Walking, Buggy or Caddie at the Great Courses
Whether you walk, ride or take a caddie shapes a round as much as the course itself. From walking only links to cart path Florida, here is how the great courses handle it in 2026, and how to plan for it.
Two golfing cultures
Few things divide golf like the question of how you get around. In Britain, Ireland and much of the links world, walking is simply golf, and a buggy is the exception granted on medical grounds. Across much of the United States, a riding cart is the default, often built into the green fee and sometimes mandatory. Neither is wrong, but turning up expecting one and getting the other can colour a whole trip.
Knowing a course policy in advance lets you pack the right shoes, set the right pace and, frankly, manage your knees over a week of golf.
Walking only, and proud of it
A growing number of the best modern destinations have made walking part of the identity. Bandon Dunes in Oregon is walking only, with caddies and push carts the way to play. The Cabot courses in Nova Scotia and the new Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida lean the same way, as does Sand Valley in Wisconsin. Pinehurst keeps a deep caddie tradition on its famous No. 2. The reward is a purer, quieter round and a closer read of the ground under your feet.
On these courses a caddie is not a luxury add on, it is the intended experience, and the local knowledge on a firm, blind, rumpled links is worth every penny.
Where the buggy rules
Plenty of great golf is built around the cart. In the Florida heat, the Arizona desert and across much of resort America, a riding buggy is expected and often required, frequently with a cart path only rule when the ground is soft. That can slow a fourball and keep you away from your ball, so it pays to know before you tee off. The fee usually includes the cart whether you wanted it or not.
There is no shame in riding. In high summer humidity it can be the difference between enjoying the back nine and surviving it. The key is simply to expect it and plan the day around it.
What a caddie actually gives you
A caddie is more than a bag carrier. On an unfamiliar links or a Pete Dye puzzle, a good looper reads the wind, gives you the line on a blind tee shot, points out the safe miss and reads the greens better than you ever could on a first visit. On the great walking courses, taking a caddie is the single best way to score well and understand what the architect intended.
Caddies are bookable in advance at most of the courses that encourage them, and tipping etiquette varies by country, which is exactly the sort of detail a good plan should spell out for you.
Our take
Match the transport to the course and the climate. Walk the links and the great sandy destinations, take a caddie wherever the course invites one, and accept the buggy gracefully where the heat or the rules demand it. Our destination guides and our buggy and caddie guides spell out the policy course by course so there are no surprises on the first tee.
Plan a trip that fits how you play
Walking purist or happy to ride, we build the itinerary around it, book the caddies where they matter and flag the cart rules before you go.
Questions
Are there walking only golf courses?
Yes. Several leading destinations are walking only, including Bandon Dunes in Oregon and the Cabot courses. They use caddies and push carts rather than riding buggies.
Do I have to take a cart in Florida?
Often, yes. Many Florida and desert courses include or require a riding cart, sometimes with a cart path only rule when the ground is wet. Always check the policy before you book.
Is it worth taking a caddie?
On unfamiliar links and demanding designs, a caddie is well worth it. A good caddie reads the wind and greens, gives you lines on blind shots and usually helps you score better and enjoy the round more.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course transport policies verified June 2026; policies change by season, so always confirm directly. Last reviewed June 2026.