May I Please Avoid Stranger Danger and Ride Alone?
Dear Molly: I like the serenity and predictability of riding solo when I play, but many of Colorado’s public-access golf courses are telling me either I’m not allowed to do that or I’ll have to pay extra. What can I do?
Maybe you could walk? Of course, you could join a private club where you take the cart you’ve bought just for yourself. But when it comes to public golf post-pandemic, you are correct: Some districts, like South Suburban, are saying no to single-rider carts when the course is busy, while others, like Denver and Foothills, are adding on a surcharge.
Kind of makes sense when you think about it. Wouldn’t we all like to sit in an open row on our next commercial flight? But wouldn’t we then have to buy two more tickets to guarantee that comfort? A golf course that charges $23 per rider, as the Denver courses do, is letting you off easy by tacking on only an additional $7 for an empty seat it could fill. Others are just saying no to forfeiting all and any of that potential revenue. One of the McMulligans’ favorite courses, for example, builds carts into the green fee and matter-of-factly merges any single riders at the first tee.
So I’m going to make what may sound to you like a radical suggestion here. Why not think about how to create serenity and predictability with a stranger alongside you? I spoke to many competitors who routinely share carts for five hours in the CGA’s shotgun start tournaments and member play days, and they’ve become quite comfortable not only navigating the potential roadblocks but often enjoying the roadtrip very much. They find that it helps their game to share responsibility for the cart. Sometimes they make a new pal.
Here are some of the suggestions they shared:
- The first to arrive generally gets first choice between being the driver or the passenger. But it’s polite to say, “Do you mind if I …?” In any case, be prepared to say whether you get carsick if someone else drives, hate driving or are fine either way.
- If you’re driving, ask whether to park to the left or to the right of the ball when the passenger has a shot. Most players do not care, but those that care really do CARE.
- Be up front about smoking and music. “Do you mind?” “I sure do.” Or, if a smoker doesn’t ask, it’s OK to say, “Would you mind not smoking in the cart?”
- In competitions, players say it’s also OK to state up front if you’d rather not converse unnecessarily. “Please don’t take it personally but I’m really not into nongolf chitchat when I’m playing.”
- In casual play, “Are you a Trumper?” is not a recommended opener. it’s smart to keep the conversation on golf and sports. Talking about courses you’ve played and enjoyed might lead into other light topics such as where you grew up and have lived.
- For drivers, the phrase to know is, “Do you have everything you need?” every time they’re going to drop off the passenger and ride away.
- Passengers, be prepared to take the wheel at times when the driver needs to go where the cart cannot. Your driver is not your chauffeur.
You might still find lone-rider opportunities on rainy days, during early bird starts or at twilight. But please consider that golf is a social game, designed to be played by twosomes, threesomes and foursomes. If you can find positives in the forced company of a shared cart, you might walk away with a phone number of someone with whom you want to ride next time.
Do you have a question about golf etiquette, golf relationships or the culture of golf in Colorado? Email it to Molly McMulligan, the CGA’s on-the-course advisor on how to have more fun on the golf course, and follow @MollyMcMulligan on Instagram. Her creator, researcher and writer is golf journalist and CGA member Susan Fornoff.
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