Contractor Tips Blog

May
27

Customized Golf Carts

Posted in Golf Carts

Golf carts are not strictly used on golf courses these days. Many families have golf carts to help them take all of their gear to the neighborhood pool or park without having to load up the van or SUV. Many older adults use them to travel between neighbors’ houses as it provides an easier and quicker means of transportation than their feet allow. The breeze in the air and the ease of accessibility for getting in and out makes golf carts a popular choice among many people and families. 

Sometimes, though, just a regular ol’ golf cart won’t do. Custom golf carts can be designed and manufactured to meet customers’ needs and desires. From simple refurbishments to custom built golf carts, nothing is impossible when you have the money to spend. 

Many people like to have a golf cart customized to look like an old fashioned automobile with custom headlights and frame. Some people want to equip their golf carts with off road tires, rear view mirrors, speed chips, safety features, and more. These days almost anything is possible when it comes to customized golf carts. Colors vary from pastel to neon; logos and custom art decorate golf carts to make them unique. 

Trained technicians are available to make all types of customizations on all makes and models of golf carts. If you have a golf cart and you are interested in making it more unique, start looking around for ideas of how to “supe up” your ride.

Posted on behalf of Top Dog Golf Carts

Apr
8

Customized Golf Carts

Posted in Golf Carts

Not every golf cart needs to look the same, when it easy to have any golf cart customized to meet both your needs and your personality.  There are a number of customized safety, performance and cosmetic available for all models of gas or electric golf carts, including those manufactured by Yamaha, E-Z-Go and Club Car.  These custom features and upgrades are affordable and in most cases can be completed quickly by a qualified technician experienced in working on these vehicles. 

One of the most popular safety customization projects available is the installation of various products to make the golf cart street legal, as well as safe to operate on roads.  These products include such things as mirrors, turn signals and seat belts.  In addition, some customers, especially those with children, want speed chips installed in the cart to limit the speed of the cart. 

There are a number of customized performance options available as well including large 10” tires, off road tires and lift kits.  Often owners who want to be able to use their custom golf carts in more rugged terrain select these customized options.  The large wheels and lift kits provide additional ground clearance, while the of road tires increase traction in off road conditions. 

A custom paint job is one of the most popular of all custom cosmetic options available for golf cars.  The cart can be painted in a wide variety of colors and finishes, in addition, car like features such as fenders can be fabricated as well.    Another option is to have the seats of the cart recovered with a variety of different fabrics and leathers.  

The only thing that limits the available custom features on a golf cart is the owner’s imagination!

Posted on behalf of Top Dog Golf Carts

Apr
8

Specialty Carts for Hunting

Posted in Golf Carts

Hunters love being outdoors and while most enjoy walking, often the logistics of getting into and out of the field is difficult, especially when dragging goose decoys into the field or harvested game out of the field.  Anyone that has ever dragged a hundred good decoys into the field or dragged a deer out of the woods will appreciate that this is really hard work! 

Off-Road specialty carts are an excellent alternate for those hunters desiring to get into the field further and deeper, while having the ability to easily being able to get game out of the field quickly.  In addition, those hunters with physical challenges, which prevent them from walking great distances, will appreciate a specialty cart designed for hunters. 

Specialty arts for hunters are available with a variety of power sources including traditional gasoline powered engines, as well as diesel and electrical powered engines.  While the engine type is important, what really separates specialty carts from traditional golf carts is the strong construction, increased ground clearance, off road tires and the available racks, which allow gun cases, decoy bags and game to be secured to the vehicle. 

Off road travel is tough on vehicles and a specialty golf cart will have a beefed up frame and suspension to be able to withstand off road travel, while keeping the occupants comfortable a all times.  The increased ground clearance allows the vehicle to easy hand obstacles in its path, including downed tree branches and rocks.  One of the greatest things about specialty carts is the front and rear racks available, which allow bags of decoys to be transported into the field and harvested game to be transported out of the field.  This reduces the workload on the hunter allowing more time to hunt!

Aug
28

Questions to Consider Before Ordering Your Custom Golf Cart

Posted in Golf Carts

Nowadays, you probably see custom golf carts in a variety of shapes and sizes. While people typically seek a customized golf cart that looks amazing, businesses usually require golf carts customized for a variety of functional needs. 

Regardless of your golf cart needs – business or personal – custom carts offer you a world of satisfying options. If you’re interested in getting a customized golf cart, then you’ll need to ask yourself a few important questions…before contacting a golf cart company.

Plans for Your Custom Golf Cart

How do you plan to use your custom golf cart

This is perhaps one of the most important questions you’ll need to consider. Do you plan on using it on the golf course, for a warehouse, or some other purpose? Once you’ve answered this question, your golf cart service professional can offer you excellent recommendations to best meet your needs.

Designing Your Custom Golf Cart

Occasionally, deciding what you want your custom golf cart to look like can be tough. Therefore, it’s an excellent idea to review photos of carts that you find pleasing. It’s also quite helpful to have a photo or image to show your golf cart service professional so they know what you like and what you don’t like.

Accessorizing Your Custom Golf Cart

The awesome thing about custom golf carts is that there are countless accessories you can have added to it. Knowing what you want, before your cart is constructed, is extremely important. Ask your golf cart service professional what accessories they offer in order to determine which ones work best for you. 

Whether you’re designing a custom golf cart for personal or business reasons, you’ll surely have your needs met. Nevertheless, before meeting with your golf cart designer consider your plans for the cart, your golf carts design, and whether you want special accessories.

May
20

Types of Golf Carts

Posted in Golf Carts

To the novice, a golf cart is nothing more than a fun (and some might say lazy) way to get around an 18-hole golf course. But in practice, a golf cart is much, much more than that. Golf carts now come in many shapes and sizes, and are used, yes, for golfing, but also for moving boxes and supplies, transporting luggage at airports and as a primary source of transportation in many retirement communities. 

Here are some of the main types of golf carts currently on the market, offered in both gas and electric models: 

Personal Golf Carts – Golf carts in this category include personal golf carts for getting around communities and elderly housing complexes, golf carts for shopping and markets and golf carts for actual golfing. 

Road Ready Golf Carts – These carts are equipped with safety features such as rear view mirrors and seatbelts and usually have to be registered.  

Utility Golf Carts – Utility golf carts are mechanically enhanced for transporting heavier weights or for using in more rugged areas. They may have bigger engines, better suspension and even four-wheel drive. They are also sometimes lengthened with more seats in back, along with more storage room. Hardware stores might use this type of golf cart, or factories or construction sites. 

Custom Golf Carts –  While regular golf carts are quite plain and usually have just two seats and a little room in the back for your clubs, custom golf carts go all out, modified to look like a Rolls Royce, Bentley or Porcshe. They might have leather seats, wood paneling or special paint jobs for advertisements. This type of luxury golf cart can also be quite costly, as much as $100,000.

May
20

Tax Credit for a Golf Cart? You Betcha

Posted in Golf Carts

When they hear there’s a tax credit for golf carts, most people shake their heads in disbelief. But it’s true. It’s called Code Section30D of the Internal Revenue Service, proposed by the Obama Administration and approved as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. 

The $2,500 tax credit applies to so-called Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicles – any vehicle that draws its energy from a battery with at least 5 kilowatt hours of capacity including two- and three-wheeled vehicles such as golf carts. A further $419 credit applies for each kilowatt of power over that, up to a maximum of $7,500.  

The IRS further ruled that golf carts qualifying for the credit must be new not used and must be road ready; in other words, they must be equipped with certain safety features such as rear view mirrors and seatbelts. 

The tax credit does have a sunset rule, so to speak. It applies only to the first 200,000 vehicles sold by a single manufacturer and then phases out during the following year. Carts sold in the first and second post quarters can receive 50 percent of the credit, and carts sold in the third and fourth quarters can receive 25 percent of the credit. After that, there is no credit available.  

While the golf cart credit has been criticized and even ridiculed by some, it nonetheless has fueled sales of golf carts. In some communities, particularly southern cities and retirement neighborhoods, golf cart sales have skyrocketed, with some buyers viewing the tax credit as a way to get a big discount on something they’ve been wanting to buy for awhile.

Jan
4

Custom-Made Golf Carts: A Starter’s Guide

Posted in Golf Carts

Whether you’re a veteran golfer or an amateur, you’ve probably encountered a custom-built golf cart at some point or the other. Custom golf carts have mechanical and body features that distinguish them from standard models.

Reasons for customization

Golf carts may be specially designed and custom-painted for fundraising campaigns, or for event marketing and promotions. Customization may also be a matter of comfort and safety. Many retirees opt to assemble their own golf carts so that they can optimize safety amenities. A custom golf cart can also be a fashion statement. From throwback vintage golf cart designs to futuristic buggies, a stylish custom-made golf cart can be a source of pride, and is sure to garner admiration on the green. Lastly, customization may be done to maximize golf cart performance and prolong service life.

Level of customization

From modest do-it-yourself projects to made-to-order purchases, nowadays all levels of customization are possible for golf carts. One approach is to purchase a standard model and add accoutrements and accessories as time and money permits. There are a broad range of online parts dealers that sell everything from the frame and chassis, to seat covers, tires, and more. The other approach is to have your golf cart tailor-made from scratch, according to your specifications. Using a custom golf cart distributor will often cost less in the long-run and will save you the hassle of having to track down parts and accessories.

The customization process

Customizing your golf cart involves everything from choosing the body style (open air or enclosed? Two-passenger or four passenger?) to refurbishing the motor, to tweaking or brainstorming the interior design.  Browsing golf cart distributor catalogues will give you design ideas and help you pin down the customizations that you want. Whether you are a DIY-er, or using a professional service, it is always advisable to get warranties for any parts you purchase and to use reputable vendors.

Jun
8

Facts about Golf Carts

Posted in Golf Carts

A golf cart is also called a “golf car”. It is a vehicle mostly used in golf courses for moving golf equipment and golfers around the golf course. They are also popular in retirement communities The Villages in Florida and planned communities like  Peachtree City, Georgia. Most of modern golf carts carts are powered by electric or 4-stroke gas engines and generally driven at a speed less than 25 mph.

History of Golf Carts

The first golf cart for a golf course was made in 1932. The golfers did not like to use it as initially the golf cart was used for disabled golfers only. By the late 50’s, most players started accepting golf carts.

Earlier golf carts were powered electrically; however, gas-powered carts are also being developed now. In most areas electric powered golf carts are preferred but gas golf carts are still in demand especially in hilly areas where the extra horsepower comes in handy.

Production of Golf Carts

Producing golf carts is a big business now as the uses have increased and are not limited to golf course only. Custom golf carts are even available that are custom built according to specific needs of the customer.

Since golf carts are driven generally in restricted areas and at low speeds, in some areas the allowable driving age is 13 years. In the US, the age restriction for driving a golf cart varies in different states.

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