Can you run on golf courses that don't have fences? (in Atlanta)

I used to run across a golf course almost every night when I was in high school. As long as there are no witnesses, you were never there. I only had to hop one fence to get on the course.

And this is the country that has the line 'land of the free' in its anthem, huh

You never really know. The workers and course rangers may have a much different idea about runners being able to run on the course than what is actually in the "rules". For example, a couple years ago, we stayed at Disney Old Key West Resort. It has a golf course in the middle of it. We paid a LOT of money for our family to stay there (7 people). Their website says "Jog on a 1.37-mile-long path that winds along shimmering canals and golf course fairways." So naturally I assumed I could run on the paths that run along the rough outside the fairways. Uhhh...no. I had several course rangers in golf carts racing after me SCREAMING at me to "get off the course", VERY ticked off. Our condo we rented was actually looking out over the fairway. BTW, there was hardly anyone playing the course when we stayed there. It was mostly empty when I was running it.

When people say that you run on the golf course, does anyone mean actually running on the fairways? In many cases, it's permissible to run on the cart paths when there are no golfers. College golf courses are often open for the paths. They tend to be very particular about the manicured course itself, naturally.

The public golf course near me was open for walkers and runners during the early months of COVID. Took advantage of running all over the course. However, once they opened back up for golf I am stuck just running on the roads through the course, which is fine still because limited traffic and no lights - but definitely not as good as running on the course.

Signatories wrote:

This made me think of something. How cool would it be if some wealthier runners got together and bought 20-50 acres and created a beautiful XC and track club? It would be easier and cheaper to maintain than a golf club and it would be heaven on earth.

A nice track, a 10k XC course, gym/showers, and some sort of restaurant/bar for post-run nutrition.

$1k a month dues?

This is what Huntsville AL has done, but on a municipal scale, and their course is flawless (except without a track, it's just an XC facility).

Pay the green fees, book the first tee time of the day and play a round of Speed Golf! Two birds (or Birdies), one stone!

We used to play tackle football on the 14th hole fairway, the rough was the sidelines. This was back in the 70s mind you. The groundskeeper would come out in his cart and scare us off, he was rumored to have a shotgun loaded wit rock salt, never stuck around long enough to find out.

n9 wrote:

And this is the country that has the line 'land of the free' in its anthem, huh

This is either a troll or really ignorant. You want all the neighborhood teenagers hanging out in your backyard. It is a slippery slope. Golf courses allow runners pretty soon dog walkers and frisbee golf stoners will be out on the course for free. Freedom doesn't mean you can do whatever you want on private property.

Yo! I live in ATL. Go to the Greenway in Alpharetta. It's got 8 miles of paved trails.

https://www.alpharetta.ga.us/government/departments/recreation-parks/facilities/big-creek-greenway

Lowkey: Alpharetta is a great running town. I grew up there, ran HS XC there, and still go back about once/year and have no issue hitting 70+ mile weeks with a good amount of soft surface, including golf courses. Lots of great soft surface options around and, depending on your willingness to drive, a lot of people to train with—especially closer to the city.

Happy to give more specific places/people if you'd like. railroadathletics(at)gmail(dot)com

Ya know wrote:

Yo! I live in ATL. Go to the Greenway in Alpharetta. It's got 8 miles of paved trails.

https://www.alpharetta.ga.us/government/departments/recreation-parks/facilities/big-creek-greenway

Ah sorry, after reading again I see you said soft surface trails. In that case, there are still quite a few in the area. If you don't mind driving a little ways along 285, Cochran Shoals is a very popular place to run. Gets crowded on weekends but still a solid option with several miles of trails.

Most D1 regional and championship XC meets are on golf courses. I always remember all the instructions as they were just crazy about staying off the greens. You didn't even think about stepping on them.

Of course this is very different as it's once or twice a year. Daily running by 20-25 people might be a different story. Private golf clubs are fine. They can do what they want. A public golf course where it is owned by the city/county etc. is a different story. They should be opened up for runners to use in the early morning and late in the day when golfers are not on the course. Runners should be able to use the outer fringes of the course.

Running in Atlanta (Alpharetta) wrote:

I'm about to spend a few months in Alpharetta, GA. I'm a bit worried about how much soft surface there is going to be for high mileage.

There seem to be quite a few golf courses around, so it'd be great if I can do at least a bit of running on them.

If I can find golf courses that don't have fences, can I run on them? Or is this trespass? Any views, opinions, or experiences would be appreciated. I'm happy to do early mornings before the golfers start, but I also don't want to end up in court.

Why do you runners think you can just run wherever the hell you want to?

No, you don't just go run on a golf course. Rude. Selfish. Potentially a legal issue if you get hit with a ball. Really stupid on your part as you could easily step on a golf ball and roll an ankle.

Find a park. If you feel you must run on a golf course, give them the courtesy of asking first. I think it's stupid though.

I don't golf wrote:

Most D1 regional and championship XC meets are on golf courses. I always remember all the instructions as they were just crazy about staying off the greens. You didn't even think about stepping on them.

Of course this is very different as it's once or twice a year. Daily running by 20-25 people might be a different story. Private golf clubs are fine. They can do what they want. A public golf course where it is owned by the city/county etc. is a different story. They should be opened up for runners to use in the early morning and late in the day when golfers are not on the course. Runners should be able to use the outer fringes of the course.

Permission is given. They make sure to get the balls off the course. Runners aren't entitled to use any golf course without permission.

Not true. You can run along the perimeters of most municipal golf courses without permission.

Just be courteous and stay out of golfers way. They're public city parks.

As a runner who's run on many golf courses and a golfer I don't mind runners running around the course when I'm playing as long as they stay on the perimeter.

If you get hit with a golf ball that's your problem, not theirs. You run on the course at your own risk.

In Albuquerque we have many elite runners who do so.

Now, if you paid a greens fee I suppose you could go ON the course and run up and down the fairways if you wanted to. Maybe carry an iron or a putter with you to look legit!

Joking aside, stick with late afternoons on weekdays when there are fewer golfers on the course and you'd be fine.

You may get a volunteer marshall to ask you to leave but they have no legal authority.

That said I wouldn't try running on any private course for obvious reasons. That's trespassing.

And definitely don't attempt to get onto Augusta while you're in Georgia!

There are tons of parks around Atl. I'm more on the east side so not as familiar with Alpharetta area, but I'd google something like 'mountain bike trails in alpharetta' or check strava heat maps. I say mountain bike because you'll get alot more hits than running - and (at least near me) the bikers keep the trails nice.

My experience with golf courses: 1) in FL retirement community welcomed walkers/joggers on the paths 2) in GA near dusk with 0 people playing golf, dude in a cart with a walkie talkie drives straight at me and asks me something like "what are you doing?" I said "leaving" and he followed me off the course. Some guy that lived on the course called him so don't think nobody is watching just because nobody is playing.

If you get to the east side, check out Harbins Park - probably 20+ miles of varying terrain trails out there.

Speed golf fixes all your issues.

Hooma wrote:

Why do you runners think you can just run wherever the hell you want to?

.

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

With a pink hotel, a boutique

And a swinging hot spot

Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you've got til its gone

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees

And put 'em in a tree museum

And they charged the people

A dollar and a half to seem 'em

No no no

Don't it always seem to go,

That you don't know what you've got

Til its gone

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot