Bones & Barbajo's Product Spotlight - The Golf Skate Caddy

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Imagine if Brian Wilson played golf…

 

 

We'd all be “golf-surfin!”

 

Had a chance to try one of these earlier this month.  This model is from Golf Skate Caddy, and it made an appearance at Stillwater Oaks Golf Course on the 4^th of July.

 

All I can say is “WOW!”

 

 

Are these golf-skate boards a passing fad or are we riding the “wave of the future?”  The answer, as always, is “it depends….”

 

If you're open to adding a healthy dollop of fun and adventure to your next round of golf, you're going to want to put riding one of these things on your to-do list.  If you're a traditionalist and still pine for the days of long walks and the help of a caddy, you may take a pass.

 

Here's the skinny…

 

The Golf Skate Caddy has room enough for a Staff Bag and includes holders for an umbrella, a drink bottle, scorecard, balls and tees.  It even has a USB port to charge your phone or GPS.

 

There's a control panel where you can set your maximum speed (select speeds 1 thru 4). The panel also tells you the overall battery charge and your actual speed (top speed is 13 mph). 

 

 

The “transmission,” so to speak, is a green pistol-like device.  There's a toggle switch on the top of the pistol to select forward, reverse or neutral.  The “trigger” is your gas pedal. You hold on to a green knob on the buggy with your lead hand, and you hold the pistol in the other hand (which helps with balance). Pull the trigger and off you go.

 

You stand on the Golf Skate Caddy like you would a surfboard or a skateboard.  There's a notch at the back end of the GSC for your rear foot so it stays secure.  Going in a straight line is fairly easy – all you have to do is maintain your balance. 

 

Turning takes a few minutes to figure out.

 

 

Ideally, you'd turn left or right by simply leaning left or right.  The actual process can be learned quickly, but trusting yourself and the contraption takes a little longer.  I found turning to be easier by moving my front foot to either the left or the right side of the GSC. I could then shift my weight easier and stay balanced.

 

Overall, I'd say it takes around 2 or 3 holes to get comfortable riding one of these, and probably a little longer to learn how to manipulate them near the green and around cart paths between holes.  And while walking is better exercise, your lower body and core does get a bit of workout.  It's not nearly as passive as riding in a cart. 

 

 

I spoke with the local Minnesota rep for Golf Skate Caddy, who says golfers are driving up to 2 hours to play at courses with these units, and that courses are finding they have to pre-book rounds with them. Many courses charge a premium over carts.

 

There's even a course in Orlando where the Senior Women's League is using them.

 

There are as many lease and sales programs as there are manufacturers. Golf Skate Caddy offers golf courses a 5-year lease-to-own program at $100/month per unit.  Some quick math points out the benefit to a course:

 

Say a course leases 10 of these units, and charges a $10 per round premium over a cart. Presuming they rent each cart out twice a day, that's an extra $20/day per unit. Multiply that by 10 units and that's $200/day in new revenue. If you figure a 7 month golf season in northern climates (mid-April to mid-November), that's approximately 200 days, give or take a few due to weather.

 

That's roughly $40,000 in new revenue.  If you back out the $12,000 lease fees, that's still $28,000 in the till that you weren't getting before. 

 

 

And the local media seem to soak these things up.  Many courses that have brought these in are receiving attention from local newspapers and TV stations.

 

There's also a Revenue Share program, which costs $950 per cart to start. This includes a GPS unit for each cart, replacements parts, staff training, promotion, etc.  Then the golf course and the company split the revenues.  If the carts are popular, the split could be as high as 50-50.  There's also a performance guarantee of at $400 per cart per month. If that's not reached the course may opt out of the agreement.

 

The biggest obstacles to these units coming to a course near you are liability (some courses are battling their insurance companies over coverage), and your basic resistance to trying anything new or different.  Some courses have taken the liability waiver route – basically if you want to use a unit you have to sign a liability waiver and then go through a 5-minute instruction session.

 

 

There are some limitations to these buggies.  They all have maximum rider weights, so if you weigh over 265 lbs, you'll be riding the cart.  And if you have balance or strength issues, you'd be advised to take the cart, as well.  At age 54, I had a ton of fun riding the Golf Skate Caddy. At age 65 I'd have second thoughts.

 

But the thing to focus on here is fun – these things are just plain fun to ride! And I'm not sure if there's any hard data to back it up yet, there's a reasonable chance that 4 guys in 4 units can play at a better clip than 4 guys in 2 carts.

 

It's a different golfing experience – and it's all kinds of fun approaching a foursome on a different fairway on one of these rigs.  They all have the very same question:

 

“Can I give it a try?”

[apprenti23]

Awesome review!!! Can't wait to try one of these things!

[Hula Rock]

Awsome.  We have them at a local Muni here in San Antonio

[PlaidJacket]

Do you wear a bike helmet when you're on it? Can you operate one safely wearing golf sandals?

[fozcycle]

We had four at our club for about three months......they were fun, but did not generate enough revenue to keep them.

[apprenti23]

I need to get a job with that company... would love to start selling these to the clubs near me!

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Do you wear a bike helmet when you're on it? Can you operate one safely wearing golf sandals?

 

Plaid, you remind me more and more of Dean Wormer every day 

 

 

"No more fun of ANY kind!!!"

[Fireinthehole]

I wouldn't mind jumping in one give my legs and core an extra work out!

[mizuno_lover]

As an ex surfer I've gotta say I'm definitely into this.  I'm sure there are more than a few stodgy old committees out there that may say it's too much fun to be allowed on the course and of course the naysayers who are scared of their shadows and scared of getting sued when someone falls off the board and breaks an arm <_>

 

Trust me it will happen but that's just part and parcel of risk management and getting people to sign a waiver.  I know this because I've fallen off my little chook chaser - see pic.  I was standing up and buzzing between holes when my front wheel hit a curb, the buggy went one way I went the other whilst performing the most graceful 3 point para roll you've ever seen done by a 56 year old ex soldier past his prime, on the skin shredding grit covered cart path.  I took off some considerable amount of skin and bled profusely but not enough to stop me finishing the round.  I had a good one going from memory.

 

I don't know how much exercise for your core you'll get Fire but it's better than nothing I guess

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I love - LOVE - the fact you finished the round.  Old Soldiers finish their rounds!!!!

[Kenny B]

Also as an old, old ex-surfer, I would really like to try this. But I would only like to do it for a round where there is no waiting. Without a seat my back would start hurting if I had to stand around waiting for groups in front. I hope it has a good battery because if I am waiting, I'm doing figure 8's or looking for mounds to go over!

 

I may have the opportunity to give one a try next week. Love the rider Mizzy, but it would not be a good ride at my course. Too bumpy!

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Also as an old, old ex-surfer, I would really like to try this. But I would only like to do it for a round where there is no waiting. Without a seat my back would start hurting if I had to stand around waiting for groups in front. I hope it has a good battery because if I am waiting, I'm doing figure 8's or looking for mounds to go over!

 

I may have the opportunity to give one a try next week. Love the rider Mizzy, but it would not be a good ride at my course. Too bumpy!

 

Forgot to mention, it does have an optional seat.  Not bucket or fine Corinthian leather, but a place for your tuchus...

[kfilly20]

My local course just picked up 15 of these. I'm going to try one out during my round tomorrow morning. They cost double the cart rate, so $15 for 9 or $30 for a round. I've seen people riding them so they must be doing ok. 

 

Hopefully they are included in the corporate pass I use.

[Fireinthehole]

Trust me it will happen but that's just part and parcel of risk management and getting people to sign a waiver. I know this because I've fallen off my little chook chaser - see pic. I was standing up and buzzing between holes when my front wheel hit a curb, the buggy went one way I went the other whilst performing the most graceful 3 point para roll you've ever seen done by a 56 year old ex soldier past his prime, on the skin shredding grit covered cart path. I took off some considerable amount of skin and bled profusely but not enough to stop me finishing the round. I had a good one going from memory.

 

I don't know how much exercise for your core you'll get Fire but it's better than nothing I guess

Haha way to finish! Good laugh and very admirable!

[Hula Rock]

I wouldn't mind jumping in one give my legs and core an extra work out!

 

You know what ?  I WAS sore the next day, felt like I did leg day at the gym......  (it was all that "Glute" activation.....)