Golf Random Irritations

[PaulMdj]

Our Club struggled with the buggy v trolley v carry issue for a few years. We wanted to be absolutely fair to all and recognise the implications of the 2010 Disability Act - if a course is open, it should be accessible to all, irrespective of ability to carry or need/want to use a buggy or trolley.

The solution that has been working really well for us for the past two winters, is that anyone can use a buggy or a trolley when the course is open but it must keep to the rough ie 90 deg rule.

Every course will be different and absolutely they should look after the course, I’ve just never heard of a Club having buggies then not allowing people to use them in any circumstance without a doctor’s letter.

 

[PaulMdj]

We have enough buggies but they arent used to make money , it’s a short hilly tight course and the less buggies the better

So do they make a profit or loss?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

No one is excluded?

If they have limited mobility then they just need to prove that they need a buggy

No one is excluded

We have a buggy policy in line with EG and Health and Safety policies

Of course they are excluded, no doctor's note, no buggy. You don't see that, fine, but they are clearly excluded

 

[Arthur Wedge]

So do they make a profit or loss?

The club is fine

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Of course they are excluded, no doctor's note, no buggy. You don't see that, fine, but they are clearly excluded

Then if you don’t have a doctors note you should be ok to walk for a couple of hours or use a trolley

 

[NearHull]

Every course will be different and absolutely they should look after the course, I’ve just never heard of a Club having buggies then not allowing people to use them in any circumstance without a doctor’s letter.

We did a review of doctor note weilding members about 4 years ago ( just after Covid) . Shocked to find that circa 30% of members had them, often dating back many years. We considered whether they were still valid and whether we should require them all to be ‘renewed/ reaffirmed’. Fairly quickly we concluded that would be a ridiculous burden on the NHS and members time. So , we tried to look at the issue in a different light and came up with the 90 deg rule.

It’s actually just part of our total winter course protection policy. We use fairway mats on the closely mown areas retaining a Qualifying Course and then, as conditions worsen, make fairway mats mandatory in the General Area and de - Qualify the course. We also only allow the Robotic Mower on the fairways to cut grass from Nov to Apr.

As we de-Qualify the course, the greenstaff can position the daily tees at any distance on the tees to spread the wear and tear .

 

[PaulMdj]

We did a review of doctor note weilding members about 4 years ago ( just after Covid) . Shocked to find that circa 30% of members had them, often dating back many years. We considered whether they were still valid and whether we should require them all to be ‘renewed/ reaffirmed’. Fairly quickly we concluded that would be a ridiculous burden on the NHS and members time. So , we tried to look at the issue in a different light and came up with the 90 deg rule.

It’s actually just part of our total winter course protection policy. We use fairway mats on the closely mown areas retaining a Qualifying Course and then, as conditions worsen, make fairway mats mandatory in the General Area and de - Qualify the course. We also only allow the Robotic Mower on the fairways to cut grass from Nov to Apr.

As we de-Qualify the course, the greenstaff can position the daily tees at any distance on the tees to spread the wear and tear .

Likewise for us. Very rarely allow buggies in winter, single riders are allowed, but reviewed daily by greenkeepers when they post course conditions for the day, but the rest of the year, buggies are available and can be booked by anyone at anytime, only time I’ve seen a restriction is when we have hosted County events or for matches in our Scratch League.

 

[D-S]

I still fail to see the difference between accepting the word of someone who has just written/emailed/spoken to the doctor or admin staff and said, for example, "I've got a bad back can you write me a letter?", no examination, pays £40 and gets to use a trolley or buggy and accepting the word of someone who says, for example, I have a bad back can I use a trolley or buggy.

The only difference is, to my mind, the small waste of NHS admin staff time on one hand and displaying trust in slightly less motivated members on the other.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

We did a review of doctor note weilding members about 4 years ago ( just after Covid) . Shocked to find that circa 30% of members had them, often dating back many years. We considered whether they were still valid and whether we should require them all to be ‘renewed/ reaffirmed’. Fairly quickly we concluded that would be a ridiculous burden on the NHS and members time. So , we tried to look at the issue in a different light and came up with the 90 deg rule.

It’s actually just part of our total winter course protection policy. We use fairway mats on the closely mown areas retaining a Qualifying Course and then, as conditions worsen, make fairway mats mandatory in the General Area and de - Qualify the course. We also only allow the Robotic Mower on the fairways to cut grass from Nov to Apr.

As we de-Qualify the course, the greenstaff can position the daily tees at any distance on the tees to spread the wear and tear .

We looked at the level of traffic and where we could put paths in to help the course and to allow those who do need a buggy to be able to play as much as possible

We have a number of holes where we can’t put a path in so at times buggies will be removed for when the ground is that bad and it’s frosty etc

We also reviewed the medical certs and who has buggies on site

We are at the limit now for people to house their two seater buggy at the course so any new person who needs a buggy can only either hire one or bring their own in every time they play

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I still fail to see the difference between accepting the word of someone who has just written/emailed/spoken to the doctor or admin staff and said, for example, "I've got a bad back can you write me a letter?", no examination, pays £40 and gets to use a trolley or buggy and accepting the word of someone who says, for example, I have a bad back can I use a trolley or buggy.

The only difference is, to my mind, the small waste of NHS admin staff time on one hand and displaying trust in slightly less motivated members on the other.

A bad back doesn’t stop you from using a trolly - I have arthritis in my back and I can use a trolley

People that use buggies at our place it’s mainly down to knees , ankles or being unable to walk too much

 

[irip]

A bad back doesn’t stop you from using a trolly - I have arthritis in my back and I can use a trolley

People that use buggies at our place it’s mainly down to knees , ankles or being unable to walk too much

I have a problem that means sometimes I can’t hardly move at all but the next day I can do cartwheels, I don’t know if I need a buggy or not until the day.
It would mean as a visitor I couldn’t book a round at your course and the same for my society.
It must be costing the course money as I can’t be the only one like this

 

[clubchamp98]

We have several Premier League footballers that the club won’t let them walk.

They use buggies to play or they would be stopped from playing at all with this policy.

Anyone can use one at ours except when conditions are wet then it’s Drs note only.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I have a problem that means sometimes I can’t hardly move at all but the next day I can do cartwheels, I don’t know if I need a buggy or not until the day.
It would mean as a visitor I couldn’t book a round at your course and the same for my society.
It must be costing the course money as I can’t be the only one like this

If the problem is that much of an issue then a medical cert will be more than fine surely

Less buggies on the course also means less hours repairing or sorting out any ground issues caused by them

Also less costs on hiring buggies

There are courses like Sunningdale which restrict the use of buggies as well

 

[chellie]

Medical certificate needed at one club for buggies. No idea about visitors though. However, have certainly seen younger visitors in buggies this year.

 

[Imurg]

We have the perfect way of reducing buggies on the course...we don't have any to hire.
Plenty of members have their own but if you haven't got one then you're walking....
Personally, I'm not sure I'd be happy driving a buggy over some of the sideslopes we nave....bloody deathtrap if you ask me...

 

[Neilds]

Can we stop this pointless argument? All clubs are different, no 2 clubs (even with the same owners) are exactly the same. What works for some doesn’t work for others. Clubs will do what works for them and not try to do what other clubs do.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Can we stop this pointless argument? All clubs are different, no 2 clubs (even with the same owners) are exactly the same. What works for some doesn’t work for others. Clubs will do what works for them and not try to do what other clubs do.

Not aware of anyone “arguing”

And certainly not “pointless”

 

[D-S]

A bad back doesn’t stop you from using a trolly - I have arthritis in my back and I can use a trolley

People that use buggies at our place it’s mainly down to knees , ankles or being unable to walk too much

That misses the point entirely.

Just getting someone in an overworked GP surgery to plonk a letter in front of a harassed doctor and paying £40 for it doesn't make you any more or less deserving of a dispensation. the policy that requires it just shows their distrust of members or their willingness to over burden the NHS with trivia.

 

[Neilds]

Not aware of anyone “arguing”

And certainly not “pointless”

It is pointless. No club is going to change their buggy policy because another club does it differently

 

[Arthur Wedge]

That misses the point entirely.

Just getting someone in an overworked GP surgery to plonk a letter in front of a harassed doctor and paying £40 for it doesn't make you any more or less deserving of a dispensation. the policy that requires it just shows their distrust of members or their willingness to over burden the NHS with trivia.

Think there is a little bit of overplaying how much of a “burden” the odd person visiting a doctor is - and I’m sure most sensible people will do it during a check up and it’s once


And if you go to any county event it’s the same - medical cert