Patented Climate Control System Cools Golfers with Air Nearly 50 Degrees Cooler than Ambient Temperature
AUGUSTA, GA (March 3, 2008) – Club Car and Coolwell, which manufactures a patented climate control system, are teaming up to “take temperature out of play” and keep more players on the course even on the hottest and coldest days. Club Car and Tempe, Ariz.-based Coolwell, which is joining the Club Car Solutions Network, are offering the golf car-mounted cooling and heating unit as an aftermarket accessory on Precedent i2 and DS model cars. The unit, which mounts beside the car’s sweater basket, directs cool or warm air onto the necks and faces of golfers while they are seated. The Club Car Solutions Network is made up of a group of companies, including parent company Ingersoll Rand, whose products and services complement Club Car’s support of golf course owners and operators.
The 10-pound Coolwell unit is capable of delivering air that is nearly 50 degrees cooler than the ambient temperature for an entire round. In the heat mode, with the help of a flexible mounting arm, the system produces bursts of warm air that can be directed onto golfers’ hands and faces.
“The Coolwell system helps golfers play comfortably all day in most any weather conditions.
That means more rounds, more revenues and a competitive advantage for our customers,” saidMike Packer, Club Car’s vice president of Worldwide Sales.
Privately held Coolwell has installed the system at more than 50 U.S. courses since 2006.
Most of its customers are located in Arizona, Florida and Texas, where summer temperatures often drive players away from the course and force operators to discount green fees, which can erode revenues.
“While our competitors suffered through one of the hottest summers on record (in 2007), our properties saw a significant increase in market share and guest satisfaction,” said Kenny Huff, director of golf at The Cascades of Texas in Tyler. “It’s definitely a point of distinction.”
The system is based on simple physics and turbulent air technology, said Doug Lecker, president and CEO of the company he helped form in 2003. “Hot, damp air is drawn into the unit and directed over aluminum fins that have been chilled by ice. As water molecules condense on the fins, a fan directs a cool, dry air flow onto the golfers’ necks.”
By cooling the neck and face, where there are high concentrations of nerve and blood channels, a person’s overall body feels more comfortable, according to Lecker.
In addition, the unit functions as a sanitary beverage cooler and can be equipped with specially designed aroma cartridges to reduce stress and make the round more enjoyable.
Whether in the heating or cooling mode, the system uses less than one amp of electrical current and will not affect the car’s overall performance, according to Packer.
Club Car, a business of Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited, a diversified industrial firm,
Honors the Game in its service to customers and support of the golf industry. Club Car is the exclusive premier partner of the National Golf Course Owners Association in the U.S. andNGCOA Canada’s exclusive Golf Car Supplier and Platinum Partner. Club Car is also a sponsor of the European Golf Course Owners Association and a Corporate Advantage Partner of the Club Managers Association of America. It is the Official Supplier of Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles to the 2010 Ryder Cup, the Official Golf Car and Golf Utility Vehicle and an Official Sponsor of the PGA European Tour, the official supplier of golf cars and utility vehicles to PGA Tournament Players Clubs, and leading sponsor of the PGA Professional National Championship, The First Tee and the Executive Women’s Golf Association.
About Club Car
Club Car provides fleet, turf, hospitality and financing solutions for golf, agricultural, recreational and industrial markets. For more information on Club Car, go to www.clubcar.com. Based inAugusta, Ga., Club Car is part of the Industrial Technologies sector of Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited.
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) is a diversified industrial company providing products, services and integrated solutions to industries ranging from transportation and manufacturing to food retailing, construction, and agriculture. Driven by a 100-year-old tradition of technological innovation, Ingersoll Rand enables companies and their customers to create progress. For more information, go to www.ingersollrand.com.
Contact:
Bill Bryant, Bryant Marketing Communications
(678) 366-3232, bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
