What Is A Putting Green?

If you are a golfer you probably already know what a green is but in case you don’t or if you’re searching for artificial greens as a present to someone else, then let me briefly explain.

Basically the “green” is the last part of the golf course and the part where you have the flag and the hole that you must get the golf ball into. The green is often one of the places where most golfers will spend the most strokes because they have a hard time aiming and focusing on getting the ball into the hole.

That is also why someone developed the so called “putting green” which is basically a training area where you can practice putting again and again until you get good at it. If the problem isn’t in the putting but rather in the “driving” part (the long strokes), these is also something called a “driving range” where you can practice your golf swing.

Before we move on to talk about the artificial putting green let me just make it clear that “normal” greens on golf courses are made of high quality, high maintenance natural grass. Because the greens we’re talking about here are manmade it will not be exactly like its natural cousin.

Where To Find Artificial Putting Green Turf

There are several ways that you can go about locating places to buy these synthetic putting turfs but the two overall ways are offline and online. Out recommendation is to search online because you are more likely to get a wider variety and better prices. The disadvantage of the online search is that live human communication is limited and the best way to go about it will probably be to find an offline dealer in your local area that you can seek guidance with and then go home and do an online search to see if you can get a better price.

There are 4 websites that we recommend you take a look at before deciding on where to purchase your new putting green. We are in no way affiliated with any of the 4 websites and we do not recommend any of them above the other as the fit of their products and services will depend on your individual needs and wants as well as your geographical location.

LawnStar.org

The LawnStar Company makes artificial grass putting greens from two different materials. One is nylon and the other is polypropylene. Both of these materials are used by most makers of artificial grass. The difference is in the price and the authentic feel of the grass. Nylon will generally be cheaper but will be easier to install and will have a better durability. It will be perfect for a home golf putting green to practice on.

Their cheapest product is the Poly 12’x10’ putting green which sells for $699 and the cheapest Nylon green is the 15’x10’ at $749. However you will be able to order products in any shape or size and the prices will naturally be adjusted accordingly.

The Company is based in Texas and can be reached at 972-618-0300.

Positives: 16 year warranty on turfs
Negatives: REALLY poorly designed website

ActionSportsCompany.com

The ASC Company sells a variety of products and one of them is the artificial golf putting green. They also offer both the nylon and the polypropylene versions. One concern that you can have when reading their website is that it seems like both the nylon and the poly version is called out to be “the best” and that makes you wonder which one is in fact the truth.

Both products is claimed to give you a natural putting roll when you strike the golf ball and our conclusion is that it must be the golfers individual opinion on what is most “real”. The great thing about the nylon version is that you don’t need to add sand fillings like you do with the poly green.

We weren’t able to see where the company was based but their phone number is: 800-580-0307.

Positives: Good website info, functional webshop
Negatives: 5 year warranty, claimed specialist in several areas

Synthetic-Turf.com

Now where the two companies mentioned about might be both knowledgeable and produce high quality products, this company’s website has a much better design and functionality and it makes it look professional in comparison.

The offer artificial putting greens just like the other two and will provide both nylon and polypropylene turfs. What is great about their website is that you will instantly see testimonials for professional golfers that have playing on their turfs and enjoyed it. That is a huge plus when you as a customer is trying to decide who to do business with.

The offer a ton of pictures and examples of what they are capable of and again this is something that gives you comfort as a potential customer. Installing nylon or poly putting greens in your garden, your home or anywhere else will be an expensive investment and you want to feel comfortable that you’re making the right decision.

The company is based in Jupiter, Florida and can be reached at 561-743-8512, 877-784-8873 (Toll free) or by email at info@synthetic-turf.com

Positives: Great website, many pictures and customer testimonials
Negatives: 5-10 year warranty, no prices

SouthWestGreens.com

This company is by far the most professional looking of the four we have listed. Not only do they have great professional golfers give testimonials on the front page, but they are also servicing almost all of the US as well as several other places around the world.

Not only will they provide artificial turfs in the two materials we have discussed above but they will also give you the options to choose between several different sorts of grass. We’re talking sorts like bluegrass, fescue, rye and Bermuda amongst others.

The company is located in Scottsdale, Arizona but has more than 90 franchises all over the world and is considered (according to themselves) the global leader in designing and installing state-of-the-art synthetic putting greens for residential and commercial use.

You can contact them by calling 770-642-2273, 877-260-7888 (Toll free) or by email at info@southwestgreens.com

Positives: very professional looking company, great FAQ
Negatives: no prices, no warranty mentioned

Conclusion

Even though we have found some of these companies to look better and more professional than their competitors we would like to remind you that this is solely based upon their website. This might not always be a fair way to present a full picture and we would therefore like to encourage you to contact the individual companies and speak to their representatives.

If might require more work on your part but since installing artificial putting green turf can be a pretty large investment you do not want to make the wrong choice. We also suggest that you study that FAQs of each website as you will find the answers to most of your questions in those pages and it will make you better prepared before calling the companies.

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Artificial Putting Greens

Normally kids’ golf carts are meant for children in the age between 3 to 7 years old but since these machines are motorized it is strongly advised that parent consider whether the child will be able to handle the cart without getting hurt.

Normally the primary reason for purchasing a golf cart for kids is for them to drive around the golfing range with their parents and if not on the golfing range, then in the garden at home. Kids love to imitate their parents and if mom and/or dad drives a golf cart they’ll want to do the same.

Types of Golf Carts for Kids

Now I have already mentioned the Dexton Driver Golf Carts but that doesn’t mean that they are the only once out there. However they are one of the major players and because of that I’ll stick with discussing what options you have if you’ll want one of their cart models.

You can choose between the Big Driver model which is meant for the bigger kids and the Lil Driver model that is designed for the younger ones.

The Big Driver golf cart is powered by a battery and comes with two gears. The cart will drive with a speed of 2.5 mph in the low gear and 5.0 mph in the high gear. It has a load capacity of 90 lbs and comes equipped with both a cup holder and a sounding horn. The Big Driver is suited for two kids to ride it as one time.

The Lil Driver golf cart is also powered by a battery but with a lot less strength. Where the Big Driver had a 12 volt battery the little driver only has a 6 volt battery. This means that it can only drive one speed and that is 2.5 mph. It has a loading capacity of 65 lbs and is only suited for one kid riding it.

Kids’ Golf Cart Pricing

Electric golf carts for kids are naturally a lot cheaper that it’s grownup counterpart. Where adult golf carts can easily cost thousands of dollars you’ll be able to buy the Big Driver models from new at prices around $400-$500 and probably a lot cheaper if you buy them as used.

The Lil Driver models are around $200-$300 from new but again you’ll be able to find it at a lesser price if you buy a used model. One of the best places to find good deals for the Dexton golf carts are at ebay. At the time of writing there were several deals at almost half price so be sure to check that option out.

As for colors you’ll find the Big Driver golf cart in white and red and the Lil Driver in white and pink. There might be other colors available but I haven’t been able to locate them.

Where to Buy a Golf Cart for Kids

Again I strongly suggest that you check out ebay because you’ll find some golf carts for kids that has hardly been used but with great savings. But if you do want a new cart I strongly suggest that you take a look at this online sporting shop. They are very fairly priced and you’re able to read customer reviews of each product before you purchase anything.

Click Here to go to ebay for used kids golf carts

And Click Here to find new golf carts for kids.

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Electric Golf Carts for Kids

The Windshield is Brand Specific

Now I assume that you already have a golf cart and that is the important first step. The reason for that is that not all golf carts are similar in shape and sizes and their individual windshields will therefore also vary in shape and size.

When searching for the windshield you should always be brand specific. Let’s say you have a Yamaha golf cart and you need to either find a new windshield or replace an old one. Then I suggest that you go to a place like ebay and search for the term “Yamaha Golf Cart Windshield”. If you want to be even more specific you enter the model number of the particular cart that you own.

Being too specific might however result in very few results so to start out I suggest leaving out the model number and see what comes up.

Covering Front and Sides for Best Protection

Normal golf cart windshields will only cover the front of the cart and normally that will be sufficient but if it rains you might want to put some shields on the sides of the cart as well. Depending you’re the type and brand of cart that you own you might find that there are no such sides. Luckily most brand do have such accessories and again I suggest that you go to ebay.

One of the advantages of ebay is that since it is an auction site you might end up paying far less than you would if you have purchased the windshield in most other shops.

Where to Buy Golf Cart Windshields

There are a lot of places that you can find great golf cart windshields but you will probably also run into providers of questionable quality. I’m not saying this to scare you in any way. I am only saying it because I’ve been searching the Internet for quite some time now and most of the providers will either have a very limited selection to choose from or their site simple doesn’t look trustworthy.

I am therefore going to give you a few links to a nice selection of golf cart windshields based on the specific brand of golf cart that you own. I case your brand isn’t mentioned please try the first link in the list:

• Click Here for All Windshields
• Click Here for Yamaha Windshields
• Click Here for E-Z-Go Windshields
• Click Here fore Club Car Windshields

If you’re having difficulties finding the right windshield for your specific golf cart then please leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you out.

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Golf Cart Windshields

A Little Background on the Melex Cart Company

The Company was originally named Columbia Cars and was established back in 1995, which means that it has been serving the golfing industry for more than 10 years now. Some years ago the name was changed to Melex Golf Cars PTY Ltd., but besides the change of name not much else changed.

In order to better serve the industry of light vehicles Melex acquired another company to build a broader range of products to offer its customers. Originally Melex produced high quality golf carts and hopefully it’ll continue to do so.

Before I go into some of the disadvantages of choosing the Melex brand cart let me share with you some of the benefits as I see them.

Melex’s Advantages

There are several benefits that I would like to tell you about but since this isn’t a sales pitch I’ll try to refrain from using too many superlatives. The first thing I would like to mention about these golf carts is that they’re electrical which means that they’re better for the environment. All of carts use the maintenance free Fullriver AGM battery sets and as you have probably read in my other article on maintaining golf carts it’s a great plus no to have to do weekly or bi-weekly battery checks. 

The Melex golf cart is built following very strict Italian styles specifications, which includes using ADC motors and the latest technology such as Curtis programmable controllers. Being technical isn’t always a positive feature but in these carts you’ll probably never notice much of the advanced technology that is built in besides when you benefit from the features.

A great example of an affordable and solid 2 seat model is the “Electric 2 Seater Fleet 36V Golf Cart”. As the name says it comes with a 36 volt electrical engine but you can also get a more powerful 48 volt engine if that is what you want.

The standard colors are white, green, champagne, dark metallic blue, yellow, black, and red. You can also have a custom made color if you like for it to fit your club colors.

And the Disadvantages of the Melex Golf Carts

Now if you already own one of these golf carts don’t worry because there are actually only a few disadvantages as I see it.

The first one is that the Melex Company is rather small compared to some of the other golf cart companies worldwide. Because the company is located in South Africa it is only serving customers in countries like South Africa (naturally!), Namibia, Seychelles and Mauritius. Now if you live in some of these countries that is great but if you live in the US or Europe you will not only have a hard time finding a dealer but can also have a hard time finding spare parts.

Most golf cart service providers will probably be able to help you out so even if you do own a Melex golf cart and live far from South Africa, you might not be totally lost. You should however expect to have to pay somewhat higher prices for parts and especially the ones that have to be original Melex parts.

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Melex Golf Carts

There are several aspects that go into the maintenance of a golf cart and depending on whether you’re just doing a monthly check or you need to do actual repairs you might want to consider getting professional assistance.

The Do It Yourself Solution

Doing the regular checkups and smaller repairs on your cart can easily be done if you know a little about mechanics. Changing a light bulb or replacing a punctured tired doesn’t require any special skills and can easily be done by most people.

If you own an electric golf cart you should check the water levels on the battery either weekly or bi-weekly depending on how much you drive the cart. When checking the water you need to make sure that the leaded plates are submerged in the liquids. If they’re not you need to add just enough distilled water to cover the plates.

If you find that there is major golf cart maintenance needed you can do it yourself but I encourage you to check the factory guarantee as it might be forfeited if you do repairs on your own.

Get Professional Service Checks

Even though it might cost you a little money it might easily be money well spent. If you’re a member of a larger golf club or country club you might find that the club has its own technical staff that would probably be able to easily do your golf cart maintenance checkups regularly.

In case your club doesn’t have a technical team you should call the shop where you bought the cart to ask who they would recommend. If you bought the cart as used you can ask the person from whom you bought it or you can call the company that manufactures the particular model. They will definitely know of maintenance service companies in your area.

The Get Help/DIY Solution

There is one final solution that you might consider. For the most part you’ll find that companies selling golf cart parts will also sell machine shop services and even though they don’t necessarily specialize in golf carts they’ll probably be able to help you out. You might even be lucky to get a manual from them when purchasing the spare parts and if you ask them nicely you might even get a few free hints on how to best do the maintenance on your particular cart.

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Golf Cart Maintenance

There are many advantages of electrical golf carts but one of the major advantages, besides the fact that it is better for the environment, is that it is not as powerful as the gas driven counterpart. As it runs on electricity you will need to charge the battery before use and it is therefore always advised to have a spare battery that is fully charged in case you have forgotten to plug it in.

The electrical golf cart normally comes in two different types. The cheaper option is actually more of a golf bag on wheels whereas the more expensive and more luxurious version is an electrical car. Depending on your golfing needs and your wallet you can have great benefit from both options.

The Cheaper Electric Golf Cart

As you can see from the picture on the left the least expensive electrical golf cart is basically a normal cart driven by a small electrical motor. On the handle is a small grip that when pressed will make the cart move forward at a steady walking pace.

An additional advantage of this version is that besides not being as hard on your wallet it still let’s you get the exercise of walking around the court but without hurting your back by carrying the heavy golf bag.

Further down in the article I’ll give you a few suggestions as to where you can find some great offers on this type of cart.

Price ranges for this type of cart is about $200 – $400 depending on the brand and whether it is a new or a used model.

The Luxury Electrical Golf Carts

As I mentioned earlier the cart also comes in a more luxurious and more expensive version. You can say that it is actually no longer a “cart” but rather a “car” as it comes with a steering wheel, multiple seats and a roof. You won’t get much exercise from using these but that might actually be part of the “luxury”.

The car models are also powered by an electrical battery but a somewhat larger one of its kind. There are normally four different battery types: 24 volt, 36 volt, 48 volt and 72 volt. The 36 volt and 48 volt golf carts are the most commonly used types and of the two the 48 volt cart will have the greater momentum and power.

Early on the biggest problem of the battery driven golf carts were that the batteries would only last for a few hours of use but these days new technology has greatly improved the range and the longevity. Additionally changing the battery has become really easy and it is therefore always advised to pack an additional fully charged one in the cart.

Price ranges for this type of electrical golf carts are about $1,800 – $8,000 and some of them can cost far more than that.

Where to Look for an Electric Golf Cart

There are lots of places to look for both the cheaper models as well as the more expensive models. I’m not going to go into details about specific retailers in this article – for that I recommend that you visit the Golf Cart Dealers section. But one place that I do recommend that you check out before making your final decision is eBay.

Most of the carts you’ll find there will be used models but some of them have hardly ever been taken for a drive and you can save 30-50% compare to buying a new model so it is definitely worth checking out.

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Finding an Electric Golf Cart