Luxurious Road-Ready Golf Carts for the Ultimate Drive

Golf is famous for its stunning natural landscapes, from the colorful azaleas at Augusta National to the picturesque lighthouse at Turnberry in Scotland. Unfortunately, the same level of beauty is not often found in the sport's typical mode of transportation.

However, a Danish company is determined to change that by adding style and artistry to the traditional golf cart.

Copenhagen-based Garia is known as the “world’s first and only” luxury golf and leisure car brand (yes, car, not cart). Their mission to revolutionize the traditional golf buggy has sparked ambitions that extend beyond the boundaries of the golf course.

Back in 2005, Anders Lynge, a design student at the time, crossed paths with Soren Bak Hansen during an internship at a car company. Recognizing an opportunity in the market, the two founders, Anders and Soren, established Garia shortly after.

Lynge told CNN that 18 years ago, all golf carts looked the same and there were no high-end products available.

He mentioned that people living in high-end communities, paying large membership fees and owning expensive houses, personalized everything from their cars to their clothes and watches.

We found it odd that all of them had identical golf carts. This led us to create Garia with the aim of catering to their lifestyle and providing the same high quality they are accustomed to in their other products.

This shift in focus inspired us to create the ultimate golf car.

Garia's marketing campaigns lean into its wealthy customer base.

Garia's marketing campaigns lean into its wealthy customer base.

Garia

Reinventing the wheel(s)

Reinventing the traditional golf buggy proved to be a challenging task for the team. As Lynge pointed out, it was like trying to reinvent the wheel, and not a particularly appealing one at that.

Lynge explained that the narrow and vertical shape of the traditional golf buggy is due to several reasons. The need for the buggy to fit onto golf courses and navigate cart paths, including making 180-degree turns in tight spaces, restricts the creativity in design.

"It’s like trying to ride a new bicycle or a new motorcycle,” Lynge explained. “You’re limited by technical constraints.

“The shape of a golf cart is not ideal – it’s not very dynamic. You ideally want something sleek and low like a Lamborghini, but a golf cart is the complete opposite.”

Tiger Woods rides a conventional golf cart at a tournament in 2005.

Tiger Woods rides a conventional golf cart at a tournament in 2005.

Solutions were found to improve the car's performance. These included extending the wheelbase, enlarging the cabin, using 12-inch alloy wheels without hubcaps, and implementing a double wishbone front suspension for better handling.

Garia’s vehicles may appear larger and more robust than typical golf carts, but in reality, they have the same proportions as a standard buggy. This is just an optical illusion – and there are more tricks to discover.

A hidden storage box positioned behind the seat creates the illusion of a higher beltline, reducing cabin space to enhance the car-like sensation. Additionally, accent lines and wheels extended to the edges provide stability to the vehicle.

Lynge experimented a lot with positive and negative space, drawing inspiration from Porsche's 911 to incorporate convex and concave shapes throughout the car. While it may complicate warehouse storage, Lynge believes that the visual benefits are definitely worth the effort.

Garia's vehicles are designed to appear bigger than typical golf carts.

Garia's vehicles are designed to appear bigger than typical golf carts.

Garia

Elite company

In fact, it is rare that any two Garias look exactly the same.

Prospective buyers can customize almost every aspect of their vehicle using an online configurator, similar to Nike's shoe customizer. They can choose from 44 body and roof color options, as well as select wheels and interior features like refrigerators and cup holders. With millions of possible combinations, the choices are endless.

Mansory, a German luxury car modification firm, offers a variety of accessories and even full carbon-fiber cars. They work with prestigious clients such as Bentley and Lamborghini to provide top-notch customization options.

Kris Kim impressed on his PGA Tour debut.

Kris Kim impressed on his PGA Tour debut.

Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

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Another exciting collaboration Garia has been involved in is with German Bugatti supplier Kussmaul. Together, they created a unique special edition chrome car that can go from 0 to 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour) in less than two seconds.

Lynge first connected with Mercedes through a competition he won to design a golf cart. During the prize ceremony, he presented his idea for a Garia golf car inspired by Mercedes-Benz Style, which became a reality in 2016.

The luxurious carbon-fiber car, priced at nearly €80,000 ($86,000), boasted double the battery life and power of a standard Garia. It could reach speeds of up to 69 kilometers per hour (43 miles per hour).

“Really expensive … super exclusive, but also the coolest golf car you’ll ever see,” Lynge said.

The Mercedes-Benz collaboration was a dream come true for Lynge.

The Mercedes-Benz collaboration was a dream come true for Lynge.

Garia

Out of bounds

Its scarcity means only a select few will have been seen on European roads.

Garia always had the goal of creating street legal models, but obtaining certification is a challenging task. It involves costly safety and crash testing to meet the requirements for road use, which can vary between regions.

In Europe, higher speeds are permitted, whereas the US has a strict legal limit of 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour) for these vehicles. Despite this limitation, Lynge remained optimistic and saw the abundance of golf communities in the US as a promising market for Garia. In 2022, the Lars Larsen Group sold the company to American golf and utility giant Club Car.

The standard version of Garia's two-seater golf car is priced at €14,939 ($16,100), while the four-seater model starts at €20,189 ($21,770). If you're looking for a street legal option, the two-seater comes in at €18,959 ($20,440) and the four-seater at €21,219 ($22,880).

Extensive crash testing was required for Garia to register its vehicles as road legal.

Extensive crash testing was required for Garia to register its vehicles as road legal.

Garia

"We really enjoyed driving these cars and found them to be very interactive," shared Lynge. "A lot of our customers who buy our cars don't even play golf, they just have them for their vacation homes."

Looking ahead, Lynge sees Garia expanding beyond golf and focusing more on leisure vehicles that are increasingly car-like. The goal is to create vehicles that are perfect for city living and urban transportation.

When driving in London, do you really need to go fast? Is forty-three miles per hour enough? As the market transitions to full electric vehicles, there is uncertainty about the future," he mentioned.

Although unsure of the outcome, he believes that the journey has taught valuable lessons that can benefit mobility beyond just golf.

Editor's P/S:

The article captures the innovative efforts of Garia to elevate the aesthetics and functionality of golf carts. The company's mission to create luxurious and personalized vehicles has disrupted the traditional golf cart market, catering to discerning customers who seek not only practicality but also style and comfort. Garia's collaborations with renowned brands such as Mansory and Bugatti further demonstrate its commitment to pushing boundaries and creating exclusive products.

Moreover, Garia's focus on expanding beyond golf and venturing into leisure vehicles highlights the company's ambition to redefine urban transportation. The shift towards electric vehicles and the increasing demand for convenient and environmentally friendly modes of transport present opportunities for Garia to apply its design expertise and technological advancements to develop innovative solutions for city living. The company's journey, as chronicled in the article, provides valuable insights into the evolution of automotive design and the growing convergence between style, technology, and sustainability in the transportation sector.