1 Attempt to shut off the cart.
If the cart is electric, turn the ignition key to the “off” position. If the cart is gas powered, do not turn the key to the “off” position—leave it in gear.
2 Try to engage the service brake.
The service, or hill, brake is located on the top half of the brake pedal. Push it forward until it sticks. If it engages, the cart should stop quickly.
3 If the service brake fails, wait for the automatic emergency system to stop the cart.
If you are still moving, there has been a brake failure. Most late-model electric carts also have “downhill braking,” an automatic emergency system that is designed to stop the cart in the event of downhill acceleration. This emergency brake should now engage. Gas carts do not use downhill braking: They have compression braking, which uses the engine to stop the cart experiencing uncontrolled acceleration. This emergency system should also activate automatically.
4 If the cart does not stop, attempt to ride it out.
You should be able to steer a golf cart even with the key turned off. Stay in the cart and steer onto a gentle incline, which will slow or stop it. Do not jerk the wheel or make any sharp turns. If the car is accelerating downhill or into unsafe terrain and you cannot slow it down, prepare to exit.
5 Jump out of the cart.
Do not try to land on your feet. Leap out and away from the path of the cart, rolling on your side to lessen the impact until you are at a safe distance. Protect your head with your arms and aim for grass or other forgiving terrain.
1 Evaluate the situation.
If an empty cart is accelerating downhill and you are far behind, you may not be able to reach it. If the cart is headed uphill or into scrub brush rather than a water hazard, and there are no people in front of the cart, it may slow down on its own. If the cart is headed toward people, a green, or another area where it may cause damage, you may be able to intercept it.
2 Chase the cart and match its speed.
Unless the cart is traveling in a straight line downhill from your position, run at an angle that will allow you to catch up with it.
3 Grab the roof or a roof support.
If the cart is a model without a roof, grab the back of the seat. Do not reach for the wheel before you are in the cart, or you risk turning the cart into your path and running yourself over.
4 Swing your body into the cart.
Do not dive into the cart head first. Pull yourself aboard using your arms. Swing your legs in.
5 Turn the steering wheel gently to obtain control.
Do not jerk it.
6 Steer the cart up a rise or into a sand trap.
The sand should slow it down and eventually stop it.
• The industry maximum speed for both electric and gas golf carts is about 14 miles per hour. (Special vehicles can reach speeds of 18 mph.) A runaway golf cart is usually traveling only with momentum, not with electric or gas power, and should not be traveling at more than a few miles per hour, unless it is going down a hill.
• Always set the hill brake when leaving the cart, whether or not you have stopped on a hill.
1 Check that the rear wheels are on the ground.
All golf carts are rear-wheel drive and carts have very little chassis ground clearance; they can easily get stuck on uneven terrain. If the cart is partially in, partially out of a trap, or if the trap is on a slope, make sure the rear wheels are on the ground.
2 Attempt to push the cart onto the ground to obtain more traction.
The average cart weighs about 800 pounds, but two or three players should be able to push it forward or back enough so that the rear wheels will grab.
3 If you cannot get it onto solid ground, create traction.
The tire treads on golf carts are very shallow and will not provide much traction. Try piling sand or small stones around the wheel to increase traction, or place jackets and other clothing under the rear wheels. An empty, collapsible golf bag may also work.
4 Flag down a passing cart and ask for a tow.
5 Tow the cart.
Secure a long, sturdy rope or chain to a tow hook on the chassis in the rear of the cart. If no hook is available, secure the rope or chain to the chassis using several good knots. Secure the other end of the rope to the rear of another cart, on the chassis. A single golf cart should be powerful enough to pull a disabled cart out of trouble. Use slow, steady acceleration to tow the cart until it has become dislodged and can be driven. If no other cart is available, three to five people may be necessary to push or pull the cart out.
Be Aware
• Golf carts use an open differential drive train: the power will go to the rear wheel that has the most traction.
• If the cart is stuck in a bunker on a hill, use caution when towing or driving out. If the hill is steep, do not attempt to drive the cart in a direction that is parallel to the slope of the terrain; you risk losing traction and slipping or possibly overturning. Golf carts are not designed to be used on hills with more than a 25-percent grade (14-degree slope). Be especially careful on wet grass.
1 Move the key switch to the “off” position.
If you do not have the key, borrow one from another cart; most cart keys are interchangeable.
2 Locate the battery.
The vast majority of golf-cart power failures are due to problems with the battery connections. The battery (or batteries) is generally located under the driver’s seat.
3 Cover your eyes.
Put on glasses, sunglasses, or protective goggles before touching the battery.
4 Move the tow/maintenance switch to “off.”
Most electric carts have a towing switch that provides power to the electric speed controller. Turning it off will help to prevent arcing (sparking) across the battery. The tow/maintenance switch should be located near the battery. Note that instead of “on” and “off,” the switch may be labeled “run” and “tow/maintenance,” respectively.
5 Check the terminals for corrosion.
Look for corrosion where the wires meet the battery terminals. A poor connection at one of the battery terminals may cause the cart to stop running.
A loose connection can cause the amperage to increase, which can damage the cart’s electrical system and prevent it from running. Use clamp-on pliers or vise grips to secure the wire-to-terminal connection. Wear your golfing glove(s) for safety.
7 Move the tow maintenance switch to “on” (or “run”).
8 Move the key switch to the “on” position to start the cart.
9 Put the cart in gear, depress the accelerator, and drive.
• Starter problems with gas carts are usually battery related. First check the battery connections. Repair as appropriate (see preceeding pages).
• Check to see if you have run out of gas. Refill the tank if it is empty.
• Check the fuel lines and filter for a blockage or faulty connection. If the problem is not apparent, abandon the cart.
1 Choke up on the grip.
A driver is longer than most putters. For comfort and control, place your hands lower than you do when you are using the club to drive.
2 Keep your feet relatively close together.
Stand taller than you normally do, playing the ball in a position opposite your forward foot.
3 Move your hands in very close to your body and slant the club forward.
Tilting the shaft toward the target will decrease, or “close,” the loft of the club face. Turn or adjust the face of the club into a square position.
4 Position your eyes over the target line.
Lean your body forward from the hips so your eyes are directly above the target line. You should be able to see the alignment of the club’s face more easily from this position, increasing your chance of making quality contact and rolling the ball with the proper spin.
5 Do not hit the sweet spot.
Hitting the ball thin, or low on the face, will give you better control over the distance that you are trying to cover.
6 Hit smoothly.
Make an even-paced, smoothly accelerating, and rhythmic stroke, not a popping jerk or a jab. Focus on getting the distance right on longer putts rather than on getting the line exactly right.
1 Use a sturdy, flange-type putter.
Most modern putters are not built to handle the force that driving a golf ball produces. Try to use a heavier putter, preferably one with a steel shaft inserted securely into (rather than over) a thick hosel.
2 Tee the ball up high.
Since a putter does not have any loft, you will have to tee the ball up high, approximately 1½ to 2 inches off the ground.
3 Play the ball well forward in your stance.
Tee the ball forward of your front shoulder.
4 Take several practice swings to get the feel of swinging a putter.
Putters are very light and will fly around much faster than a driver, and with much less effort.
5 Make solid contact with the ball.
Hit the ball on the upswing. Hitting cleanly is much more important than swinging hard when driving with a putter.
Be Aware
• Older, major-brand putters are less likely to break apart on impact. Used-club shops and club repair shops are the best places for finding a putter of this type, but you may find one in a sporting goods store.
• There is a danger that upon contact with the ball, the head of the putter will fly off the shaft. Make sure no one in your group is down course.
Use mental tabulation to keep track of the number of shots over or under par you are for the round.
Start at zero. If after the first hole you are two shots over par, you should remember your score as +2. After the second hole, if you are one shot under par, your score is +2-1, or 1. Shooting par does not change your total (+/- 0). At the end of the round, take the course’s total par and add or subtract the final number (72 + 9, for example). This method will only assess your cumulative score for the round. It will not help you keep track of your score on each hole.
Use an alternate writing implement.
• GOLF TEE—Scratch your score onto the scorecard using the pointed end of a golf tee. Press hard to make the number visible. Rubbing dirt lightly over the scorecard and blowing away the excess may make the numbers more legible.
• STICK OR KEY—Use the pointed end of a piece of wood or a key to scratch out your score. If you are unable to read the scratch marks, dip the key or small pointed stick into mud or wet dirt, then mark your score onto the card. If you have a match and can char the end of the stick, this may also help. You may also be able to use the charred end of the match itself.
• GRASS OR FRESH LEAF—Find a wide blade of grass or a leaf, position it over the scorecard, and run a fingernail over it to leave a stain of a number or hash marks representing your score.
• MAKEUP—Lipstick, eyebrow pencil, or mascara may also work as a writing implement.
1 Attempt to shake the tree.
Depending on the size of the tree and the thickness of its trunk, you may be able to dislodge the club by gently shaking the tree. Take care to avoid being hit by the club when it falls.
2 Try to dislodge the club using a ball retriever, flag-stick, or another club.
Someone in your group may have a telescoping ball retriever, or, if you are near the green, grab the flag-stick. Use the implement to reach the club or shake the branch where it is lodged.
3 Create a longer poker.
Secure the flagstick to a golf club or to a telescoping ball retriever using athletic tape, shoelaces, or bandages. Tie the grip of the club to the base of the flagstick. Hold the head of the club and use the flag end of the stick to knock the club loose.
4 Climb the tree.
Use this method only if you cannot dislodge the club with the above methods, the tree is easily climbable, and the club is not too high. Carry another club in your belt to help you reach the stuck club or the branch that it is resting on, or have another player hand up a club when you are in position. See “How to Retrieve a Ball Stuck in a Tree” (page 24) for correct tree-climbing technique.
• Tossing other clubs into the tree in an attempt to dislodge the lost club may result in multiple stuck clubs or damage to the clubs.
• Do not throw sticks and stones at the errant club. They are not very effective and may hit you or members of your party on the way down.
Look for discarded or broken tees.
Golf courses are often littered with broken tees. You may be able to find one with a long enough head, or one that you can easily repair with a bit of tape or gum.
Build a pyramid of wet sand or dirt.
Before the advent of plastic and wooden tees, golfers used sand to get the ball off the ground. If no sand is available, try using moist dirt from the rough to build your pyramid. Make certain the dirt does not contain pebbles or rocks that may alter your shot or fly down the course with your ball. Drive normally.
Use smashed ground.
Before your shot, swing the club face, leading edge down, into the ground. This will cause the turf to wedge up, creating a small mound on which you can place your ball.
Use small sticks.
Collect several sticks and build a pyramid. Gently place the ball on the pile.
A player is not required to use a tee on the first shot, but has the option of doing so.
