Why You Want a SoloRider
Janet's Perspective
I turned 60 in 2006, and I am proud to be among the first of the 78 million baby boomers yet to come. My husband and I are retired and have a fair amount of expendable income, and we enjoy our time together. I have always loved to golf. I'm not going to win any tournaments, but I enjoy being outside, socializing and occasionally making a 40-foot putt. My husband, Joe, always worked too hard to enjoy the sport. But, in an effort to join me on the links, he took up the sport about two years ago.
If you don't count shanks, hooks, and water hazards, he had only one handicap to overcome. He has multiple sclerosis and cannot stand unaided. We contacted a physical rehabilitation center in our area, and they provided him with a SoloRider golf cart. It was a godsend. Without this single-rider cart, he would never have been able to golf.
The SoloRider allows him to play from the seat, as well as to raise the seat to a stand-up position that gives him more stability and allows him to play with normal clubs. It also has a sun canopy, which in southern Texas is a must. Further, it goes about 14 mph so Joe is never lagging behind other players.
Our club has been wonderful in accommodating us. The SoloRider allows Joe to drive up steep inclines to the green (with no damage to the grass) and to play on the green itself. It exerts less psi than a man walking on the same turf and the machines used to mow the greens. He can also drive on the fairways when the 90 degree rule is in affect. Seeing Joe on the green in a cart took some getting used to, but everyone has been wonderfully supportive.
We now can play in the weekly scramble; Joe can go to the driving range whenever he wants; and he can meet friends for regular play. Our quality of life has improved because we can share this time together in a sport we both have come to love.
In the past few months, we have had friends who have had hips and knees replaced. The SoloRider is the perfect answer to keep them playing. If nothing else, they can drive up to the fringe of the green and walk to putt their balls. Not so in a regular cart. Or, if they tire toward the end of a round, there is always the stand-up seat to give them a little extra support.
Our only concern is that in our travels, other courses may not have the SoloRider available. That will rob us of one of our favorite pastimes; one that our able-bodied friends can enjoy. Every course should provide a SoloRider to those in need. Joe doesn't need a cart built on a scooter frame that maxes out at 8 mph and can't climb hills. He doesn't need the cheapest model available that has no canopy (unlike regular golf carts). And, most importantly, he doesn't need one that has not passed the ANSI standards that two-person golf carts must comply with. There's a lot of expendable cash out there belonging to folks with physical disabilities; golf courses need to capture it.