"Trash take"; "Average handicap would be 18" - Fans clap back at former Australian pro for his take on young golfers using carts

Former Australian pro Mike Clayton recently took a dig at young golfers using carts on walkable courses. However, his post was met with mixed reactions from fans.

Clayton is a former professional golfer who has won six times on the PGA Tour of Australasia. Additionally, he won the 1984 Timex Open, his only victory on the DP World Tour.

On September 29, Clayton wrote on X:

"One of golf’s great crimes. An easily walkable course + four under 25yo in carts. Makes me want to throw up"

Clayton's opinion received mixed reactions from the fans online. While few were on the same page with him, others didn't support his remarks. Here's a look at some reactions:

"Trash take," one fan wrote.

"Average handicap would be 18, looks like same as their intelligence,' another fan posted.

"And herein lies the problem. We should be encouraging people of any age to play golf in any way shape or form whether cart, golf board, walking," one user commented.

"One of life's bigger crimes. Sitting back and judging how others spend their time. Especially when they are not hurting anyone," another user opined.

"The only crime I see is someone who took a photo without permission of a group of golfers enjoying their day to ridicule them on social media," this fan remarked.

"This comment is exactly what is wrong with golf. We should be encouraging people to play and love the sport, not judging them for if they want to walk or ride. Full entitlement mode here," one user posted.

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Are players allowed to use the carts on the PGA Tour?

Players generally don't use carts during official PGA Tour events, as they believe walking is an important part of the game. However, the rules were changed in 2001 when professional golfer Casey Martin filed a petition to use a cart due to Klippel–Trénaunay syndrome, a condition that made it difficult for him to walk long distances.

The Supreme Court ruled in Martin's favor with a 7-2 decision, rejecting the PGA Tour's claim that walking was an integral part of the game. Although Martin didn't achieve much success on the PGA Tour, he made history by bringing about a significant change in this long-standing tradition.

John Daly used a cart during the 2019 PGA Championship, becoming only the second player to do so at a major.