By Barbara Augsdorfer, Editor for the Effingham Herald

The improvements at Rincon Golf Course continue. The course received 60 state-of-the-art lithium-battery-powered golf carts in early December.

Maybe they don’t exactly have that “new car” smell, but the new golf carts have all the amenities the old golf carts were lacking.

Most notably, the new golf carts have a GPS system that tells the golfer the yardage to the front, the middle, and the back of the green. (Sorry, the GPS will not tell you which club to use. The golfer has to figure that out for him- or herself.)

“The best thing about the golf carts (is they) offer a better customer experience,” said Bryan Bessinger, general manager of the Rincon Golf Course. “Now we finally have carts that we don't have to worry about them dying after nine holes; or no windshields, or if it rains and somebody can’t cover their clubs; or something else that doesn't work. That's the best part about them.”

The fleet of 60 new golf carts is on a five-year lease and replaced the old carts that were on a four-year lease.

Bessinger added that leasing is a better option than buying because, “When you lease them, you have a maintenance plan and a better warranty with them. Plus, just like everybody else, in the consumer world, when you lease, you have a less upfront financial costs. It's spread out over time.”

Bessinger admits it’s a big expense, but it’s all part of the overall improvements he’s trying to implement for the course – and ultimately get local golfers excited about regularly playing the course, rather than travel to Savannah or South Carolina to golf.

With the old golf carts, the course sometimes did not have enough working carts for all the golfers; or cart batteries would die mid-round – all things that contributed to a golfer having a less-than-desirable experience.

“We've been really focusing a lot this past year on bettering the golfers’ experience when they come to Rincon Golf Course,” Bessinger said. “This is a big expense for us. But now, the golfer doesn't have to worry about a golf cart that's just not in very good shape. It's all about the cost to do business.”

Another thing the GPS does for the golf carts is beefing up security and fighting vandalism.

“We know where every golf cart is all the time,” Bessinger said.

The old carts could have been driven anywhere. “We had one golf cart left at Walmart,” Bessinger added.

In addition to having Starters and Rangers on the course – basically employees who manage the players’ flow on the course and making sure people follow the rules – Bessinger added that carts are assigned to the golfers. Each key is unique to a particular cart.

Also, the carts have what Bessinger calls “fencing” to prevent the carts from being driven just anywhere on the course – especially not on the greens.

“You get to a certain point near the green, and the cart will just shut off,” Bessinger said. “We’re definitely taken some measures to (prevent) vandalism, but also help the course conditions. People don't wear out the grass.”

Bessinger keeps in mind that the course belongs to the city, so any expense has to benefit both the course and the city.

In addition to ongoing course improvements and the new carts, Rincon Golf Course has added more stock to the golf shop, such as shirts and golf balls; and the Greenside Bar and Grill is being renovated to be a dining option before or after a round; and open to the non-golfing public as well.

“We're hiring more people to offer a better customer experience. We do have to take every measure possible to make sure we protect (the City of Rincon’s) investment,” Bessinger said.

Ultimately, Bessinger said his goal for 2024 is for people to support the Rincon Golf Course – play the course and spread the word.

“That’s the best form of advertising,” Bessinger said.

The Rincon Golf Course is the only golf course in Effingham County. To book a tee time, visit its website at www.rincongolfcourse.com.