Golf Random Irritations

[Deleted member 1147]

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.

We haven't been open much (save for a few days this month).
Areas of the midlands has been heavily hit by floods several times this month.
So when some ground has been underwater one day it would be churlish to expect it to be suitable for trolleys a few days later, if it opens, as it will get churned up.

 

[IanM]

Some English clubs posting events on Golf Empire not being able to read info using a Welsh CDH. I am sure the converse applies. Thought this had been sorted some time back

 

[patricks148]

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

Tain on Tuesday was wet on the lower level on one and 18, but that is effectively the flood plain, but the rest of the course was fine, though some bunkers were full of water.

 

[Neilds]

We are closed all weekend, and not been open this year. Around Christmas they opened as many holes as possible but many people said they should have closed some of the days as there was standing water all over the place

 

[Crow]

When "carry if you can" is in place then I'll carry if it's social golf, which it mostly is this time of year.

Half a set is pretty light, 6 or 7 clubs are plenty (putter, 4 irons, driver, and perhaps a fairway wood) and if the course is wet and muddy anyway it's not like I'm going to shoot a great score so why bother with a full set?

Carrying has several benefits for those that are able, the biggest one being that you can walk mostly where you like without being diverted by roped off areas etc, which helps with pace of play.

 

[Jigger]

Is this not a common thing? Our biggest issue comes when the club decides to put out a communication "trolleys allowed but carry preferred". Most simply use their trolley. If carry only is preferred then say it is carry only and be done with it. Those with medical exemptions (and we don't have that many) would still be able to use theirs but everyone else carries. It has to be in the best interest of the long term condition of the course even if that means a few can't play as they are unable (or unwilling) to carry and have yet to get a medical exemption

This is exactly the problem. We don’t have trolley bans but should so I still use mine due to sheep mentality, when I’m able enough to carry. It does tire you more which is why I don’t as I’m trying to beat my mates how are using their trollies (and again would be able enough to carry).

 

[Jigger]

We are closed all weekend, and not been open this year. Around Christmas they opened as many holes as possible but many people said they should have closed some of the days as there was standing water all over the place

Every club has the same issue in that people would complain if they didn’t get something open. If winters continue like this though, clubs will start to struggle for members.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I just take out a half set at this time of year, if we’re open.
I reality it proves that we don’t need half the clubs we normally carry.

 

[DeanoMK]

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

Carry only this weekend, hallelujah!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Carry only this weekend, hallelujah!

Yeah just the front tomorrow to give the back 9 an extra day - greens are fine just a few bad areas in the expected spots

 

[Billysboots]

Before we went carry only we were “carry if you can”.

There are 24 spaces in our Saturday roll up. We’re a mix of ages, but all able bodied. The last two gatherings we had, only two of us carried. There were a variety of excuses cited by those still using trollies, and with the exception of one, who does have a history of back problems, all of them were frankly pretty feeble.

The irony is that many of the same people were very vocal in their opinions regarding how badly churned up some areas of the course were becoming.

 

[chrisd]

Carry only this weekend, hallelujah!

Maybe for you, but "carry only" is almost certainly illegal under the 2010 Act. A club is required to allow those with a "protected characteristic" to play the course if its open, and to use a trolley or (unless proven to be unsafe each day) a buggy.

Not everyone can carry even a pencil bag with a few clubs, and banning trolleys to those needing one is potentially going to result in legal action under the 2010 Act as it's undoubtedly discriminatory. England golf will confirm this

 

[Pin-seeker]

Peter Finch

 

[upsidedown]

Maybe for you, but "carry only" is almost certainly illegal under the 2010 Act. A club is required to allow those with a "protected characteristic" to play the course if its open, and to use a trolley or (unless proven to be unsafe each day) a buggy.

Not everyone can carry even a pencil bag with a few clubs, and banning trolleys to those needing one is potentially going to result in legal action under the 2010 Act as it's undoubtedly discriminatory. England golf will confirm this

We've had a "Carry only" policy in place for a number of years and to ensure we were compliant consulted with England Golf this Winter and they replied that we are allowed to restrict trollies if we can demonstrate that the condition of the course poses a H&S risk or that their use would damage the course beyond what is reasonable for the club to be able to repair and maintain.
Before such a ban takes place we must legally show we have considered and made reasonable adjustments to help all players gain access to the course, which we do. We have redone our course risk assessment to achieve this.

 

[Orikoru]

Before we went carry only we were “carry if you can”.

There are 24 spaces in our Saturday roll up. We’re a mix of ages, but all able bodied. The last two gatherings we had, only two of us carried. There were a variety of excuses cited by those still using trollies, and with the exception of one, who does have a history of back problems, all of them were frankly pretty feeble.

The irony is that many of the same people were very vocal in their opinions regarding how badly churned up some areas of the course were becoming.

Exactly that. I'd be surprised if even 5% of a typical membership changes from trolleys to carrying when it's "carry if you can".

When "carry if you can" is in place then I'll carry if it's social golf, which it mostly is this time of year.

Half a set is pretty light, 6 or 7 clubs are plenty (putter, 4 irons, driver, and perhaps a fairway wood) and if the course is wet and muddy anyway it's not like I'm going to shoot a great score so why bother with a full set?

Carrying has several benefits for those that are able, the biggest one being that you can walk mostly where you like without being diverted by roped off areas etc, which helps with pace of play.

Agreed! So infuriating when you've got the trolley, your ball has just gone through the back of the green but everything around the green is roped off to a ten yard radius. No idea what the lie is like so you end up carrying three clubs and your putter over there. That's probably the main reason that at this time of year I usually switch to carrying and just stick with that until mid-March or April. I also take a few irons out to lighten the load, I have ten clubs in the bag currently.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

It wouldn’t be so bad if the hundreds of players who have disabilities that prevent them from carrying didn’t take a fully laden electric trolley out with them and stuck to the paths that have been laid to allow them access to the course in poor conditions!

 

[cliveb]

That's probably the main reason that at this time of year I usually switch to carrying and just stick with that until mid-March or April. I also take a few irons out to lighten the load, I have ten clubs in the bag currently.

Yep. As soon as my club says "winter wheels", the cart bag goes away and I carry 8 or 9 clubs until spring arrives. One reason is that so many areas are roped off it's just easier to carry. The other is I'm too tight fisted to spend £70 for winter wheels

 

[chrisd]

We've had a "Carry only" policy in place for a number of years and to ensure we were compliant consulted with England Golf this Winter and they replied that we are allowed to restrict trollies if we can demonstrate that the condition of the course poses a H&S risk or that their use would damage the course beyond what is reasonable for the club to be able to repair and maintain.
Before such a ban takes place we must legally show we have considered and made reasonable adjustments to help all players gain access to the course, which we do. We have redone our course risk assessment to achieve this.

I quite get that there are courses that can prove the ban is for health and safety reasons and am pleased that you do show that you make the necessary adjustments. My course introduced a carry only policy last year to stop buggies and trolleys so that they could open the course more often to people who can carry when it was wet with no reasonable adjustments.

 

[Dando]

More idiots taking zero notice of the no trolley posters.

One guy when told about the posters, said he couldn’t read

 

[Voyager EMH]

Peter Finch

I thought he was very good in Far From The Madding Crowd. One of my favourite films.