Should golf courses charge non-golfing partners to ride in the cart?

I met a couple earlier this year that blew away all my preconceived notions about couples where the husband plays golf and the wife doesn't.

I'll call them Bill and Beth (since I don't have their real names). We were paired up at the Palms Course at Marriott's Desert Springs Resort, a lush golf course in Palm Desert, Calif. Beth told me she loves to ride in the golf cart while Bill plays. She doesn't mind the five-hour rounds or the bad shots. She just wants to enjoy the sunshine and gorgeous green grass. It's something they do on every vacation.

Insert mind-blown emoji! I couldn't wrap my head around the concept. I would get laughed at if I extended such an invitation to my wife on vacation. She would rather go to the pool, the spa, the mall, the emergency room even - anywhere but stuck on the course to watch me shoot a very uninspiring 87.

Turns out, there are more Bills and Beths than I thought in this expanding golf universe of ours. More and more golfers are bringing their non-golfing partners - whether it be significant others, spouses, grandparents or children - to ride along during their rounds, a trend that's causing drama at public and resort courses everywhere. Prior to the pandemic, many golfers were spoiled by empty golf courses where bringing non-golfers along wasn't a big deal. It was free and easy, no questions asked.

In today's world, where almost every tee time is taken and every cart seat is filled, some facilities have changed their stances and started charging fees for non-players. Sometimes, it is labeled a spectator fee, usually costing in the neighborhood of a traditional cart fee between $20-$30. Other courses have started to charge a full green fee. Both policies have resulted in a flood of negative GolfPass reviews from angry golfers who feel they are being unfairly price-gouged.

"Would of been nice to know they charged a rider fee of $20," reads a two-star review from The Golf Club at Texas A&M. "I booked a round with the cart included and they still charged $20 extra just for my wife to ride with me. I was the only one player and wasn't even part of a group. The seat would have been empty otherwise. Fees like this are just a money grab imo. Plenty of other places I'll play that don't do this is where my business will be."

Golfpass golfer 'Dbleagle22001' had the same complaints about Lake Tahoe Golf Course in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. His two-star review in June read: "We were here on vacation. Checked in and we had to pay an extra $50 for my wife to ride with. Normally courses charge an additional cart fee, (but) they called it a spectator fee even though the course wasn’t crowded and we were the only ones in our group."

There have even been instances of golfers canceling a round altogether, which is a lose-lose proposition for both the golfer and course. GolfPass golfer 'thenewone' noted that he "didn't play" in his one-star review of Massachusetts' Waverly Oaks, writing, "Upon arriving, I was told that for my wife to ride in the cart with me that she had to pay a complete green fee and cart fee. There isn't anything to see or do around this course so I couldn't abandon her and I wasn't going to pay for a green fee when she wasn't playing. There were only two foursomes on the entire tee sheet. I understand a cart fee but this was silly."

A lot of these problems arise when the policy isn't consistent from group to group, let alone course to course. Another review of Waverly Oaks, one of the top public courses in Massachusetts, noted that a staff member told their foursome that "observers" aren't allowed at all, even though 'thenewone' was offered that opportunity a month earlier. A three-star review from 'Lanecd' explained the situation this way:

"I had high hopes for this course, but unfortunately, the experience was disappointing due to a strict and poorly handled policy regarding non-playing riders. Our group of four asked if a fifth person could ride along. We offered to pay either a cart fee or even a full green fee. The staff flatly refused and insisted that having a non-playing guest is not allowed "anywhere," which simply isn't true. I've personally had observers join at numerous courses from local munis to prestigious tracks like Chambers Bay and TPC Sawgrass. While I understand every course has its own rules (and I respect that), what really rubbed me the wrong way was the disingenuous explanation. Instead of just stating it's their policy, they tried to pass it off as a universal standard, which it clearly isn't. That level of dishonesty, however small, made the experience feel unwelcoming. There are plenty of great courses out there with more transparent and accommodating service. I won’t be returning."

Every course would be wise to use more communication and transparency up front to combat the issue. Every course should clearly state its non-golfer cart riding policy on its website. Few do, unfortunately. Golf courses should also train every member of their staff to be fully versed on whatever policy they choose. I think the feeling that the fee is a "surprise" at check-in is a larger problem than the actual policy or price itself.

Golfers should also be held accountable for better communication as well. Those golfers who want to bring a non-playing plus-one should ALWAYS call in advance to ask what the rate might be, so there are no surprises or confrontations in the pro shop.

Here's another interesting example of a non-playing cart-rider gone wrong after an online booking. GolfPass golfer 'kyleohenderson' wrote in his review of Squirrel Run Country Club that "If I buy a single golfer with cart included, I expect to golf by myself. What should have been my wife and I driving around while I hit the ball turned into me showing up to my reserved tee time and being partnered with 2 others and a 4th to join us. They credited my tee time to go another time and we went to a different course (where) we could ride in the cart together."

I don't agree with this thought process, which tests the old adage that "The customer is always right." If you book as a single, you're likely to be paired up with other golfers these days. And even if you aren't paired up, you can't just assume the golf course will let your significant other have the empty cart seat. I'm actually impressed that Squirrel Run (which, like Waverly Oaks, is also in Plymouth, Mass.) took the high road and gave him a voucher to play another day anyway. Good for them. They likely saved a customer that day.

Let's get back to Beth and Bill. Beth said she doesn't mind paying an extra fee, whatever it may be. They always call ahead and ask before they book online. If a course charges too much or doesn't allow a non-golfing rider, they pivot to one that will. That's how they ended up at Desert Springs. Another local course Bill wanted to play told him non-playing riders were not allowed.

For them, riding in a golf cart together is like going to the movies or a sporting event. As long as they're together on vacation, they're happy. If more golfers took such a positive attitude, then maybe we wouldn't have so many unhappy couples on the course.

Should golf courses charge non-playing cart riders an extra fee? Let us know in the comments below.