air-conditioned golf carts

Thanks to the magnanimous Warren, I was in Vegas again this weekend. Warren was playing poker with the stars (Hollywood and financial) and I was golfing with friends, like me, happy to have a seat on Air Warren.

The loquacious Rick and I had a 36-hole match with Bammer and Sherri, and we started at The Badlands. The conditions Friday afternoon fit the course name perfectly. 107 degrees, 25 mph sirocco, brutal rocks blanketing all but the tiny green targets on the 7200+ yard monster, and no other golfers in sight. Fortunately, we had a powerful weapon to help us tame the beast: air-conditioned golf carts.

Developed by Coolwell, an Arizona-based company, the G2 is one of the greatest inventions of all time. The system consists of a cooler-sized container, blocks of ice and a fan that forces air over the ice and out a tube. The G2 can chill air to 50 degrees below ambient temperature and with the tube aimed at the back of your neck, even the warmest conditions seem pleasant. A pressure activated seat switch ensures that the cold air is put to good use (it shuts off when you aren’t sitting down) and the system is shockingly energy efficient.

If you’re a player headed to the desert, ask about the Coolwell when planning your next trip. And, if you are course manager, get in touch with the manufacturer. Leasing rates are a surpsingly low $8.25 a month, and fleet discounts are available. The only significant expense is the infrastructure for block ice production.

A final note: thanks to the Badlands/Troon Golf staff for creating a premiere experience. And, for the curious, Rick and I lost on hole 35.