Golfboard: “Surfing the Earth” is a new, hip and healthy way to get around the golf course
By: Wil Barnes
Once you log onto golfboard.com and click on golfboardtv.com you can view videos of people scooting about the fairways on what has been awarded the Best New Product at the 2014 PGA Merchandise Show, the top award handed out annually. The videos should get you excited, as it is so cool.
As a long time surfer I was intrigued immediately when I heard about the “Golfboard,” a new invention where big wave rider Laird Hamilton contributed to the design. “It’s really something we found interest in immediately, especially in trying to attract the younger golfers,” said Josh Silliman, director of golf at Mauna Kea Resort and Golf Club on the Big Island. “But we’ve had some of older members take it out and really enjoy it as well.”
Mauna Kea invested in 24 of the boards and Josh says currently they average 5 to 10 going out a day and they have only had the boards for 20 days. “Not only is Mauna Kea a world-class destination, it’s an ideal setting for GolfBoarding,” says Jeff Dowell, President of GolfBoard. “Having a partner with such a storied heritage is an ideal platform for our brand.”
Golfboard is the vision of Don Wildman, founder of Bally’s Total fitness who befriended Hamilton and the two came up with a design that is solid, safe and fun. Our number one concern was safety,” says Dowell. “We want durability and we built the board to a lot more stable.” Everyone who is interested in using the golfboard must review a 5-minute tutorial demonstrating its functions and safety features.
Available since April 2014, in addition to Mauna Kea, GolfBoard is now offered at almost 100 courses in the US, Canada, and Mexico. More than 300 additional private, daily-fee and resort courses are scheduled for product delivery over the next 90 days, and hundreds of individual golfers – including PGA Tour stars and A-List celebrities – have purchased units. In a recent interview Dowell mentioned that they are so swamped right now trying to get product to customers. It’s that ht an item. “We sell to individuals yes, but are focusing on the commercial side of the business, getting boards into courses and resorts,” Jeff said. A single golfboard sells for $6,500. Most courses charge a cart fee to rent the board. And to enjoy it, you don’t even have to golf. “We have people who come down late in the day and take them out to cruise around our property,” said Mauna Kea’s Silliman.
You don’t have to surf or skateboard to enjoy the board although possessing those skills really helps. “It can go as fast as 10 – 11 mph which is plenty enough,” he said. “At 10 mph and you needed to, you could jump off and run a few steps and you’d be fine.” It is built with serious engineering and Laird helped out tremendously in its design. “It was a two years at the garage level before we started to ship in 2014,” Dowell said. Like golf carts, the golfboards are fully insured but as of our interview there wasn’t a single incident where someone was hurt. “Golf carts much larger and can cause serious injury when they flip or land on someone can cause serious injury,” he said. Carts will always be there and as a lazy society, riding is always going be attractive and necessary. The golfboard allows for some exercise as you “surf the earth.” But perhaps the most attractive feature of the golfboard is how it speeds up the game, which is currently the number one reason for golfers to play less and some walk away altogether. “You can surf to your ball and not have to wait on a partner in cart,” chimed Dowell. “You can get a foursome around in less than four hours easily.” In a series of tests, golfboard found that the average time was actually less than three hours for a round.
Powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, GolfBoards are ultra-durable and built with a safety-first mantra to provide golfers a more active alternative to riding in a cart. “It’s not like walking the course but you can get a great workout on the golfboard.” said Laird. “We like to call it funner, fitter, faster. You get a better sense of working your core and when you’re finished, you’ll have gotten a strenuous workout and have a huge grin on your face.” Players control the board with a thumb throttle to speed up and slow down.
Turf managers say that the golfboard doesn’t damage their course as the 4”x11” tires are smaller and the board weighs a fraction of cart. It allows for proper clearance. The LED battery permits the golfboard to travel up to 18+ miles on a single charge. I encourage you to log onto to their website and check it out. Then find a golf course near you or, a vacation spot you might like (I love Mauna Kea) that carries golfboards. “Surfing the earth” just, sounds so cool and golf needs anything to help speed it up. This is the best I’ve seen so far.
