CART GOLF as I see it
Albert Charles
CARTS & GOLF
According to a reference book I have, golf got underway at St. Andrews in
1547. At that time there already existed technology to relieve golfers of
the necessity to walk- dog and pony carts- but it never occurred to them.
So for the first 400 years of golf, golfers walked. [ However did those
courses stay in business without the extra revenue?? ] About forty or so
years ago, one of the utility vehicle industry companies-it may have been
Cushman, or perhaps someone else, decided that there was an opportunity to
make more money, so they promoted the idea that senior golfers, those with
creaky knees, arthritic hips and aching backs could use these vehicles to
help them play golf beyond cutoffs imposed by these physical limitations.
This was the Trojan Horse. After a while, club professionals and managers
saw that there was some bucks to be made with carts. MONEY was the object-
they didnąt give a ratąs ass about the game. If you doubt this, just pick
up any issue of the professional trade journals for club pros and
managers. The major theme is how to maximize income.MONEY,MONEY itąs all
about MONEY.
In a lot of cases the income from carts did not go to the course, but to
the pro. And the course, instead of participating in any profit, had to
subsidize this enterprise due to the added maintenance expenses directly
caused by carts.[ Greenskeepers hate them-carts cause all kinds of grief.]
In the case where there was owner managership, they just lumped it all
together and adjusted the fees accordingly.
Even where the income derived from carts went into the pros pocket it was
a risky business. Golf carts are not delivered by Santa Clause, but are an
expense until they start paying for themselves. And it doesnąt take a
rocket scientist to figure out that a golf cart that is parked outside the
clubhouse all day is a liability.
It was soon realized that there werenąt enough creaky knees, arthritic
hips and aching backs outside of the sunbelt to support carts so they went
after the lardass trade. And when they realized that there were not
sufficient numbers of creaky knees, arthritic hips, aching backs and
lardasses, they targeted the morally crippled. And when they saw that
creaky knees, arthritic hips, aching backs, lardasses and the morally
crippled didnąt do it for them, they finally made carts mandatory for
everyone. Carts had to be in almost constant use. The łrevenueą necessity
cited by so many apologists is no more than a self perpetuating flimflam
to keep up with the financial goals sold to them by the trade journals.
The so-called Professional Golfers of America sold the game out for twenty
pieces of silver-thereąs no other way to put it.I have a difficult time
deciding which group I loathe more-them or lawyers. MONEY is ALL that
matters to them. Proshops now look like miniature WalMarts. They stock
clothing that the Walmart buyer has too much taste to allow on their racks
and novelties that could feel right at home in state fair midways. You
know what folks? You can have a perfectly good golf course without all
this pollution. Clubs, balls and other golf equipment and lessons are all
thatąs necessary.
If the Scots had any sense of justice at all, they would not allow
American golfers on St. Andrews. [ since what they play at St. Andrews is
golf, and what Americans play is something else, Americans would be
considered łbeginners˛.] Well, I believe the Scots like money too, and
they have jacked up the fees accordingly for the Americans.[ I think it
was about 10 pounds max about ten years ago.] They just put out their hand
for the money, turn their faces to the side and hold their noses. Saddam
Hussein is looking to buy xyklon gas. Any suppliers out there?
Golf is gone, defunct,debased [ cartgolf is to golf as Snoop doggy dog is
to Duke Ellington ] in this country, flushed down the toilet by the
greedy, and we wonąt get it back with complacency.In which case itąs a
hopeless cause.
If I offended a lot of people with this post-well good-I meanąt to.
Mark Koenig
Albert Charles (aca...@maroon.tc.umn.edu) wrote:
: CARTS & GOLF
{mutters of a cart fanatic deleted}
: If I offended a lot of people with this post-well good-I mean9t to.
Albert, you never offend me....you make me laugh. :-)
Afterall, you remind me that there are people out there willing to fight
for something that they will never win, but they continue to fight, wasting
time and energy that could be put to better use.
If you don't like carts, don't take one, don't play courses that make you
take one and don't buy anything from golf companies that promote cart golf.
Simple.
But get off the backs off everyone else! Carts aren't evil.
Good Putting!
Mark