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Golf Random Irritations

Personal buggy use has probably increased due to relative cost of one
When I bought my first one in the 1990s it cost £2200, I bought a new one 2 years ago and it cost £2800.
The (rubbish ) Chinese ones are less than £1000.
Many clubs now recognising more players have them and so clubs provide storage areas where there was none

People living longer and wanting to carry on playing for longer than players 30-40 years ago.

Biggest downside is that up until 5 years ago we never had buggy bans but they are common now and the club refuses to distinguish between the large 2 seater buggies and the single seater buggies which damage the course a lot less than the greenkeepers vehicles.
Single seater buggies are the only new ones allowed to be used at the club now because they do make less damage on the course but they still are required to use the buggy route and when it go to no buggies it covers all buggies for health and safety reasons
 
Sorry not got the exact figures of the PSi of a golf trolley with normal or winter wheels

Winter wheels reduce the contact with the turf by up to 80% I believe it is with the spikes seperating the turf as opposed to compacting it
But the weight of the bag and trolley is the same. The weight (pounds) is part of the pressure put on the ground, and if there is a smaller area (square inches) in contact with the ground, the pressure (pounds per square inch) exerted on the ground is higher (and likely more impactful).
 
But the weight of the bag and trolley is the same. The weight (pounds) is part of the pressure put on the ground, and if there is a smaller area (square inches) in contact with the ground, the pressure (pounds per square inch) exerted on the ground is higher (and likely more impactful).

And the make up of the wheels have been designed to redistribute the weight

The hex wheels are bigger but with big holes in them meaning they are lighter and the weight is spread better - the hedgehog ones the weight is in the spikes with puncture the turf more as opposed ti compact it

 
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My course has mandated "hedgehog wheels". (Powakaddy lattice style ones are also allowed).

My course is pretty flat, so there's little danger of wheel spinning.
Meanwhile the hedgehog wheels put holes all over the place which just makes the mud easier to churn up.
I am becoming increasingly convinced that hedgehog wheels cause more damage to the course than normal wheels.

(I carry in winter, BTW).
We ban winter hedgehog wheels.
 
Not sure if this is the right place for this but chatting to a mate of mine who is a member at a club.

They have had 4 fairly old chaps going up to their club and using the practice facilities (chipping green practice bunker and putting green) every Sunday morning for about the last 6 months.

Once finished they jump in their cars and disappear and none are members of the club.

A member of staff approached them last Sunday and they said they play somewhere else every Sunday but that club has no facilities to warm up so they use this clubs practice facilities and then go the other club and play.

Personally I thought it was brilliant but apparently they have told them this is not allowed.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this and would you be happy if this was your club?
 
Not sure if this is the right place for this but chatting to a mate of mine who is a member at a club.

They have had 4 fairly old chaps going up to their club and using the practice facilities (chipping green practice bunker and putting green) every Sunday morning for about the last 6 months.

Once finished they jump in their cars and disappear and none are members of the club.

A member of staff approached them last Sunday and they said they play somewhere else every Sunday but that club has no facilities to warm up so they use this clubs practice facilities and then go the other club and play.

Personally I thought it was brilliant but apparently they have told them this is not allowed.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this and would you be happy if this was your club?
That’s some cheek 😂😂
 
Not sure if this is the right place for this but chatting to a mate of mine who is a member at a club.

They have had 4 fairly old chaps going up to their club and using the practice facilities (chipping green practice bunker and putting green) every Sunday morning for about the last 6 months.

Once finished they jump in their cars and disappear and none are members of the club.

A member of staff approached them last Sunday and they said they play somewhere else every Sunday but that club has no facilities to warm up so they use this clubs practice facilities and then go the other club and play.

Personally I thought it was brilliant but apparently they have told them this is not allowed.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this and would you be happy if this was your club?
I'm guessing that would be frowned upon at most clubs......
Certainly would be at mine...
 
Not sure if this is the right place for this but chatting to a mate of mine who is a member at a club.

They have had 4 fairly old chaps going up to their club and using the practice facilities (chipping green practice bunker and putting green) every Sunday morning for about the last 6 months.

Once finished they jump in their cars and disappear and none are members of the club.

A member of staff approached them last Sunday and they said they play somewhere else every Sunday but that club has no facilities to warm up so they use this clubs practice facilities and then go the other club and play.

Personally I thought it was brilliant but apparently they have told them this is not allowed.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this and would you be happy if this was your club?

No, it's just wrong.
They wouldn't be allowed on the course for free, why should they use the facilities, that the members pay for, without paying a bean?
 
Not sure if this is the right place for this but chatting to a mate of mine who is a member at a club.

They have had 4 fairly old chaps going up to their club and using the practice facilities (chipping green practice bunker and putting green) every Sunday morning for about the last 6 months.

Once finished they jump in their cars and disappear and none are members of the club.

A member of staff approached them last Sunday and they said they play somewhere else every Sunday but that club has no facilities to warm up so they use this clubs practice facilities and then go the other club and play.

Personally I thought it was brilliant but apparently they have told them this is not allowed.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this and would you be happy if this was your club?

No wouldn’t be happy , if they want to use any practice facilities then they need to join the club
 
Not sure if this is the right place for this but chatting to a mate of mine who is a member at a club.

They have had 4 fairly old chaps going up to their club and using the practice facilities (chipping green practice bunker and putting green) every Sunday morning for about the last 6 months.

Once finished they jump in their cars and disappear and none are members of the club.

A member of staff approached them last Sunday and they said they play somewhere else every Sunday but that club has no facilities to warm up so they use this clubs practice facilities and then go the other club and play.

Personally I thought it was brilliant but apparently they have told them this is not allowed.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this and would you be happy if this was your club?

Bit naughty. Not sure they’d be covered by the club’s insurance… charge them a £5 each visit, “practice ground members.” Tell them if they pay £25 they’ll get a £5 bar voucher. Make ‘em feel welcome - they might decide to become members. Make ‘em feel unwelcome and they won’t.
 
I agree with all the above.

I thought it was hilarious they got away with it for so long.

Apparently they were very polite and said morning to everyone and most seemed to think they were members.

They also didn’t make a fuss when told they wouldn’t be allowed to carry on with it.
 
Bit naughty. Not sure they’d be covered by the club’s insurance… charge them a £5 each visit, “practice ground members.” Tell them if they pay £25 they’ll get a £5 bar voucher. Make ‘em feel welcome - they might decide to become members. Make ‘em feel unwelcome and they won’t.
I did wonder if they were invited in and given a coffee and spoke to by someone maybe they might have been able to come to an agreement that was amicable for all but don’t think that happened
 
And the make up of the wheels have been designed to redistribute the weight

The hex wheels are bigger but with big holes in them meaning they are lighter and the weight is spread better - the hedgehog ones the weight is in the spikes with puncture the turf more as opposed ti compact it

Interesting article but I noticed it was with push trollies, most members have powered trollies so the results may be different?
 
Inconsiderate members , the ones that believe rules don’t matter to them

We have since the beginning of November been on winter buggy route and winter wheels for all trolleys , ropes are out to ensure traffic is managed

So far we have seen

Trolleys without winter wheels - seems the senior’s captain claims he was “unaware”

Buggy users ignoring the routes and believe their single seater in not really a buggy and more a trolley - so far 3 people have now been banned from using a buggy for a month

Users ignoring the ropes and taking their trolley either around the rope or even over it - that’s another 10 warnings been sent out

And my biggest bug bear - people that take their trolley inbetween the bunker and the green going across the fringe

Just lazy and would be happy to see snipers on the course
We have greenkeepers going between the bunkers and the greens. You can see the marks their vehicles have made so it's no wonder golfers do the same.
 
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