Growth Of Motorised Golf In U.S.A.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31131, 6 August 1966, Page 11

Growth Of Motorised Golf In U.S.A.

'A 100-FOLD growth in the number of golf cars being used in the United States in the last 10 years is a feature of the sport in that country that has made an impression on Mr A. N. Bailey. Mr Bailey, a former senior cricketer and a useful club golfer in Christchurch, is making an extended visit to the United States and is being trained in golf instruction. Mr Bailey says there are now more than 100,000 golf cars on the fairways of the United States—there were

only 1000 10 years ago—and this has led to a great increase in the number of people playing the sport. In most cases, these cars are now owned and operated by clubs who make an excellent profit from their six dollars or eight dollars rental. The rental depends on the size and standing of the course and covers two players. However, fast gathering popularity is a 2001 b one-

man car, which la available in models both petrol and electric driven. The one-man cars speed up play considerably, as players can follow their own ball and heavily reduce fairway criss-cross-ing. The lack of the fairway crossing, and the weight of only one man, also reduces the wear and tear on the fairways.

There are restricted areas for golf cars—the fringes of greens and around the tees —and a lot of courses have paths running down the sides of the fairways. Some go even further and have specially constructed metal paths down the sides of the fairways, and leading up to and away from the tees.

Among some rather awesome figures that Mr Bailey quotes are that 12 million golfers will this year use 9000 courses (600 of which were built last year), and that 70 million dollars will be spent on golf facilities this year.