They’ve been the target of visual jokes for years, puttering around at 15 miles per hour with assorted characters hanging off them. They’ve featured as gags in James Bond and Peter Sellers movies, and many more. But golf carts are actually surprisingly versatile utility vehicles, and many communities are recognizing this. The newfound popularity of golf carts off the golf course is leading to a rise in golf cart sales. These carts are used for a varied number of purposes.
Golf carts are versatile vehicles
Golf carts and ATVs come in many different shapes and sizes. The major brands are E-Z-GO Carts, Club Car, Club Car XRT, Bad Boy Buggies etc. Golf cart sales are appealing not only to golf resorts, by many other settings. In many communities, residents and business owners are looking to buy a golf cart to get around the neighborhood, to the beach and other nearby locations.
In many states and districts, golf carts are even allowed to operate on ordinary streets where the speed limit is under 35 miles an hour. This gives some amount of mobility and freedom to a younger segment of the population, since the minimum age to drive a golf cart is lower than the minimum age for a driving license.
Golf carts extend mobility for young and old drivers
In Georgia, Alabama, California, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Rhode Island, Vermont, and South Carolina, the minimum age to drive a golf cart is just 13 years. It’s only a little higher in the other states, at 14 or 15 years of age. This lets kids get around their neighborhood, meet up with friends in the neighborhood to finish their homework or play sports, or to run errands like picking up the mail.
At the other end of the spectrum, golf carts and utility vehicles make it easier for older people to get around their communities. Some retirement communities like The Villages in Florida, which had a population of over 70,000 people, have even built miles of golf cart trails. At The Villages, the golf cart trail system is around 100 miles long.
Many communities also allow golf carts on many streets. This allows seniors who may find it difficult to drive automobiles, to retain their independence and mobility.
Golf cart designs are practical
Golf carts and utility vehicles come in different shapes and sizes. On and off golf courses, people are finding all kinds of creative uses for the handy vehicles, which cost about $3000. Luxury models can run as high as $30,000. Most golf carts weigh around a thousand pounds and have 4-stroke engines.
Golf carts can be used to run errands to the grocery store, carry passengers and a limited amount of cargo, and are actually a good choice for hyperlocal transport. Unless modified, golf carts have top speeds of 15 to 25 miles per hour. The average cart size is four feet in width, eight feet in length and six feet in height. Depending on the size, golf carts can carry two to eight passengers.
As more communities permit the use of golf carts on the streets, golf cart sales are likely to rise. There is a wide variety of styles and shapes available, and designs can be customized to suit individual preferences.
