AN INTERVIEW WITH
GOLF RIDER
LOCATED IN PEACHTREE CITY, GA July 2021 Issue 14
GOLFCARTING.COM
COVER STORY
MODZ
HOW TO INSTALL A REMOTE WIRELESS IGNITION KEY SWITCH ON A GOLF CART
PAGE 16
CONTENTS ISSUE 14 JULY 2021
FEATURES
16 COVER STORY: STORM TROOPER BY MODZ 28 DEALER PROFILE: GOLF RIDER 32 WIRELESS REMOTE IGNITION INSTALL 40 GOLF CARTING NATION: '48 FORD COUPE 42 TOP 10 GOLF CART SAFETYTIPS 44 FEELIN' ON TOP OF THE WORLD DEPARTMENTS
08 EDITOR'S NOTE 24 LET'S GET SOCIAL 46 TOP FACEBOOK GROUPS 48 ASK THE MECHANIC 50 READER'S RIDES 6 www.GolfCarting.com
Golf Carting Magazine Now Available in Barnes & Noble About 6 months ago we began the process of getting Golf Carting Magazine into a retail store environment. Not knowing much about what was involved, we called a lot of people, asked a bunch of questions, and finally got connected with a retail distributor who brokered distribution deals for publications like ours. They asked us for all the past issues and told us that they’d get back to us. (Don’t call us; we’ll call you.) Months later we were a little surprised to receive a call from the distributor who told us they liked our magazine and as a starting point they would be pleased to do a test in Barnes & Noble. When we asked what this test would entail, they told us that we would be positioned in over 600 stores nationwide. This surprised us as there are only 600 Barnes & Noble stores in total. We are proud of this accomplishment and are excited to see how our magazine sells amidst the competition in this crowded environment. We appreciate the support of all of our readers and sponsors and if you happen to be in a Barnes & Noble, grab a copy of the July Edition of Golf Carting Magazine.
Trevor Rose Senior Editor Trevor@golfcarting.com
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GOLF CARTING // Issue 14 // July 2021
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 Katrina Robinson Katrina Robinson
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 XTREME MATS EXPANDS THEIR OFFERING OF FULL COVERAGE GOLF CART FLOOR MATS CUSTOMER REQUESTS LEAD TO LAUNCH OF DS AND DRIVE FLOOR MATS AND A NEW COLOR LINE Responding to the wishes of golf cart owners and enthusiasts worldwide, Xtreme Mats recently announced the newest additions to their line of full-coverage, overlay style, golf cart floor mats. Beginning April 2021, Xtreme Mats will be offering their signature double-diamond mats for Yamaha Drive/G29 and Club Car DS, with more on the horizon, specifically ICON and Advanced EV. Xtreme Golf Cart Mats are available in black with red trim, black with grey trim, all black, and beginning April 2021, a new bright blue trim to complement almost any aesthetic. “The fact that we have such an overwhelming demand for floor mats for older model carts really says something about the nature of golf cart owners. We talk to a lot of owners who love their older model carts and want to protect them and customize them just as much, if not more, than those buying brand new carts. It’s a whole subculture on its own. We use feedback from golf cart groups and customers to guide the direction of our new product development. The golf cart community really wanted mats for older model carts and really wanted a blue trim option, so we listened, and we’re excited to finally be able to release them.” -Operations Manager, Natalie Harvey Their FULL COVERAGE golf cart floor liner mats are laser measured to fit as if they came directly from the manufacturer. These heavy-duty, 8-mm rubber mats will not slide around or become dislodged over rough terrain. The floor mats also don’t produce any VOCs so you won't have to worry about
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it stinking up your garage either. Their patented diamond design picks up where the other guys left off. This isn’t a factory flooring replacement; it’s better. By installing on top of the OEM flooring with Xtreme Clips, the original flooring is protected from damage and the mats can be easily removed for cleaning or color changes. There is no adhesive to deal with that can be a pain to remove, starts peeling in the heat, and can ruin your factory flooring, Unlike other golf cart mats that offer only partial coverage, Xtreme Mats won't limit where riders can place their feet and you won't end up with a pile of dirt behind your floor mat. Xtreme Mats Golf Cart Mats cover your entire OEM flooring from the bottom of the dash down to the base of the seat. You’ll no longer have to worry about mud, water, snow, or dirt damaging your cart's flooring! By protecting the factory flooring, Xtreme Mats are helping increase the life of your cart, and in doing so, its value too. Xtreme Mats believes you shouldn’t have to compromise function for fashion; our golf cart mats offer both, and more limited release colors are coming soon. Xtreme Golf Cart mats are currently available for Select Club Car, EZGO, and Yamaha models with ICON and AdvancedEV coming soon. For more information and dealer inquiries visit xtremematsgolf. com, contact us at customerservice@xtrememats.com, or call 407-392-0950. Xtreme Mats is a Five Star rated company that has been protecting investments since 2013 by developing products for consumers that help safeguard against damage.
latestindustrynews OPTIMUS RIDE AND POLARIS ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO BRING CUSTOM DESIGNED, FULLY AUTONOMOUS GEM ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO MARKET PARTNERSHIP AIMS TO ACCELERATE THE FUTURE OF URBAN MOBILITY WITHIN COMMERCIAL AND MICROTRANSIT MARKETS Optimus Ride, a leading autonomous mobility service provider, and Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) today announced a partnership to bring fully autonomous GEM vehicles to market. Under this joint development agreement, an exclusive line of Polaris GEM electric low-speed vehicles (LSVs) will be manufactured to fully integrate Optimus Ride’s autonomous software and hardware suite direct from the factory for deployment nationwide on streets in residential communities, corporate and academic campuses, and other localized environments. This partnership builds upon an investment Polaris made last year in Optimus Ride. Combining Optimus Ride’s cutting-edge, full-stack autonomous vehicle technology with Polaris’ ability to quickly develop and scale production of these state-of-the-art vehicles represents an important milestone in the deployment of driverless, remotely monitored autonomous vehicles. Together, Optimus Ride and Polaris Commercial, a division of Polaris, have set out to solve a real mobility problem through autonomous vehicle technology. In many environments, cars, vans and buses play inefficient roles in mobility, creating unnecessary pollutants, costs and safety concerns. Right-sized, all-electric, fully autonomous GEMs are a safe, cost effective and sustainable solution. In fact, Optimus Ride has already successfully completed more than 75,000 rides with Polaris GEM vehicles over the last two years across deployment sites throughout the country, demonstrating significantly lower transportation investment, enhancing the rider experience and doing it with established LSV safety benefits. “Expanding our partnership with Polaris accelerates our pursuit to transform personal mobility by delivering ondemand, autonomous transportation services to communities across the country,” said Optimus Ride CEO Sean Harrington. “Polaris is the ideal partner to bring these vehicles to market with their established leadership in the LSV space, ability to quickly scale production and their deep knowledge of and experience in urban mobility. We are excited to formally commit to transforming our mobility services to a fully autonomous experience.” Optimus Ride GEM-based electric, autonomous vehicles are already revolutionizing microtransit, transporting passengers in geofenced communities in Massachusetts, Virginia, California, New York, and Washington, D.C., and the company recently received approval to begin testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads in the state of California. Autonomous mobility services provide shorter passenger wait times and travel times, improved vehicle utilization and occupancy, extended coverage hours with greater 14 www.GolfCarting.com
flexibility, verifiable reduction in GHG emissions and reduced parking requirements for new developments. And with the recent launch of the Opti Ride app, Optimus Ride provides a comprehensive mobility service complete with scheduling services through its app and enterprise platform. “As a leader in their industry, Optimus Ride is helping to shape the future of transportation with its turnkey autonomous mobility service and its focus on safety, reliability, convenience and sustainability. We share these priorities and, building off our equity investment from last year, Polaris is pleased to take our partnership to the next level by codeveloping autonomous GEM vehicles,” said Keith Simon, vice president and general manager of Polaris Commercial. “We are committed to working together to promote the widespread adoption of autonomous GEM vehicles across the country. This partnership will bring trusted, safe and fully autonomous rides into the everyday lives of people on campuses, in cities and in communities for years to come.” Optimus Ride and Polaris will work together over the next two years to bring these new fully autonomous vehicles to market by the second half of 2023. Once development is complete, the two companies will partner to deploy the driverless vehicles at sites across the country. Backed by more than 65 years of Polaris innovation, Polaris Commercial not only manufactures all-electric urban mobility solutions as part of its portfolio, but also offers a comprehensive line of dependable, safe, and cost-efficient vehicle solutions for professionals who transport people or haul equipment in urban and industrial environments. More information on Optimus Ride’s autonomous, electric mobility service can be found at optimusride.com. For more information on Polaris and its line of GEM electric vehicles, please visit Polaris.com/GEM.
COVER STORY
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MODZ
T
his issue’s Cover Story cart features Texas-based MODZ, a golf cart parts and accessories company. MODZ’s mission is to help consumers transform their golf carts from ordinary to extraordinary by offering accessories and replacement parts for Club Car, EZGO and Yamaha electric carts. They have an ever-growing catalog of products which includes wheels, tops, chargers, seats, and common hard parts. This bold EZGO TXT build features the new Storm body kit by Madjax. The Storm body kit’s aggressive automotive styling features a distinct fascia and grill providing a truly modern look. The body kits included flush mounted LED headlights and taillights as well as diffused accent lighting further adds to its futuristic appearance.
GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 17
MODZ
They have topped off this custom build with the MODZ Tower Top. The Tower Top is constructed with aircraft grade aluminum, so the top is light, durable, and rust resistant. This stylish top incorporates a unique curved design that really flows with the lines of the Storm body producing a distinct look. The matching white canopy really brings it all together. To keep the passengers comfortable, MODZ installed Madjax Tsunami front seats. These eye-catching seats incorporate extra thick padding and integrated headrests for a custom seat that looks as good as it feels. The silver accents on these seats also really add to the carts overall look. And in case you want to take more friends along for the ride, they have installed a MODZ Flip4 rear seat. One of the more striking features of this build are the recently released MODZ 14” Mayhem glossy black and ball mill wheels. These wheels are downright awesome and really add to the look of this cart with their glossy black finish and intricate ball milling. In terms of rubber, they have these bad 18 www.GolfCarting.com
boys rolling on Arisun X-Trail all-terrain tires. These tires feature an aggressive tread pattern allowing the cart to dominate almost any terrain. To provide the clearance needed for the larger wheels and tires they are using a 6” drop axle lift. The drop axle lift also gives the cart an aggressive stance. MODZ is headquartered in beautiful Austin, Texas they have partners located across the United States and the world. They employ around 30 people with many of them grew up together in the Austin area. Their team includes customer service, sales, technical support, warehouse, operations, IT, marketing, and administration. While primarily an online business and market accordingly, they are expanding their network of brick and mortar dealers to bring their products to more showrooms and golf carts across the country. While they are still fairly new to social media, their Instagram following for RIDE MODZ is growing rapidly. they frequently share photos of amazing carts and we highly recommend you checking it out. MODZ loves creating a positive experience for their customers and is their top priority and an area in which they take a lot of pride in. Whether you are speaking GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 19
MODZ
to someone in their customer service team or in their sales department, MODZ knowledgeable team members are ready to help. Additionally, all MODZ parts and accessories are rigorously tested and vetted before ever becoming available, so customers know they are getting a quality product.
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MODZ mission is to help people take their golf cart from ordinary to extraordinary. In pursuit of this effort they continue to push the industry forward with new and pioneering products. Look for some really cool stuff they have planned for this year. Check out www.ridemodz.com for more information.
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GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 25
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
dealerprofile
GOLF RIDER
Peachtree City, GA is widely known as one of the friendliest golf-cart-cities in the U.S. In this month’s dealer profile we feature Golf Rider, located in Peachtree City. We were grateful to spend some time with owners Frank and Patti Kadkhodaian who shared with us more about their well-established, decades old dealership. Dealer Name: GOLF RIDER (DEALER) Location: 112 HUDDLESTON RD PEACHTREE CITY, GA 30269 Phone Number: (770) 631-0014 Owner(s): FRANK & PATTI KADKHODAIAN Website: www.golfrider.com 28 www.GolfCarting.com
GCMAG: Hi Frank! We are excited to feature your dealership, Golf Rider, in this month’s dealer profile. Tell us about your dealership. FRANK KADKHODAIAN: Golf Rider opened its doors during the Fall of 1997, and for more than two decades, it has grown from a one-man, 900-square foot showroom to a fully staffed state-of-the-art facility. We offer a broad range of services including OEM parts sales, factory-certified service, rentals, and much more. Aside from day-to-day operations, the dealership continues to serve as a platform to echo deep-seated family values our team holds dear to their hearts. Since day one, we have partnered with our fellow neighbors in business contributing thousands in charitable donations supporting so many worthy causes like foster care, education, and
cancer research. Peachtree City is our home, and we believe reinvesting in our community is a way to reflect the spirit of our Golf Rider family and overwhelming generosity and support we’ve received from our customers over the years. GCMAG: Almost 25 years in the business. That’s really impressive. Who are the owners? FRANK KADKHODAIAN: On paper, my wife Patti and I are the owners, but it takes a village to handle the daily operation of our business. We value our team’s input on improving the finer details that make our company special, and we couldn’t do it without them - Frank & Patti Kadkhodaian. GCMAG: Can you give us a little background on how Golf Rider started? What made you want to pick up and leave Chicago for Peachtree City? FRANK KADKHODAIAN: Peachtree City is a wonderful place to raise a family, and Patti and I knew it was the perfect setting for four boys to grow up. Also, I’d be lying if I said Chicago snow didn’t play a factor as well! GCMAG: Where are you located?
FRANK KADKHODAIAN: You can find our dealership at 112 Huddleston Rd in Peachtree City, GA. GCMAG: How many employees does Golf Rider have? FRANK KADKHODAIAN: 25 and counting! GCMAG: That is a lot of employees. How do you guys market Golf Rider? FRANK KADKHODAIAN: Peachtree City is a tight knit community similar to Cheers where everybody knows your name. Marketing our business through paid advertising is and will always play second fiddle to what’s most important. The most powerful advertising is organically driven, and the more we focus on providing a premiere experience for our customers from purchase to delivery, the rest will take care of itself. GCMAG: [We] know that Peachtree City is a golf cart eccentric city. Is there a lot of competition and how do you guys differentiate yourself? FRANK KADKHODAIAN: Peachtree City was developed around the idea that a golf cart would be more than sufficient
continued...
GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 29
dealerprofile in taking you from point “A”to point “B” in the city, and in some cases, alleviating the need for a car. In 2019, the city reported more than 15,000 golf carts were registered in Peachtree City. Our community is constantly growing, and paired with such a high volume of vehicles already in need of support, it’s bound to create opportunities for others to enter the industry. Golf Rider is proud to be Peachtree City’s only authorized dealer and service provider for E-Z-GO and Yamaha golf carts, and we work tirelessly every day to provide a dealership experience which mirrors the established reputations of the brands we represent. GCMAG: What is the most important business lesson you've learned? FRANK KADKHODAIAN: Hard work will always outweigh talent, and the harder you work, the luckier you get. GCMAG: Well said. What is the future for Golf Rider? FRANK KADKHODAIAN: That what we do today. Based on that philosophy and how we've applied that to our mission for 24 years, we expect Golf Rider to remain a well-established resource our customers both new and existing can trust without question for the foreseeable future.
GCMAG: Is there anything you’d like to add? FRANK KADKHODAIAN: Thank you for the honor of being a featured dealership, and we appreciate your vested interest in growing awareness for such a versatile and unique product! GCMAG: We sincerely appreciate you spending time with us. For more information on Golf Rider of Peachtree City, GA visit them online at www.GolfRider.com or stop into their showroom.
doityourself
How to Install a Remote Wireless Ignition Key Switch on a Golf Cart 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 for Golf Carting Magazine. In the latest edition, Ryan Fenters shows us step-by-step how to install a remote wireless ignition key switch on a golf cart. RYAN FENTERS: Hey guys, what's going on? This is Ryan Fenters and welcome back to the channel. On today's video we're going to get rid of the stock key on this golf cart and switching over to a wireless key. 32 www.GolfCarting.com
This modification costs around $25 or under so be sure to stay tuned. So, what we have is the heavy-duty remote control and we're going to use this as a wireless and a keyless switch for the golf cart. Let's open it up and check it out. The first thing we'll notice is the wireless control switch tells you a little bit about it and how to hook it up which is pretty simple and we're going to go over everything in this video. Now both of these keys have buttons on them that say ON and OFF. So, the “brain” of it is very small as well. The back of it has an antenna and the front has four connections, all Phillips head, and you have the DC
doityourself So here in front of me you see the Reliance Digital Charge Meter and we're going to be using this for two purposes: number one, this is going to give us a battery charge meter for the golf cart and number two, it is going to be powered ON only when the golf cart is ON and powered OFF when the golf cart is OFF. You can find the Reliance Digital Charge Meter on Amazon.
input on the left and the DC output on the right. As you can see it's very tiny and doesn't need to be very big since it only performs one function which is to turn the golf cart in the ON position or the OFF position. This unit will work with 12 volts 24 volts, 36, 48 60 and 72 volts. We have a lithium-ion battery from www.BigBattery.com and we're going to be putting this into the golf cart very soon. I want to go ahead and use this demonstration as well. Up here at the top you can see the digital display that shows 52.6 volts. I have the battery turned on and I have my digital multimeter hooked up to the wireless switch and once we turn the wireless switch to the on position, we're going to have a voltage read out here on the multimeter.
Here you can see it reads 52.3 and it reads 52.3 here on the battery as well, so this just goes to show that this little “brain” box of the keyless switch unit does not make and break contact, it just applies the same amount of voltage that you give it anywhere between 12 and 72 volts.
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So, we have the gauge here on the bench and the power and the ground wire here. The ground wire is going to go the ground of the gauge and the power wire is going to go to the power of the gauge. Now on this gauge it has two different powers, one is going be constant and one is going to be ignition. The green is going to be the power of this gauge. Once we apply power to it you can see the red light on the gauge turns on and once the power is removed it shuts off the
gauge. This is going to be very helpful in this golf cart build. Once the golf cart is in the ON position, the gauge will be ON. Once the golf cart is in the OFF position, the gauge will be OFF. This is not going to have any kind of bright LEDs blurting your face, but you’ll easily be able to see it both in daytime and nighttime. All right, so in order to install this in the golf cart the first thing we need to do is to access the back of the key panel and it doesn't matter if you have a Club Car, E-Z-GO, Yamaha, or any other make, or model golf cart. On this Club Car, you need to remove these covers, loosen the hardware and slide the front dash off of the cart. Now these are both covers and they're easy to lose so make sure to recover both of them. The next thing we need to do is to remove the hardware, and these have two Phillip-head screws that we need to remove. Once you have the screws
doityourself both wires to the terminals connected, we know that the green is the input and the blue is the output.
removed, we're going to go ahead and slide out the factory dash.
We'll pull the dash out just enough to access the back of the switch. With the key on the OFF position and pulled out of the golf cart, we next need to find out which is the input power, and which is the output power from the switch.
Now on the control box of the keyless switch I attach the ground wires together by using ring terminals. I have enough wire that I'll use to run back to the main negative of the battery pack. To finish this install we need to connect the green wire to the input power, and we need to connect the blue wire to the output power.
As you can see, I have all four wires connected. I went ahead and put the cover back in place and put some Velcro on the back side of the unit. Now I'm going to mount my unit on the inside of the back-dash panel.
Now in order to do that I've got a voltmeter set the DC at 200 volts. If we set it to 20 volts for example, this being a 48-volt golf cart, it's not going to read it, so we need to go to at least 200. We need to put the black on the ground and the red on these terminals to see which has power to it when the key switch is off. That's going to which is the input power and which is the output power. We know that the input is this green wire and the orange wire is not showing voltage so I'm going to cut the orange wire because we're not going to use it. I'm only going to use this green wire and this blue wire. So, the next step is we need to strip the ends back on these wires and add the terminals to them. Now that we have 36 www.GolfCarting.com
Now it’s time to run the ground wire to the main negative of the battery pack. So, we ran the ground wire here to the main negative of the battery pack. And we’ll connect it using a ring terminal. I use a heat shrink to connect the ring terminal. When you're placing ground wires on batteries like this, make sure the ground wire for the golf cart goes on first. And all the accessory ground wires go on second.
doityourself
that the digital charge meter will fit nicely into the dash. I went ahead and mounted the battery meter and mounted the back piece as well. There’s a black wire, a yellow wire and an orange wire. The black wire is ground. The yellow wire is constant 48 and the orange wire is ignition 48. So, the ignition wire will connect to the key side of the switch, the yellow will connect to the battery side of the switch and the black wire will connect to the ground.
The installation is now complete, and you can see the battery meter is off there's no key in the switch and if you push the accelerator pedal, we are not moving. Now we simply use the keyless remote to turn on the battery meter and we can hit the accelerator pedal and start moving, forward and reverse. Once we hit the off switch, the battery meter turns off and the golf cart is now off. Installation is complete.
I went ahead and removed the low-voltage battery meter here because they often go bad in a lot of these older club car golf carts and other golf carts as well. It only has two wires on it. I’m replacing it with the Reliance digital charge meter. The instructions come with a size template that I use to cut out so 38 www.GolfCarting.com
Thanks for joining us and stay tuned for the next installment on the Fentertainment YouTube Channel.
golfcartingnation
'48 Ford Coupe OWNER Chuck Seney from North Greenbush, NY YEAR/MAKE/MODEL 1948 Ford Coupe Replica with hand made chassis TELL US ABOUT THIS CUSTOM BUILD: I hand built the chassis to fit the vintage fiberglass body originally made by the Lil' Car Company from Florida. · Custom made 1” x 2” steel box chassis · Four link rear suspension w/ energy bushings · Control arm front suspension w/ energy bushings · All aluminum floor and fire walls · Air bagged suspension with 7” of travel · On board compressor, 3-gallon tank and filter / dryer · Chrome rack and pinion steering and tie rods · Chrome steering column · Hydraulic rear drum brakes · 48-volt electric drive system · EZGO rear differential · D&D 17 hp peak - separately excited (shunt) motor · Alltrax DCX 500-amp programmable controller · Six 8 volt (Energizer) and one 12-volt battery (Optima) 40 www.GolfCarting.com
· 12-volt power battery fill hydration system · 50’ of Hobart 4-gauge welding cable · 48v to 12v - 300-watt power inverter · 48v 15 amp fully automatic charger · Entire system is separately fused · JVC detachable face / remote controlled / CD stereo · Alpine GPS system w/ speedometer · Harley emblems, mats and mirrors · Harley Bagger side pipes · Completely hand-crafted interior · LED battery amp gauge · LED taillights · Tri-bar headlights · Chrome single hand operated wiper · DOT approved safety glass windshield
SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT YOU AND HOW LONG YOU HAVE BUILDING CARTS: I have been fabricating cool customs my how life and customizing carts for about 24 years. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR YOU OR YOUR COMPANY? Just love carts as a hobby as well as making a few extra bucks.
GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 41
golfcartguide
TOP 10 GOLF CART SAFETY TIPS With the surging popularity of golf carts and the proportionate rise in golf cart accidents, golf cart safety is becoming a serious concern. According to one credible source (Consumer Product Safety Commission), there are approximately 18,000 golfcart-related injuries annually. And these are just what are reported. There are far, far more cart-related-injuries that are not. What’s more disturbing is that a high percentage of these injuries are suffered by children. As more and more 42 www.GolfCarting.com
electric carts enter our communities and roadways, golf cart safety needs to be addressed. TOP 10 TIPS TO GOLF CART SAFETY USE SEAT BELTS Golf carts, especially those that you actually drive on the golf course, don’t have seat belts. But the growth of electric cart usage is not on golf courses but in our neighborhoods and laws are beginning to mandate the use of seat belts on golf carts, NEVs (Neighborhood
Electric Vehicles) and LSVs (Low Speed Vehicles). Having seat belts installed on your cart is not that expensive and can literally save a life. KEEP ARMS AND LEGS INSIDE THE VEHICLE If you have ever ridden a carnival ride you know how important it is to keep arms and legs inside of the vessel. Perhaps the most common way carters are injured is when they drag a leg outside of the cart. It only takes a second for the leg to get pinned against a curb or other obstruction and serious knee or ankle injury can result. Keep the appendages inside the cart. AVOID DRIVING IN RAIN AND SNOW Golf carts are simply not built to handle well on wet and slippery conditions. Some modified carts with all terrain tires and extra torque from custom controllers are better than others, but overall, it is not safe to drive your cart in the rain or snow. If you find yourself in a situation that you must drive on wet surfaces, take your time, drive slowly, especially when turning. FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD A golf “car” is a “car”. People think that because it’s not a real automobile that the rules of the road don’t apply to them. They do. Stop at stop signs and traffic lights. Yield to pedestrians. Signal when turning and changing lanes. Obey all traffic signs. Rules are rules. DRINKING AND DRIVING IS STILL ILLEGAL ON A GOLF CART Just like boating, if you are inebriated on a golf cart you will get a DUI. It is unlawful to operate a golf cart, NEV or LSV while under the influence of alcohol. Now while it may be true that there is less of a chance of getting pulled over if you are driving in your neighborhood, if you do get stopped by an officer while under the influence on your cart, the chances are you will go to jail and get charged with a DUI.
road is dangerous. RESTRICT CHILDREN DRIVERS Far too many of the victims of golf cart accidents are children under the age of 16. While many jurisdictions don’t require a valid driver’s license for cart drivers, that shouldn’t mean it’s a green light for kids to drive carts. This is largely changing where areas are now prohibiting children under the age of 16 to drive. In addition, the massive financial liability that parents’ risk if something were to happen should be reason enough to restrict young drivers. PERFORM MAINTENANCE TWICE A YEAR Golf carts are machines that need maintenance. Check tire pressure, maintain batteries, check alignment. Electric carts are not very complicated but like anything else need routine maintenance. DON’T OVERLOAD YOUR CART Golf carts have weight limits. Having ten people crammed into a cart that supports four can lead to bad things quickly. Golf carts can be a tremendous amount of fun for the whole family. They are becoming a mainstream part of neighborhood transportation throughout this country and abroad. Understanding and implementing golf cart safety is very important and needs to be taken more seriously by everyone.
AVOID GOING OFF-ROAD Golf carts are not ATVs. Just because a lifted cart with allterrain tires kind of looks like one, does not mean it can handle the demands of off-road terrain. Many golf cart accidents and consequent injuries happen as a result of the driver mistaking the cart for a 4-wheel drive ATV. HAVE HEADLIGHTS (AND TAILLIGHTS) INSTALLED Being able to be seen by other vehicles is a good thing. Having headlights and taillights installed on your cart will help you not only to see where you are going but will allow other vehicles to see you. Being invisible on the GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 43
golfcommunity
BY KATRINA ROBINSON
FEELIN’ ON TOP OF THE WORLD ON TOP OF THE WORLD is an active community for retirees located in Central Florida. It’s one of the largest active adult communities in the Sunshine State with over 10,000 homes. It attracts retirees and active seniors from across the nation due to its wide variety of amenities, active lifestyle, and large golf cart community. The retirement community is located in Ocala and provides residents with a myriad of opportunities to swim, play pickleball, take part in fitness classes, get a much-needed massage, lift some weights, play a round of golf, and cruise around in their carts. On Top of the World, also known as OTOW, is just over six miles west of Interstate 75 and is surrounded by a gorgeous landscape filled with ancient oak trees and rolling hills. All residents are 55 years of age or over, and after taking a closer look at OTOW, it’s easy to see why so many active seniors are attracted to its community. OTOW is home to over 175 resident clubs, so residents are sure to find like-minded individuals to spend time with. The clubs 44 www.GolfCarting.com
range from those celebrating travel and photography to sports and dancing; if there isn’t a resident club for your particular interest, you can look to start your own! And if you’re interested in learning a new skill or taking up a new hobby, you can look into Master the Possibilities, a not-for-profit learning program that provides residents with access to over 1,300 classes and presentations annually. The classes and presentations occur in the lifelong learning center, featuring five classrooms, four art studios, a computer lab, and a café area (with a library!). There are basketball courts, golf courses, and many other opportunities to take part in sports and other activities. Pickleball courts abound; the sport is a cross between tennis and ping-pong and is only for those with high energy levels. If you’re more of a watcher than a doer, check out The Club at Candler Hills, which offers both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the stunning golf course. Take in the sights while sipping on a cocktail or dining on one of the seasonal dishes created by the club’s chefs at The Club at Candler Hills.
Candler Hills residents can enjoy the amenities offered by The Lodge, an exclusive new clubhouse. The clubhouse features a resort-style pool with a beach entrance, a spa, an outdoor fire pit, a covered pavilion, an indoor gathering lounge with fireplace, and a grand lobby. All in all, it’s a high-class way to pass the time. Residents are able to stay on top of the news in the community thanks to The On Top of the World News, a monthly newspaper created just for the region’s residents. Interesting in writing or photography? Sign up to be a volunteer proofreader or photographer for the newspaper. As you can see, it’s never too late to pick up a new hobby—or continue with what you’re passionate about! There are several fitness centers in OTOW including the Indigo East Fitness Center, a 3,400 square-foot center featuring an aerobics studio, oversized pool, social gathering areas, walking trails, an outdoor fitness park, and more. The Arbor Fitness Center was recently renovated and offers residents updated, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, group exercise rooms, and a place for aquatic and tennis activities. R/C flying enthusiasts will be eager to take advantage of the R/C flying field, a 14-acre site with a large grass runway and large pavilion. Spectators can sit on the sidelines and comfortably watch the action while enjoying the sunshine. Festivals, fairs, dancing, and the chance to spend time with fellow residents are all available at the Circle Square Ranch Town Square in On Top of the World. The open-air plaza has seating for patrons, a gazebo for entertainers, plenty of space for twirling and dancing, and a kiosk for refreshments and snacks. Residents can enjoy weekly entertainment every Saturday night at the Town Square, and there are other special events that occur
throughout the year as well. Residents don’t have to spend all their time in On Top of the World. They can hop on a bus and take a day trip to museums, sports games, and more. These types of day trips are scheduled throughout the year for residents to take advantage of. But the real draw of OTOW? Golf. And this is why golf carts are so popular in the community. On Top of the World features three golf courses with a total of 54 holes, providing residents with a large variety of golfing opportunities close to home. There are two private courses: The Links and The Tortoise & The Hare. Additionally, there is Candler Hills Golf Course, which is a semi-private course. This course has a practice facility with both short and long game practice areas as well as five sets of tees so every level player can enjoy his or her time on the course. Candler Hills Golf Course also features a pro shop and a restaurant. Residents can play a round of golf or opt to just cruise along in their carts, enjoying the scenery. The courses are impeccably maintained, offering residents the chance to play year-round. The On Top of the World Golf Club features a driving range, pro shop, and practice facility. The club has men’s and women’s golf associations, both of which plan tournaments for residents who are golf lovers. These tournaments offer residents the opportunity to enjoy camaraderie as well as healthy competition. And if you’re a novice player, don’t worry! Lessons and clinics are available, led by PGA and LPGA pros on staff. And this is just some of the excitement that is available to OTOW residents. If you’re an active senior looking for somewhere to spend the rest of your days, whether you enjoy lying by the pool, playing golf, or just riding around in your deluxe golf cart, look no further than On Top of the World in sunny Florida.
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topfacebookgroups
40.8K members 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.
16.8K members 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.
9.3K members E-Z-GO golf cart parts, buy sell or barter.
9.4K members
46 www.GolfCarting.com
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Custom over-the-top golf cart pictures, news, videos, information and more brought to you by Golf Carting Magazine and www.CartPros.com
5.8K members 6.0K members
A group dedicated to big block swapping GAS golf carts. All GAS engine upgrades allowed.
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. GOLF CARTING MAGAZINE 47
askthemechanic
ASK THE MECHANIC Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages to lithium batteries for my golf cart? A: Lithium batteries are growing in popularity which should drive the relatively expensive prices down as they become more widely used. The cost to retrofit a 48 volt cart would range from $1500-$2500 which could be more than double standard golf cart batteries. The benefits would be longer range or run-time, no maintenance and a much quicker charge. Generally lithium batteries can get 50% or more of a change in less then 30 minutes. Q: What would be the best and easiest to install option to add some music to my golf cart? A: The easiest option would be installing a Bluetooth sound bar, these have been becoming more and more popular as 48 www.GolfCarting.com
they are generally a 2 wire installation (12 volt battery and ground) and then are easily mountable to most carts via the roof frame or roof struts. Bazooka, Wetsounds, MTX, Ecoxgear and JBL all make some great sounding products. Q: What’s the best modification or part to get some more top speed? A: Generally the easiest and quickest way to add some more top speed would be a “speed code”. This involves reprogramming of the controller and most time needs to be done a golf cart dealer. This could quickly add 3-5mph and generally costs between $75 and $200 (depending on the cart model). Also lifting your golf cart and adding bigger wheels and tires will also get you 2-5mph more top speed.
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Visit www.golfcarting.com and go to Reader's Rides to submit. Be sure to use the hashtag #golfcarting READER'S RIDES
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