Waterkloof Golf Club in Pretoria has opted for reliability and ease of operation of its golf cart fleet as it switches to petrol-powered Club Car carts with roomy and comfortable interiors for its members.
The new carts are made in the USA with large-framed golfers in mind and boast advanced suspension setups to soak up any uneven terrain within the tranquil bushveld setting of the course. Adjoining the picturesque Groenkloof Nature Reserve, the course which falls deep within the Top 100 golf courses in the country, enjoys rolling elevation changes and hot summers making a cart a more comfortable choice for golfers, especially in today’s faster-paced matchups.
The move to upscaled Club Car carts also underscores the club’s commitment to excellence and its dedication to providing a top-tier golfing experience for its members and visitors alike. Club Car is the best-known brand in golf carts and is used widely on the world’s leading golf courses. They are available in different models including internal combustion, lead acid and lithium-ion battery models each with their own benefits and distinct applications to suit individual course’s requirements.
According to Club Manager Ernst Uys, the decision behind this transition was not an easy one and had to take into consideration a number of factors including moving to a new brand, whether to stay with petrol-powered carts and decide between various financing options to ensure the best possible outcome for the club and its members.
Tough decisions
“One of the primary factors driving our decision was the club’s reliance on petrol carts over electric ones. With the region plagued by issues like unreliable electricity supply due to cable theft, lack of grid maintenance and load shedding, petrol carts emerged as the practical choice. While lithium-ion
battery carts are popular, they require a consistent electricity supply, which we couldn’t guarantee and opted for the fill-and-go convenience and the robust power of Club Car’s petrol engine carts.
“We also opted to finance the carts ourselves in order to remain independent and ensure our profitability on a sustainable basis. This is important considering our location within the Waterkloof Estate and want to operate independently yet sustainably without incurring costs from or providing support to the estate. These and our ongoing efforts to constantly improve the course is definitely paying dividends and we are anticipating a robust year with an expected 40 000 to 50 000 full rounds of golf this year and many more 9-hole rounds to boot,” says Ernst.
This projection speaks to the club’s popularity and its ability to attract golf enthusiasts from far and wide including members and non-members alike. The move to modern, comfortable carts underscores these efforts and the move from the previous cart brand to Club Car was met with remarkable enthusiasm among the club’s members.
In addition to member comfort, Ernst says the preference for golf carts over carrying bags is a growing one that requires high availability of carts at all times which gives the petrol the advantage in this instance. With the club already set up to operate and maintain petrol carts it simply makes sense especially considering the ease of maintenance and servicing requirements of Club Car carts which are supplied and supported by long-time supplier of turf maintenance equipment to the club, Smith Power Equipment, which is the country’s foremost supplier of carts and course maintenance equipment.
Member satisfaction
Confirming the decision, Simon Woodman, national sales manager for Smith Power Equipment says the decision to opt for internal combustion or battery powered carts is a measured one and depends on a number of factors including preference, availability of electricity, infrastructure considerations and terrain among others. Course managers also need to assess possible damage to the turf and opt for carts that cause least concern with soft suspensions and even application of power such as the all-aluminium framed Club Car. Then there is the affordability of the Club Car carts which directly
impacts costs-per-round, which is an important factor, especially when considering the amount of younger players.
steven
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