Depending on who you ask, golf carts are either the greatest or worst invention in the history of golf. From a revenue standpoint, carts allow a course to push through a lot of rounds which in turn creates more money. They also allow differently abled players to access the game. But ask a Superintendent and they will sing a different tune. At our facility, carts are the #1 source of soil compaction and turf decline. This year, we are dealing with one of the driest Fall, Early Winters on record. While it has been great for our round played, cart traffic on our dormant turf has accelerated crown dehydration and forced us to recharge our irrigation system to re-hydrate the plants. I am torn on this issue. While my first priority is to protect the golf course, i am aware that in this economy, carts play an integral role in the revenue generation of a course.
