The Thunderbird Country Club is a country club in Rancho Mirage in California 's Coachella Valley . Its signature 18-hole golf course has hosted the Ryder Cup and the Palm Springs Golf Classic (now known as the American Express ). Opened in 1951, the country club has been a favorite of many celebrities, including Bing Crosby and Bob Hope , as well as US Presidents Gerald Ford and Barack Obama . First known as the Thunderbird Ranch, it was purchased by Johnny Dawson , who established Coachella Valley's first 18-hole golf course here in 1951.
25-642: The golf cart is rumored to have been invented at Thunderbird Country Club. By its own account, the Ford Thunderbird is named for the club. It’s golf course was designed by Lawrence Hughes, also responsible for the 9-hole course at the Tomahawk Lake Country Club in South Dakota. [1] 33°45′15″N 116°25′34″W / 33.7542°N 116.4261°W / 33.7542; -116.4261 This article about
50-488: A 15 km (9.3 mi) section of the rail track from Dargaville branch to Tangowahine . Similar vehicles are run by Andrews Valley Rail Tours on 4.3 mi (6.9 km) of the Murphy Branch at Andrews and RailCruiser from Tārukenga , 20 km (12 mi) to Mamaku on the former Rotorua branch . Side-by-side (vehicle) A side-by-side vehicle ( SxS or SSV ), is an off-road vehicle with
75-425: A large snowbird population, and many of them live in large RV parks or retirement communities that use golf carts to get around. In 2014, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed a law permitting golf cart drivers to drive as close to the right-hand edge of the roadway as possible. Prior to the passage of the law, golf cart drivers received traffic tickets for failing to drive in the center of the roadway. Complementing
100-460: A minimum of two seats positioned side by side and enclosed within a roll cage structure. They have a minimum of four wheels (or continuous tracks ) and are operated by foot controls and a steering wheel. Depending on use and application they can also be called a utility task vehicle , utility terrain vehicle (UTV), recreational off-highway vehicle (ROV), or multipurpose off-highway utility vehicle (MOHUV). Side-by-sides may be included in
125-477: A moving golf cart, collision with another vehicle or stationary object, struck/run over by a cart, getting into or out of a moving cart. Out of all these, "falling or jumping from a golf cart" was the most common cause of injury for both adults and children. One contributing reason is that current golf cart safety features are insufficient to prevent passenger falls or ejection. Golf carts moving at speeds as low as 11 miles per hour (18 km/h) could readily eject
150-682: A non-straddle seat, are designed to travel on four or more wheels, use a steering wheel and pedals for controls, have a top speed of at least 25 mph (40.2 km/h), are 2030 mm (80 in) or less in overall width, have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of no more than 1814 kg (4000 lb), and with a minimum cargo capacity of 159 kg (350 lb). ANSI/ROHVA 1-2016 sets standards for recreational off-highway vehicles as having speed capability greater than 30 MPH (48 km/h), GVWR no greater than 1700 kg (3750 lbs), and engine displacement equal to or less than 1,000cc (61 cubic inches) for gasoline fueled engines. In 2009,
175-585: A passenger during a turn. Furthermore, rear-facing golf cart seats are associated with high rates of passenger ejection during fast acceleration, and most standard (stock) golf carts do not have brakes on all four wheels (typically brakes are only on the rear wheels, thus sharply limiting their braking power). Golf cart injuries are also commonly found in desert areas (e.g. Johnson Valley, California ). Driving golf carts on bumpy dirt trails, along cliffs, down rocky trails that should only be traversed using 4-wheel-drive vehicles, can all lead to injuries. Arizona has
200-437: A simple conversion of a traditional golf cart, swapping the golf bag carrier for a second rear-facing seat, to a stretched cart offering additional rows of seating for 4, 6 or 8 people. Solar golf carts are powered by mounting a photovoltaic panel on top of the cart. A controller converts the sun's energy to charge the cart's battery pack. Not only does the solar power take the cart off the electric grid , it also increases
225-469: A solar tax credit of 30% of the purchase price on their US Federal Income Tax. Solar-powered golf carts are popular with owners who drive long distances, such as maintenance workers, golf course fleets, staff at the Detroit Zoo , transportation vehicles in resorts and cities, and drivers of VIP carts on college campuses. High schools have used them as teaching tools for solar power. Along with
250-618: A sports venue in California is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This golf club or course-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Golf cart A golf cart (alternatively known as a golf buggy or golf car ) is a small motorized vehicle designed originally to carry two golfers and their golf clubs around a golf course with less effort than walking. Over time, variants were introduced that were capable of carrying more passengers, had additional utility features, or were certified as
275-542: A steering wheel or a tiller-based steering control, boasted a reversible two-stroke engine similar to one used today in some high-end snowmobiles. (The engine runs clockwise in forward mode.) Harley Davidson sold the production of golf carts to American Machine and Foundry Company , who in turn sold production to Columbia Par Car. Many of these units survive today, and are the prized possessions of proud owners, restorers, and collectors worldwide. Many golf cart manufacturers offer models configured as small utility vehicles (UTV),
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#1732772736375300-482: A street legal low-speed vehicle . A traditional golf cart, capable of carrying two golfers and their clubs, is generally around 4 feet (1.2 m) wide, 8 feet (2.4 m) long and 6 feet (1.8 m) high, weighing between 900 and 1,000 pounds (410 and 450 kg) and capable of speeds up to about 15 miles per hour (24 km/h). The golf carts usually have four wheels, although the three-wheeled autoettes were marketed, among other uses, for golfing. Reportedly,
325-669: A type of side-by-side . Originally developed for golf course operations, these UTVs were available with small pickup beds , flatbeds , dump style beds , van boxes , or with coolers and cabinets for drink and snack sales. With the growing popularity of the side-by-side , many manufacturers are now offering models equipped for use on rugged, off-road terrain. Many golf cart manufacturers offer models configured as transportation vehicles, with no provision to carry golf bags. These vehicles are often used in low-speed, off-road applications such as on school campuses, resort properties, or inside airport terminals. These transport variants can range from
350-599: The Cars T3.3 subclass. In 2021 Dakar Rally organizers and the FIA introduced common categories - Group T3 for light prototypes and Group T4 for production based side by side vehicles. The trucks were reclassified to Group T5 . Other off-road racing series include side-by-side classes, such as the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series , TORC: The Off-Road Championship , SCORE International , Best in
375-544: The Desert , and Grand National Cross Country . Ukrainian forces have used UTVs during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , using a crew of two, fitted with Stugna-P missiles, some with machine guns, to destroy Russian tanks and positions. They have been referred to as "Mad Max" buggies. The US Marines are amongst other military forces to utilise forms of side-by-sides such as Polaris RZR . Side-by-sides are allowed to be street legal in various U.S states however
400-567: The July 2008 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine , there were an estimated 148,000 golf cart-related injuries between 1990 and 2006, ranging from an estimated 5,770 cases in 1990 to approximately 13,411 cases in 2006. More than 30% of golf cart-related injuries involved children under the age of 16. The most common type of injury was soft tissue damage, usually just bruises , followed by fractures , constituting 22.3% of
425-649: The U.S. CPSC warned: "The vehicles may exhibit inadequate lateral stability, undesirable steering characteristics, and inadequate occupant protection during a rollover crash." According to the CPSC, between 2003 and August 2009, 116 deaths occurred in ROV/UTV accidents. Since the 2017 Dakar Rally , the SSV category vehicles have competed in a separate class, which is defined as four-wheel side-by-side vehicles with 1000 cc maximum displacement. Previously, they were classified in
450-444: The cases, and lacerations , accounting for 15.5% of injuries. Other types of injuries include concussions, internal injuries, subdural hematoma , spinal cord injury , or acute respiratory compromise. While rare, a few cases had severe outcomes: 4 fatalities, 2 paraplegic , and 1 quadriplegic injuries have been documented. Some of the main causes of injury related to golf cart accidents included cart overturn, falling/jumping from
475-471: The category of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), but do not include vehicles with saddle-seats that are operated using handlebar-type controls that are the conventional meaning of that term. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) publishes two standards for side-by-sides. ANSI/OPEI B71.9-2016 sets standards for multipurpose off-highway utility vehicles (MOHUV) specifically intended for utility use which are intended to transport persons and cargo, have
500-409: The driving distance. Solar conversion kits have been available for golf carts and low-speed vehicles (LSV) for several years. These kits range from low wattage solar battery chargers to a 410-watt array on an 8-passenger transport cart. Kits utilizing flexible solar panels are often preferred on golf carts due to their light weight and ability to conform to the shape of the cart roof. Buyers can take
525-561: The first gasoline-powered golf cart "The Walker Executive" in 1957. This three-wheeled vehicle was shaped with a Vespa -style front end and, like any golf cart, carried two passengers and golf bags. In 1963 the Harley-Davidson Motor Company began producing golf carts. Over the years they manufactured and distributed thousands of three- and four-wheeled gasoline-powered and electric vehicles that are still highly sought after. The iconic three-wheeled cart, with either
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#1732772736375550-460: The first use of a motorized cart on a golf course was by JK Wadley of Texarkana , who saw a three-wheeled electric cart being used in Los Angeles to transport senior citizens to a grocery store. Later, he purchased a cart and found that it worked poorly on a golf course. The first electric golf cart was custom-made in 1932, but did not gain widespread acceptance. In the 1930s until the 1950s
575-744: The most widespread use of golf carts was for those with disabilities who could not walk far. By the mid-1950s the golf cart had gained wide acceptance with US golfers. Merle Williams of Long Beach, California , was an early innovator of the electric golf cart. He started with knowledge gained from production of electric cars due to World War II gasoline rationing. In 1951 his Marketeer Company began production of an electric golf cart in Redlands, California . E-Z-Go began producing golf cars in 1954, Cushman in 1955, Club Car in 1958, Taylor-Dunn in 1961, Harley-Davidson in 1963, Melex in 1971, Yamaha Golf Car in 1979 and CT&T in 2002. Max Walker created
600-454: The new law, a golf cart safety education program was initiated. Petrol powered golf carts have been converted with rail wheels for carrying passengers at up to 25 km/h (16 mph) on several former railways. Awakeri Rail Adventures operate carts on a 10 km (6.2 mi) part of the former Tāneatua branch , Forgotten World Adventures on 142 km (88 mi) of the former Stratford–Okahukura Line , and Dargaville Rail Carts on
625-534: The rising frequency of golf cart crashes, the number of golf-cart-related injuries has increased significantly over the last decades. A study conducted by researchers in the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at the Nationwide Children's Hospital found that the number of golf cart-related injuries rose 132% during the 17-year study period. According to the study, published in
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