I wonder at what age these giants no longer carried their own golf bags?

I’m an ardent golf course walker.  I’m not a radical absolutist; I will ride a cart when necessary. However, when given the choice and opportunity, I prefer to walk, for a lot of the obvious reasons.

I firmly believe that exercise is a critical component of my golfing experience, and nothing accentuates this like walking the golf course.

Even at my home course, which really doesn’t have much space from the putting greens to the next hole’s tee boxes to speak of, I know it’s about a 3-mile walk for 9 holes and about six and a half miles for a full 18 holes.

It’s a “good” tired that my legs feel once I walk off the 18th green when I’ve walked the golf course, even one that’s relatively flat or gently rolling.  For my money, walking the course is also a fantastic hedge against having a bad round, even if I had a bad game on that particular day.

Extreme elevation changes make for some dramatic vistas, but all but eviscerate a course’s walk-ability.

It’s not just the exercise aspect that I appreciate about walking the golf course, though.  My enjoyment of the connection to nature isn’t nearly as strong from the vinyl seat of a golf cart as it is walking the fairways…and rough…and hazards…and the deep woods.

Nonetheless, there are times that I’m happy to take a cart.  There are courses not far from Lexington that are so hilly or mountainous that walking isn’t only impractical, it could be downright dangerous.  Plus, when 36 or more holes a day are on the agenda, walking is just plain silly at my (middle) age.

Also, I’ve worked at two different golf courses and understand that letting people out without a cart on a Saturday or Sunday is just asking for chaos later down the tee sheet.  And with this being the first year I’ve ever played in any statewide tournaments, I just went with the flow and happily rode along with everyone else.

Which brings me to this month’s poll question topic: what, Dear Readers, is your level of commitment to walking the golf course?

Part of my affinity for parkland-style layouts comes from the ease with which such courses can usually be walked and enjoyed.

What about those times you wish to walk the course, and rest of your group decides to ride? Do you give in and put your bag on the bag of the cart, or do you stay the course and resist the peer pressure?

Personally, I’m a people pleaser. Oh, I can be plenty contrarian on occasion, but at my core, I have a desire to be liked ingrained so deep in my DNA that my picture may end up in the next revision of the DSM. So rocking the boat and being the odd-man out can be a daunting task.

I’m not much of a New Year’s resolution maker, but I do try to organize my thoughts over the holidays into goals and plans.  In 2015, I walked 24 of 56 rounds, and would’ve like to have walked more often than I did.  I WILL increase my walking-the-course percentage in 2016.

What say you, Dear Readers?  Take a second and vote below.