are missing the point

It’s all about people helping as best as they can to protect the course just a bit , keeping the course open as much as possible , our greenstaff do everything possible to have it open during the wet periods ( open yesterday ) and asking people to carry “IF THEY CAN” - it helps potentially to reduce the level of wear on the course keeping it open as much as possible , having members carrying when they can has achieved that.

They aren’t expecting everyone to do it as it’s not possible and they won’t put in trolley bans unless for Health and Safety - hence the polite request- and guess what , it’s works according to the greenstaff

 

[SteveW86]

You can't beat a good generalisation .

Grass gets worn by feet and by trolleys. Grass recovers. The end.

I've yet to see a course in April, March either, that looks damaged by trolleys. If trolleys are making that much of a mess on certain courses then that suggest the course should not be open in the first place.

Grass does recover, but it takes time. If the grass has to recover less, then the course is better for it.

I would generalise that courses are kept open when they shouldnt be, if you look purely at the best interests of the course. But its a compromise to protect the course and keep the members happy. Carrying causes less damage than walking with a trolley, so should be encouraged for those who can through the wet months.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Grass does recover, but it takes time. If the grass has to recover less, then the course is better for it.

I would generalise that courses are kept open when they shouldnt be, if you look purely at the best interests of the course. But its a compromise to protect the course and keep the members happy. Carrying causes less damage than walking with a trolley, so should be encouraged for those who can through the wet months.

It's a balance, as with using mats or not. A club near to me used mats for several winters, the new Head greenkeeper has told them not to bother this winter, he will deal with divots and fairways. They also allow trolleys all year despite being a 'wet' course. If trolleys destroyed a course then I'd agree but I've yet to see that. Maybe it is worse on hilly courses were more traction occurs from wheels? People can be overly precious about fairways, they are hardy things.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Surely that down to the mentality of the members and their thought process in regards helping protect the course

We also put carry if you can in the daily update and it resulted in a significant amount of people carrying their clubs instead , even if it was for half the round and that ended up helping the course significantly- the members can see the help it does and it’s the same again this year with many carrying instead

100% Phil

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Grass does recover, but it takes time. If the grass has to recover less, then the course is better for it.

I would generalise that courses are kept open when they shouldnt be, if you look purely at the best interests of the course. But its a compromise to protect the course and keep the members happy. Carrying causes less damage than walking with a trolley, so should be encouraged for those who can through the wet months.

And similarly - a lightweight pull/push trolley will cause less damage and compaction than a heavy powered trolley - especially as many users of the latter will ‘skid’ the wheels to clear them of mud. Every little counts, and if we all do our little we are all helping.

 

[GB72]

I am interested as to whether carrying causes less damage than a normal push trolley as it would seem to give a wider weight distribution. Electric trolleys that skid or spin the wheels in the wet I can understand though.

Personally, if the club feels that less trolleys helps the course then do not tip toe around it, ban them and allow medical exemptions, if the course really needs protecting, close it. I think all of the people that I used to golf with had cart bags on trolleys and no stand bag and so unless there was an actual ban, you would not be likely to see them carrying.

 

[DeanoMK]

It’s not a generalisation it’s an observation- suggesting people may feel “superior” because they carry could be a generalisation

But I think you are missing the point

It’s all about people helping as best as they can to protect the course just a bit , keeping the course open as much as possible , our greenstaff do everything possible to have it open during the wet periods ( open yesterday ) and asking people to carry “IF THEY CAN” - it helps potentially to reduce the level of wear on the course keeping it open as much as possible , having members carrying when they can has achieved that.

They aren’t expecting everyone to do it as it’s not possible and they won’t put in trolley bans unless for Health and Safety - hence the polite request- and guess what , it’s works according to the greenstaff

I don't know about that, when I was at the club at the weekend I saw an awful lot using a trolley - even a couple with the super heavy 'follow trolleys'.

Apparently someone had dragged a trolley across the 10th green the day before too.

I think everyone can and should carry this time of year, take a lighter bag and a half set - I played with a gentleman earlier this year who was 82 who still carried.

 

[IanM]

I've been using a half set in a carry bag at Newport since early November. Even if allowed, the powakaddy gets too dirty. I still use it at Saunton all winter as it's bone dry.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I don't know about that, when I was at the club at the weekend I saw an awful lot using a trolley - even a couple with the super heavy 'follow trolleys'.

Apparently someone had dragged a trolley across the 10th green the day before too.

I think everyone can and should carry this time of year, take a lighter bag and a half set - I played with a gentleman earlier this year who was 82 who still carried.

There is always people that can’t carry and the ones using the Stewart’s are two examples- they normally use the ride on single buggy , there is a number that can’t or won’t carry for various reasons but there are a lot of members that are carrying and the impact is being seen

As for the “apparently” trolley on the green , the marks were from the greenkeeprs mower but that’s how jungle rumours go

 

[bens1247]

My first irritation (there are many more) is when a four ball tee off on the back nine when there is a two ball coming up the ninth (you can guess which group I'm in)!

 

[SteveW86]

My first irritation (there are many more) is when a four ball tee off on the back nine when there is a two ball coming up the ninth (you can guess which group I'm in)!

The 4 ball because the 2 ball want to be let through?

 

[Dando]

100% Phil

hey, calm down! eveyone knows we need to disagree with Phil!

 

[Deleted member 1147]

We just have a flat trolley and /or buggy ban as and when necessary.
We aim not to have them, but when it's particularly wet they can cause a lot of damage - and that isn't a generalisation

 

[BrianM]

If it has to be carry only, should the course even be open, it must be a nightmare for clubs up and down the Country trying to get that balance right.
The rain feels like it has never stopped for the last few month's.

 

[patricks148]

If it has to be carry only, should the course even be open, it must be a nightmare for clubs up and down the Country trying to get that balance right.
The rain feels like it has never stopped for the last few month's.

cant say ive ever seen an carry only at any of the clubs here, though i dont know about Inverness, but Tain, Dornoch, Nairn, NDunbar, Moray or even Torvean has ever had a trolley ban while i was a member at them. The kings gets pretty wet, but unless its frost, but theres always guys playing with trolleys, membership is mostly older guys.

 

[PJ87]

If it has to be carry only, should the course even be open, it must be a nightmare for clubs up and down the Country trying to get that balance right.
The rain feels like it has never stopped for the last few month's.

Which surely brings a wider issue into play and adaptation to changing weather conditions. We are looking at warmer summers and rain like this as opposed to what we are used to in the years gone by.

The old "shouldn't be open" school of thought will surely change with clubs needing to provide a course to members. Maybe members expectations in the summers will have to drop to allow for the courses to be open more

I mean my course is closed today, think it's the first time in a month but last night's rain was biblical , I played yesterday before the rain and you had patches in the rough that werent 100% but rest of course was brilliant (we always get visitors from other parts of the county as their clubs are unplayable in winter) but it seems today they looked at it closed the course for 1 day and even said it will open 0758 tomorrow. Not even another review just close a day and tomorrow it's open

I mean last winter we were open during the frost and we got the normal doom and gloom that the greens would be destroyed etc etc but they never were , still in excellent condition

 

[BrianM]

cant say ive ever seen an carry only at any of the clubs here, though i dont know about Inverness, but Tain, Dornoch, Nairn, NDunbar, Moray or even Torvean has ever had a trolley ban while i was a member at them. The kings gets pretty wet, but unless its frost, but theres always guys playing with trolleys, membership is mostly older guys.

Agreed, I’ve never seen it up here, Inverness has been shut loads this last couple of month, it is what it is though.
Thank goodness for Fortrose