A History of Cushman® Golf Carts

Golf courses have only been around for a little over a century, and the need for an easy way to get around them arose fairly swiftly thereafter. Golf carts were invented during the 1930s in a very rudimentary form to address this issue, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that really good golf carts began to proliferate. Cushman was one of the first companies to develop decent golf carts that were simple to operate and maintain.

Revel 42 Golf Carts & Powersports, with locations in Raleigh and Wilmington, is your North Carolina Cushman golf cart dealer. Read on to learn more about the fascinating history of this all-American golf cart company that has led the way in golf cart innovations for decades.

Early Days

The first iteration of Cushman was Cushman Motor Works, which was founded in 1901 and incorporated in 1913 in Lincoln, Nebraska, by enterprising duo Everett and Clinton Cushman. The company initially manufactured gasoline motors and the Cushmans left it in 1919 to new owner Charles Ammon. During the next several decades, the company manufactured engines for farm equipment, lawn mowers, boats and pumps.

In 1936, Cushman began to make Auto-Glide scooters to boost sales of its four-stroke Husky engines during the trials of the Great Depression. The United States Armed Forces used Cushman scooters during World War II instead of automobiles. In fact, the company even made a scooter designed to be dropped via parachute, called the Cushman Airborne. Messenger services made extensive use of Cushman scooters on military bases. The company manufactured scooters through to the 1960s, for use by men and women alike in the post-war era.

Cushman® Golf Carts 

In 1955, Cushman designed its first golf cart, a three-wheeled model that was somewhat based on its scooters. Their first four-wheeled model came out soon afterwards. Engineers at the company sought to create golf carts that were energy-efficient and well-designed with all the features golfers needed to be comfortable and successful on the course. Outboard Marine Corporation bought Cushman in 1957, unveiling new golf cart models during the 1960s. 

The first golf carts that Cushman produced had electric motors, but gasoline-powered golf carts began to proliferate. The first fiberglass body was produced in 1964 on model 436. The most popular Cushman golf cart during the 1960s was the Gran Cushman Golfster model GC-400, which came in both gas and electric powered options and had a sturdy steel body.

The company began to phase out its electric golf carts and ceased to produce them by 1975. The company has continued to manufacture gas golf carts, however, and they were purchased first by Ransomes Limited in 1989, then Textron in 1998. The Jacobsen Golf division of Textron continues to manufacture Cushman golf carts.

Celebrity Appeal

Cushman golf carts became especially well-known due to their association with golfing celebrities. Following a heart attack, President Dwight D. Eisenhower began using Cushman golf carts in the 1970s to get around golf courses safely. During the 1960s, other celebrity golfers utilized personalized Cushman golf carts, including such notables as Ann-Margret, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason and Glen Campbell.

Today, you can find new Cushman models produced by Textron as well as vintage models that are still extremely popular. Ready to check out some Cushman® golf carts up close and in person? Visit one of our North Carolina dealerships in the cities of Raleigh or Wilmington to take a look at our wide selection of new and used Cushman® golf carts for sale. Revel 42 Golf Carts & Powersports proudly serves the cities of Cary and Clayton, NC.