USGA Study: Does Adaptive Golf Cart Traffic Have an Impact on Putting Green Smoothness and Trueness?
October 18, 2024
By John Petrovsky, manager, Green Section Education; Olayemi Ojeokun, Kansas State University; Wesley Stewart, data scientist, USGA Green Section; Cole Thompson, Ph.D., director, Green Section Research
Some adaptive golfers require the use of a single-rider seated golf cart while playing, which includes driving on the putting green. We wanted to better understand whether this traffic has any impact on putting green smoothness and trueness. Pictured is Annie Hayes, winner of the women's seated player category at the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open.
Key Takeaways
Some adaptive golfers require the use of seated carts, but very little data is available about what, if any, impact these carts have on the putting green surface.
Initial results from two field studies conducted during the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open show no reduction in putting green smoothness or trueness after traffic is applied with a SoloRider seated golf cart at three volumetric water content levels.
Some surface disruption was detected with a ParaMotion seated cart but it was not consistent across all test plots and any effect observed was temporary.
Multiple types of seated carts driving on the same green on the same day during the championship had little to no impact on surface smoothness. This initial finding is reassuring for courses hosting adaptive golf events with players using SoloRider, ParaMotion, VertaCat, or similar carts.
Potential effects may not be realized in a practical setting since cart use is typically restricted for several hours after a significant rain event. Impacts can also be mitigated with enhanced training of operators, specifically on how to properly maneuver a ParaMotion cart on putting greens.
Golf is a game for everyone, including people with disabilities. In recognition of this fact, the United States Golf Association (USGA) debuted the U.S. Adaptive Open in 2022. Whether a course is hosting a national championship for adaptive golfers or simply trying to improve access and enjoyment for normal play, questions arise about how to best accommodate adaptive players and whether there are any unique course maintenance considerations involved.
A common area of uncertainty among golf course operators is how to manage seated golf cart access onto putting greens. A key focus is having players with disabilities feel welcome and included, but many decision-makers at golf facilities have also expressed concern over potential surface disruption that may be caused by a seated golf cart driving on a green, especially following rainfall. There is a lack of data on the effects of single-rider seated carts on putting greens, and the few studies conducted have been in a lab setting or with mobility devices that are no longer used in golf (Gentilucci & Murphy, 1997; Gross, 2007).
It would be beneficial for the adaptive golf community and all the courses eager to host adaptive players to determine what, if any, impact seated carts have on putting greens and to develop guidelines regarding their use during adaptive golf events or routine play. To better understand the impact of modern seated carts on putting surfaces, the USGA Green Section initiated two field studies in July of 2024 at the 3rd U.S. Adaptive Open, held at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kansas.
For the full study, references and sources, please visit the USGA’s website: https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/green-section-record/62/issue-19/the-effects-of-seated-golf-cart-traffic-and-volumetric-water-con.html
The two types of seated carts evaluated in the study were SoloRider (left) and ParaMotion (right). The SoloRider has a similar design as a standard golf cart but for a single rider, while the ParaMotion is designed for maximum maneuverability. Both have adjustable seats that allow players to position themselves as needed to make a swing.
