AR
As I state at the bottom of every Stupid Golf Problem column I write, I need reader questions. That was the whole intent of this thing when I first started it. I expected some crazy ones. This is a big country full of golfers of all shapes and sizes who meet all types of people and play all types of courses. I was bound to get some oddly specific issues at some point.
This problem from a reader named William fell squarely under the “oddly specific” category. At first, I was stumped, but I started to realise where he was going with it as I read on …
Hey Chris-
Where do you stand on someone sitting in the golf cart during a round? Is it okay to sit in the cart:
While waiting for others to tee off before your turn? (Pretty obvious, not okay.)
After you have teed off while you wait for others in your foursome to tee off? (Another obvious no.)
On the course while your cart buddy is hitting an approach shot? (My weird take, probably okay to stay in the cart if you are driving, get out and watch if you are the rider.)
On the course while players riding in the other cart are hitting their approach shots? (I would say situational depending on how close your previous or next shot comes from and if they need help “spotting” their ball if there is a blind spot.)
Is there a special exemption for dropping off the person riding in your cart and driving over to your ball to play “ready golf”? (Again situational, example, the other person taking a wedge and putter and walking to meet you by the green.)
You get the idea, when is it okay to stay seated in the golf cart and when is that considered inappropriate?
By the way, I think we can all agree that staying in the cart while everyone else looks for a lost ball is an unforgivable sin and will, at some point, be punished by the golf gods!
Thanks!
-William from Piqua, Ohio
All of these questions, of course, hinge on you riding in a cart. So, to the woke walkers who, much like marathon runners, have to remind you every 0.2 seconds that they walk and carry their own bag when they play golf, please, please save it. Please do not come at me with “just walk and all these problems are solved.” I am begging you to shut up. In this scenario, everyone’s riding, a very common thing for weekend hackers.
Let’s address Will’s final point now – if you sit in the cart while three other people look for a lost ball, you should be buried under the jail. There is no situation where that is acceptable, unless you have received a call about a family emergency. Other than that, get your ass out of the cart and help. You can even fake it. We all have a buddy who can’t accept that his ball is long gone. But you can still fake it for three-to-four minutes, maybe find a ProV1 for yourself, or for your buddy to ease the pain of his lost Vice. As long as you make it look like you sort of tried, you’ve done your duty.
Now, for Will’s numerous other scenarios … I’ll be honest, I can’t say I’d even given any of them a second thought. But now that I have, I’ll do my best to answer.
Is it okay to sit in the cart: While waiting for others to tee off before your turn? (Pretty obvious, not okay.)
This one is very dependent on just how close the tee box is to the carts. If it’s a par 3 and the carts are a few feet from the box, I have no issue with this. You want to get a little sit in, maybe sip on your beer in the shade, check the status of the match, etc. No big deal. As long as you pop right out and hit in a reasonable amount of time when it’s your turn, this isn’t that egregious. However, if it’s an elevated tee box, maybe with some stairs, and it’s a semi-long walk to the markers, if you’re sitting in the cart while everyone’s up there until it’s your turn, yes, you should probably be hung in the town square.
Is it okay to sit in the cart: After you have teed off while you wait for others in your foursome to tee off? (Another obvious no.)
Basically the same answer as the one above. Par 3, close proximity, no problem. Far away from everyone and you’re just hitting and walking over to the cart to be alone, yeah, that’s a little weird. Sounds like Will is playing with guys that simply don’t want to be around each other or don’t like seeing everybody rip driver and say “ohhhh he tagged that” together. Sad bunch.
Is it okay to sit in the cart: On the course while your cart buddy is hitting an approach shot? (My weird take, probably okay to stay in the cart if you are driving, get out and watch if you are the rider.)
Yeah this is perfectly normal. I might get out to shoot a yardage for a buddy, especially if we’re on the same squad in a match. Maybe talk strategy. But I’ll probably end up back in the cart before he strikes it. Completely fine.
Is it okay to sit in the cart: On the course while players riding in the other cart are hitting their approach shots? (I would say situational depending on how close your previous or next shot comes from and if they need help “spotting” their ball if there is a blind spot.)
One thing that often does upset me about riding is it often seems like, while you’re playing together as a foursome, the other two guys are off doing their own thing and you’re doing the same. You still get the tee box camraderie on each hole, but then everyone’s off on their own little journey. Then again, this can be the case for walkers, too, especially if somebody in the group hits a big hook and the other guys hit banana fades. In the interest of pace of play, everybody should be getting to their balls/next shot as soon as possible, whether walking or riding. There will be plenty of time together on the tee boxes, on the greens and sometimes in the fairways provided everyone’s hitting it straight on the same hole. For the holes where the group is playing Army golf, you’re all on your own. In which case, yes it’s fine to sit in the cart at your ball while the cart behind you is on the other side of the fairway playing their shots.
Is there a special exemption for dropping off the person riding in your cart and driving over to your ball to play “ready golf”? (Again situational, example, the other person taking a wedge and putter and walking to meet you by the green.)
Yes, 100 percent. In fact, I actually prefer to reverse it. I like leaving the cart with my cart-mate by their ball and then walking over to my ball, sometimes with the club I know I’m going to hit, but sometimes without, as I know they’ll be driving over to me right after. But at least I’m there thinking about what I’m going to potentially hit, I’ve paced off the yardage, and I’m mostly ready when they get to me. As for wedge and putter situation, yes, you should always split up in those situations, whether it’s dropping a guy off or leaving them with the cart and walking up yourself.
I think the main crux of all these questions is – are you being disrespectful by not standing at attention and watching every single shot from everyone in the group? And the answer to that is no, you’re not. I think if it’s late in a money match, you of course want everyone to be engaged, but there are still going to be plenty of situations where you hit and your opponent isn’t sitting front row for it. Ultimately, everyone’s No. 1 focus is their own game, their own ball, their own next shot. As long as you’re not being a mood-killing miserab, there are plenty of situations where it’s OK to sit in the cart when other people are hitting. Or OK to go to your ball and be ready to play.
But it is never OK to sit in the cart while everyone’s looking for a ball. On that, we agree, William.
Do you have a “stupid” golf problem? A question you’re too ashamed to ask your close friends? A conundrum that needs to be talked out in a public forum? We’re here to help. If you have etiquette-related inquiries or just want to know how to handle some of the unique on- or off-course situations we all find ourselves in, please let us know. You can email me ([email protected]) or send me a DM on Twitter/X (@Cpowers14) or on Instagram (@cpthreeve).
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Main Image: David Cannon
