luckie
07-01-2006, 05:17 PM
A Segway to golf at Meadow Gardens golf: Local course the first in Canada to try out personal transporters on fairways
By Leslie Dickson
News Contributor
July 01 2006
http://www.mapleridgenews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=46&cat=40&id=681234&more=
To ease the long rounds of golf during the current heat wave, one Pitt Meadows course has just the thing: Segways. Meadow Gardens brought four of the two-wheeled self-balancing personal transporters onto the course for a trial period June 21-26. B.C. Segway salesman Chris Szydlowski was on hand to give a 15-minute training session on the transportation device, then golfers were on their way.
While the Segway is already a fixture at one historic golf course, St. Andrew's in Scotland, Meadow Gardens was the first in Canada to try out the transportation devices. A Segway weighs 85 pounds, without a passenger or golf bag. Szydlowski said courses like St. Andrew's have introduced Segways because of their lower impact on fairways and for convenience. Passengers use their own balance to operate Segways. To go forward, you lean forward, and to back up, you lean back. Controls on the handles allow you to turn left or right. If you want to stop, you either stand straight up, or go into a squat, depending on how fast you're going. Segways have three speed settings, and max out at 20 km/hr.
During the trial run, Szydlowski said more than a hundred golfers at Meadows Gardens tried them out, while another dozen booked them for a round of golf. "It's created a lot of excitement." Meadow Gardens charged members $25 to rent a Segway for nine holes and $40 for 18 during the test period. Szydlowski said once people get over the initial novelty of the devices, they're easy to pick up.
"Everyone's curious about it, but people are skeptical. But if you'll try it, it's the easiest thing in the world," Szydlowski said. Szydlowski said Segways at other courses have also enabled golfers who have difficulty walking to get back in the game. Colin Brost, Meadow Gardens' tournament director, said the course wanted to try out the Segways because no other course around has them right now.
"It's like anything else - we're trying to set ourselves apart from the competition," said Brost. But while Brost said Meadow Gardens got a lot of positive feedback on the Segways during the trial period, Brost said the course would offer them for rental only after they've determined if there's a long-term demand for them. "We don't want something where someone's going to come out and try it and never try it again. If that were so, it wouldn't be a good investment."
Jim Bodner booked a Segway to golf with June 26 and found it to be far superior to a golf cart. "You have much more of a feeling of independence than with the golf cart," said Bodner, who was midway through 18 holes with three golf buddies. "I have three guys with me who are walking, but you can keep any pace you want to." Bodner added it took about a half hour to feel at ease. "It takes one or two holes to feel comfortable, but then it becomes a part of your body - you move and it just moves with you," Bodner said. And during a hot, sunny morning on Monday, Bodner said it also helped keep him cool. "Today, it's hot and you get a nice breeze going."
By Leslie Dickson
News Contributor
July 01 2006
http://www.mapleridgenews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=46&cat=40&id=681234&more=
To ease the long rounds of golf during the current heat wave, one Pitt Meadows course has just the thing: Segways. Meadow Gardens brought four of the two-wheeled self-balancing personal transporters onto the course for a trial period June 21-26. B.C. Segway salesman Chris Szydlowski was on hand to give a 15-minute training session on the transportation device, then golfers were on their way.
While the Segway is already a fixture at one historic golf course, St. Andrew's in Scotland, Meadow Gardens was the first in Canada to try out the transportation devices. A Segway weighs 85 pounds, without a passenger or golf bag. Szydlowski said courses like St. Andrew's have introduced Segways because of their lower impact on fairways and for convenience. Passengers use their own balance to operate Segways. To go forward, you lean forward, and to back up, you lean back. Controls on the handles allow you to turn left or right. If you want to stop, you either stand straight up, or go into a squat, depending on how fast you're going. Segways have three speed settings, and max out at 20 km/hr.
During the trial run, Szydlowski said more than a hundred golfers at Meadows Gardens tried them out, while another dozen booked them for a round of golf. "It's created a lot of excitement." Meadow Gardens charged members $25 to rent a Segway for nine holes and $40 for 18 during the test period. Szydlowski said once people get over the initial novelty of the devices, they're easy to pick up.
"Everyone's curious about it, but people are skeptical. But if you'll try it, it's the easiest thing in the world," Szydlowski said. Szydlowski said Segways at other courses have also enabled golfers who have difficulty walking to get back in the game. Colin Brost, Meadow Gardens' tournament director, said the course wanted to try out the Segways because no other course around has them right now.
"It's like anything else - we're trying to set ourselves apart from the competition," said Brost. But while Brost said Meadow Gardens got a lot of positive feedback on the Segways during the trial period, Brost said the course would offer them for rental only after they've determined if there's a long-term demand for them. "We don't want something where someone's going to come out and try it and never try it again. If that were so, it wouldn't be a good investment."
Jim Bodner booked a Segway to golf with June 26 and found it to be far superior to a golf cart. "You have much more of a feeling of independence than with the golf cart," said Bodner, who was midway through 18 holes with three golf buddies. "I have three guys with me who are walking, but you can keep any pace you want to." Bodner added it took about a half hour to feel at ease. "It takes one or two holes to feel comfortable, but then it becomes a part of your body - you move and it just moves with you," Bodner said. And during a hot, sunny morning on Monday, Bodner said it also helped keep him cool. "Today, it's hot and you get a nice breeze going."