January 05, 2016 3 min read
Golf carts are no longer the uniform looking vehicles that are seen buzzing around on the golf course from hole to hole. They are bigger, faster, flashier, increasingly functional, and more like actual vehicles than ever before. And Florida is the leader of the pack when it comes to custom golf carts and exclusive golf cart community living. Florida golf cart owners are very serious about their carts and although there are endless anecdotes and daily news about golf cart happenings and mishaps in Florida, we have collected the top 5 fun facts about Floridians and their golf carts for your entertainment:
Neighbor envy is big in the Sunshine State and the more custom accessories installed on a golf cart, the higher the level of induced neighbor envy. It is typical for Neighbor A to receive a fancy new LED light kit one day, and then three days later, the same kit shows up on the doorsteps of Neighbors B, C, and D.
The typical Florida golf cart can cost upwards of $10,000 to $15,000. Transforming them to look like classic cars, hunting buggies, and even bar carts with portable margarita machines is commonplace and price is rarely an issue. Custom seats don last names or company logos and custom paint jobs distinguish one cart from another.
Southern Florida has completely embraced a golf cart lifestyle and in many places, parking lots at grocery stores, community centers, and bars have designated golf cart parking. Local businesses that do not have specific golf cart parking often do not mind golf carts parking on sidewalks or in parking spots meant for actual vehicles. My son and I frequently drive our golf cart down to the local grocery store and pull up onto the sidewalk to park. Barely anyone bats an eye in Florida at this type of unruly behavior. We do make sure that we secure our cart, though.
Many private communities have restrictions regarding which body colors are permitted within the community. Community HOA docs will specify which colors are permitted. This limits golf cart owners' customization options and irritates many golf cart owners. Especially in cases where a homeowner is new to the community and has their own golf cart. When they find that only beige or green carts are permitted and theirs is black, they are not happy.
Doubling a viable form of transportation with a mobile advertisement for your business is a smart marketing move. Members of golf cart communities pay close attention to other golf carts and many local business owners have opted to splash their business name and information on their golf cart bodies and custom seats. A small investment of about $600 can get a business owner some vinyl body graphics and a set of custom embroidered seat cushions sure to catch the attention of prospective customers.
Every state has different regulations, but, in Florida, the statutes are very clear and enforced. As you can imagine, they are lengthy and fairly boring to read, but the gist is this:
Every state has their unique hobby, pastime, or other obsession. And Florida has golf carts.
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