A long-standing supplier relationship has helped Pinehurst Resort enjoy worry-free operation for nearly all of its vehicle needs.
In the 1890s, Boston soda fountain magnate and philanthropist James Walker Tufts hired the firm of famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of New York’s Central Park, to create a New England-style village in the pine barrens of North Carolina. Tufts wanted the game of golf, which was quickly gaining popularity in the U.S., to be a major attraction for his new resort property, which was named Pinehurst for its opening in 1895. So another legend, Donald Ross, was called on to create its No. 2 course, which opened in 1907.
In the more than 100 years that have followed, Pinehurst Resort has grown to provide guests with the opportunity to have a singular (and often “bucket list”) experience at a property that now offers nine golf courses, as well as a world-class spa, four-star lodging and dining, and a full complement of other amenities. And for the past 45 of those years, the famed resort property has relied on vehicles provided by E-Z-GO® and Cushman—including TXT golf cars and Refresher food-and-beverage carts, shuttles, and utility vehicles—for assurance that guests and employees will always have comfortable and reliable ways to get around and fully enjoy all that the “Cradle of American Golf” has to offer.
In fact, Pinehurst runs E-Z-GO golf cars exclusively on its nine courses. “It’s a brand that, when you come to Pinehurst, you would expect to see,” notes Jay Biggs, the resort’s Senior Vice President, Golf and Club Operations. “Their brand matches our brand.”
All Conditions Go
Pinehurst leases its equipment from E-Z-GO under a three-year plan, and the property replaces about a third of its equipment each year. “It helps us keep a fresh fleet of vehicles year-round,” Biggs reports. “And it helps our cash flow stay consistent.”
But financial control is not the only objective, or benefit, of the relationship. The vehicles provide conditions that Pinehurst customers expect—and meet the standards that the resort wants to maintain.
“Those golf cars run sunup to sundown,” notes Biggs. “They’re going through areas that are muddy and dry. They’re not just going through the normal turf conditions.”
The electric golf cars also provide a quiet ride, and even the placement and size of the cup holders is a design detail that E-Z-GO has taken into consideration.
With a total of 600-plus E-Z-GO and Cushman vehicles that are in operation 75 percent of the time, Pinehurst puts a premium on durability, and reliability, as key characteristics of its transportation fleet.
The Pinehurst staff uses the four-seat Cushman shuttles with beds to transport golf bags, food and beverages, and room-service products. The vehicles are used to transport guests around the property as well. “I think every guest is at some point on a Cushman vehicle, being moved from point A to point B,” Biggs reports.
The property also has more than 10 refreshment carts that Biggs says have helped Pinehurst grow its food-and-beverage revenues. And Pinehurst’s golf course maintenance staff uses 75 Cushman utility vehicles to help maintain the golf courses and provide the top-notch conditions that golfers expect when playing at the property.
Problems Solved
With any supplier relationship, no matter how long it’s been in place, service issues will inevitably arise. Because of the nature and scope of its business, Pinehurst typically has 1 or 2 percent of its golf cars down at any given time, Biggs reports. But the resort staff has always been able to count on E-Z-GO to get any affected vehicles back in operation again in timely fashion, he adds.
Biggs appreciates the willingness that E-Z-GO has always displayed to do whatever it takes to rectify any situation, without ever displaying any evidence of complacency or of taking the relationship for granted. He can always count on E-Z-GO to provide next-day delivery for parts, and the company has a mechanic visit Pinehurst regularly to help establish preventive maintenance schedules and proactively address other needs.
“They’re always just a phone call away,” Biggs says. “We’re busier in the spring and fall, and we can’t afford to have any golf carts down then. So if we need somebody here for maintenance, they’re here quickly.”
And when it’s time to replace any vehicles, Biggs knows that the property will not have to settle for the status quo.
“They continue to do well with adapting and improving all of their products,” he says. “They’re safer, smoother, and more efficient. The fuel efficiency gets better every time. Each generation just seems to be so much nicer.”
Trusted Partners
The comfort and convenience of dealing with a trusted partner on a regular basis has enhanced the Pinehurst-E-Z-GO relationship. “You have one person that you’re dealing with for so many different vehicles, and it just makes for a great relationship,” notes Biggs. “When we’re ready to analyze our equipment, it only takes one meeting a year. They have so much to offer, and we can look at it all at one time.”
Biggs, who has been in the golf course business since 1988, came to Pinehurst about three years ago and was able to seamlessly carry over his previous experiences with E-Z-GO and Cushman to his new property. “I’ve dealt with the same people my whole career,” he says. “If I need a copy of a lease, or anything else, I know who to call. I’ve known them so long they’re like family. I’m comfortable dealing with them, and couldn’t imagine dealing with anybody else.”
Biggs also knows that he can be completely honest with E-Z-GO personnel, regardless of the source of a problem.
“Sometimes, if there’s something that could have been done a little better, I can tell them exactly what happened,” he says.
Working Both Ways
Pinehurst’s relationship with E-Z-GO has proved mutually beneficial over the years, with the resort providing all of the Textron companies an impressive venue at which to entertain customers and hold sales and management meetings.
“We consider Pinehurst not only a customer, but indeed an extension of the E-Z-GO/Textron family,” says Michael Parkhurst, E-Z-GO’s Vice President of Golf.
Pinehurst’s practice of tailoring financing terms to vehicles’ warranty periods has also helped to ensure a rewarding relationship for all parties, Parkhurst notes. “By replacing their fleets every 36 months, customers can be offered vehicles that align with the Pinehurst experience,” he says.
And as part of providing that experience, Biggs has gained profound appreciation for the predictability of working with a trusted supplier such as E-Z-GO. “I always know the outcome of any problem that might come up, and I know what the solution is going to be before I call,” he says. “They always seem to do the right thing.”
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