FORE! 1958 Bobcat Compact Golf Scooter
A what? A golf scooter? This has to be one of the most unusual vehicles that I have seen in a long time, especially for a two-wheeled vehicle. The seller has this uber-rare 1958 Bobcat Golf Scooter listed here on eBay in Chicago, Illinois. The current bid price is just over $2,500 and the reserve isn’t met.
We have seen a few golf carts roll through the cyber doors here at One Barn Finds Tower but to my knowledge, never a two-wheeled golf vehicle. Being a lover of unusual motorcycles and other vehicles, this thing is right up my alley, interest-wise. I used to play golf two or three times a week in the mid to late-1980s but I haven’t played in close to fifteen years now and if I never play golf again it won’t bother me in the least.
Here’s what it looks like without the early-style golf bag on it. My giant Al-Czervik-like golf bag wouldn’t fit at all but I do have an old one similar to what is shown in the photos here with some old clubs, from back in the “Mashie and Niblick” days.
If you haven’t seen The Golf Specialist with W.C. Fields, here it is on YouTube. It’s worth 20 minutes of your time. This Bobcat Compact Golf Scooter is a really interesting piece of history. Apparently, Bob Hope did a promo for the company and there’s a poster of him sitting on one that’s included with the sale. The seller thinks that this actual scooter may be the one used in that advertising piece.
You can see the super complicated controls… Other than having to add gas and checking and/or changing the oil every now and then, this looks like a very easy scooter to operate. According to period advertising, a person could get 72 holes of golf from a gallon of gas. You just stand up and the stand retracts to keep the scooter upright while you swing away, then when you sit down and hit the gas, the stand automatically retracts up into the bottom of the scooter.
There were four models with four colors, and sticking with that theme, they all had a four-horse, four-cycle engine. One version had a rope-pull start and one had an electric start as this one has. They reportedly had optional “training wheels” or outrigger wheels, so a person could use it more casually like a regular golf cart. And I don’t necessarily mean that it’s easier to drink while driving your golf cart around the course, but you can draw your own conclusions on that. Have any of you seen a Bobcat Compact Golf Scooter?
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Comments
What an unusual find.
Golf and I separated around 20 years ago. We agreed to go our separate ways and to never to say bad things about each other…
Pretty tough to stump the “King”, but for Scotty to not ever “see one”, well, I don’t know how to finish that statement. This just proves, just about anything made has at least a slim chance of catching on. I’d have to think by the 18th hole, golfers are pretty potzed, and would need the training wheels. I read, it would take a Bob Hope to own one, as they cost $398 bucks, or $3500 today. Cool find, and a place I’d least expect a scooter, a golf course. Apparently, it has no connection to the Bobcat skid steers.
Cute little putt putt to ride for a putt. Did you know when you’re golfing, if you wash your balls it straightens out your putts?
The only thing that comes to mind is.. uh.. Golf, a good walk ruined (blush)
Love too show up at the first tee at my club with this……very cool !!!!
Not a big fan of two (or even 3) wheels on this site, but dang, cuter than a bugs ear!
I’ve been collecting and restoring [up to AACA Junior 1st quality] vehicles for 40+ years. I know when a vehicle from this era is original or restored. I’ve looked closely at the photos of the engine and mechanicals, and it’s my opinion that this has been subjected to a very high level of restoration, but it’s not an original, unrestored piece. There are simply too many pieces that show evidence of former corrosion, now hidden behind coats of paint & clear coat. It may have been restored from a very nice example, but it’s not as it came out of the factory.
That said, it’s still a beautiful example of a rather odd transportation piece, and as The History Guy is prone to say, “It deserves to be remembered!”
Years ago (10 or 12?) a man from Canada called me. Somehow, he found out that I had 3 oddball golf carts. Not a Bobcat though. Two of my carts, a mid 1960’s Walker Jato and two late 1940’s Sudenga were in a storage unit that the owner wanted to rent out. I asked the unit size and monthly rent. 10×20 and $20/month. I said, “leave them there” and I’ll rent it out. I went and looked and asked, “how much for the carts”? …..because I love anything with an engine. He said I could have them! Then came a lot of online research. For the Walker, much info. The Sudenga, NONE online. It shares it’s name with a farm grain auger and feed truck body manufacturer about 35 miles away in George, Iowa. I called the company and what I got was a long hesitation…… and then, “what”? I thought well, that’s not good news. I asked to speak with someone who’s been with the company the longest. Better news. Mr. Sudenga said yes, his company made a dozen or so specifically for the course in Rock Rapids, Iowa as they had a narrow bridge over a stream and the golfers preferred to not have to walk so far out of their way to cross it. But, that was before his time. He gave me the number of his uncle, then 96 years old and explained he may remember but, has dementia. Yes, his dementia was severe and was of no help. Around that time I caught wind of another at auction about 50 miles away in Ocheyden, Iowa. It had been messed with but I bought it anyway. It had an incorrect 6 HP Tecumseh, supposed to be a 4 HP Kohler 4 stroke. Few years later the Canadian. I sent a bunch of pics and we negotiated. He showed up from 1,000 miles away pulling a long, heavy implement trailer with some strange looking carts onboard. Loaded mine up, paid me, PLUS gave me some petrified wood as I also collect rocks, agates and fossils. He has a golf museum up there somewhere. He has many restored carts including a Bobcat. Some months later he sent pics of my newly restored original Sudenga and the Walker. I’ve since lost track of the website. That’s the short version, lol.
Maybe this guy?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/classic-cars/canadian-man-has-a-huge-collection-of-restored-vintage-golf-carts/ar-BB18R96x
Same man, different article:
https://golfcartresource.com/canadian-golf-cart-museum-now-offers-85-vintage-carts-on-display/
Yes, he’s the one. I saw at least one of my carts in the video, one I’d forgotten about, a Par Pony made in my state of Iowa. It was the blue one with a trailer at the end of the video. Another I forgot, (sucks getting old!) one made in Fairmont, MN.
Auction update: this rare scooter has been relisted at $12,500 or you can make an offer.
I am interested in the golf scooter and wondering if it is still available?