Trolley Ban!

[thecraw]

How many of your courses operate a trolley ban during the winter?

The reason I ask is that certain parts of my track are now a churned up mud bath due to ignorant lazy bar stewards who are too lazy to carry their bag in winter. They just continue to wheel their trolleys oblivious or unconcerned about the damage that they do. Its not as if its not noticeable either.

I spoke to the greenkeeper today who was at his wits end. He was saying that due to the weather he is about 3 months behind where he'd like to be in terms of winter plans etc. He was also saying that unless someone has a medical certificate then they shouldn't be allowed the use of a trolley at this time of year. What a wonderful idea I agreed. You should hear his opinion of juniors with electric trolleys, I think a tractor was mentioned in the same sentence and I did chuckle!

Anyway our weather has been that wet the greens staff can't take heavy machinery onto the course at present for fear of churning up the course.


How many of your clubs operate a trolley ban when its soft?

 

[jpenno]

Not sure on the current position but sherdley park used to ban them and you had to tee up on certain fairways during the winter!

 

[bluewolf]

Ours is on a day to day basis, but as soon as the weather changes, I pull out the carry bag. Seems simple really.

 

[fundy]

Ours are supposed to but rarely do, how they didnt enforce it earlier this week I dont understand

 

[HickoryShaft]

Ours do have a winter ban but recently have been allowing hedgehog wheels on while normal trolleys are still banned.

Carry bag for me this time of year - need something to help get the Christmas excess down again!

 

[CliveW]

No trolly ban at Blairgowrie as it drains pretty well. Some areas, especially between greens and tees, are roped off to prevent excessive wear and tear by trollies. As the average age of members is 74, there wouldn't be that many who could manage without a trolly!

 

[JT77]

Ours bans electric ones from around Oct to march, but normal ones are allowed unfortunately.

 

[Captain_Black]

It's the electric ones that do all the damage.
They are very heavy & they spin the wheels in the wet / mud & churn it up something wicked.
I used a push trolley with hedgehog wheels & it does no damage at all, I am also very careful to avoid the very boggy parts of the course.

 

[Captainron]

Ban 'em all! If you can't carry you can't play would be my motto. Harsh maybe but I'm sticking to it.

 

[Iaing]

We've got a hedgehog wheel only policy from 1st november to 31st march with huge swathes of roped off areas around the greens and tees. I don't know if the hedgehogs make a lot of difference but the course certainly recovers quickly in the spring.
I carry during the winter because it's just a lot less hassle.
A trolley ban will never happen because as far as the clubs are concerned anyoe playing and spending money in the bar is better than no one. And a lot of folks won't play if they can't use their electric trolleys.

 

[jammag]

My club operate a carry if you can when its really wet but will allow trolleys with hedgehog wheels. They have put in some pathways for areas that usually get a bit boggy. Peoples footprints are just as bad as wheels in my opinion why they dont encourage people to walk round certain areas around tees n known bad areas. My club does also put white lines on fairways to show you where you should be moving your trolley and roping off certain areas. Dont see how the doctors note thing would work, could you imagine, yeah I would like to book an appointment please, yes sir certainly what is the problem, well you see I need a doctors note to show I cannot carry my golf bag around 18 holes. Well ok then your booked in for 9:30, next call I would like to book an appointment as my heart is playing up, er sorry sir you cant see a doctor today we are fully booked today.

I wouldnt want to start up that debate again as it has been on here many times, but if people can afford to have the luxury of not carrying then why not, if you cant carry then does your problem have to be visable. I think not just one of the choices you get to make in golf, same as choosing to have the premium balls, the top of the range clubs, the best waterproofs, top bag, gps or laser. Does it make a difference to your golf, maybe maybe not but its a choice that you feel is right. If its within the rules its fine by me.

 

[stevie_r]

Ban 'em all! If you can't carry you can't play would be my motto. utter crap I know but I'm sticking to it.

fixed that one

 

[Phil2511]

There is no ban at our place for trolleys but alot of roped off areas that get moved to stop overuse. Quite a few tees on fairways or extra that are only used in winter.
However many of the fitter guys carry because there is so much rope to travel around they say it's easier. I personally doubt I could manage 9 holes if I carried although I hope to get my weight down and fitness up to be able to carry next winter.

 

[stevie_r]

I have a three wheel push trolley, the ground pressure it exerts in terms of pounds per square inch is significantly less than that of a human being, especially one laden with a golf bag. Thing is if areas are roped off or marked then (most) people won't intrude on them with their trolley. The same can not be said for a bag carrier who will generally take the shortest path; this is where the damage occurs.

 

[Phil2511]

I have a three wheel push trolley, the ground pressure it exerts in terms of pounds per square inch is significantly less than that of a human being, especially one laden with a golf bag. Thing is if areas are roped off or marked then (most) people won't intrude on them with their trolley. The same can not be said for a bag carrier who will generally take the shortest path; this is where the damage occurs.

That's exactly what they do at my place, carry and walk over the ropes through the cordoned off areas. I also use winter wheels on my trolley so as not to spin and churn the place up as mentioned earlier in the thread.

 

[Bash]

If neccessary, they'll have a notice saying hedgehogs only, dependant on the conditions that day, but no trolley ban

 

[Dave B]

No trolley ban but they are restricted to the sides of the course, There are lots of roped off areas but only one temporary green. The course is getting a bit tatty in areas and I feel that the ropes should be moved more often and that there should be a couple of more temporary greens as one or two are a little bit on the damp side.

In the past the course has had problems with drainage but the owner and green keepers have put a lot of work in and given the weather the greens are in very good condition

 

[Imurg]

We have a Hedgehog only policy that includes electrics as well as push/pull trolleys.
We do have some parts that are getting churned up as it's the shortest route to the next tee. Occasionally these areas get roped off for a while and traffic goes round it. It all recovers by Spring.
I carry in the winter. Only really because I get racked off with the amount of mud that sticks to the hedgehogs - yesterday, Fraggers trolley wheels looked no different to normal wheels they were so caked.
It's also a pain getting them off the trolley and into the boot - small car so everything gets dismantled to fit in.

 

[chrisd]

Ban 'em all! If you can't carry you can't play would be my motto. Harsh maybe but I'm sticking to it.

I have a need to use an electric trolley all year round as do many golfers. If we wern't allowed to we wouldn't stay members and your fees would shoot through the roof and you'd be the first to moan. Every member that doesn't rejoin at our place cost around £1,000 and you would need to find that money from some where else and given that something like 30 members out of 600 have a doctors letter allowing them to use trolleys your loss could be £30,000 at a stroke.

Harsh ? more like "no idea" I'm afraid

We are in a 2 month ban through January/February which is stupid. The course at the moment is as dry as it often is in May, when the ban come off it could be really wet, surely thats when trolleys should not be used.


Chris

 

[AmandaJR]

We don't have a ban and don't have too many areas that get boggy as hard standing on many walkways between holes plus the lay-out means such walkways are often "dead" land unless you're very wayward!

I see so many who carry stepping over the roped areas protecting the aprons of greens so not sure who does the most damage. Never mind those that trudge across the green with a bag on their back.

I'd play a lot less golf if it meant carrying as I'm a lighweight, small person and whilst relatively strong I know my neck and back couldn't take the strain.

I have a speedcart which is fairly lightweight and easily manouverable so take care where I wheel and how I wheel it. It's about respecting the course however you choose to travel it.