Golf Skate Caddy

[Jeremie Boop]

They look like fun, but the thing that worries me is the inevitable fall after hitting a big and somewhat hidden gopher hole or something.

Once every round or two, I find myself apologizing to my cart partner for driving over a bump or through a depression that did not look nearly as big as it turned out to be.  I worry about catching one of those with one of these boards.  Unless they have a great suspension system that a golf cart is lacking. ;)

Kind of what I was thinking, in addition to people just being stupid. But hey, just have them sign a waiver and let them have at it I guess.

They go 13 mph max, probably less with a bag and golfer on it. So lets say 10 mph bax. I don't know, start running then trip? I don't see an issue. A golf cart goes upwards of 15-20 mph. Also, I would presume it is easier to jump off this thing then it is to exit a golf cart incase something like running into a tree or going over a cliff might occur. We had a guy last year who tipped his golf cart on a sharp turn. If he was riding this thing he wouldn't have taken his golf partner with him in the process, and he'd probably just jump off the thing before he crashed.

Anything that could happen in a golf cart could happen with this thing, and it goes slower, and it is easier to exit. Honestly the injury logic is totally unfounded. Unless you can think of a situation that isn't an outrageous hypothetical then there isn't really an issue here.

How do people gain interest in golf if they don't try it? I've heard a lot of stories about people who have had no interest in golf, then they try it once and they are hooked. Don't discount the effect golf has on people. Doing that shuts out a huge market the golfing industry needs.

Why is it bad if even current golfers use them more? What if that causes them to play more? That is not a bad thing. It sound like you want to just make excuses on why this shouldn't happen, and they are not even good ones.  There is no serious negative to these things that out weight even a small increase in popularity. At least you haven't given any.

I apparently have come off as super against these things. I'm not. I just think they are a gimmick that will probably be popular for awhile then phase out. As long as I don't see kids tearing up a course near me *as if they need more tearing up* I don't really care about them much one way or the other, despite what my posts seem to indicate.

[vangator]

I think they look cool and would give them a try for sure. I've played Chautaugua Colf Club many times over the last 40 years. That was my neck of the woods.

[FaldosEgo]

My club has golfboards. Like a motorized surfboard. www.golfboard.com

[Mac62]

Heck yeah I'd try one of those, looks like fun.  I don't see how it could tear a course up any worse (or maybe even as bad) as regular golf carts do, and there would certainly be a little more of a workout involved.  Even if it was ten bucks more than a cart I'd still probably pop for it every other round or so, just for the fun of it.

[dfreuter415]

They look like fun, but the thing that worries me is the inevitable fall after hitting a big and somewhat hidden gopher hole or something.

I agree with Golfingdad. The course would have to require a waiver from injury before your could rent one. In addition, there might be a requirement that any damage to the golf course or the Golf Skate Caddy from such collisions would be paid for by the person who rents the board.

[newtogolf]

I agree with Golfingdad. The course would have to require a waiver from injury before your could rent one. In addition, there might be a requirement that any damage to the golf course or the Golf Skate Caddy from such collisions would be paid for by the person who rents the board.

I agree too, they look fun but they are a liability nightmare.  There are enough stories about drunken idiots that roll their golf carts, they will end up killing themselves on these.  I can see guys thinking it would be cool to ride them on the greens, through mud and waste bunkers.

[SavvySwede]

Heck yeah I'd try one of those, looks like fun.  I don't see how it could tear a course up any worse (or maybe even as bad) as regular golf carts do, and there would certainly be a little more of a workout involved.  Even if it was ten bucks more than a cart I'd still probably pop for it every other round or so, just for the fun of it.

16 small wheels vs 8 large wheels is a lot more tracks in the fairway and I can easily imagine those little wheels digging in deep, especially when you consider the added forces of leaning into a turn. I'm don't think courses in the Northeast could let golfers rent them out often enough unless it were a particularly dry summer.

[iacas]

I agree too, they look fun but they are a liability nightmare.  There are enough stories about drunken idiots that roll their golf carts, they will end up killing themselves on these.  I can see guys thinking it would be cool to ride them on the greens, through mud and waste bunkers.

I think these will tend to be safer than golf carts. People won't feel as safe and they go relatively slowly. Golf cart riders are responsible for their behavior on them too. [quote name="SavvySwede" url="/t/82233/golf-skate-caddy#post_1146797"] 16 small wheels vs 8 large wheels is a lot more tracks in the fairway and I can easily imagine those little wheels digging in deep, especially when you consider the added forces of leaning into a turn. I'm don't think courses in the Northeast could let golfers rent them out often enough unless it were a particularly dry summer.[/quote] I think you may be under-estimating the weight of s golf cart with two riders.

[SavvySwede]

Originally Posted by SavvySwede

16 small wheels vs 8 large wheels is a lot more tracks in the fairway and I can easily imagine those little wheels digging in deep, especially when you consider the added forces of leaning into a turn. I'm don't think courses in the Northeast could let golfers rent them out often enough unless it were a particularly dry summer.

I think you may be under-estimating the weight of s golf cart with two riders.

While a golf cart is 600 lb and two skate caddies are 170lb the psi on the ground would be more. Their website claims <8psi but a nice electric cart can be <6. Leaning into the turns will make for more wear. Two golfers in a cart can also do much less mileage if used properly.

[iacas]

While a golf cart is 600 lb and two skate caddies are 170lb the psi on the ground would be more. Their website claims <8psi but a nice electric cart can be <6. Leaning into the turns will make for more wear. Two golfers in a cart can also do much less mileage if used properly.

A quick search of my own says golf carts weigh about 900 to 1000 pounds. A GSC weighs under 90 pounds.

So let's have 25 pound bags and 200 pound golfers.

Golf cart: 1000+200+200+25+25 = 1450

GSC: 85+200+25 = 310 pounds

From there, the math is pretty simple.

[Jeremie Boop]

A quick search of my own says golf carts weigh about 900 to 1000 pounds. A GSC weighs under 90 pounds.

So let's have 25 pound bags and 200 pound golfers.

Golf cart: 1000+200+200+25+25 = 1450

GSC: 85+200+25 = 310 pounds

From there, the math is pretty simple.

Interesting, a quick search of my own yielded:

The actual weight of a Club Car golf cart depends on the model and also on he engine type. A gas engine that uses a 4.6 L tank weighs more than the electric model, typically about 100 lbs. more. A top of the line gas model weighs in at 606 lbs., while the electric version of the same model weighs approximately 495 lbs.

[David in FL]

I agree with Golfingdad. The course would have to require a waiver from injury before your could rent one. In addition, there might be a requirement that any damage to the golf course or the Golf Skate Caddy from such collisions would be paid for by the person who rents the board.

No doubt California will limit their speed and require players to wear helmets and knee/elbow pads. :-D

[rob0225]

I would try one, but wouldn't pay more then the regular cart fee.

[krupa]

I think they'd be really fun to ride and would pay a little more for them.  There are a couple sections of cart path at my local course that are mighty steep, though.  The video says they have automatic braking but these paths are really steep and just dirt/stone and I think a lot of people would hurt themselves there.

@iacas let us know if Chautauqua gets a few.  I go to Jamestown regularly during the summer, but we don't usually play Chautauqua because... I actually don't know why we don't go up there... but I would make a point of it if they had those bad boys.

[iacas]

The actual weight of a Club Car golf cart depends on the model and also on he engine type. A gas engine that uses a 4.6 L tank weighs more than the electric model, typically about 100 lbs. more. A top of the line gas model weighs in at 606 lbs., while the electric version of the same model weighs approximately 495 lbs.

And the Yamaha specs for a battery powered model put it at 985 pounds.

Golf cars tear up the course, regardless. These will likely do about the same type of damage, with some benefits and disadvantages to them being smaller but more plentiful wheels (i.e. smaller wheels is both good and bad, as are having four of them per foursome instead of two being both good and bad).

[MrDC]

It looks like fun, but not something I would go for in golf, I prefer the peace and exercise of walking, but when I do ride it's all about relaxing a bit and having a place to rest out of the sun when there's a wait, so this doesn't really fit for me, it's too much about the board and not the golf.

That being said I think these would be great for other things.

[RFKFREAK]

I'd try it but I probably wouldn't use it consistently as I like walking courses.

[caniac6]

I wouldn't use it, but I would use the golf bike that was posted in another part of the forum.