BILLINGS — If you play the links, odds are you’re a walker, or a rider. Maybe you like to get steps in, so you lug your clubs around the course. Maybe you push them. Or maybe you just flat out take a cart. Well, now there’s a racier option.
Who would have thought golf and motorbikes would ever go hand-in-hand? Briarwood was the first Billings course to showcase these glossy rides. They arrived about a month ago. Justin Mills is Briarwood’s head pro.
“Concept is to help speed up the pace of play and make something a little more enjoyable for the golfer to get around the golf course,” Mills said.
So the official name of the fancier golf carts is the Finn Cycle. If you’re wondering why, it’s not necessarily a brand name, or a partner. It’s because the owners of Sun Mountain have a dog named Finn, and wanted to name it after Finn.
It maxes out at 15 miles an hour.
I think there’s just a difference between when you’re on a cycle and in a cart. The cart doesn’t necessarily seem that fast, but when you’re on a cycle it seems a little bit quicker. But then I can feel the breeze blow through my hair. That is your favorite part of the day.
But the Finn Cycles are so new, that, naturally they’re not without the occasional kink.
“Kickstands, the biggest issue is guys driving off without putting them up, so they tend to pop off when they hit a mound,” said Mills.
Of course, PGA and LPGA events don’t allow players to ride anything. But this isn’t PGA or LPGA. Mills says a couple of seniors players just took advantage of the Finn Cycles in tournament play.
“We had the Women’s State Am last week, and they went out every day for that,” he said. “The ladies seemed to enjoy them. We have our member-guest coming up here and we’re going to run them out for that as well.”
The Briarwood rents them for $21 a round, compared to $14 for a cart. But it’s the intrigue that courses are counting on to draw more golf interest.
“As PGA Professionals, we’re always looking for new avenues to help grow the game and we kind of felt this might be something fun for our membership. We have a pretty young membership, so thought this might be something fun for them to try out,” Mills said.
The Dark Knight when Batman is on his cycle. That’s kind of what I feel like riding these. All I want to say is, the only thing missing, my friend, is a side car for your swing coach. See what I’m saying? I do need a side car.
