A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SEAT COVERS Oct. 2020 Issue 5
GOLFCARTING.COM
COVER STORY
JUST MONSTER MONEY CART
HOW TO INSTALL A DC CONVERTER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE 14
CONTENTS ISSUE 5 OCTOBER 2020
FEATURES
14 JUST MONEY - MONSTER CART 22 GOLF CART PROS - COMPANY PROFILE 24 TOP 7 GOLF CART COMMUNITIES IN THE U.S. 32 HOW TO INSTALL A DC CONVERTER 38 A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SEAT COVERS 42 TEXAS PREMIER GOLF CARTS – DEALER PROFILE 46 ASK THE MECHANIC DEPARTMENTS
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10 INDUSTRY NEWS 36 LET'S GET SOCIAL 44 GOLF CART PRODUCTS 48 READERS RIDES
Golf Cart Pros – Digital Marketing Specialists for Golf Cart Dealerships A friend of mine has a successful golf cart dealership in Florida. I rely on him a lot for information about the industry and he is certainly not bashful about sharing. He is proud of his young and thriving business and it pleases him that I take an interest in his accomplishments. Let’s call my friend “Larry”. I find Larry’s story interesting but not uncommon. He actually had a painting business for many years but was passionate about golf carts. He would buy old Club Cars and EZGOs and take his time fixing them up and then would sell them for a profit. His “shop” was a one-car garage and his advertising platform was Craig’s List. In addition to building custom carts, Larry started fixing up his friend’s golf carts. He would do minor repairs, replace batteries, install stereos and other accessories and then one day, Larry woke up and said to himself, “Why not do this full time”? Within 6-months, Larry found a buyer for his painting business and used this money along with a little savings and secured a lease on a 5,000 sq. ft industrial space that fronted a high-traffic road. He hired his wife and a few employees and started his golf cart dealership. He wasn’t able to become an authorized dealer for the big three brands due to his proximity of other authorized dealers but he really didn’t mind so much as his focus was mainly on custom rebuilds. Fast forward two-years later and Larry was selling close to twenty carts a month on average (Florida is seasonal), nurtured a nice parts and accessories business and built a cart service center. Larry realized his dream and was doing very well and even contemplated opening a second location in an adjacent
town. One day I asked Larry how he was marketing his business. He told me Facebook. I asked him who handled his website and online marketing. He told me he didn’t have a website and that his wife was managing his online marketing by posting on Facebook. I asked him why he didn’t have a website. He told me that he’d thought about hiring someone to do it but really didn’t know much about that sort of thing and the business was growing nicely without one. Hard to argue with him. Recently, Larry hired a web development company that I recommended called Golf Cart Pros. This company is our featured company in our Company Profile section in this issue and a loyal sponsor of this publication. Golf Cart Pros is unique because they specialize in building websites for golf cart dealerships. They know the industry and they know how to convert website visitors into golf cart buyers. They also specialize in increasing targeted traffic to the dealer’s sites through both paid and organic search traffic as well as social media. I caught up with Larry and he seems delighted about having a website and he says his sales are increasing rapidly. As a Florida dealership in a high-population area, there is a lot of competition and Larry’s dealership has climbed to the top spot in Google searches for a variety of geographically relevant keywords. Larry insists that this was all his idea, but that’s ok. I’m starting to see more and more golf cart dealerships catch up with the current technologies and it’s refreshing. The industry is exploding and more dealers are popping up and dealerships will need to be more aggressive and sophisticated with their marketing in order to remain relevant. It’s just the times we live in. We love to take care of our sponsors and I would encourage any golf cart dealer to reach out to Golf Cart Pros if you are in need of a new website or want to increase traffic and sales from your current one. You can visit their website at GolfCartPros. com. We hope you enjoy this October issue of Golf Carting magazine!
Trevor Rose Senior Editor Trevor@golfcarting.com 6 GOLFCARTING.COM
GolfCarting M
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GOLF CARTING // Issue 5 // October 2020
Publisher: Senior Editor: Creative Director: Production Director: Staff Writer: Staff Photographer:
GC Media Group, LLC Trevor Rose - trevor@golfcarting.com Troy Merrifield - troy@golfcarting.com Christian Amico - chris@golfcarting.com Chris Anderson Chris Anderson
Golf Carting® is published monthly by GC Media Group, LLC. Reprinting in whole or by any means- electronic, graphic or mechanical, including photocopying or information storage and retrieval systems is forbidden without written permission from the publisher.
Advertising opportunities and inquiries to: chris@golfcarting.com Editorial contributions are welcomed, but editors recommend that contributors contact us first. Contribution must be accompanied by return postage, and we assume no responsibility for damage or loss of material. Manuscripts must be typewritten, and all photos have to have captions. Photo model releases of all people in photos must accompany manuscript. GOLF CARTING reserves the right to use material, and we reserve the right to edit material to meet publication requirements. E-mail contributions or inquiries to:
trevor@golfcarting.com WARNING: Certain action photographs depicted in this magazine are potentially dangerous. The drivers and vehicle occupants seen in our photos are experienced professionals. Do not attempt to duplicate any stunts. Wear a helmet and safety restraints while operating a Golf Cart, and never drive beyond your capabilities. Do not drink and drive while operating a Golf Cart. We also encourage you to “Tread Lightly” while respecting the outdoors and other outdoor enthusiasts. Use your head and enjoy the ride. ©2020 GC Media Group, LLC
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latestindustrynews GOLFWURX IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE THE REVOLUTIONARY S6 SINGLE-RIDER Golfwurx is proud to introduce the revolutionary S6 Single-rider, three-wheel golf scooter and iCartTM course management system (CMS). This stable and powerful allelectric three-wheeler can be used on or off the course. Coupled with iCart, both rider and golf course will realize an exciting and fun experience. Golfwurx draws inspiration from our sister companies InspecTech Aero Service and iCabin. Both Aerospace manufacturing companies make really cool products for the Corporate Jet Market. Having electrical, mechanical, and software engineering expertise, this was a natural fit for us to form the Golfwurx division, lead by a team of Aerospace Engineers who love golf. Faced with the necessity of social distancing, Golfwurx recognized a solution and set out to create an ideal system that will be safer, more comfortable, fun and reasonably priced. We created the S6, a single-person three-wheeled electric scooter to allow individual golfers to play safely and separately. No ordinary scooter, the S6 sports an IP68 rated all-weather tablet that serves as the command center linking all golfers to the iCart Network. Here is what the S6 and iCart CMS have to offer: Durability, Safety and Fun: No similar platform offers the combination of a 2000W motor for torque, electronic parking brake for safety, and a high capacity Li-ion battery providing 36 hole range and also has swappable batteries on the go. The S6 three-wheel design is inherently stable, easy to mount and dismount, perfect for all ages, and handles a gross weight up to 440 lbs fully loaded. Its smaller mass reduces wear and tear on the course, and the GEO-fence feature keeps the S6 away from water hazards, greens, or cart path only option. Fun
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features include comfort seating, USB port, beverage cooler, umbrella holder, bag holder, Bluetooth stereo speakers and programmable LED lighting. Body panels are customizable and easy to change out for a quick refresh after a season or two, offering dozens of colors to choose from. And Golfwurx can easily customize the S6 with the course logo and colors. Faster Pace of Play: Single-rider carts have been shown to speed up the pace of play 25% or more, resulting in greater utilization of golf course infrastructure and more paid rounds. The S6 lets each player follow their own ball, so foursomes play through and finish faster than two-passenger carts. Benefit to the player is less time waiting and more time golfing or socializing in the clubhouse. Benefit to the course is more revenue. iCart CMS: The S6 is the first of its kind app-controlled firmware system for optimizing the golfer’s experience integrated with a three-wheel single rider scooter. Players have full access to a Virtual Caddie providing playing tips, flyover videos, shot distances, accurate GPS system, digital scorecard, real-time leaderboard for tournament and league play, food and beverage ordering system, two way communication, tee time booking, stats tracking, social sharing, weather updates, push notifications, loyalty/rewards program, mobile pro shop, member calendars and club news. Course managers will see increased revenue with more tee time bookings and with ease of ordering in food and beverage sales, and lower costs due to greater reliability of the Golfwurx system. Golfwurx can provide a risk-free, low- cost, and revenue generating solution to every qualified golf course. For more information visit: www.golfwurx.com.
latestindustrynews JBL® LAUNCHES CRUISE X COMPLETE AUDIO SYSTEM SOLUTION FOR ALL-TERRAIN ADVENTURES HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, launched the brand new JBL® Cruise X speaker and amplifier system to expand on the JBL Cruise product portfolio. JBL Cruise X is a rugged, highperformance Bluetooth® streaming multi-element audio system designed to mount almost anywhere. Adding great sound to an all-terrain vehicle just got easier. Featuring four high-performance speaker pods, a single compact four-channel amplifier and multi-function control knob, installation of JBL Cruise X is a cinch. Versatile swivel mounting brackets ensure that the speakers pods can be tuned to the ideal position for optimal listening. Built to meet the demands of all outdoor environments, Cruise X sports an IPx5 waterproof rating to withstand rain, storms and snow. Enjoy the ease of Bluetooth control from your phone or use the included wired remote control knob for added convenience while out adventuring. “Having powerful sound makes all the difference when embarking on all-terrain adventures,” said Shawn Spedding, Director of Sales, Mobile Aftermarket at HARMAN. “We addressed motorcyclists with the original JBL Cruise, and the JBL Cruise X is the perfect expansion to address the audio needs for side-by-side vehicles.” Availability and Pricing: The new JBL Cruise X is available now and costs $699.95. Features and Technical Highlights: • All-in-one Amplified Bluetooth® Audio System. Great for music on-the-go. • Wireless Bluetooth® Streaming. Stream music via Bluetooth, with 38m outdoor range / 10m indoor range. • Easy Installation. Rugged bracket design enables mounting the speakers almost anywhere, plus it swivels to ensure music can be heard from all ranges. • Expandable Audio System. Adaptable to almost any audio system. Full-Range RCA input and output, with 12V remote output, makes it easy to add on a powered subwoofer,
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soundbar or another Cruise X to this one, or add to an existing audio system. • IPx5 Marine Rated. Meets the demands of outdoor environments. • Sealed Speaker Connectors. Deutsch style speaker connectors to provide protection for any wiring exposed to the outdoor elements. • Convenient Controls. Wired remote control, capable of flush mount or underhung dash installation, allows Bluetooth® pairing, volume control, play/pause, and track forward/back.
y e n o M t Jus
COVER STORY
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STORY & PHOTOGAPHY BY TROY MERRIFIELD
S
earching for carts to grace our cover of Golf Carting Magazine is always a fun challenge. This is our chance to get out and see what is going on in the golf cart industry. Sometimes you come across a cart that just screams: Photograph me! That is how we decided on this issue’s cover. I recently reconnected with one of my old friends, John Tsaninos, who has been building custom carts as well as custom cart parts. A lot has happened since the first time I met John. Back in the day -- 13 or so years ago -- his business Procart Industries was nothing but knocking out cool custom carts. When the economy crashed, so did his business. He was left with a stockpile of parts, but the phone calls for building a custom cart dried up. His phone did keep ringing, though, with
GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 15
people needing golf cart and service work. While this was enough to make a living, John had higher goals. John and I met up for lunch to chat about what we have been doing for the last 13 years. Knowing that he had a big space, I was curious what he did with all of his tools, carts and golf cart parts. He had moved everything to a warehouse and was busy servicing and delivering parts around the Phoenix, Arizona valley. The story begins when John met his friend Brian for breakfast one morning. Brian had just sold his landscape business and was looking to invest in a new company. John mentioned to Brian that they should open Golf Cart Parts Company. John owned the dot com and was looking for someone that could handle the daily CFO duties that it would take with a new business. Brian asked what it would take, and John told him that it would take about $50k to get things rolling. After only a short pause Brian said, "Let's do it!" They started looking for buildings to handle their new endeavor. They found a 3500 sq. ft. building in Chandler, AZ. The business was doing well and they quickly outgrew the space. Through the next couple 16 GOLFCARTING.COM
of years Golf Cart Parts Company would outgrow two more buildings, landing them into a 28,000 sq. ft. building in Gilbert, AZ that they now call home. Golf Cart Parts Company now has the room to grow with a large showroom and five service bays in the back and a lot of extra storage. As the conversation progressed, I mentioned that I wanted to start a golf cart magazine, hoping to get confirmation that it was a good idea. He thought that the golf cart market was growing and that it indeed would be a good time for such an endeavor. With his custom cart building background, he
mentioned that he had a golf cart he had been working on for eight months that would be great to cover in the magazine. The shop's code name for this cart was "Big Green." So, some four months later this is where we are at today. We hope you enjoy this cover story that is appropriately named "Just Money." This cart began its life as a 2007 Yamaha gas cart. Starting with the wheels and tires, John chose a set of Fuel 17" Motto Metal M097 alloy wheels, wrapped in LT235/70 R17 Patagonia M/T Milestar tires. With larger-than-stock tires, John started GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 17
working on the suspension with master mechanic and fabricator Bill Antle of Golf Cart Parts Company. Starting at the front, they chose a Procart Industries long travel suspension that they modified to give the cart a total of 26" lift. Rather than shocks, the team went with Firestone air bags on the front in order to lower the cart so you can actually get in it. The rear setup is comprised of one large single air bag and a massive swing arm. Located at the front of the swing arm, DC480 1/3 hp compressors were mounted along with a 5gal 7-port air tank. Lighting up the undercarriage of this beast are eight Mictuning RGB LED rock lights. Up top, a set of Wayup 5ft lighted whips were mounted on the back. Since this cart will spend most of its life carting down in Mexico, the large platform of the cart was extended 1ft per side and an additional 3ft in length. The small center jump seat in the middle of the cart can be removed to open up the cart’s dance floor. The seats were covered in a diamond stitch pattern from Spencer at Vidal's Upholstery in Phoenix, AZ. To get the party started, Procart Industries/John Tsaninos used all JL Audio in the design of the stereo system. A special thanks to the guys at Unique Audio for tuning the system. Since there is no top on the cart, an All Sports Manufacturing sport windshield was added for a more stylish look. They outfitted the cart with a Grant steering wheel, and a Jakes shift lever was added and modified by John and Bill. A set of Bully T-304 stainless steel steps were installed to help assist loading occupants. When you want to be heard, a quick blast of the Hornblasters Rocker AH-S4 air horn will get the attention of unsuspecting passersby. The heart of the beast is a V-Twin 74hp Vanguard engine with modifications from Al Hodge at V-T Performance. It has
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more than enough power to push this beast loaded full of people. A Procart Industries XLHP differential with custom hp clutch kit helps reach a top speed of 45mph. To slow down Big Green, Bill Antle, John and Procart Industries designed a disc brake system complete with hydraulic cross drilled custom rotors.
When partying out on the beach with family and friends, the rear Green Power generator will allow for hours of light and tunes. It provides 3500 watts of starting power and 3000 watts of running power. We like unusual golf carts, and this is one of them. While it’s not your typical cart, it still has a lot of golf cart pedigree in it. There are so many unique qualities that make this cart cool. Golf Cart Parts Company is located at 1720 W Elliot Rd, Gilbert, Arizona 85233. Check them out at www.golfcartpartscompany.com. 20 GOLFCARTING.COM
companyprofile
GOLF CART PROS
This issue’s Company Profile features Golf Cart Pros, a web development company that works exclusively with golf cart dealers. Golf Cart Pros is a digital, online marketing and technology company that helps golf cart dealerships manage, automate and grow their businesses. They have a combined 40-years of online development and digital marketing experience and they have over 10-years of golf cart industry experience. They have helped numerous golf cart dealers maximize their online presence and increase sales through digital marketing. We spent some time with Michael Gall, COO of Golf Cart Pros, to learn more about this rapidly growing company. Company Name: Golf Cart Pros Company Website: www.GolfCartPros.com Principal Owner: Michael Gall Company Headquarters: Mount Pleasant, SC GCMAG: Hello Mike! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us about Golf Cart Pros. Tell us what you guys do. MIKE: Golf Cart Pros, simply put, helps golf cart dealerships build a cutting-edge online presence by either creating or redesigning golf cart dealer websites with a focus on converting website visitors into new cart leads and sales. Not only are we highly focused on conversion, but we excel at increasing a dealer’s exposure in search engines like Google and on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram. We are very unique in three important ways. First, we don’t just build a cookie-cutter website and move on to the next client. We build a customized, golf-cart-themed website, that generate sales and meets the needs of the dealership. Secondly, we work with that dealership (if they desire us to) 22 GOLFCARTING.COM
and help them effectively market their business through SEO (search engine optimization), paid traffic, and social media. And third, we only do this for golf cart dealerships which gives us a very specialized expertise in the golf cart industry. GCMAG: That is very unique. How did you decide to do this for the golf-cart industry? Mike: Interesting question. My partners were actually heavily involved in the golf cart industry. In fact, they still are. But all of us, for many years, owned successful web-related businesses and we really became experts at internet marketing and web development. After long careers in building web-related businesses, my partners got involved in the golf cart industry and brought their web savviness to their golf cart businesses and did very well. I approached them about creating a web development company where we could help other golf cart dealers achieve the same online success. They jumped at the opportunity. GCMAG: How many employees do you have? Tell us about your team. Mike: We have around 7 total people on our team and though seemingly small, we work with many dozens of companies and have helped them achieve tremendous success. GCMAG: You talked a little earlier about what makes you different from other web development companies, but can you elaborate a little on what services you offer? Mike: We really do it all when it comes to digital marketing. We build custom websites, we do online marketing that includes SEO, Local SEO, Google Adwords advertising, Facebook/ Instagram advertising, Social Media management, Graphic
Design, Reputation Management (managing reviews), and we can even build custom software if a client needs it. Again, the competitive advantage that we bring to the table is that we KNOW the golf cart industry and we know Digital Marketing better than anyone else. We know the language, we know the keywords to exploit, we know what works and what doesn’t work and most importantly we know exactly what Google is looking for to engineer a website that outperforms competing dealerships. But that does not mean that we don’t listen to what our clients want. Our clients know their businesses and customers better than we do so we ultimately deliver what they want. We have an in-depth interview process that uncovers all the aspects and concerns of an existing business and allows us to formulate a strategy that combines our “know how” with the dealer’s needs and wants. In addition, our clients are very grateful that we can provide industry-related insights from working with dozens of other companies. This partnership has really worked well for us and our clients. GCMAG: That’s very interesting. Mike, what’s the future for Golf Cart Pros? MIKE: The future is very bright indeed. We’re really just starting. We launched GCP two years ago and we are growing very fast. The golf cart dealership industry is changing. For decades it’s been a little mom and pop and not much emphasis on
technology and online marketing. This is changing. Dealerships want to evolve and catch up to the technology and we are here to help them all along the way. GCMAG: That makes a lot of sense. Is there anything else you’d like to add? MIKE: We are digital marketing specialists. We are laserfocused on one industry and that gives us a lot of insight and credibility. We like to think of our company as a giant toolbox that any dealership that works with us has access to. One dealership may not need all of our tools. Another dealer may want everything we have to offer. But regardless of the situation, we can help any dealer create a dynamic online presence and increase digital reach. This is what we do. And we are incredibly reasonable when it comes to cost. We know that our clients are not Fortune 500 companies. Our services generally pay for themselves in the first 60 days by increasing dealer revenue and lead flow. GCMAG: Mike, thank you so much for spending time with us. It sounds like you picked a good industry to specialize in if you believe the projections of where the golf cart industry is headed. Good for you guys! For more information on Golf Cart Pros or to get an online quote, visit their website at www.GolfCartPros.com.
golfcartlifesyle
TOP 7 GOLF CART
COMMUNITIES IN THE U.S
Do you ever get tired of the high maintenance costs, isolation, and faster-pace mentality associated with traditional automobiles? A growing segment of our population have discovered that golf carts represent a great alternative to traditional vehicles for several important reasons. The first is cost. Cars are expensive, and you still have to pay for gasoline and auto insurance even after you paid off the car. In contrast, golf carts are a much cheaper initial purchase, generally run on electricity instead of gas, and cost much less to maintain. Since carts are not as fast as other vehicles, they are also easier to drive and safer. Many retirement communities have specialized carting trails to help residents get around independently without the risks of driving an automobile. Perhaps most importantly, golf carting can help foster a sense of community that is largely missing in modern society. You can say hi to your neighbors 24 GOLFCARTING.COM
while cruising around in your cart, fostering interpersonal connections. Dedicated golf cart trails also encourage people to patronize the same local businesses, recreating the "small town" feel of yesteryear where everybody meets up at the general store. Between affordability, convenience, and community, it comes as no surprise that dedicated golf cart communities have popped up around the world. The United States offers a variety of fantastic golf cart communities, allowing enthusiasts to find a home that suits their needs. Here are the top 7 golf cart communities in the U.S.: #7 INDIAN RIVER COLONY CLUB, FLORIDA The Indian River Colony Club is a community for retired
GolfCarting 2021
EXPO ATLANTA, GA
golfcartlifesyle military personnel ages 55 and up located in Melbourne, Florida. The community spans 453 total acres and includes 773 independently-owned single-family homes, large enough to offer a great lifestyle while still small enough to foster a sense of community. Renters are strictly prohibited, ensuring that the owners have an opportunity to socialize with their fellow veteran home-owners. There are more than 40 clubs and activities offered, including an exclusive 18-hole golf course and gourmet meals served at the on-site At Ease Club. Wildlife is also abundant for nature lovers. Everything in the community is accessible by a cart, so residents never need to start up their car to take advantage of everything that the Indian River Colony Club has to offer. #6 ON TOP OF THE WORLD, FLORIDA On Top of the World is a retirement community for people ages 55+ located in Ocala, Florida, that was founded in 1947. It is planned for 10,000 homes. Residents have access to a variety of fantastic amenities, including three different 18-hole golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts, fitness classes, and an R/C Flying Field that has to be seen to be believed. There is also a large social hub called Circle Square Commons that offers dining, shopping, and even a private movie theater. On Top of the World has an extensive network of dedicated golf cart trails, allowing residents to take advantage of every amenity while enjoying the natural scenery of the area. This community was voted one of the 50 best masterplanned communities in the United States by Where to Retire magazine. #5 CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA If you want a golf cart community within a major American city, look no further than Charleston, South Carolina. The Greater Charleston area includes a variety of golf cart-friendly attractions, including Folly Beach, Daniel Island, Johns Island, Sullivan Island and the Isle of Palms. Residents of the city's historic downtown have also embraced the golfcart lifestyle, choosing to rely on ride-share services such as Uber when they want to travel beyond their peninsula instead of owning cars. The citEcar Electric Vehicles company recently moved its headquarters to the Charleston area because of the demand for its products there. The company now ships carts and other electric vehicles all over the world, giving golf carting enthusiasts a rare opportunity to see what goes into producing their favorite mode of transportation. #4 SUN CITY, ARIZONA Sun City is a retirement community for people 55 years of age and older located in Arizona, about 15 miles northwest of Phoenix. It bills itself as the first golf cart community in the world, tracing its history back to 1960. It offers every conceivable amenity, including eight golf courses, seven recreation centers, and beautiful natural landscapes such as Viewpoint Lake. Sun City passed a law that allowed golf carts and similar
vehicles to operate on all of the municipality's roads in August of 2014, so you can get anywhere you want to go by cart. There are also dozens of dedicated trails if you don't want to worry about traditional auto traffic. Homes even include special garages to house both golf carts and more traditional vehicles, and 40-50 percent of the Sun City population owns at least one golfcart. #3 LAGUNA WOODS VILLAGE, CALIFORNIA Laguna Woods Village is the largest 55+ retirement in the western United States with more than 12,000 units available across 2,100 acres of land. Located in the great state of California, residents are just 10 minutes away from the beach and can enjoy stunning valley views from their golf carts. Laguna Woods is also packed with amenities, including five pools, 230 clubs, and a performance art center. Roads in the area have special crossings and paths for golf carts, allowing residents to enjoy their life without needing a car. The city also produces a comprehensive guide to help residents understand where and when they can use their carts legally. #2 PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA Peachtree City, Georgia, is a golf cart community for all ages located 25 miles south of Atlanta. Children as young as 12 can drive carts with adult supervision, while local high schools encourage students 15 years old and older to drive golf carts to school to make parking easier. The city also has dedicated golfcart roads and parking areas, recharging stations for electrical models, and more. More than 9,000 households have a golfcart within the city's limits, and many have more than one. Golf carts are also an integral component of Peachtree City culture. For example, the city's annual Fourth of July parade includes both a fireworks show and a parade of customized golf carts! #1 THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA The Villages is a golf cart community for people over 55 years of age located in central Florida. It has over 150,000 residents, making it one of the largest communities on this list. The Villages also includes everything you need for daily living within the village gates, including grocery stores, doctor's offices, and (of course) golf cart dealerships equipped with mechanic and customization shops. The Villages was designed from the ground up with golf carts in mind, so bridges, tunnels, and over/under intersections ensure that carts never need to compete with cars on the road. Many residents also decorate their carts to show off to other owners, and there is a golf cart drill team that puts on quite the spectacle! If you want to continue inhaling automotive exhaust fumes and speeding through your life as quickly as possible, golf cart communities are probably not for you. If you want to slow things down and actually enjoy your life, it's easy to find a golf cart community that suits your intended lifestyle and interests.
topfacebookgroups
This page is to encourage golf cart owners to make modifications to their carts and make the carts their own. There are a lot of good builders and strong users on here. Post up pics of your work and show it off. Also ask any tech questions you made need. Feel free to give advice or your suggestions to help each other complete our builds.
Custom over-the-top golf cart pictures, news, videos, information and more brought to you by Golf Carting Magazine.
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This's a place where people can talk about problems,Solutions and selling golf carts and anything about golf carts.
This group was created for all those who like or would like to create a custom cart. Please don't bash others on this site everybody's ideas are not the same. If you are drawing a blank maybe you can get some ideas or insight to a problem your having.
This group is for Club Car Carts ONLY. Buy and sell ONLY Club Car and Parts for ONLY Club Car. Do not list or speak of any other cart brands on this page. If you list a item for sale it must state in the listing "For Club Car"...Talk about and ask questions for Club Car ONLY. All post or comments that are not Club Car related will be deleted and member will be blocked from this page with no exceptions
Ez go golf cart parts, buy sell or barter. Dedicated to the Club Car DS and Carryall, this group was formed to share photos and ideas, solve problems and support the model DS community. Buying, selling and trading is welcome, but do so at your own risk. Spam and members who post it will be removed. GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 29
SAVE $500 ON ANY CLUB CAR ONWARD FREE DELIVERY Call us for more information Financing Available • Free Estimates • Pick up/Delivery •Full Service Shop • Scheduled Maintenance • Trades Welcome • New & Used Parts, Carts and Accessories
1720 W Elliot Road • Gilbert AZ, 85233 • 480-272-8418
doityourself
How to Install a DC Convertor Ryan Fenters is the founder of the popular YouTube Channel called Fentertainment. Ryan creates DIY videos of, in his own words… “dedicated to making, painting, building, modifying and fixing things…” His golf-cart-related DIY videos are very informative and we thought it would be a good idea to transcribe them for you. This is the fourth video in a four-part series where Ryan transforms a 2014 Club Car Precedent. Ryan shows us step-bystep how to install a 48 to 12 volt DC convertor. Ryan Fenters: Previously on the Fentertainment channel, we took the motor out of our club car precedent. We sent it off to plumb quick and they did the bandit upgrade before we reinstalled it. The golf cart went from 12 miles per hour stock to 23 miles per hour. The next video in this series, with the help from www.golfcarttiresupply.com we added an all sports six-inch lift-kit to the golf cart and we added some 14-inch wheels with 23-inch all-terrain tires. That took our speed from 23 mph to 27 mph. After the lift and tires, we then added a Navitas TSX 3.0 32 GOLFCARTING.COM
DC torque controller. It gave us 3 mph more speed and it gave us a lot more torque while providing security. Today we're going to be installing a 48 to 12 volt DC converter on our 2014 Club Car Precedent. You can use this in 48-volt applications or 36-volt applications, and this will give you a 30 amp output range off of this converter. Let’s get started. You have five wires on the harness and they're all different colors and they all have different functions
which we’ll go over. The yellow wire is going to hook directly to your batteries pack voltage. This is going to be the input voltage for your DC converter. The black wire is going to be the main ground for the converter and the accessories which we’ll use in two ways. We're going to hook this to the accessories and we're also going to hook this to the main negative of the battery pack. The green wire is going to be the switch wire. What I mean by that is you're going to hook this up to the main on and off switch on the golf cart that turns the golf cart on and off. It will tell the converter to turn on and off just like an automobile. The red wire is going to be the main accessory wire and we’ll use this to hook up all the accessories to 12 volts. If you're running a car stereo in your golf cart, you’ll notice that it has two power wires, normally a red and yellow wire. This is going to be your remote wire that keeps memory in your car stereo for the clock and radio stations. We are now underneath the front of the golf cart and you can see the shock, the upper control arm and the frame of the golf cart. There is a metal bar that runs through your frame and there is a plate in front. The converter fits perfectly there, but we're not going to be able to use ordinary screws to mount it. We’ll run the wires towards the passenger side. I’ll mount it with some 24-inch zip ties.
One is plenty, but I'm going to do two for security. The controller is mounted and it's not moving. Over the converter we have an access panel right here in the dash and we can run our wires directly into there. They’ll be nice and hidden. Next we're going to be making all of our work connections behind the dash piece. We're going to use a T30 and a T15 for the top screw. Once you have the three screws removed, you can now remove this dash cover.
There is a white plug from the 48 to 12-volt converter. We've got matching wires for everything yellow and black. Yellow is the power input and black is the ground. We're going to attach these to the positive and negative of the battery and once we have the ring terminals on the wires itself we can go ahead and route them through the bottom of the golf cart. This is going to go out the same hole that the plug is going to come in from the converter.
Once we have the controller mounted here on the passenger side, there's access to the dash. We can run the wire straight up and all the wires will be free and clear of any moving parts.
To give you a better angle, I'm underneath the front end of the golf cart and I’ll run a zip tie-up. There's an opening in the back and we’re pushing it through. There's also an opening at the bottom. These wire ties are heavy-duty, 24-inch long wire ties.
Once we've ran the power and ground wire from our DC converter here, I like to place those wires on top of the battery cables. I want to make sure that the battery cables get as much amperage as possible so I connect those to the battery first. Since the wire is already run, I can go ahead and pull the slack out and we can go ahead and cut these wires and give us enough room to mount to the harness. Next we're going to take the yellow part of the harness and we're going to attach it to the yellow part of the main power wire with butt connectors. Since the ground wire is used for input and an output, I've got some four-way connectors and will crimp it down. Do the same thing with the harness cable. GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 33
doityourself
The reason we used a four-way crimp connector on the ground is to act as a distribution block. Since I'm not going to be running any type of radios to keep any type of memory I'm going to take this blue wire and put a single butt connector on it and cap it off. The golf cart is in the run position and I have the key turned to off. Take the negative lead of your battery and put it on your battery pack and put the positive lead on your wires. When the golf cart is turned off, my green wire has power, my blue wire doesn't. When we turn the key switch to the on position, you should have power on both sides. With the Club Car Precedent we're going to attach the green wire to the blue wire of the switch. You put the black tap on the wire that we want to tap on to and snap into place. We take the green wire and run it into the back of it all the way into it and close the tap with pair of pliers. Make sure the metal bar inside the tap goes all the way through so we can cover the tap, close it into place and our green wire is installed. In order to run my accessories from my red wire, I purchased a five-gang fuse panel. The power wire has jumped into each leg of the fuse panel itself. However, there is no fuses on this side. Once we apply power, these terminals will be dead until we apply a fuse to the inside of the fuse block. I've decided to mount this beside
the key switch on the backside. There is a notch and it would fits right in. I'm going to use some double-sided tape. We'll run this power wire and connect it and then every time we add an accessory to the golf cart, we add a fuse and we connect the power wire and connect the ground wire to the distribution 34 GOLFCARTING.COM
block. Once you have everything in place, you can now connect your power wire to the power wire of the fuse panel. Use wire ties as an option. You don't have to but I just think it looks much cleaner tying the wires together behind the dash. Once everything is installed, you're going to see a small pop and that's perfectly normal. Plug everything in and wire tie all of it to make it secure. When the golf cart is in the on position, none of these terminals will have power. Connect the ground to the ground block and connect the power to the power block. On this side, as you can see, we don't have any power but if we touch it to this side, we have 12 point so many volts. This is letting us know the converter is working. If we turn the switch key off, we have zero volts from the converter. The only way you're going to see voltage on this side of the key switch, is if we add a fuse to the fuse holder. Now that we have the fuse in the fuse holder not only do we have power in front of the fuse, we have power on the backside of the fuse as well. None of these back here will have any power because there's no fuses but since this one has a fuse, it has power. Once you have everything buttoned up, we're heading back to
install the panel. We'll only remove the panel to add fuses and accessories down the road. We are now finished and the DC converter is now installed. The next step is we just need to add some lights and some bazooka tubes and I cannot wait to do those videos. If you're not subscribed to the Fentertainment channel, I ask that you do so and hit the bell notification and share this video with a friend. Until next time guys, I'm Ryan Fenters and we'll see you later. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=P-6Q-0hFB8Y
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4x4 golf cart? The beast truely lives up to it's name. We'll take one of these, please.
One monster build that we can't wait to drive.
Keep it low, drive it slow.
One good looking Cushman. You don't see many of them customized. 36 GOLFCARTING.COM
Underglow lights perfectly placed.
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#golfcartingmag
YOU MIGHT SEE YOUR POST IN THE NEXT ISSUE!
Super clean DS. The bumper makes this cart look tuff.
Who wishes they hade a shop like this? Do the tires even have any air in them?
A clean Club Car Onward fro the guys at Wetsounds.
Smoking and popping wheelies is what I do.
Low and slow, that is how it goes.
GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 37
golfcartguide
L
A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SEAT COVERS
et’s face it. Golf carts are going custom and the options are endless. Nowadays, if you can dream it, you can get it. One of the most distinctive customization options for your cart is seat covers. Don’t kid yourself; the seats make the cart. There are some clear advantages to seat covers over purchasing new seats. Let’s take a hard look at all of the options available to you when it comes to golf cart seat covers. AN INTRODUCTION TO GOLF CART SEAT COVERS Why custom seat covers? Unlike automobile seats, golf cart seats are far more exposed to the elements. They get dusty, sun-beat, rained on, snowed on, and wind beat. In short, they show wear and tear quickly. In addition, factory seats are often plain, solid-colored vinyl that really don’t contribute a whole lot aesthetically to a golf cart.
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Seat covers are a great way to rehab your old seats by adding a ton of style and class to the look of your cart. Most seat covers are made of a cloth-like material that is simply stretched over the old seats. The materials vary and the styles, textures and colors are endless. No matter what brand cart you have, you can find a seat cover for it. If you are just looking to for an ordinary cover to upgrade your seats, you may want to get them straight from the manufacturer. Yamaha, EZGO and Club Car all offer seat covers and you can feel confident you are getting a quality product. CUSTOM GOLF CART SEAT COVERS The real fun is customized seat covers. There are so many options and the seats really make the cart pop. Here are some of the most popular custom seat cover providers.
LAZY LIFE SEAT COVERS - www.lazylifeseat.com Lazy Life Seat Covers is probably the most popular seat cover provider in the golf cart industry. They are well-respected and have built a loyal following with the custom cart community. They have a massive selection of seat cover options for your golf cart. Browse through their website and you quickly realize that Lazy Life has what you want and even if they don’t, they can customize a seat cover for you. They have their own proprietary Cool Touch technology and they can do embroidering and pretty much anything you want. Lazy Life seat covers cost around $185 and are not difficult to install.
MADJAX SEAT COVERS www.nivelparts.com/pages/madjax-seat-kits-seatcovers MadJax by Nivel, is a very popular golf cart part brand in the industry and offer a wide array of products. They have a large selection of seat covers that will fit all the big brands including Yamaha, Club Car and EZGO. Madjax seat covers are very competitively priced with Lazy Life. They don’t do much customization but they have a massive selection so it’s very likely they offer a solution that will work for your cart. Like Lazy Life covers, as long as you get the right seat cover for your cart brand, installation should not pose too many problems.
SEAT COVERS UNLIMITED - www.seatcoversunlimited.com Seat Covers Unlimited is an appropriately-named golf cart seat cover brand. They don’t have unlimited options but they do have 15 different styles to choose from that will work for the big three brands.
Keep in mind that Seat Covers Unlimited is also a seat cover provider for the automobile industry so they are not a small company and they have a lot of experience. Generally speaking, SCU will get you into some very nice seat covers that will cost you $50-$60 less than Lazy Life and MadJax.
RED DOT SEAT COVERS If you’ve done any research in seat covers then you’ve no doubt come across Red Dot Seat Covers. They are a popular brand and are distributed everywhere. Red Dot has a large variety of colors and styles to choose from. They start at around $125 and go up from there. They are not the cheapest seat cover provider but they are known to be a high quality product. They also offer universal fits that can generally work on any cart brand.
INSTALLING CUSTOM GOLF CART SEAT COVERS It would be challenging to go over everything related to installation in this article but we can provide you a general DIY guide to installing seat covers. Seat cover installation is fairly straightforward and involves two main functions, stretching and attaching.
golfcartguide WHAT YOU NEED FOR INSTALLING SEAT COVERS The following are the basic tools you will need: • Staple Gun • Wire Cutters • Pliers • Heat Gun • Flat Head Screwdriver REMOVE THE OLD SEATS • First remove the seat base and cushions from your golf cart. • Remove the front seat hip restraints, handles and hinges or HSA (Hydraulic Shock Assistant). Note: If the seats you are covering are in really bad shape structurally or have some major rips and tears, these may show up even if you cover them. You may want to just replace the seats altogether. REMOVE THE TRIM • Remove the plastic trim from the underside of the seat • Save these pieces for reinstallation after installing the seat cover REMOVE THE STAPLES • Remove all of the staples that hold your seats to the base • Use your flat head screwdriver to remove the staples from the seat CLEAN THE AREA • Clean up the entire area and make sure to remove all of the staples to that you don’t punch a hole through your new seat covers
INSTALL THE NEW SEAT COVERS • Plug in the heat gun • Find the tops and bottoms and left and right on the new seat covers and lay face down on your work surface • Lay the seats down on the new seat covers and use the heat gun to warm up the material so it is easier to get the new seat covers over the seats. (Start at the top and work your way down to the bottom.) STAPLE THE NEW SEAT COVERS • Staple the top portion of the seat in a few places then wrap the bottom part of the seat cover over the seat and staple in a few places to keep the cover aligned while working your way around the seat • Slowly work your way around the seat with the seat cover heating and stapling as you go DO IT YOURSELF VS PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED You can install your own seat covers or have them professionally installed; it just depends on how much you want to spend. Often times a golf cart shop will mark up the seat cover and charge around $90-$100 per hour to install it. Professionals do this all the time so they will probably do a better job than someone who has never attempted it. Golf cart seat covers are an inexpensive way to really change the look of your custom golf cart. There are so many styles, materials, textures and colors that you have total aesthetic control over this part of your cart. Hopefully, this article has been helpful to you in the search for the perfect seat cover.
dealerprofile
TEXAS PREMIER GOLF CARTS
I
n this month’s Dealer Profile we head South, just outside of Big D to Seven Points, TX where we were able to visit with Texas Premier Golf Carts. This family-owned golf cart dealer specializes in custom golf carts and personal transportation vehicles (PTVs) and are an authorized Club Car and Yamaha dealership. Adrienne Schlitz, co-owner with Carl Schlitz, graciously agreed to let us peak behind the curtain of this booming dealer and we were able to learn more about Texas Premier Golf Carts.
Carts. And it’s always a pleasure to visit with a fellow Texan. Tell us a about your dealership.
DEALER PROFILE: Dealer Name: Texas Premier Golf Carts Dealer Location: Seven Points, TX 75143 Phone Number: (903) 432-0042 Owners: Carl and Adrienne Schlitz Website: TXPGolfCarts.com
GCMAG: It’s great that you are a family-owned business. What is your company background? How and when did your company start?
GCMAG: Hi Adrienne, we really appreciate you taking the time to share with us about Texas Premier 42 GOLFCARTING.COM
Adrienne: We are a full-service Golf Cart dealership, and provide parts and service for golf carts. We also build and sell custom carts and are an authorized Club Car and Yamaha dealer.
GCMAG: It sounds like you have everything covered. Who are the owner(s)? Adrienne: My husband Carl and I are the owners.
Adrienne: We became a golf cart dealer with just a simple conversation. What happened is this… We also own a boat and RV storage business which offers maintenance and service for our storage customers. We stock marine batteries to support the mechanic and customer. One day, one of our storage customers asked if we could provide golf cart batteries
which was the catalyst of us becoming a golf cart dealer. This occurred in the Spring of 2018 and by July 5, 2018 we received our first shipment of Club Cars. By the end of 2019 we added Yamaha to our new cart lineup. Carl comes from a 30+ year career in the finance side of car dealerships; while I myself have 25+ years in auto finance.
which provide us solid leads. We are located in a small lake community an hour outside of Dallas surrounded by golf courses and second home communities for residents of the DFW metroplex and beyond. We strive for excellent customer service, so old fashioned word of mouth has proven our friend.
GCMAG: I’m not great at math but that’s over 55 years in auto-finance experience between the two of you. That’s incredible. It’s amazing how often we hear of a simple, random little thing that becomes the catalyst of a successful business. It sounds like that’s exactly what happened with Texas Premier Carts. Where are you guys located?
GCMAG: The best thing about word-of-mouth marketing is that it’s free! What is the most important business lesson you've learned?
Adrienne: We are located on Cedar Creek Lake which is about an hour outside of Dallas. We are also at Canton Trade Days once a month. We are really looking to add another location in 2021.
GCMAG: We will be looking forward to your new location in 2021. Can you tell us about your employees?
Adrienne: We have two heavy-line mechanics including a really good electrical guy. We have two prep technicians and four sales people. We also have a full time delivery driver for cart deliveries and service pickups and deliveries.
GCMAG: That’s great. How do you promote or advertise your business? Online? Social Media?
Adrienne: We continue to find success with Facebook. It continues to be very powerful for us. We also use Instagram and our website along with google ads
Adrienne: Customer satisfaction is number one for us. A happy customer is the key to our success!!
GCMAG: You are right about that and of course that’s why you do so well with word-of-mouthmarketing. What are your future plans for your company?
Adrienne: We are continuing to grow in our market and we continue to provide excellent service along the way. We really want to expand our custom cart builds and service department. We have purchased equipment to allow us to grow both as well as partnered with companies to assist in both.
GCMAG: That’s terrific Adrienne. Thank you for allowing us to learn more about Texas Premier Golf Carts. We wish you continued success and congratulations in advance on your future second location.
For more information on Texas Premier Golf Carts visit them online at www.TXPGolfCarts.com or stop by their dealership or give them a call at (903) 432-0042.
golfcartproducts MTX AUDIO
BLUETOOTH ROCKER SWITCH RECEIVER AND CONTROL The MTX Audio AWBTSW is a universal Bluetooth™ receiver and remote control that is designed to work with most Bluetooth™ enabled devices including iPhone® and Android® smartphones and tablets. This easy to install and use, all-in-one unit is capable of transforming your Bluetooth enabled mobile device into the center of your vehicle’s audio system. Designed to mount in standard Carling style rocker switch openings, it is ideal for use in Golf Carts, Side-by-Sides and boats.
Go to: www.mtx.com
MODZ
TOWER TOP FOR EZGO TXT, T48 & EXPRESS The MODZ® Tower Top features a lightweight all aluminum construction and a unique curved frame design that follows the lines of the golf cart body. Engineered with ease of installation in mind the Tower Top uses a simple bolt-on design and can be installed in an hour with basic hand tools. Compatible with MODZ Flip4, GTW and Madjax Genesis 150 rear seat kits. Available with over 10 different color canopies and 3 frame options. • Constructed with aircraft grade aluminum • Available in multiple canvas & frame options • Tinted Tower Top windshield (sold separately) • Simple frame design for easy installation • Optional Inserts for six passenger carts • Designed & manufactured in the USA
Go to: www.ridemodz.com 44 GOLFCARTING.COM
GOLFCARTPRODUCTS
EAGLE PRODUCTS Evolution Rear Seat Kits
Check out the superior durability and custom features: • Aluminum Re-enforced Co-polymer Plastic Components • E-Coated Aluminum or Steel Frame (Aluminum available for premium price) • Enclosed Storage Compartment • 6 Built-In Cup Holders • Multiple USB Ports • Folding Footrest • Bolt-on Hanging Storage Rack (Optional) • Seat Belt Brackets
Go to: www.eagleproducts.us
askthemechanic
ASK THE MECHANIC Q: How often should we actually check and fill our golf cart batteries?
Q: Does adding bigger tires and a lift really increase my top speed?
A: To get the longest life out of your batteries and the best performance you should check these every month, even if you’re not using the cart. Make sure to only fill them just past the metal inside the battery.
A: Yes, it certainly does. It’s all about physics and the way electric motors work. A full tire revolution covers less ground when the tire is smaller so larger tires will allow you to cover more ground, thus a higher top speed. Generally you can get 2-4 mph more from 23” tires versus stock.
Q: Should I be rotating my tires, and if so, how often? A: Yes. We suggest you rotate your tires once a year and move them from corner to corner (right front to left rear and left front to right rear). If you are noticing some wear on the side or outside of the tires you may want to check your alignment.
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Q: How long should a new set of higher-end batteries like Trojan last? A: That depends on the use, but for normal, average use and assuming you are maintaining the water levels you can expect to get up to 5-6 years from a set of batteries.
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