Monday, June 28, 2010

“Golf Carts a Popular Way to Get Around in Iowa's Small Towns” plus 3 more

“Golf Carts a Popular Way to Get Around in Iowa's Small Towns” plus 3 more

Golf Carts a Popular Way to Get Around in Iowa's Small Towns

Posted: 28 Jun 2010 08:35 AM PDT

By Jim Offner
June 28, 2010

Golf carts are making their way from the fairways to public roadways in Iowa, with a little push from government and a lot from the motoring public's nascent attraction to battery-powered vehicles.

Local governments now are making it easier for residents to putt around in golf carts with new ordinances in place that open their streets to buggies that are powered either by battery packs or small gasoline engines.

That certainly works for Orville Duecker, a retired pharmacist and World War II veteran who uses a golf cart to run his errands around Frederika.

"I've been doing it for a couple of years,'' I guess, said Duecker, who has relied on a cart for health reasons. "I'd rather be able to walk.''

It's becoming clear that many people wouldn't rather walk. And, they'd rather not drive their cars, either.

"It's everywhere around us,'' Craig Dunlap, owner of Dysart-based Young's Golf Cars Inc. said of the new trend in local transportation. "There's a lot of towns where you can now drive golf carts all over inside the city limits.''

Indeed, small towns around the Cedar Valley are moving in that direction.

Dunlap said a visitor to Dysart can get a feel for the popularity of golf carts by dropping by the local cafe early most mornings or during the lunch hour.

"You'll see as many golf carts around as cars,'' Dunlap said.

The city of Reinbeck passed an ordinance last year allowing use of golf carts inside the city limits.

"We didn't have much usage last summer, but this year I think I have eight signed up,'' said Quentin Mayberry, city administrator in Reinbeck.

A permit is required, as are proof of insurance and a valid drivers license, Mayberry said, adding that carts have to carry a "Slow Moving Vehicle'' warning sign and bright-orange warning flag. Drivers can't take carts on highways, which, in Reinbeck's case, precludes driving one to the local golf club.

Mayberry said Reinbeck's ordinance is inspired by Ely, near Cedar Rapids. But he also said Reinbeck was following the lead of other small towns whose residents see the practicality of running to the post office, the local grocery store or cafe without having to burn gasoline in the family car or truck.

"It's always brought up because of conservation,'' Mayberry said.

Dunlap, who has been selling golf carts for 25 years, said he had sold 160 carts so far this year. Full-year total sales at his dealership have been in the 250-270 range the last six or seven years, he said. He sells both electric and gas-powered carts, but the overwhelming majority are electric.

"I sell 4 to 1, electric to gas, for golf.

A cart can be had for as little as $1,000, although options - some have DVD players, custom wheels and even heaters - can push the price up to $8,000 or $9,000.

Tax credits for the electric-powered vehicles have been credited for having fueled sales, as buyers can earn a credit of 10 percent of the purchase price. Last year, the credit was 50 percent.

The surge that the small, electric-powered carts have enjoyed has led to the evolution of carts that are built primarily for transportation outside golf courses.

Rudy Busch, who has been selling carts at Denver-based Rudy's Sales & Service for 49 years, said he now sells "Neighborhood Electric Vehicles,'' in addition to standard golf carts.

"About 50 percent of what we sell were designed for golf but now are made for other uses,'' he said. "They use them for everything; they're made to run wherever you want to go. They're used to go to the store, the post office, on the farm and for transportation.''

Visitors at the recent Two Cylinder Expo at the National Cattle Congress, were apt to see plenty of the little runabouts.

"They'll rent some for transportation there because people come in and are older and can't get around very well,'' Busch said. "It's not like a four-wheeler, which are made for one person and are dangerous. You can put a rear seat in the back and haul four to six people.''

Of course, there's always an age-old use: golf.

"In Vinton, the course is in town, so a lot of people there drive their carts to the course,'' Dunlap said. "Dike is another place where a lot of people drive straight from garage to the course.''

Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier

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Golf carts may soon cruise town streets

Posted: 28 Jun 2010 02:01 AM PDT


PORTER -- Golf carts could begin appearing on town streets next month if the Town Council adopts an ordinance that has been drafted to regulate operation of the electric vehicles.

Town Council president Michelle Bollinger told town attorney Patrick Lyp at a recent meeting to prepare an ordinance for discussion and possible adoption at the July 13 meeting.

Lyp said an older town resident had asked about a golf cart ordinance like the one adopted by Chesterton last year.

"There is a state statute for communities to allow operation of golf carts on public roads with restrictions. I've taken a copy of the Chesterton ordinance from their town attorney (Charles Lukmann) and will tweak it for us. We want to balance the rights of homeowners and drivers," Lyp said, adding that the ordinance seems to have worked well since its adoption.

He said that includes prohibiting the low-speed vehicles from roads where they are inappropriate, such as Indiana 49 in the Chesterton ordinance.

The Chesterton ordinance also requires a slow-moving vehicle sign or flashing amber light on the rear of the cart, bars them from sidewalks, and limits their use to daylight hours unless they are equipped with lights. Golf carts used by town officials during special events are exempted.

"Of course, a driver's license is required on public roads. One of the things the council will look at is which roads they should not be allowed on," Lyp said.

His draft does not include a separate speed limit for golf carts.

He noted that the town began to receive inquiries about use of carts when the price of gasoline rose in recent years.

Many of the electric vehicles seen on city streets in Northwest Indiana that look like large golf carts are Global Electric Motorcars, designed to be driven on streets and roads with lights and horns, according to Chris Dill, sales consultant at Arnell Auto Group in Burns Harbor, which has the local GEM franchise.

"The GEM is not a golf cart. There are similarities, but it is street-legal and must be plated just like a car," Dill said.

A driver's license is also needed to operate a GEM on the street, and the top speed is 25 mph.

He said several dozen have been sold, including many municipal sales, such as the Lake Station Park Department. They can also be seen on the streets of The Village in Burns Harbor.

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Golf Center for sale

Posted: 28 Jun 2010 01:48 AM PDT

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Legends Golf Center, 11771 Lincoln Ave., closed last fall and hasnt reopened.

GOLF: Coach of the Year

Posted: 28 Jun 2010 12:41 PM PDT

(2 of 2)

"We were supposed to start football there, but it never worked out. I played varsity baseball instead."

Cinotti returned home to New Jersey and quickly began his coaching career at West Morris as an assistant under the immortal Pete Piccirillo.

A year later, Cinotti arrived at Jefferson and has
never left.

Cinotti became an assistant football coach at Jefferson in 1972 and eight years later, became the head coach.

He led the Falcons to two NJSIAA North 2, Group II state titles back-to-back in 1986 and 1987, with the 1986 squad going through the season undefeated. The Falcons also won the SCIL titles both years.

In 1994, Cinotti walked away from coaching football.

"I just didn't have the fire inside me that I had in the past," Cinotti said. "I also didn't have the time. Then the opportunity came up to be a vice-principal."

However, Cinotti has remained the school's golf coach for the last 22 years.

"It's definitely a different mindset coaching golf over football," Cinotti said. "Everything is kept in perspective. In golf, if you hit a bad shot, it's over. You can't dwell on it. It's less intense than football. Sportsmanship is also very important, as is the integrity of the game. Kids also don't have to be the greatest athletes to play golf. They don't have to run 100 yards in 10 seconds to be successful."

However, sometimes the highs are similar, like the one Cinotti experienced this season, thanks to kids like Pat Donegan, Ryan Snouffer, Dan Olive and Nick Dwyer, all of whom elevated the Falcons to local elite status.

"Sometimes, you get teams and kids who give you a little bit more," Cinotti said. "It
was absolutely a great year."

Cinotti is also an avid golfer, who plays regularly with a few other local golf coaches, like Wallkill Valley's Mike Harris, Sparta's Jerry Carter and Rich Lepes of Newton.

"I'm hooked," he said. "I play in a league on Friday nights with a bunch of my former players and then I play again on Sundays. It's absolutely a great game. ... We try to get to two new courses every year. It's one of the other rewards of coaching golf."

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