Unique ideas for directing carts Cancel The title field is required!

1. Dean Zilinski

   

   0 posts
   
   2/29/2016 10:02 AM

   Looking for unique ideas to direct carts in front of the greens to the cart path. We are a daily fee course with green to tee paths. I have used directional cart signs in the past but would like to try something different. Not a big fan of painted lines either.

   
   
   
   
2. Gregory Pattinson

   

   0 posts
   
   2/29/2016 12:02 PM

   In my opinion, nothing will stop someone who does not care or does not know any better. The one that works the best is ropes and stakes. They will continue to drive right up to the ropes and stakes and create wear patterns so they will need to be attended to on a daily basis, and no doubt someone will run them over at some point during the day.
   
   I have had luck with 3'8 inch rod welded with a foot peg and a washer welded on top to put the rope through. 3 stakes to a set and about 30 foot of rope,you can move very easy and change the pattern up.
   
   Good luck, I know its frustrating.
   
   Greg

   
   
   
   
3. Christopher Thuer

   

   101 posts
   
   2/29/2016 1:02 PM

   We have home made signs in the fairways. 2 x 8 or 2 x 6, about 10 inches wide. Painted hunter green with the word CARTS and an arrow routered into the wood and painted yellow. Spikes are 8 inch landscape timber spikes with heads cut off with that end forced into pre drilled holes on the bottom of the sign.
   
   Narrow fairways might have 2 in the fairway but close to the intermediate cut. Wide fairways will have 3 arrows or 2 arrows with a middle sign of similar construction saying NO CARTS BEYOND THIS POINT.
   
   Probably greater than 95 percent compliance. The pro, and starters when we have them, remind everyone before play to observe cart traffic signs and keep all 4 wheels on the paths by tees and greens.

   
   Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN
   
   
4. Andrew Cross

   

   5 posts
   
   2/29/2016 2:02 PM

   Christopher Thuer, CGCS said: We have home made signs in the fairways. 2 x 8 or 2 x 6, about 10 inches wide. Painted hunter green with the word CARTS and an arrow routered into the wood and painted yellow. Spikes are 8 inch landscape timber spikes with heads cut off with that end forced into pre drilled holes on the bottom of the sign.
   
   Narrow fairways might have 2 in the fairway but close to the intermediate cut. Wide fairways will have 3 arrows or 2 arrows with a middle sign of similar construction saying NO CARTS BEYOND THIS POINT.
   
   Probably greater than 95 percent compliance. The pro, and starters when we have them, remind everyone before play to observe cart traffic signs and keep all 4 wheels on the paths by tees and greens.

   
   
   We do the same but with aluminum signs from Eagle One. Golfers do pretty well by them but it REQUIRES starters to inform and rangers to enforce. I'll remind golfers if I see them but I've learned to let it slide. No point in getting worked up over something like that, life's too short!

   
   
   
   
5. Dean Zilinski

   

   0 posts
   
   2/29/2016 3:02 PM

   Thanks for the posts. I agree that its frustrating and almost pointless but still needed, nonetheless. I don't necessarily like the 'cookie cutter' cart signs and I have tried homemade signs too; but still haven't been satisfied. Thinking about a 1/2" tan color rope stretched across the fairway, directly on the grass. Not too keen on using rope stakes. Already have way too many on the course to try to keep carts out of native areas. I recently played a couple courses in Palm Springs that used 2 tall stakes as entrance gates to the fairway and the same at the green as an exit gate. Obviously these were moved daily and they seemed to have good success. I would love to pretend that this solution would work on a daily fee course but I'm not that naïve.

   
   
   
   
6. Steve Datwyler

   

   2 posts
   
   2/29/2016 8:02 PM

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   We purchased custom forged arrows from Randy Carlson Creations we place 2-3 arrows across the approaches. They have a spike at the head of the arrow and we let them rust naturally. Anybody that drives over the arrows WILL get a flat tire and this has happened.

   
   
   
   
7. Nicholas Daak

   

   3 posts
   
   3/1/2016 6:03 PM

   I've spent a lot of money and later time, keeping the green "factory signs" looking nice and workable. I swear every week the post get bent and 90% of the time I need to drill out broken posts and try and fix them. At $20 a piece I decided to make my own out of ceder for roughly $1.50 a piece. Not only do they look nice, but they contrast with fairway so they are a lot more noticeable.

   
   
   
   
8. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   3/2/2016 6:03 AM

   We bought a vinyl cutter from http://www.uscutter.com and make our own. 5/4 PT wood, cut, sanded and with routered edges, painted hunter green, two nails in the bottom and stickers for the front. I got the idea from a TurfNet video posted a few years ago. The signs cost me about $1.50/each before it's all said and done, and I have the flexibility to make custom signs saying whatever we want. We use exterior vinyl and so far the signs have held up great.
   
   And since we have the vinyl cutter, we also make custom labels for identifying our equipment, logos for the golf shop, address numbers for our building maintenance department, etc....the uses are limitless and it is very easy to do.

   
   
   
   
9. Max Lamas

   

   0 posts
   
   3/2/2016 10:03 AM

   Invisible dog fence around greens. Cart goes past the markingsame it shuts the cart down. They then can walk the rest. Just an idea.
   
   In all reality, you can't stop golfers. They loose common since once they get on that cart.

   
   
   
   
10. Simon Parkin

    

    0 posts
    
    3/4/2016 7:03 AM

    Andy Jorgensen said: We bought a vinyl cutter from http://www.uscutter.com and make our own. 5/4 PT wood, cut, sanded and with routered edges, painted hunter green, two nails in the bottom and stickers for the front. I got the idea from a TurfNet video posted a few years ago. The signs cost me about $1.50/each before it's all said and done, and I have the flexibility to make custom signs saying whatever we want. We use exterior vinyl and so far the signs have held up great.
    
    And since we have the vinyl cutter, we also make custom labels for identifying our equipment, logos for the golf shop, address numbers for our building maintenance department, etc....the uses are limitless and it is very easy to do.

    
    
    
    Andy, which model/size vinyl cutter did you go with? I have been looking at purchasing one myself and was wondering if you picked the correct size and if you would have bought a different one in hindsight?

    
    
    
    
11. Zachary Wike

    

    0 posts
    
    3/4/2016 10:03 AM

    We have used an enter/exit post system for the past 5 years with good success. We are a public facility as well and have always struggled with cart control. We have noticed that a vast majority of players follow this system. We made these posts from 3' tall 4x4 posts that are painted black with white lettering. The golfers are told to stay on the path until they see an enter post and they may drive anywhere they want until the reach the exit posts near the green. We use one enter post and place it right next to the cart path. We use two exit posts and position them in the intermediate cut right off the fairway. These posts are moved daily with ease by our cup changer. We have found this to be a maintenance friendly way to direct carts while being aesthetically pleasing. Like all cart control efforts, there are those that don't care or respect the course and will always drive wherever they choose. This system has helped us control the majority of carts.

    
    
    
    
12. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    3/4/2016 2:03 PM

    Simon Parkin, CGCS said:

    Andy Jorgensen said: We bought a vinyl cutter from http://www.uscutter.com and make our own. 5/4 PT wood, cut, sanded and with routered edges, painted hunter green, two nails in the bottom and stickers for the front. I got the idea from a TurfNet video posted a few years ago. The signs cost me about $1.50/each before it's all said and done, and I have the flexibility to make custom signs saying whatever we want. We use exterior vinyl and so far the signs have held up great.
    
    And since we have the vinyl cutter, we also make custom labels for identifying our equipment, logos for the golf shop, address numbers for our building maintenance department, etc....the uses are limitless and it is very easy to do.

    
    
    
    Andy, which model/size vinyl cutter did you go with? I have been looking at purchasing one myself and was wondering if you picked the correct size and if you would have bought a different one in hindsight?

    
    
    
    I bought the 25" model with stand. http://www.uscutter.com/USCutter-SC-Series-Vinyl-Cutter
    
    With this vinyl. http://www.uscutter.com/GreenStar-Intermediate-Calendered-Vinyl-15-x-50-Yard-Roll-3mil
    
    The software allows you to maximize space when cutting multiple copies of the same sign so waste is reduced. Don't be afraid to screw up the first few....
    
    It's pretty simple to use. Only thing I wish I had done was buy a few 5 yard rolls of other colors when I ordered the cutter. Only thing this software WON'T let you do is upload your own logos....you will need another software to adapt it to the vinyl cutter.

    
    
    
    
13. Jeremy Hreben

    

    0 posts
    
    3/11/2016 5:03 AM

    I have found something that I use and it helped dramatically. I am at a municipal golf course with averga 45,000 rounds a year. To you guys in the south that may not be a lot but in NJ it is a ton. We used to use aluminum signs, wood signs etc.
    
    What I do know I place a green stake, on either side of the fairway. Sometimes I put the stakes all the way out into the rough way past the fairway, as far as I can go. And the other side I usually place the stake at the cart path. In between each stake I tie a yellow rope and just lay it on the ground. Carts can easily ride right over it. However, we took a picture of a cart turned at the rope and a picture of a cart past the rope and put them side by side in every cart with a red circle and line through the incorrect operation. Nobody thought it would work but I'd say I reduced carts by the greens by at least 50%.
    
    I have personally watched a golfer slam on the brakes in order to not cross the yellow rope. He must've not been paying attention to where the rope was! We move the ropes on a regular basis because carts continually drive over the same path. However, moving the rope is very easy!
    
    I cannot take credit, however. My Mentor. Kevin Scott did this and it worked at his place as well!

    
    
    
    
14. Clint Evans

    

    0 posts
    
    3/16/2016 9:03 PM

    Land mines