DEALER PROFILE: THE GOLF CART COMPANY

The GolfCart

Company

The Golf Cart Company, located in Central Florida, is made up of passionate golf cart enthusiasts whose mission is to help folks experience the fun and adventure that a quality Club Car or Evolution vehicle can bring into their lives!

The Golf Cart Company is a dealership serving the Clermont, FL area (not far from Orlando), offering the best in new and pre-owned golf carts.

DEALER PROFILE:

DEALER NAME: The Golf Cart Company DEALER LOCATION: Clermont, FL PHONE NUMBER: (407) 557-2775 EMAIL: mark@thegolfcartcompany.com WEBSITE: http://www.thegolfcartcompany.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/golfcartcompany

According to The Golf Cart Company, they pride themselves on a friendly and knowledgeable staff that includes all departments… sales, financing, service, and parts. They are ready to offer outstanding service at every point, from assisting customers finding the right vehicle to ongoing maintenance and customization. At The Golf Cart Company, they value the opportunity to create a long-term relationship with their customers, and do so by making sure to exceed expectations.

The Golf Cart Company is a family-owned and operated company. They have a team of Club Car factory trained technicians and have established themselves as Central Florida's premier golf cart provider. They also are the premier rental provider in Orlando through Golf Cart Rentals Orlando.

Their Clermont location provides golf cart service and repair and customization, as well as provide parts and accessories.

They are the new premier Club Car dealer for the Clermont, FL area supplying the best Club Car golf carts and parts.

They claim their team is second to none in customer service and they strive to provide the best possible service all of the time.

The Golf Cart Company operates with 3 key principles in mind which they attribute to being the reason for their ongoing growth:

Honesty, Integrity, and Reliability.

For more information on The Golf Cart Company in Clermont, FL visit their website at www.thegolfcartcompany. com or call (407) 557-2775.

SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES:

CARTS AND PARTS HARD TO FIND

Picking up some chicken or toilet paper at your local supermarket has become a challenge, with many stores suffering from supply chain issues that are leaving some shelves bare.

The same is true in the golf cart industry, and just about every other commercial enterprise.

The golf industry is a $49 billion dollar market, and those numbers are from 2016, the most recently reported. New golf carts from the major manufacturers, custom shops creating unique custom carts and even used golf carts – all facets of the industry have been hit hard by the COVID 19 pandemic, and everything related to it.

Because of a lack of employees, freak weather conditions in areas where golf carts and golf cart parts are made, shipping delays and an increased demand, the golf cart business is going through what thousands of other businesses around the world are experiencing. Reports show that demand for golf carts has increased more than 100% over each of the last 5 years, and 142% over the 3rd quarter of 2021.

The carting industry is not unlike the automobile industry – the lack of product is driving up prices, and delivery date promises are stretching longer each week. People are ready to buy, and cart-related businesses are working tirelessly to keep up. The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have caused

people to stay at home more, and to look for recreational activities and family-friendly opportunities rather than going out to eat or taking the kids to an amusement park. Golf carts, whether used on the golf course or for cruising the neighborhood with the kids at sunset, provide a great way to avoid large crowds and keep your family safe – and many are unable to do that because of the lack of carts and cart parts over the last 18 months.

The difficulty in getting new carts from manufacturers and after-market parts has resulted in a noticeable increase in the costs involved. When demand exceeds supply, the end user winds up paying more.

Charleston, South Carolina, is well known as a hot bed for the golf cart industry, and everyone from smaller shops that build custom carts to larger companies that provide fleets to businesses across the country is feeling the effect.

Local cart dealers are having trouble keeping up with demand and finding carts to sell is increasingly difficult. One dealer relies on buying their carts to upgrade and resell by purchasing from country clubs selling their current fleets, and that is not happening today. Major manufacturers are behind on their production quotas, and fleet managers are not able to buy new carts to upgrade their fleets.

The owners of a cart building business in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, said that they have had to travel to Florida to buy carts, hauling back 10 in one trip alone, and have also hired a transporter to bring carts back to their shop. Across the country, golf cart businesses are doing whatever it takes to give their customers what they want.

Cart parts, especially those made in China or another overseas country, are also difficult to get. Shipping and logistic issues are making dealers buy in bulk, but the delivery time has been adversely affected.

Matt Smith owns Charleston Custom Golf Carts, with locations in Mount Pleasant and in Daniel Island. He’s been in the business since 2017 and has never seen so many constraints on getting new carts or parts. The business sells new carts in their PTV line, for Personal Transportation Vehicles. These are used by families for recreational purposes and cruising around their neighborhood, not for golf. “Manufacturers like Yamaha, Club Car and others can’t get things like AC controllers, so they can’t supply electric vehicles like they used to,” Smith says. He sees a scaling-up of gas-powered vehicles for 2022. “It can take up to a year to take delivery on a new PTV.”

Everything from windshields and batteries to seat foam and backing, even things like wheel bearings are not only hard to find but can take months longer to get once they’re ordered. Smith says, “Distributors and factories won’t even tell you a lead time when you order, because they don’t really know how long things will take to get to the customer. We do everything we can to order as much as we feel we’ll need looking well into the future. I’ve ordered cart bodies that have taken 6 months to get to me.”

Smith also points out that the constraints and delays on getting carts and parts is not completely caused by the COVID pandemic. “The Texas freeze last year and all the cargo ships floating offshore, the lack of truck drivers, everything has come together to cause major disruptions to the golf cart business.” He said many materials used in cart manufacturing are petroleum-based, and the devastating Texas weather adversely effected the supply lines of carts and accessories. “Even that ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal caused hundreds of other shipments from overseas to be delayed, a lot of which were related to golf carting.”

THE GOOD NEWS

The overall demand for golf carts and other LSVs, (low speed vehicles), has not diminished, which gives a ray of hope to companies that make and sell carts. More cities and municipalities are adapting new regulations that allow certain golf carts and LSVs on public streets, and the COVID 19 pandemic has resulted in consumers investing in things like pools for their homes, boats, motor homes and golf carts. When someone sees their neighbors taking the kids for a cart ride along the beach or making a trip to the local café or grocery store, interest and demand goes up. There are a variety of different laws and local regulations that determine exactly which type of vehicles are legally allowed to operate on public roadways, and smart cart business owners are adjusting to meet the needs of their customers. There is an increase in calls for low speed vehicles that can be used outside a gated community or on the golf course, and cart businesses are responding to that demand. Matt Smith says buyer demand is still strong, and people are mostly understanding that supply chain issues are something his business cannot do much about, as it effects just about every type of business. “Some customers are sort of settling for a new cart that may be in stock but not have all the features they had originally wanted,” Smith said. “Others are willing to wait a little longer, and they are ordering new carts now with the knowledge that they’ll be using them this summer.” Charleston Custom Golf Carts is also experiencing an increase in their service department work, with many people deciding to invest in upgrading and maintaining their current carts instead of buying a newer model.

“If I had more, I could sell more, for sure,” says Smith. “But we’re doing everything we can to adjust our ordering process in anticipation of continued difficulty getting product, working with our customers to get what they want and providing all the service work necessary to maintain our expected business levels.”

Just as in about all other consumer goods today, those anticipating the purchase or customization of a new golf cart or other type of LSV need to plan far in advance, and rely on patience until they take delivery.

E-Z-GO DRIVING TOWARDS THE FUTURE E-Z-GO

What began in a small machine shop in Augusta, Georgia, has evolved into a global leader in the design and manufacturing of golf, utility and other electric and gas-powered specialty vehicles, and the future looks extremely bright for this industry powerhouse.

When brothers Billy and Beverly Dolan began their small engine shop and decided to try their hands at building golf carts back in 1954 in Augusta, Georgia, they had no idea that their company would become a division of one of the premier makers of golf carts and UTVs available today. In 1960, their business was acquired by the TEXTRON® company, which already had an impressive and successful history in the transportation and energy industries. TEXTRON is a Fortune 500 conglomerate with over 35,000 employees worldwide and operations in 25 countries.

E-Z-GO is a part of TEXTRON’S Specialized Vehicle Division and has skyrocketed to the top of today’s marketplace. In addition to the E-Z-GO brand, TEXTRON’s holdings include Cushman Utility Vehicles, Arctic Cat snowmobiles and sideby-sides and the Jacobsen brand of professional lawn and turf equipment. They also own aircraft brands Cessna, Beechcraft and BELL Aviation, plus several companies dedicated to the defense, aerospace, homeland security and infrastructureprotection industries serving the military and industrial sectors.

A HISTORY OF QUALITY CARTS

E-Z-GO’s line of golf and utility vehicles have long held a well-respected position as one of the highest-quality and innovative manufacturers on the market, and their advanced technology and specialized expertise continues to keep them at the top of their industry.

The company offers vehicles to the consumer through an impressive network of independent dealers, and works with commercial and industrial clients in designing and building entire fleets of top-of-the-line transportation and work vehicles designed specifically for their individual needs. Their highly efficient use of eco-friendly technology and dedication to the needs of their customers have kept them at the top of their field.

E-Z-GO’s model lines encompass a wide array of vehicle styles and uses designed to match the needs of virtually any

end-user. Models include the new Liberty line, released in June 2021, along with their popular Freedom RXV and TXT models, the Express S2, S4, L6 and S6 line and the Valor and Valor 4 vehicles. From enjoying a relaxing round of golf to tackling large jobs or transporting people in style and comfort, E-Z-GO makes a vehicle to suit your needs.

When it comes to authenticating the company’s dominance in the marketplace, all you need to do is pull up to most any private or public golf facility and notice the branding on the side of their carts. Recognized as the world leader in golf cart sales, TEXTRON’s E-Z-GO brand is an industry dynamo found at many of the world’s most exclusive country clubs and municipal golf courses. You’ll find E-Z-GO on more than 1,750 courses around the world, with about 110,000 carts in service, and their projections for growth are steadily increasing.

Their RXV Elite 2.0 is the company’s most popular model and a favorite of those who appreciate the ultimate performance and reliability on the course.

When it comes to commercial and industrial use, the company’s multi-passenger personal transportation vehicles lead the way on college campuses, amusement parks, residential and commercial real estate developments and construction project sites, mobile home parks, malls, and other places where people need to cover a lot of ground in the most efficient way.

If you’re looking for a cart that won’t break the bank and could be used for everything from a trip to the local supermarket, cruising your neighborhood or exploring the beach front, E-Z-GO’s Valor line is designed to fit the bill. Available in either a 48v DC electric or a EX1 gas-powered model, the Valor cart is available in Party, Family and Neighborhood option packages, and the styling, features and accessories of these carts are the choice for those who use their carts for more than golf. There are 2 and 4-seat models in the Valor line, and features include a variety of custom tires and wheels, tops and front windshields, lighting and sound, mirror styles and more.

The Valor line is a proven leader in transporting 2 or 4 passengers in comfort and style at prices beginning well below $10,000.

If you need to move people around a large property like a school campus, residential or commercial construction site, new home sales development or someplace similar, the E-Z-GO Express S6 is your vehicle of choice. This 6-passenger cart comes with a smooth, comfortable ride in 72v, lithium or gas-powered models, with a wide variety of seats, lights, enclosures, tops and dash accessory options. You can order your Express cart with options like 5-panel safety mirrors, brush guards, fender flares and even turn signals.

PIONEERING ADVANCED LITHIUM TECHNOLOGY

When it comes to utilizing lithium batteries to power golf carts, E-Z-GO was a pioneer in the innovation. Partnering with advanced Samsung SDI Lithium Technology, the company was the first in bringing lithium batteries to golf course fleets and developing the ultimate technology for overall battery life, efficiency, and cost of operation. Their carts are equipped with a more compact and lighter battery system than other carts, resulting in improved performance and reduced operational costs.

While some competitors have introduced lithium-powered carts into the marketplace, E-Z-GO statistics show their Elite Lithium models outperform and out-last the other brands, and they have conducted studies and real-life testing to make their point.

The testing measured things like overall “out-of-wall” energy usage and costs over the lifetime of the vehicle’s battery, the hours of performance after a charge, and the time it takes to recharge the battery.

E-Z-GO used parameters like annual energy costs, number of carts in a course’s fleet, number of rounds per year and a specific cost of energy based on the U.S. average of $0.12 per KWhr at the time of the testing. E-Z-GO conducted a real-life test for a 36-hole golf challenge, putting their Elite Lithium cart up against a Club Car Tempo Li-Ion and a Yamaha Drive-2, a lead-based battery model. They tested range, efficiency, and cost of operation, with the Elite Lithium cart clearly coming out on top. The company’s website even has a calculator function where golf course cart fleet personnel can determine just how much money can be added to their bottom line by choosing the Elite Lithium line of vehicles.

Another advantage is the much lighter weight of E-Z-GO’s lithium batteries, resulting in less overall vehicle weight and reduced damage to the surface of the golf course turf.

The last thing a facility wants is a golfer calling for a lift when their cart stops performing on the 13th hole, whether it’s an upscale private club or a municipal course. E-Z-GO’s stateof-the-art lithium technological advancements ensure years of performance and are setting the industry standard.

A TRADITION OF PERFORMANCE

Whether you are an individual shopping for a new cart for golf or a facilities manager at a larger golf course or private club researching purchasing an entire fleet of golf carts, specialized utility or transportation vehicles, the E-Z-GO line of premium carts have been developed and built to meet your highest expectations. With the unmatched technological and ecologically-friendly expertise of TEXTRON, this golf cart company is poised to expand and remain a formidable player in the marketplace.