Golf Carts are used to transport people around in a golf course or even employees or personnel on a private property that is large enough to justify the use of a vehicle. The seating is generally a cushioned bench seat upholstered with vinyl or other waterproof material. The idea is to prevent the cushioning foam from coming into contact with moisture lest it rot.
The Problem with Golf Cart Seats
Golf carts are mostly used in the outdoors in warm weather. All the heat in the summers coupled with the sweat of the users and morning dew damages golf cart seats extensively. This could cause discoloration, cracking in the seat fabric and a general stickiness that can make rides extremely uncomfortable. The reason this happens is that the moisture from the sweat and the dew gets absorbed into the seats and due to cyclical heating and cooling, this expands and contracts the fabric, hence ultimately breaking the bonds of the material and cracking the seat cover. More over many of these fabrics are made of non absorbent material that release the moisture back into the atmosphere when compressed or squeezed hence making the seats sticky and uncomfortable to use. Yet another problem with certain seat fabrics is the fact that they have a high compression ratio hence making them heat faster as they have a higher coefficient of heat transfer and increasing the level of discomfiture even further.
Often, occupants often wear shorts or skirts while riding the golf cart. Due to the sweat in their legs and direct contact with the surface of the seat fabric the rider experiences discomfiture as the seat becomes sticky or slippery. This is added to the fact that a highly compressed and non porous surface such as vinyl makes the rider sweat even more. That apart this also creates an unsanitary environment. In order to avoid this the riders generally use a temporary cover such as a towel which can be washed at a later point. However, while such a cover does come in handy in eliminating the problem of the seat being sticky, the towel keeps slipping off and the rider has to keep adjusting it which is cumbersome.
The Solution: Golf Cart Seat Covers
However now with newly developed materials such as terry cotton that are absorbent and breathable materials, all such problems can be done away with. The seat cover is custom made to fit the specifications of the bench with pockets provided to store equipment and the fabric is such that it absorbs all the moisture and is breathable and hence does not heat up fast as it has a relatively lower coefficient of heating. The seat cover is made both for the seat and the backrest and is provided with draw strings and clamps to secure the cover into place. Hence, this solves the problems of the rider by eliminating both moisture and heat and staying secure and snug in its place, despite the movement of the cart or the occupant thereby eliminating the need to readjust it repeatedly. Another advantage is that the covers can be removed ,washed and refitted again, hence always keeping the cart clean and sanitary. Golf carts manufactured by different companies such as Yamaha or EZ GO or Club Car have separate specifications for the benches. The seat covers can be fabricated in accordance with these specifications and are made of materials such as Neoprene, Fur, Velour, Terry Cotton, Quilt or Tweed in a variety of colors or designs.
Mark