How to Decorate Your Golf Cart for a Parade

Written by Michelle Brown

The great thing about having a golf cart as your canvas is that the possibilities are virtually limitless. And with a max speed of about 15 miles per hour, you can be confident that your lead foot won’t be the reason for your float’s demise.

If there’s a parade coming up and you’d like to participate by appearing in a float, the good news is that it really isn’t as difficult as one may thing to design a float. All you need is a golf cart (hopefully you have one stowed away or can borrow one rather than buying a brand new one), some creativity and a local craft store nearby.

Now the amount of detail that needs to be put into the float is determined by what sort of parade the cart will be in. If you’re going to be in the Macy’s parade, then prepare to put a lot more work into your float. If it’s a local holiday parade, like maybe an Easter parade, then it won’t be as much work.

Also keep in mind any restrictions the parade may have such as height and/or weight constrictions. Remember to check if there is an entry deadline and any rules and regulations regarding safety requirements.

So the first thing to do is to clear out the golf cart. Clear the inside and outside from any extra golf cart accessories, clutter, debris, mud, dirt, etc. You’ll also want to give it a good washing so that any adhesives from flowers or flags will stick effortlessly.

Then you’ll want to brainstorm about the particular scene you wish to display. Take our Easter example. You’ll want some fake grass, plastic eggs, stuffed bunnies and chicks, colorful baskets, flowers, tinsel, balloons, clovers and maybe some chocolates you can throw into the crowd.

Remember that you want to create a coherent landscape on your cart. Don’t just throw a couple of baskets here, a few eggs there—make it consistent.

Also try using every available space on the cart. You can even use the steering wheel so long as it doesn’t interfere with actually steering the cart. You could try wrapping tinsel around it or gluing small toys to it.

Once you have the outside part decorated, don’t forget about adding some decorations to the roof of the cart. Once again sticking to our Easter theme, try hanging plastic eggs from the bottom as well as filling balloons with helium and adding those to the top of the golf cart roof. Having objects that are mobile will lend to a much more aesthetically pleasing float, rather than having everything tied or glued down.

Once you have your cart completely decorated, you’ll want to take it out of a test ride. This will help determine if any pieces of decorations will cause a hazard either to the cart, the driver or to the audience at the parade. Make sure to go the maximum speed of 15-20 miles per hour and to take tight turns to ensure that your float will stay together at those speeds and that any pieces won’t get caught if you have to make such sharp turns.

Making a float can be an exciting process. A golf cart makes for such a huge canvas that you really can’t go wrong in the way you decorate. Just make sure to have fun with your decorations and let the creativity wander.

The First Steps to Upgrading Your Golf Cart

Any golfer will tell you that they would like to have a little more power behind their golf cart as well added cosmetics to make the appearance better. There are so many way to improve a golf cart, and I will explain just a few below.

Tires:
When teeing off in the beautiful mountainside, a golfer may think that off-road tires could have gotten them to this point a little easier and faster. Golf carts are not meant to go up and down steep hills, but there is a way to modify them so that they can. To ensure a better grip, golf cart tires come in two different forms, which are center mount and negative offset styles. When using a lift kit, negative offset tires are the best choice. Also, tread is very important when making that decision. A smooth tread is used for cart paths, whereas a thick and chunky tread can be used for rougher terrain. Also, another way to make the ride look better would be to upgrade the rims and use chrome to impress the other players.

Lift Kits:
Golf cart lift kits have become increasingly popular for people who choose to use their golf carts for hunting, fishing, or other outdoor activities. The spiked interest shows that using golf carts during off-road fun has become normal with golf cart owners. An 8 inch lift is a common first step for those trying to upgrade their current golf carts. This also enables the driver to use more tire and wheel combinations in order to increase the image of their newly altered golf cart. An adjustable lift kit is also available, just in case the golf cart is used for multiple purposes. It can be lowered in case a golfer just wants to take it out on the course, or raised if another outdoor activity is desired.

Motor Upgrades:
As with any vehicle, there are a number of ways to upgrade the engine to increase torque on a golf cart. Changing this will increase speed off the line and gas pedal response, which will make anyone proud of their revised golf cart. Electric carts can be modified with higher performance motors, but a sufficient battery will be needed in order to get optimal use out of the upgrade. Most gas powered golf carts come equipped with a governor, but there are ways around that as well.

Learn how to build a putting green in your own backyard! - http://ping.fm/ZAbKI

Which Golf Cart is Right for You?

There are a wide variety of things you should consider when purchasing a golf cart, such as how they are powered, maintenance required and the total cost.

An electric golf cart is great for people who use their carts mainly on the golf course. They drive smooth, are quiet and can get you where you need to go and the battery will last you an entire game. Sitting in your quiet cart under the shaded golf cart cover is relaxing on a nice summer day.

If you decide to go with a gas powered golf cart, you'll appreciate the ease of use at places such as construction sites, camping an other all-terrain environments. They can handle rougher land and will also travel longer distances since they run on gas.

If you properly maintain your golf cart at regular intervals, you shouldn't have to worry about it breaking down, but gas-powered golf carts are more likely to require maintenance due to the gas engine and other parts.

Depending on the amount you plan to spend on a golf cart, you have the choice of purchasing either a used or new golf cart. The average prices of a new cart such as a Yamaha golf cart costs range from $5,000 to $7,000, but if you decide to go for a used golf cart, you can pick it up for almost half the cost.

Knowing these things before making your purchase can help make sure you buy the right golf cart for your needs.

How to Build a Putting Green

Golf enthusiasts often dream of having their own putting green at their backyard. It is not surprising since the travel and expenses associated with playing golf can be a huge factor, especially if you just want to relax a bit and practice putting. I remember spending more time on the road than on the golf course.

Building a putting green is easy and is less expensive than what you might expect. You can convert a 1000 square-foot lawn into a putting green for just a few hundred dollars. Pretty small amount compared to the thousands of dollars spent by golf clubs for their greens.

You will need to carefully plan though as mistakes can and will balloon your expenses. So it is advisable to consult experts before starting on your project.

If you've already decided to build a putting green on your backyard and you can already imagine yourself putting all day long, you then have to decide whether you want to do it yourself or hire a professional to build the putting green for you.

The DIY route is less expensive but is prone to mistakes; unless you are an expert yourself. Professional installations could be a little expensive but you can expect a perfect putting green in less time. And you can always call them in case you encounter problems in the future.

So I suggest hiring a professional to do the job. If in case you feel that you can do it yourself, it is still advisable to speak with experts so they can give you suggestions on how to go about it.

Professional putting green installers will have all the materials you need for the project as well golf balls, golf clubs, and even accessories for EZ GO Golf Carts, so you will speak with them one way or another.

Things to consider when building your putting green.

Drainage - The last thing you need are water puddles on your green. Water should be able to immediately run off the green in case of rain or irrigation. One way of solving this is to build your green in a sloped fashion.

Soil - You will need a different combination of soil for you putting green. A layer of sand is essential before laying the soil for your green. This is important to keep water from sinking into the soil.

Real or Alternative - Real grass needs a lot of maintenance and can be costly over time. You can choose to use synthetic grass instead. Trust me you won't notice the difference. It may be a little expensive but is cheaper in the long run since you don't have to maintain it as much.
Maintenance - You will need to consult professionals with this since caring for a putting green is way more complicated than caring for a normal lawn. For one, you will need a specialized mower and it also requires different chemical treatments. Again, you can use synthetic grass instead to lessen maintenance.

Building a putting green needs a little work at first but once it is set and you know how to take care of it properly, everything is a breeze. You can practice putting everyday at the comfort of you own home.

image courtesy of homestar / CC BY 2.0

Building an Art Car With a Golf Cart

Art cars can be a fun and exciting project to take on, just ask the guys over at Radical Golf Cart Parts. There are many steps to plan out, the first of which being the foundation of the car. It's common to strip apart a full size car to build on the frame, but many people have instead been modifying golf carts and using the motor and chassis as the base.

If you decide to use a golf cart for your art car project, you need to decide between gas powered or electric.

There are pro's and con's to both.

Gas powered golf carts often have more power, are cheaper and don't need to charged. All they need is gas and they're ready to go and can often outlast an electric golf cart if driving for durations. The problem with a gas powered golf cart though is that it's less eco-friendly and the engine is louder.

If you decide to use an electric golf cart, the main benefit is the quietness. Some are even just as fast or faster than a gas powered cart. If you don't mind carrying around a couple of spare batteries for longer drives, such as in a parade, you may want to consider it an option.

Most people tend to stick with gas powered golf carts when building golf carts, because they are much easier to upkeep and don't require charging. Whichever option you choose though, a golf cart makes a great base for an art car.

A Golf Cart or a Cab While Vacationing?

If you've ever gone on vacation to a resort, you've likely noticed people driving around in golf carts. You can also take a cab around the city if you'd like. So which should you choose during your stay?

Deciding between taking a cab or renting a golf cart varies depending on several reasons.

If the only thing you want to do is visit the beach and an occasionaly restaurant here and there, you may want to just rent a taxi. Also, if you plan on going on a ferry ride or snorkeling, there's really no reason to rent a golf cart and then let it sit for 4-6 hours.

Golf carts are great if you plan to visit lots of areas of the city. Or if you're planning on a lot of stop and go sightseeing and picture taking, you may want to consider renting a golf cart. As a tip, pick up some golf cart accessories so that you can easily identify yours from a crowd.

It really depends on what you plan to do while you're there. You could even rent a golf cart for one day of your vacation to see the town all day then take a taxi to relax on the beach the next day.

Enjoy your vacation!