Nowadays, you can’t think of a golf course without also thinking of the compact, convenient, and comfortable carts that some folks drive around them. But who do we have to thank for their modern accommodations? We here at Discovery Golf Cars believe that we can thank Cushman for some part in that innovation, and wanted to share a bit of their history with you. For more information, or to see the Cushman® golf carts we have for sale, contact our stores in Land O’ Lakes and Clearwater, Florida, today!

Founding

Cushman started as Cushman Motor Works in 1901 and was incorporated in 1913 by Everett and Clinton Cushman. They initially made gas-powered motors, and the founding duo left the company in the capable hands of Charles Ammon in 1919. It built motors for farm equipment, lawn mowers, boats, and pumps for decades. 

In 1936, it began making Auto-Glide scooters to go with its four-stroke Husky engines during the Great Depression. The US Armed Forces even used Cushman scooters called the Cushman Airborne during World War II, which were specially designed to be dropped by parachute! They kept building scooters into the 1960s for civilian use.

Golf Carts

The first Cushman® golf cart was designed in 1955. The three-wheeled vehicle was partially based on their scooters, and a four-wheeled model soon followed. The company was dedicated to building energy-efficient, well-designed, and feature-heavy golf carts that would help golfers stay comfortable and be successful on the course. Outboard Marine Corporation acquired Cushman in 1957, and released numerous new golf cart designed throughout the 1960s.

The first fiberglass golf cart body was installed on a Cushman cart in 1964 on their model 436, but their most popular model in the 1960s was the Gran Cushman Golfster model GC-400, which utilized a sturdy steel body.

Many of these early models had electric motors, but gas-powered engines became more popular. Electric golf carts were phased out by 1975 to accommodate consumer demand. The company has since been purchased first by Randomes Limited in 1989, then Textron in 1998. The Jacobsen Golf division of Textron still makes new Cushman designs today.

Famous Customers

Cushman® golf carts became the favored brand among many celebrities throughout the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1960s, celebrity golfers like Ann-Margaret, Frank Sinatra, Bob HOpe, Jackie Gleason, and Glen Campbell used personalized Cushman models. After his heart attack, President Dwight D. Eisenhower began to have difficulty navigating golf courses on foot. He started relying on Cushman carts in the 1970s.

Ready to write your own chapter in the Cushman history book? Contact us at Discovery Golf Cars for more information, or to see the Cushman® golf carts we have available. We proudly serve the people of St. Petersburg and Lakeland, Florida—let us serve you today!