Trolleys on Tees

jim8flog

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Just look at any part of the course that has been roped off during the winter. Virtually all players wheel their trolleys as close as they can to the ropes. Look at the sort of wear it causes.

One of the biggest problems is the weight of the trolleys , particularly electric ones with a full bag, this causes compaction of the grass.

I watch a lot of people with trolleys and think they are like comfort blankets are to children. Cannot be parted from them even a few minutes.

Our first tee and our practice putting green are just 30 yards apart. It makes me smile when I watch the number of players who have to take the trolley with them when they go to have a bit of putting practice before teeing off.
 

SteveJay

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If everyone did it the tees would be in the same state as the paths in winter.

Whilst I agree it is bad form to take a trolley on a tee, I disagree that the state of paths in winter is down to trolleys. Its as much about walking on them. After all, a golfer carrying a bag is going to be significantly heavier than a trolley and lots of courses ban trolleys when the weather/conditions are really bad. I don't see a problem in putting down a bag on a tee though. I can do that gently enough not to leave a mark or imprint.

The downside to leaving bags or trolleys elsewhere can be slow play. A former club of mine had a tee where you walked from the previous green, up a part of the fairway, to reach it. People left their bags beside the fairway about 50 yards from the tee and often hit OB (it was tight hole) meaning they then had a minute or so walk to their bag and back to get a provisional ball!!
 

Jacko_G

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Just look at any part of the course that has been roped off during the winter. Virtually all players wheel their trolleys as close as they can to the ropes. Look at the sort of wear it causes.

One of the biggest problems is the weight of the trolleys , particularly electric ones with a full bag, this causes compaction of the grass.

I watch a lot of people with trolleys and think they are like comfort blankets are to children. Cannot be parted from them even a few minutes.

Our first tee and our practice putting green are just 30 yards apart. It makes me smile when I watch the number of players who have to take the trolley with them when they go to have a bit of putting practice before teeing off.

Or maybe they're just security conscious and want to keep an eye on their clubs and bag which may contain their car keys, wallet, phone, expensive watch etc.
 

Val

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As has been said, I've played links courses where it's perfectly acceptable to take a trolley on the tee box, in fact, on some it's difficult not to. If I do, and I did a couple of times at
Littlestone yesterday I would not go anywhere near the tee areas of the day. However, I still would not go on the tee box on any inland course.

I'd agree with all this.
 
D

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i cant see the need for a trolley to be on a tee box ,even if the club allow such things why do you need to.?

For me it’s laziness - you see it all the time people surgically attached to their trolley and use it as a crutch around the course , they appear unable to park their trolley in a decent place where they won’t cause any issues and then walk to their ball - they need to take the trolley right up to the ball.

During the winter we rope off areas and put signs up moving trolleys to better areas and people ignore them - it’s the same buggy users
 

hovis

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it depends on the size of the tee box. I'd much rather a player take his trolley with him rather than walk back and forth each time he changes his mind on club selection. i have no problem with bags and trolleys on tee boxes so long as they're not in my way
 

jim8flog

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THe GPS thing is one thing that makes me laugh.

I have watched guys who have played at the course for over 30 years take their trolleys on to the tee to check the GPS on one of the shorter par 3 threes.

If they do not know what club to use just by looking at the tee and club position after all this time ................
 

Sports_Fanatic

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Having seen a club get it's knickers in a twist over this I'm actually intrigued as too why. I appreciate that some clubs have it as etiquette that it's not allowed. I just want to know why as I really can't see the issue or the bigger picture.

Taking a trolley across a tee does what?

Players standing about on a tee waiting to hit surely do more damage? Practice swings do more damage. Tee shots do more damage. Players footwork will do more damage. So why do some clubs frown about a trolley crossing a tee?

Both clubs I play at don't have an issue and when I asked a greenkeeper his thoughts he just said it's traditional clubs stuck in the dark ages.


Thing is, divots, players on tees etc are all required to play the game, where as a trolley on the tee isn't hence why not respect the rule to lessen the impact on certain areas.

The argument that it does less damage is a mute one, taken to the extreme it's like saying why can't I drive a car round the course as a lorry would cause more damage.
 

Val

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For me it’s laziness

This is a huge generalisation and it's not needed. Many courses have walkways from greens onto tee boxes where the trolley comes out at the back of the tee box, then players are encouraged to take the trolley around the outside of it which takes more time, they then have to walk back to the tee box to tee off, then walk back the their trolley taking more time again, you know time right??? That thing we all have a bug bear about the amount is used on a golf course. Take 1 minute off every group with trolleys teeing off and before you know it (and yes I can count) 18 x 1 minute = 18 minutes less per round.

I get the Parkland/Moorland and winter argument but certainly on links and in the summer then a trolley weighing around 50kg with the bag is doing no more damage than a sit on lawnmower with weight probably in excess of 2 tonne.
 

Capella

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I get the Parkland/Moorland and winter argument but certainly on links and in the summer then a trolley weighing around 50kg with the bag is doing no more damage than a sit on lawnmower with weight probably in excess of 2 tonne.

Yup, but the lawn mower comes around every other day, less than that in cold weather, with the greenkeeper riding it very aware of the conditions. Plus the lawn mower has wide wheels, designed to spread the load as evenly as possible. And all leave of grass bend over or ripped apart by the mower have st least two full days to recover, before the next mower comes through. Morons with golf trolleys come round up to hundred times during a busy day. It just adds up. Maybe it really does not damage a tee on a links course, but I am fairly certain, when a golf club puts regulations into place and asks you to stay off the tees or other areas of the course with the trolley, then there is a reason for it.
 
D

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This is a huge generalisation and it's not needed. Many courses have walkways from greens onto tee boxes where the trolley comes out at the back of the tee box, then players are encouraged to take the trolley around the outside of it which takes more time, they then have to walk back to the tee box to tee off, then walk back the their trolley taking more time again, you know time right??? That thing we all have a bug bear about the amount is used on a golf course. Take 1 minute off every group with trolleys teeing off and before you know it (and yes I can count) 18 x 1 minute = 18 minutes less per round.

I get the Parkland/Moorland and winter argument but certainly on links and in the summer then a trolley weighing around 50kg with the bag is doing no more damage than a sit on lawnmower with weight probably in excess of 2 tonne.

18 minutes per round bevause people can take their trolleys onto the tee - sorry but not having that , how big are the tees that it takes an extra minute per group to walk from the path or the side of the tee from their trolley to the tee box ? A minute ? Really ?

A lawnmower is “crucial” to being on the tee and it also has its weight distributed around the mower and the tyre pressure to ensure as little damage as possible - trolleys have hard wheels that will cause more indents into the grass. It’s also only on the tee once a day at most as opposed to hundred golfers and their trolleys

There is no “requirement” or any reason why someone needs to have their trolley on a tee nor do I see it have anything to do with pace of play. Yep some links courses will allow you to have trolleys on the tee but even then I will still use the path and keep the teeing area free and leave it for what it’s used for.
 

Leveltwos

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If you leave your trolley to the side of the tee you will probably have a walk of a few yards each way to the tee. If you take your trolley with you you will probably have to negotiate a small slope (most tees being slightly raised) wearing away at that area, then across the ground you would have walked across anyway, then exit the tee by a straight line to the fairway across many yards of tee that you wouldn’t have gone anywhere near if you hadn’t taken the trolley with you. A no brainier.... no trolleys on tees.
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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For me it’s laziness - you see it all the time people surgically attached to their trolley and use it as a crutch around the course , they appear unable to park their trolley in a decent place where they won’t cause any issues and then walk to their ball - they need to take the trolley right up to the ball.

During the winter we rope off areas and put signs up moving trolleys to better areas and people ignore them - it’s the same buggy users

It's partly laziness and - IMO - a manifestation of the ever more pervading attitude that finds the individual thinking that when he has paid his money, he should be able to do whatever he sees as reasonable. With little of no consideration of what is laid down and asked of him, or what others might think. You need my money - I get to do what I want or you don't get my money again - and btw I'll diss you on social media...
 

Tommo21

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If you look in the past most links courses allow it as the tees were set in dunes so no path , plus they are hard and dry most all year round.

Inland it’s a different story they can get wet and taking modern trollers on them is a no no.

With all my stuff in my bag plus the weight of the trolley it weighs a ton.
It is just unessesarry to do it ( just walk over).

During winter you only have to look at the wear on the grass when trollies are guided around the greens with ropes it dosnt take long for the grass to suffer.

you pay your head greenkeeper to maintain your course so just do what he asks!
If he says yes ok , if no then no.

Is the correct answer for me......Dunbar, links, have some massive tee areas so sometimes, all depends where the pegs are, it's difficult to avoid. Trolleys on tees are no issue and do no harm whatsoever.

Royal Musselburgh, parkland. Tees are smaller so are treated with more respect.
 

Robster59

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This is a huge generalisation and it's not needed. Many courses have walkways from greens onto tee boxes where the trolley comes out at the back of the tee box, then players are encouraged to take the trolley around the outside of it which takes more time, they then have to walk back to the tee box to tee off, then walk back the their trolley taking more time again, you know time right??? That thing we all have a bug bear about the amount is used on a golf course. Take 1 minute off every group with trolleys teeing off and before you know it (and yes I can count) 18 x 1 minute = 18 minutes less per round.

I get the Parkland/Moorland and winter argument but certainly on links and in the summer then a trolley weighing around 50kg with the bag is doing no more damage than a sit on lawnmower with weight probably in excess of 2 tonne.
Even if it's doing no more then it's still ADDING to the damage and on a daily basis, maybe every twenty minutes, far more frequently than for a mower.
And you calculation is flawed as you are basing it on every tee taking you that extra minute to walk to your trolley and back which I've NEVER encountered on a course. It may happen on one or two holes but not every hole.
When I walk around my course, my GPS watch tells me I can be anywhere between 4 and 5 miles depending on who's balls I am helping to find. A five yard extra walk to the tee is no hardship at all. It's like people who want to park an extra 20 yards closer to the clubhouse before going out to walk the course.
At our course, the trolley can sit next to the tee with no additional time being taken on any hole.
 

Val

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18 minutes per round bevause people can take their trolleys onto the tee - sorry but not having that , how big are the tees that it takes an extra minute per group to walk from the path or the side of the tee from their trolley to the tee box ? A minute ? Really ?

A lawnmower is “crucial” to being on the tee and it also has its weight distributed around the mower and the tyre pressure to ensure as little damage as possible - trolleys have hard wheels that will cause more indents into the grass. It’s also only on the tee once a day at most as opposed to hundred golfers and their trolleys

There is no “requirement” or any reason why someone needs to have their trolley on a tee nor do I see it have anything to do with pace of play. Yep some links courses will allow you to have trolleys on the tee but even then I will still use the path and keep the teeing area free and leave it for what it’s used for.

As usual you poo poo every valid reason you disagree with, no surprise.

I give a good valid reasons, which stands, I'm not asking for you to agree
 

Val

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Is the correct answer for me......Dunbar, links, have some massive tee areas so sometimes, all depends where the pegs are, it's difficult to avoid. Trolleys on tees are no issue and do no harm whatsoever.

Royal Musselburgh, parkland. Tees are smaller so are treated with more respect.

Spot on. This pretty much backs up my point on links tee boxes. Some of these can be 200 or more square metres in size
 
D

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As usual you poo poo every valid reason you disagree with, no surprise.

I give a good valid reasons, which stands, I'm not asking for you to agree

Because I think it’s not a valid reason certainly not to the extent you claim and certainly not on any course I have played but I’m sure you will let me know any course where it takes a minute to walk around a tee and it doesn’t negate the clear damage that could appear on the tee with the “extra not required traffic” - spoke to our head greenkeeper this morning who had worked at all types of courses and thought it would be mad any course would allow trolleys on the tees regardless of how firm the ground is - but what does he know.

But I know some Links courses allow it to happen but I still it’s down to laziness that people are permanently attached to their trolley and can’t have it more than 5 yards from them if that
 
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Jacko_G

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Yup, but the lawn mower comes around every other day, less than that in cold weather, with the greenkeeper riding it very aware of the conditions. Plus the lawn mower has wide wheels, designed to spread the load as evenly as possible. And all leave of grass bend over or ripped apart by the mower have st least two full days to recover, before the next mower comes through. Morons with golf trolleys come round up to hundred times during a busy day. It just adds up. Maybe it really does not damage a tee on a links course, but I am fairly certain, when a golf club puts regulations into place and asks you to stay off the tees or other areas of the course with the trolley, then there is a reason for it.


Why are they morons?
 
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