New Batteries, New Segways, New Options, Oh my!

[Stu Bloom]

I CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED THIS ... Robotics season has monopolized my time for the past several weeks so I have not been keeping up with Segway news latey - WOW! this new stuff is cool!!

As a segway owner (lucky winner - not purchaser) very actively involved in the segway owner's community I can tell you that "we" fall mainly into one of three categories. There are those whose lives have been changed and immeasurably improved by the mobility the segway gives them. There are those who see a real practical benefit of ownership - either in time or actual $$ saved (and I can cite specific examples). Unfortunately I have to agree, though, that the price point and social/government barriers are keeping this wonderful product heavily in the "grown-up's toy" realm for many of us.

While the price is still prohibitive for many, golf courses are extremely interested in anything that will help speed up play and allow them to collect more fees. I won't say you will see a massive shift to Segway GT's on golf courses, but I would bet that they will not be too rare. The Segway gives the same advantage of speed between shots as a golf cart, but allows for each player to go directly to their own ball instead of having to zig-zag across the enitire course to cover both players in the cart. Plus it is still relatively un-common, and would definitely add a "novelty" factor to a course's offerings.