who was the first to use motorized golf cart on a golf course

Full Answer

What was the original name of the first golf cart?

One report notes that the original name for the 1962 to 1974 model was a bit of a disaster. The first cart was named “Caroche,” which was supposed to provide it with a sense of elegance.

How to drive a golf cart on a golf course?

On days when the golf course requires cart path only, you must keep the golf cart on the designated path and off the grass. Drive to a point where you are even with the ball, and walk to the ball. You may want to take several golf clubs with you, since you won’t be able to see the conditions near the ball from the cart.

How have golf carts evolved over the years?

Club Car Golf carts have evolved many times since 1975, and although the basic electrical design has stayed close to the same, there are small differences. These differences are important when...

What is the history of Golf Club cars?

The ensuing jump in golf popularity set the stage for the motorized equipment that golfers around the world use to play the game. The Club Car company in particular started production in Houston, Texas in 1958 , incorporated as Landreath Machine.

When did golf courses start using carts?

The golf cart has a rich history that few know. The first motorized cart was available for public use in the 1950's, but was invented in 1935. The man credited with putting the first cart together is Lyman Beecher of Clearwater, Florida.

What was the first golf cart?

Marketeer was founded by Merle Williams in Redlands, California. In 1951, Marketeer began manufacturing what is considered to be the first electric cart explicitly designed for golf.

Who invented golf beverage cart?

“So yes, you're hearing this right: You can thank Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra for inventing the beverage cart.

When was the first golf car made?

March 1974In March 1974, the first Golf rolled off the assembly line in Wolfsburg. The advertising starts with the slogan: “The new popular sport: Golf” – a vision that was to come true. The first generation makes its mark: the Beetle's successor is sold 6.99 million times.

When did golf carts start being used?

In the late 1970s, golf carts began being used far from golf courses. In 1979, Club Car modified its standard cart to include a rear cargo box, creating a utility vehicle. In 1986, Yamaha built the first Neighborhood Electrical Vehicle (NEV) for driving on city streets. NEVs have increased in popularity ever since.

What were the characteristics of the first golf cart?

Early Characteristics. The first golf carts were powered by electrically charged batteries. The first E-Z-Go, for example, ran on a 36-volt battery originally designed to power wing flaps on B-17 bombers. Most golf carts possessed three wheels and tiller steering (a chrome bar shaped like a triangle with rounded edges) throughout ...

What is a golf cart?

Although a golf cart is technically a trolley pulled by a walking golfer and a golf car is a self-propelled vehicle, people use "golf cart" to refer to the millions of motorized vehicles on courses worldwide.

When did golf carts become popular?

Golf carts became very popular very early, and Marketeer soon faced many competitors. E-Z-Go and LEKTRO both began building golf carts in 1954 . Cushman started a year later, and Club Car in 1958. In the early 1960s, Taylor-Dunn and Harley-Davidson also began selling carts.

Where are golf carts used?

Increasingly, golf carts have become popular off the course, with many being used at schools, businesses, gated communities and on city streets.

What was the steering wheel on a golf cart in the 1960s?

Most golf carts possessed three wheels and tiller steering (a chrome bar shaped like a triangle with rounded edges) throughout the 1960s and well into the 1970s.

When were golf cars invented?

The History of the Golf Car. It seems that it was the early 1930’s when custom built motorized vehicles made their first appearance on America’s golf courses. These early golf cars were custom built with small gas motors.

Where was the first electric golf car made?

In 1951, after moving their manufacturing facility to Redlands, California, Williams introduced the first production model electric motorized golf vehicle…. The Marketeer golf car became the first on the market. Distributed mostly in the western part of the US, the new product had good early consumer acceptance.

Who invented the golf cart?

In 1932 Lyman Beecher invented a golf cart designed to be pulled by two men. This cart was to aid in taking the ailing Beecher up and down the hills and valleys of the golf course. The caddies felt that the work of dragging the cart up and down the hilly Biltmore Forest Country Club course was demeaning and too much effort. Beecher later devised a gasoline cart, but it was too noisy, so his next idea created a three-wheel cart run by storage batteries. He never patented the design, opting instead just to use it to keep him on the golf course. In 1960, At age 80+, Beecher ran his invention into a sand trap, tipping him and the cart over. After setting the resulting broken arm, the doctor advised Beecher to give up golf. He did so and retired his cart which disappeared after he moved to Florida to live out the remainder of his 102 years.

Who wrote the history of golf carts?

A History Of Golf Carts – The Men And Their Machines. Written by Chuck Wilson in Club Car, Cushman, EZGO, FAQ, Harley Davidson, Yamaha. One of the things that make it difficult to identify the first golf cart is that none of the first electric carts were initially meant to be golf carts. They were a “modern” convenience used for handicapped ...

What golf carts did Melex make?

Melex started their production with 3 wheel golf carts that were almost exact copies of the EZGo golf carts. They soon added 4 wheel carts to their production line. Even though the carts looked just like the EZGO, the first carts had some significant problems.

Why were golf carts banned?

The golf courses were also routinely banning the carts citing noise and smelly exhausts.

Why did the cart run on batteries?

Since it ran on batteries, the cart had no emissions and was nice and quiet to operate. In addition to the cart, he also invented a device that started and stopped the car when it rolled over one wire or another automatically. This eliminated the need for a driver to control its use.

When were Melex golf carts invented?

The Melex golf carts were first seen in the United States in 1971 after a representative of the Polish government saw golf carts in action during a golf tournament he was attending. He asked Troy and Ken Cotton about golf cart popularity and how he could make money for his country manufacturing them in Poland.

What was the first motor to use a GE motor?

The 412 also was the first to use a GE motor and the US-made Dana differential. The 412 model was the catalyst for many changes. Melex was the first company to successfully use a modern solid-state motor speed controller in 1986 – again in model 412. In 1992, the all-plastic, electric model 512E was introduced.

What was the first golf cart named?

The first cart was named “Caroche,” which was supposed to provide it with a sense of elegance. But that intention backfired, as golfers didn’t know how to pronounce the French word for carriage and many ended up saying something like “car roach,” which soon morphed into “cockroach.” As such, that name was quickly abandoned.

What engine did Club Car use in the 1990s?

Club Car makes some changes. The next radical change in the 1990s was under the hood. In 1992, the company switched to a 9 horse power 286cc Kawasaki engine, dropping the older 341 cc side valve engine. And in 1995 it came out with its first 48-volt electric engine option, an upgrade from the previous 36-volt option.

How many bats do you need for golf?

You need one bat in baseball and one racquet for tennis and you don’t have to travel that far to use them. But golf relies on a battery of woods and irons, plus tees, balls, towels, brushes, scorecards, pencils and a few miniature entrenching tools packed all into a heavy bag and hauled around a 6,000 yard course.

When was the DS cart made?

This investment group brought in a new designer named Dom Saporito, who helped develop a more stylish DS cart, that was launched in 1982 and utilized the designer’s initials for its name. This model featured the company’s first 48-volt electric motor, adding about 30 percent more power to the previous drive-train.

When did Clark Equipment go public?

The company went public in 1993, and all of its outstanding stock was purchased by Clark Equipment Company in 1995, although that firm was bought out by Ingersoll Rand later in the year. Sometime in the 1990s it also overtook E-Z-GO as the No. 1 seller of electric golf carts in the world.

Where was the first electric golf cart invented?

The first use of an electric golf trolley was on a golf course was by JK Wadley of Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas, who saw a three-wheeled electric cart being used in Los Angeles to transport senior citizens to the grocery store.

What is an electric golf cart?

An electric golf trolley is an electric golf trolley (a battery-powered cart ). It eliminates the need for golfers to carry or push their own clubs or hiring a caddie, and can require much less effort to push around than a manual push or pull trolley.

Who invented the electric golf trolley?

Electric golf trolleys were introduced into the United Kingdom by Joe Catford, who established the company Powakaddy in 1983. Having sold Powakaddy in the early 1990s, Catford went on to found HillBilly, another company specializing in electric golf trolleys.

What is a golf trolley?

A golf trolley or golf push cart is a cart designed for transporting a golf bag, complete with clubs and other golf equipment around the golf course. The manual push cart (or less commonly a pull cart) can reduce strain on the operator compared to carrying the golf bag by itself when transporting ...

What is a golf cart motorcycle?

The golf cart motorcycle , golf trike, golf scooter, golf motorcycle, or scooter golf cart - electric powered and unique design golf bike does the hard work on the golf course for you in no time at all. It can thus relieve your back, shoulders and legs. In addition, you can save your valuable energy and devote yourself fully on golfing.

What is a golf cart called?

A Canadian company called Vantage Tag Systems recently introduced a scooter golf cart called the Pacer, taking orders for 800 in its initial industry outreach. One course in Florida even upgraded its entire 144-cart fleet with single-rider Pacers, which come in five colors, Bluetooth compatible, and have charging ports for phones.

How much does a scooter golf cart cost?

The scooter golf cart is less damaging than a traditional golf cart, the price starts at about $3400 for the least expensive model and goes up from there. We’ll say it is no difference than Phat scooters.

How long does it take for a scooter golf cart to charge?

All of the scooter golf cart can be locked at approximately 15 miles per hour for course safety, although individual purchasers can unlock that feature and go up to 25 miles per hour, the battery can last up to two rounds on a single charge, and takes about 6 to 8 hours to fully charge. The scooter golf cart is less damaging than ...

What do you get when you cross a moped with a golf motorcycle?

What do you get when you cross a moped with a golf motorcycle? you get a 2 wheel electric golf motorcycle experience that is thrilling, simple and efficient, the Finn was invented by Rick Rhymers who also currently runs the company as CEO. The golf electric carries your golf club between your legs while riding, positioning the golf clubs in the center of the bike promotes incredible maneuverability and stability. The company claims you can average about 7.5 minutes per hole or 18 holes in just over two hours, the Finn Scooter golf motorcycle has stage of the art technology behind it, they have patented internally geared hub that allows for more torque to climb up any hills or slopes you may encounter on or off the course; the battery systems is meant to provide 600 – 1000 charging cycles, where it will last 18 holes in charging cycle, they also have motorcycle grade suspension for a premium riding experience, this golf motorcycle rounds around $3,500 and is well worth the price tag if you can swing it. Two-wheeled Finn Cycle offers a nimbler ride, but the lack of stability is an issue for few.

What is golf board?

The golf board is similar to surfing board, skateboard, or snowboard , that’s why it’s no surprising that company was co-founded by legendary surfer Laird Hamilton. Many golfers who personally been on a golf board, say that this board changes the golfing experience. With over 300 courses now offering golf board rentals and hundreds of thousands of golf boards rounds and played, the golf board has proven the ability to attract to new players and energize this sport. The proprietary 4-wheel positraction feature provides solid climbing ability even on steepest hills, the golf board is primarily controlled using a one touch thumb throttle which allows the user to smoothly accelerate and decelerate, its abuse and safety is optimized by an on-board computer that monitor speed and controls the braking, the rider simply releases the thumb throttle and the board immediately decelerates and come to a complete stop. The golf board is the only board available with spring deck technology which utilized flexible spring plates, the spring deck technology gives the board amazing suspension and flex proofing an extremely smooth ride; The battery capacity provides sufficient power to easily complete 18 holes on a single charge, the premium products comes with premium price tag, as you can pick one up for around $7,000. Problem with the golf board is that it is very tricky to drive, might be challenging to ride for some golfers.

How fast is a cruiser golf bike?

The cruiser is said to decrease your time of play by 30-45 minutes, the bike has a top speed of 13m/h, and weight about 190 pounds, it puts players with busy schedules get exercise while playing golf, so they don’t have to choose between hitting the links or hitting the gym.

How to keep golf cart off the grass?

On days when the golf course requires cart path only, you must keep the golf cart on the designated path and off the grass. Drive to a point where you are even with the ball, and walk to the ball. You may want to take several golf clubs with you, since you won’t be able to see the conditions near the ball from the cart. Course officials invoke this rule to protect the fairway grass, and may be in effect for all or some of the holes.

How far away should you keep your cart from the greens?

Keep your cart away from tee boxes, and about 30 feet away from the greens. Signs near the green might say, “No carts beyond this point,” or arrows might point to the cart path. Do not drive close to water hazards, grassy mounds or bunkers. The water can damage the cart, and the cart can damage the mounds and bunkers.

Do you drive a golf cart around the green before putting?

As a courtesy to the group behind you, it is customary to drive the golf cart around the back of the green before putting, or at least before entering scores. This speeds play, since the next group will not be forced to wait while you clear the area.

Do you drive a cart in front of other players?

For your safety and for the safety of your passenger, do not drive the cart in front of other players in your group or another group. As a courtesy, do not drive forward or back up when a player is addressing the ball.

Can you damage grass in a cart?

Making sharp turns, or speeding along in the cart and coming to a sudden stop, can damage the turf grass. The same goes for driving through wet or muddy areas, or grass with standing water. Keep the cart away from naturalized areas to protect the grasses and wildlife.

Overview

History

Types of golf carts

Golf cart communities

Safety

Legislation

See also