No Golf Carts or Buggies in Europe or Bandon Dunes So Prepare to Walk with These Tips

The golf cart, or buggy as it’s called in Europe is not part of golf’s origins. And the original golf course, the St Andrews Old Course certainly didn’t consider efficient cart path routing when the links course opened in 1552. In fact, the Old Course didn’t even have an architect, but naturally happened till Daw Anderson made updates in the 1850s and then most notably Old Tom Morris updated links from 1865 to 1908. Golf was intended to be a walking game and still is required in most parts of Europe, and Bandon Dunes in Oregon.

Exercise was intended to be part of the game, alas, the golf cart is extremely popular in many parts of the world—albeit the little coolers packed with cold beers are lovely. And for those making their debut voyage to Bandon Dunes or Europe, they are in for a rude awakening if they haven’t gotten steps in ahead of time.

Pre-trip running training helps but doesn’t necessarily translate to walking and if Bandon Dunes is on the agenda—several 10-mile walks in advance should be too. There are five championship golf courses and two short courses at the oceanside Bandon Dunes golf resort: Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, Old Macdonald and Sheep Ranch. The walk varies from 8 to 10 miles on each track which is typical for most golf courses around the world. And while the terrain at Bandon is relatively flat—Los Lagartos Golf Course in Bogota, Colombia for example is not. Los Lagartos is almost 9,000 feet of elevation and walking with a caddie is required.

The wrong shoes and lack of walk preparation can damn-near ruin a golf trip which is why is imperative to follow these tips ahead of a Bandon Dunes or walk-intensive golf holiday:

5. Walk Long Distances: 10 walks of 10-plus miles before a walk-intensive golf trip (or more) is ideal. And important to note—running three miles, four times a week doesn’t translate to walking 10 miles, and it certainly doesn’t translate to walking 36 holes two days in a row and 18 on day three which is what’s required to get through all five Bandon Dunes golf courses in three days.

4. Pronate, Supinate or Neutral: To buy the right shoes, it’s important to know the difference between pronation, supination and a neutral foot strike. A pronated foot rolls inward, a supinated foot rolls outward and a neutral foot, is neutral. A proper running shoe store can diagnose which shoes and insoles are best and will reduce pain.

3. Use Protection: Sunscreen is always a good idea, but for golfers traveling from one climate to another, especially if the destination is windy and dry—lip protection is equally critical. Excessively chapped lips are painful and can nearly ruin a golf trip so use lip balm with UV protection and reapply often.

2. Hydration Organization: Everything must be in the bag or it’s not going on a walking round of golf. Whether it’s water, bourbon or tequila—think ahead and pack smart.

1. Lose Some Weight: Remove unnecessary items from the golf bag and take the essentials. Pack eight golf balls, not 24 and remove balls unfit for play. Do yourself, or the caddie and pack light.

Other Smart Travel Items:

• Duchamp Expandable Travel Backpack Suitcase: Under any circumstance, WBGD never, ever checks baggage, except for golf clubs on trips with three-plus rounds of golf on the itinerary. This smart backpack bypasses fees from budget carriers such as Spirit or Frontier and is big enough.
• Oars + Alps SPF Shine-Free Lip Balm or Blistex Lip Medex: we’ve tried several and not all are equal, but these one seems to work pretty well, the key is to apply and reapply.
• Golf Bag Flask: The 26 ounce Franmara plastic travel flask is hard to beat because it’s lightweight and will not break. On cold, rainy days, it’s not a luxury, it’s an essential for survival.