Golfers could soon be, in the words of Mike Love and the Beach Boys, “loading up their woody with their boards inside and headin’ out singing their song”?
No. It’s not that golfers are about to give up their game to become surfers; instead, it’s a new concept being introduced to golf that may link these two sporting passions together.
Named the Best New Product at the 2014 PGA Merchandise Show, a device called the GolfBoard is starting to appear at several U.S. golf courses. And, among some of the game’s purists, it’s even beginning to enjoy acceptance.
Powered by a lithium-ion battery the GolfBoard holds a full set of clubs, and one rider/golfer. With two speeds, the fastest being
slightly quicker than a traditional golf car, a golfer can “Surf the Turf” between shots.
According to the developers “playing a round with a GolfBoard, or GolfBoarding changes the golfing experience, without changing the spirit and traditions of the game”.
Whether it changes golf’s traditions may still be debatable, but the introduction of the GolfBoard would undoubtedly create a change in the experience of playing a casual 18 with your buddies!
The genesis of this odd link between two very different sports is attributed to an octogenarian. As an enticement to get his friend (big wave surfer Laird Hamilton) out to play golf, fitness guru Don Wildman, now 83 years young and pictured above on left, suggested traversing the course on electric skateboards.
The two had so much fun that they joined together in the development of the GolfBoard.
GolfBoard Features and Specifications
• Speeds of up to 12mph.
• Base is 19in wide with 3.5in tires.
• Ends fitted with an ‘industrial grade’ gearbox… Allows it to tackle a variety of terrains.
• Pressure on the turf is less than golf cars.
• Up to 36 holes without battery charge.
• Controlled by handheld device and… The rider learning – like an electric skateboard.
• Speeds of up to 12mph.
• Base is 19in wide with 3.5in tires.
• Ends fitted with an ‘industrial grade’ gearbox… Allows it to tackle a variety of terrains.
• Pressure on the turf is less than golf cars.
• Up to 36 holes without battery charge.
• Controlled by handheld device and… The rider learning – like an electric skateboard.
At $6,500 per unit, or about 50% higher than a state of the art golf car, the GolfBoard is pricy. In addition, two golfers ride in the traditional golf car while each golfer requires their own GolfBoard. Net result… where available GolfBoard rentals add $40 to $50 to the cost of each round.
There you have it… the GolfBoard.
Some think it could bring so much added fun to our age-old game that a “monster wave” (no pun intended) of golfers might soon arrive at courses across the world.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. But, there are already 250 U.S. courses offering GolfBoard rentals.
Area Courses Offering the GolfBoard
Public
Crumpin Fox Club (MA)
Falmouth Country Club (MA)
Killington Resort Golf Course (VT)
Brattleboro Country Club (VT)
Private
Manchester Country Club (NH)
Black Rock Country Club (MA)
Great Horse Golf Club (MA)
