I SURVIVED A GOLF BOARD...AND I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY IT AGAIN!

When I arrived at George Dunne in Oak Forest for a late season round on a sunny, cool and blustery Halloween morning, my intention was to ride in a cart like I've done hundreds of times before.  And then I saw them...a half dozen Golf Boards lined up outside the clubhouse, begging for someone to take them for a spin on the course.  My mind immediately went into overdrive.  Was it too cold and windy? Was it going to force me to open my wallet for a few extra dollars? Could my overweight and out-of-shape 60+ year old body overcome my unfortunate history with balance? (Skiing or skating were skills I never got close to proficiency).  

We were in a frost delay so I had an extra 30 minutes to think this through.  I went into the clubhouse and talked to the helpful young man covering the pro shop.  How much extra for the golf board? "10 bucks." OK, not bad. Is it too cold and windy today?  "That's up to you, no golf cart windshield to block the chill."  But it was sunny so it didn't feel too cold.  Now time for the big question...can a clumsy senior citizen handle this thing without running into a tree or tipping into a water hazard? "Sure! You'll have it figured out in no time!"

So despite some considerable anxiety and apprehension, I decided that this was the day I was going to finally tackle the Golf Board.  I forked over the $10 bill and went out for my "training".  Speed Control Button. "You may want to start out slow and work your way up to full speed as you get more comfortable." Good idea! Directions. "Either Forward or Backward," simple enough.  See the little switch on the handle bar? "Push it down and off you go!"  

So what is a Golf Board? The best description I can conjure is a supersized, motorized skateboard that mimics the feeling of  "surfing the turf", and big wave surfer and avid golfer Laird Hamilton was one of the developers of the concept.  As opposed to a cart, the bag is strapped to the front. The wheels don't turn, so changing direction requires a shifting of weight, similar to a snowboard, I imagine. A rechargeable lithium battery powers the Golf Board and speeds up to 10 miles per hour can be achieved.  After 2+ years of Research and Development, the Golf Board hit the market in 2014 and that same year was named as Best New Product at the PGA of America Merchandise Show.  

Per the Golf Board website, over 300 courses offer rentals with hundreds of thousands of rounds played.  In addition to George Dunne, there are currently 20 public access courses in Chicagoland that have Golf Boards, including Whisper Creek, Orchard Valley, Cog Hill, Midlane, The Glen Club, Countryside, Village Links of Glen Ellyn and the majority of  Chicago Park District and Cook County Forest Preserve courses. 

The Golf Board boasts to be a Superintendent's friend, as its usage can reduce turf wear by up to 75% versus traditional golf carts.  The demographic targeted by this product is certainly not senior Baby Boomers out for a joy ride like me, but the youthful Millennial and Gen Xers that the golf industry is aggressively trying to recruit for the future growth of the game.  And I can attest that the Golf Board provides a much different experience than a golf cart.

I started down the 1st fairway at turtle speed and my playing partners in carts waited patiently for my arrival to my tee shot, but by the time I got to the green I was ready to move up to the next speed level.  The Golf Board is surprisingly stable, as the bottom heavy device is firmly attached to the turf, and it does feel like you're riding the subtle changes in the topography.  My troubles came with changing directions. It's all about shifting body weight, and though I knew the odds of tipping this thing over were next to nothing, I was still a little over cautious and fought the board, which made my day full of straight lines from point A to point B.

But by the 3rd hole I graduated to full speed, and there was plenty of zip that would appeal to anyone looking for a bit of a rush. It was smooth sailing after that, except for the 2 times I scooted a bit too far up a side slope and I reflexively hopped off, which in retrospect may not have been the best idea.  There isn't a braking system, but once you release the throttle, the Golf Board stopped almost immediately, so no worries about chasing a runaway down the fairway

Statistics show that 2 out of 3 rounds played in the U.S. use a cart vs. walking, so whether this is a reflection of an aging golf populace or American laziness, golfers prefer the utility provided by motorized transport.  So is the Golf Board the future? It depends on what you're looking for in your round. Want to knock down a few beers? You might want to stick to the golf cart, you need all your faculties unimpaired on the Golf Board, and there's really no place to put a beer, as a holder mounted to the frame is best suited to bottled water or a Gatorade.  Like to throw your head covers and other things in the basket behind the seats? Oops, no place to collect all your stuff.  Have a balky back or tired feet? Sorry, you'll be standing the whole time on the Board.

But if you're looking for a unique way to traverse the course and can afford to dispatch with some of the niceties of a cart, then give the Golf Board a try.  Besides being a ton of fun, it was a bit of a workout, too, as the constant weight shifting activated abs and gluts and other muscle groups that had long been dormant. And being able to drive directly to your ball without worrying about your cart partners location 100 yards away on the other side of the fairway is another plus and a way to speed up play. 

My observation is that the Golf Board is firmly stuck in the novelty lane for now, I don't expect to see scores of boards zooming around Windy City courses anytime soon; it will be up to the younger generation to embrace for a move into the mainstream.  But I had a great time, and I can't wait to give it another whirl when presented the opportunity.  Every once in a while, even an aging baby boomer needs to feel like a kid again!