Initially gaining popularity with elite golfers in the 50s and 60s, golf carts are now making their way into all sorts of unlikely places. Employees in airports, warehouses, movie sets and resorts have all gotten mobile with golf carts over the past decade. Residents of careless communities and tropical islands have been using them on the sly as a cheap way of getting from a to b for years. But perhaps one of the most surprising places to find golf carts these days is on the streets of America.
Deeply contrary to the culture of speed, golf carts and the people who drive them are demanding a piece of the road for themselves - and they’re getting it. In many ways the timing is absolutely right.
Designed to travel at a leisurely pace and run on electricity, golf carts leave a significantly smaller ecological footprint than the average vehicle. The first electric vehicle available to consumers, golf carts are compact and cheap to run, quiet, easy to drive and non-polluting. They’re also painfully slow. Most golf carts top out at speeds of 15 mph with the pedal to the metal. But if you’ve got time to get to where you’re going, what’s the problem?
Many communities have simply connected the dots between their warm weather, a preponderance of golf courses and retirees, and the sheer efficiency of these vehicles by building roads and pathways dedicated just to them. Much like bike lanes in other cities, golf cart lanes are showing up in communities all over Florida, Arizona and California.
According to a new york times article, golf cart sales to individuals have doubled over the last 10 years, a phenomenon largely due to a change in US legislation. Ever since the National Highway Traffic Safety administration allowed “low speed vehicles” such as golf carts, to travel up to 25 mph on roads with speed limits up tp 35 mph in 1998, golf carts have been slowly moving off the golf course and into people’s garages.
Of course, you have to pimp your ride before you’re legal. Road worthy carts have to be outfitted with seat belts, windshields, turn signals and brake lights before they can legally tear up the asphalt.
In 1999, Rancho Mirage CA was one of the first American cities to make Golf Carts part of the municipal scene when the city adopted a program allowing drivers to travel the streets in their carts. The city has designated golf cart lanes and paths that traverse the downtown area and skirt the entrances to some of the most exclusive designer golf courses and country clubs in America. Carrying golf clubs, groceries and purse dogs, residents cruise roads named after the icons that invented this glamorous slow-moving golf life: Bob Hope, Gerald Ford, Ginger Rogers, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra. With scarves streaming in the slow desert breeze, this is SoCal at it’s finest.
The city is no stranger to the ways of the golf cart. The Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage is said to be the first place to ever see a powered vehicle on the fairway. In the 1950s, the likes of Desi Arnez and Bing Crosby were wheeling around the Thunderbird greens in the first 3 wheeled electric golf carts Americans had ever seen. To have the modern cousins of these early vehicles taking over the streets of Rancho Mirage 60 years later is not really surprising. Some would wonder what took them so long.
Christina
When most people think Sun Mountain golf cart they think of a push pull golf cart that takes a golfer and his golf clubs around the course. And that’s a fair assumption seeing that is what they were originally produced for. But in this day and age there are other uses apart from the obvious.
Many large companies with many warehouses or factories also find a need for push pull golf cart. Traveling to and fro between buildings is made easier and faster when using a push pull golf cart. These push pull golf carts are not only convenient but also can be very useful along with the fact that they can be affordable.
You will find many manufacturers that produce these golf carts in either a manual push and pull or electric version. Some can carry passengers as well as a golf bag. And for the people who like to be a little different there are companies that make custom versions to satisfy that individual need.
If you are a fanatic golfer or just an occasional golfer then Sun Mountain golf carts are still a great way to get around that 9 or 18 hole course. Of course you can purchase your own or you have the option of hiring one as well. Many courses have them for hire for reasonable prices but there may not always be one available. So if you don’t like disappointments then perhaps you should consider buying one.
A good idea is to check out the many online manufacturers that make reliable and affordable golf carts for you to choose from before making any rash decision.
Lydia
More and more golfers in recent years are choosing to buy their own golf cart instead of just renting them when they play. Many feel that owning their own cart is actually cheaper in the long run.
And for some, there are clear advantages to owning their own golf cart. For instance, if you like to play golf a lot, perhaps five times a week, and your golf course charges you $15 for a cart rental, you are spending nearly $75 a week just on golf cart rentals. If you buy a used golf cart instead for $3500 - $4000, it would pay for itself in only about one year’s time. And considering that golf carts can easily last 10 years or more, you should be able to recover the cost of your cart many times over in saved golf cart rental fees.
For those who live in retirement communities, a golf cart can be put to even more uses than just those on a golf course too, such as making small, short trips around the retirement community where the use of a car would not be practical. Obviously then, there can be good reasons for owning your own golf cart. And if you want to save the most money, buying a used golf cart can make a lot of financial sense.
So if you have decided that buying a used golf cart will work well for your needs, where do you go to get one? Well, if you’re not very familiar with golf cart construction and maintenance you should probably consider first visiting some of the golf cart dealers that are in your local area. Usually they will have a nice selection of not only new golf carts, but also used ones as well.
But don’t just buy a golf cart from any old dealer. It’s a good idea to make sure that the dealer is both reliable and trustworthy before you buy. In view of this, find out how long the dealer has been in business. Get to know their operation better by visiting their service department to see how many technicians they have on staff to be able to handle golf cart repairs. Visit the parts department as well to see if they have a good selection of parts on hand for quick installation. You may even want to find out if they offer on-site service for golf cart repairs too, as this can save you the trouble of having to transport the cart to the dealer for repairs in some cases.
Perhaps the best information can be gleaned from asking your friends and family who may have owned golf carts in the past about their recommendations regarding local golf cart dealers. Very often you can quickly get a good picture of those who make customer satisfaction an important part of their business, and those who don’t.
On the other hand, if you are somewhat familiar with golf carts and their maintenance schedules, you can probably save the most money and get the best deal by finding a local individual party who has a used golf cart for sale. Of course, you’ll want to test drive the cart thoroughly under conditions that are similar to those that match the way that you will be using your golf cart. You may even want to get the opinion of a trusted golf cart mechanic before you make your final decision.
Buying a used golf cart need not be a difficult task at all if you follow the tips and suggestions that are given above in this article. Hopefully, they will help you find the golf cart that will fit both your budget and your needs.
Brandon
I feel stupid asking this but I just got a job at a very wealthy, nice country club (best in area) as a bag room attendant. I have to do a variety of tasks but one of them includes putting golf bags on golf carts for the members. I’m just wondering if there is a certain way to do this such as which way the bag faces, etc. Thanks.
Juanita
My girlfriend is getting married and we want to put a tiara and veil on the golf cart while we are in Put-In-Bay.
Vanessa
We have a 1995 E Z Go Golf Cart. We bought it used and are trying to fix it up for our daughter. Of course with it being used and I am sure with most people on the driver side it is going to lean. We tried new springs and that did not work. We were told shocks would not help. How do we fix this? It noticeably leans to the driver side. Help us try to figure out what is wrong with it.
Thanks
I AM LOOKING FOR A SERIOUS ANSWER. THIS IS NOT A FAT JOKE! MY HUSBAND AND I WOULD LIKE TO FIX THIS BEFORE WE GIVE IT TO OUR DAUGHTER. SMART REMARKS ARE NOT NEEDED. THANK YOU
Brittany
Have a 2003-04 Yamaha golf cart w/6″ Jakes lift kit. Added 23×10.5×12 tires/rims. Rear tires rub the body. This kit was made for yamaha 2003-04 carts. I have cut away the extra mud flap area to try get more clearance but still rubs????????
Jacqueline
I am looking for a fairly cheap electric golf cart in good condition. I have not had any luck as far as prices go. Any ideas? Thanks!
April
Lots of golfers these days are choosing to buy their own golf carts instead of just rent them each time they play. If you play a lot of golf, and live close to a golf course that allows you to use your own golf cart, you can actually save lots of money in the long run by buying a cart. Here are some tips to consider on how to make a smart purchase when you buy a golf cart.
* First of all, consider where you intend to store your golf cart when it is not in use. Make sure that you have a large enough area for storage so that it will easily accommodate the golf cart that you intend to buy.
* Also be sure that the golf cart you choose will fit well within the weight limits of the course that you usually play on. If you see the golf course manager, you can usually get reliable information on this subject that you can count on.
* Consider golf cart security as well. If you plan on keeping your golf cart at home, its usually a good idea to store it inside your garage or a small building dedicated to storing your golf cart. If theft is a common problem in your area, you may even want to consider having an individual key made for your golf cart instead of the universal key that comes from the manufacturer.
* Most golf carts come in either a gas powered or electric version, and you will need to make a decision on which you feel will best suit your needs. One of the major factors in this decision is whether or not you will be able to plug your electric cart in each night to recharge the batteries or not. If for any reason you have to use your cart for more then a day or two at a time without being able to recharge it, perhaps a gas powered cart will be your best bet. But bear in mind that generally speaking, electric carts are much less expensive to operate then gas powered carts, and this is becoming even more so as gas prices continue to rise.
* If you choose an electric golf cart, never let the batteries run down to the point where they no longer have a charge left. Over a period of time, a totally drained battery will become damaged. So be sure to keep at least some kind of charge in the battery at all times.
* If you’re unfamiliar with golf cart construction and maintenance, perhaps your best choice for buying a golf cart is to visit your local golf cart dealers to see what they have in stock. If a dealer has a good reputation in the community for customer service, then you can usually save a lot of money by buying a used golf cart instead of buying a new one. On the other hand, if you are somewhat familiar with golf carts or know someone who is, then the best deals can be had by buying a used golf cart from a local private party who has obviously cared for and maintained their golf cart well.
* Regardless of whether you buy a new or used golf cart, it will be very important for you to perform the regular maintenance that is required for your golf cart in order to keep it in good working order. In this respect they are much like automobiles. The better you care for them, the longer they will last and give you good service.
As you can see, buying a golf cart is not a very difficult proposition. And hopefully with the tips that we have provided in this article, you’ll be able to find an affordable golf cart that will fit your needs for years to come.
Vincent
