How is your course standing up to the weather?

[HomerJSimpson]

I think that electric trolleys should be banned in wet conditions, as they seem to cause most of the damage to the course. Our course allows electric trolleys fitted with hedgehog wheels in such conditions, but they do seem to churn things up.

A number of issues have come up for users of electric trolleys fitted with hedgehog wheels.

1) The extra drag of these wheels seem to cause 18 hole batteries to run out after about 15 holes.

2) The small front wheel seems to get clogged up with mud and adds to the drag.

3) A friend of mine found that although the electric motor was still running, the wheels weren't driving the trolley forward. What had happened was that the plastic hedgehog wheels had metal inserts which engage with the drive pins on the axle shafts, but these had worn out. He had to buy an new set of hedgehog wheels, even though we are getting to the end of the winter, and hopefully won't need them for much longer.

I have either been carrying a half set of clubs, or using a pull trolley with clip on hedgehog tracks for the Winter. I haven't found this to be too much of an imposition, and this avoids the problems described above.

We use to have hedgehogs but this year we're trying it without so the GK can see the difference and make a decision. To be honest, I have no idea why you want them banned if the club dictates the course is fit for them to be used. I've never had issues with batteries draining with the "extra drag" of a hedgehog and never had a problem with the small will. Seems like another change for the sake of it.

Of course if the course is waterlogged (probably shouldn't be open) then of course ban them and go carry only. We've done it and while it affects some of the senior members it at least means the course is open to those that want/can play.

To be honest, the damage we're suffering this year in what has been another very wet winter, looks no different to that we suffered with hedgehogs and I've not been convinced based on what I've been told by some green keepers and read, that they make that much difference (another thread I feel) and I'm waiting to see what the club decides going forward. Either way the green staff usually do a good job and the course is always back to usual by March when the warmer weather and sun begin to work their magic

 

[delc]

We use to have hedgehogs but this year we're trying it without so the GK can see the difference and make a decision. To be honest, I have no idea why you want them banned if the club dictates the course is fit for them to be used. I've never had issues with batteries draining with the "extra drag" of a hedgehog and never had a problem with the small will. Seems like another change for the sake of it.

Of course if the course is waterlogged (probably shouldn't be open) then of course ban them and go carry only. We've done it and while it affects some of the senior members it at least means the course is open to those that want/can play.

To be honest, the damage we're suffering this year in what has been another very wet winter, looks no different to that we suffered with hedgehogs and I've not been convinced based on what I've been told by some green keepers and read, that they make that much difference (another thread I feel) and I'm waiting to see what the club decides going forward. Either way the green staff usually do a good job and the course is always back to usual by March when the warmer weather and sun begin to work their magic

I've had several people tell me that the batteries in their electric trolleys give up before they reach the 18th hole when fitted with hedgehog wheels, but no problem with normal plain wheels!

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I've had several people tell me that the batteries in their electric trolleys give up before they reach the 18th hole when fitted with hedgehog wheels, but no problem with normal plain wheels!

Find this surprising as the hedgehog wheels grip and keep moving, were as normal wheels slip and lose traction, if anything was going to waste power it would be normal wheels turning and going nowhere.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Find this surprising as the hedgehog wheels grip and keep moving, were as normal wheels slip and lose traction, if anything was going to waste power it would be normal wheels turning and going nowhere.

I agree. Never known anyone have any issues with hedgehogs and surely that's the point of them, so they keep moving in wet grass

 

[delc]

I agree. Never known anyone have any issues with hedgehogs and surely that's the point of them, so they keep moving in wet grass

Our course is a bit hilly in places, and operating on soft wet ground with hedgehogs could be enough to cause battery problems. As I said before, several people have reported this. My pull trolley fitted with hedgehog wheels is definitely a bit harder to pull than when fitted with plain wheels.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Our course is a bit hilly in places, and operating on soft wet ground with hedgehogs could be enough to cause battery problems. As I said before, several people have reported this. My pull trolley fitted with hedgehog wheels is definitely a bit harder to pull than when fitted with plain wheels.

My course is a bit hilly and definitely better with hedgehog wheels, no issue with battery, battery is lithium though so don't know if that makes a diference.

 

[delc]

My course is a bit hilly and definitely better with hedgehog wheels, no issue with battery, battery is lithium though so don't know if that makes a diference.

The ones that haven't made it round the course have mainly been 18 hole Lead-acid battery ones. Those with higher capacity or Lithium batteries seem to be OK, One of my friends has had problems with his Motocaddy trolley in that the small front Hedgehog wheel has been clogging up with mud and causing increased friction, which in turn has flattened the Lithium battery before the end of the round, and may have contributed to the failures of the metal wheel hubs previously described. He has just fitted all new wheels, including a slightly different type of front wheel, which seems to have cured the problem.

 

[Fish]

I've heard and come across this before to be fair to Delc, yes the wheels make it easier but it's taking more traction and as such more guts out the battery to achieve it, bit like a 4x4 in low gear to get up steep hills will use more fuel.

I think it's it's only really going to affect 18 hole lead batteries though.

 

[ChrisB0210]

I think that electric trolleys should be banned in wet conditions, as they seem to cause most of the damage to the course. Our course allows electric trolleys fitted with hedgehog wheels in such conditions, but they do seem to churn things up.

A number of issues have come up for users of electric trolleys fitted with hedgehog wheels.

1) The extra drag of these wheels seem to cause 18 hole batteries to run out after about 15 holes.

2) The small front wheel seems to get clogged up with mud and adds to the drag.

3) A friend of mine found that although the electric motor was still running, the wheels weren't driving the trolley forward. What had happened was that the plastic hedgehog wheels had metal inserts which engage with the drive pins on the axle shafts, but these had worn out. He had to buy an new set of hedgehog wheels, even though we are getting to the end of the winter, and hopefully won't need them for much longer.

I have either been carrying a half set of clubs, or using a pull trolley with clip on hedgehog tracks for the Winter. I haven't found this to be too much of an imposition, and this avoids the problems described above.

Banning trolleys is all well and good if you have a relatively young membership. At our club we have far more older members than younger ones so a complete ban has never been imposed as it would drastically reduce the number of golfers during winter which would also adversely impact revenue.

We don't have a policy on winter wheels, but when I purchased my electric trolley I bought a set so I could use it all year round, given the idea is to lessen the strain on my shoulders and neck. My observation is that my tracks and those of other winter wheels users seem less pronounced than those left by normal wheels, particularly the couple of ride-on users that we have.

In terms of battery life, I play at a hilly course (most are around here!) and my 18 hole Lithium is more than up to the job. It also coped admirably at Willow Valley on
Thursday which was wet, muddy and has more inclines than my home course as well as being approx 1000 yds longer off the yellows! I've never experienced an issue with clogging on the front wheel with either set, perhaps that's a design issue for a particular brand?

 

[ChrisB0210]

We were supposed to be playing a winter league round today, however the rain has won and it's kids club cinema plus range practice for me...

 

[Fish]

Banning trolleys is all well and good if you have a relatively young membership. At our club we have far more older members than younger ones so a complete ban has never been imposed as it would drastically reduce the number of golfers during winter which would also adversely impact revenue.

So they'd rather chew up the course costing unknown amounts of money to repair and delay the recovery period to which no doubt they'd all moan about how poor the course condition is, just so they can still use their trolleys all winter as their tea & toast will cover all those costs

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Banning trolleys is all well and good if you have a relatively young membership. At our club we have far more older members than younger ones so a complete ban has never been imposed as it would drastically reduce the number of golfers during winter which would also adversely impact revenue.

We don't have a policy on winter wheels, but when I purchased my electric trolley I bought a set so I could use it all year round, given the idea is to lessen the strain on my shoulders and neck. My observation is that my tracks and those of other winter wheels users seem less pronounced than those left by normal wheels, particularly the couple of ride-on users that we have.

In terms of battery life, I play at a hilly course (most are around here!) and my 18 hole Lithium is more than up to the job. It also coped admirably at Willow Valley on
Thursday which was wet, muddy and has more inclines than my home course as well as being approx 1000 yds longer off the yellows! I've never experienced an issue with clogging on the front wheel with either set, perhaps that's a design issue for a particular brand?

We leave the desicions on trolleys and buggies and hedgehogs to the guys that know what they are doing - the greenstaff and golf director


If the 20 or so moaners in the clubhouse are that much better qualified im unsure why they aren't green keepers themselves

 

[Deleted member 16999]

We leave the desicions on trolleys and buggies and hedgehogs to the guys that know what they are doing - the greenstaff and golf director


If the 20 or so moaners in the clubhouse are that much better qualified im unsure why they aren't green keepers themselves

People will moan regardless of whether trolleys are allowed or not, totally agree with you that it's the greenkeepers decision and if a course is allowing trolleys then the Head Greenkeeper will of had his say, our guys rope off areas and mark areas were trolleys are banned,
99% respect this and we've only lost 2 days this season so far, and trolleys been allowed all this time.

 

[chellie]

We are back to carry only due to the ongoing rain dumps yet again. There were a few days last week when trolleys were allowed but carry was still the preferred option.

 

[chellie]

If the 20 or so moaners in the clubhouse are that much better qualified im unsure why they aren't green keepers themselves

You've only that few:rofl:

 

[Deleted member 15344]

People will moan regardless of whether trolleys are allowed or not, totally agree with you that it's the greenkeepers decision and if a course is allowing trolleys then the Head Greenkeeper will of had his say, our guys rope off areas and mark areas were trolleys are banned,
99% respect this and we've only lost 2 days this season so far, and trolleys been allowed all this time.

the same with ours but only one day lost so far and we have a couple holes where new drainage has been put in so trolleys not allowed in certain areas

A good greenkeeper will do his best to make sure the course is as playable as much as possible and for as many members as possible

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You've only that few:rofl:

I was being generous they are the most vocal

 

[Deleted member 16999]

the same with ours but only one day lost so far and we have a couple holes where new drainage has been put in so trolleys not allowed in certain areas

A good greenkeeper will do his best to make sure the course is as playable as much as possible and for as many members as possible

Some have moaned about parts of the course were the Greenstaff vehicles move around, these tend to be right in front of tee boxes or far side of the rough, how they expect work to be carried out without these vehicles is beyond me!

 

[delc]

Banning trolleys is all well and good if you have a relatively young membership. At our club we have far more older members than younger ones so a complete ban has never been imposed as it would drastically reduce the number of golfers during winter which would also adversely impact revenue.

We don't have a policy on winter wheels, but when I purchased my electric trolley I bought a set so I could use it all year round, given the idea is to lessen the strain on my shoulders and neck. My observation is that my tracks and those of other winter wheels users seem less pronounced than those left by normal wheels, particularly the couple of ride-on users that we have.

In terms of battery life, I play at a hilly course (most are around here!) and my 18 hole Lithium is more than up to the job. It also coped admirably at Willow Valley on
Thursday which was wet, muddy and has more inclines than my home course as well as being approx 1000 yds longer off the yellows! I've never experienced an issue with clogging on the front wheel with either set, perhaps that's a design issue for a particular brand?

Another well established club in our area stayed open for most of the recent monsoon season, but had a trolley ban for all of those who couldn't produce a medical certificate to say that they needed to use one. I am an OAP, but I can still manage to carry a full set for 9 holes, or a half set for 18 holes.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Very wet after the overnight rain. Some areas now getting heavily churned by trolleys despite designated routes around greens and tees.