The South African equipment supplier is bringing Tara and Evolution golf carts, Toro turf equipment and expanded service capabilities to its newest location.
Smith Power Equipment has expanded its presence in South Africa’s Garden Route with the opening of a new branch in George, giving golf courses, commercial operators and private owners greater local access to golf carts, turf equipment, parts and service.
The company has operated in South Africa’s agriculture and turf equipment industry for more than 30 years. Its history in George began with a small workshop focused largely on service and repairs for specialized turf equipment. The new operation significantly expands that footprint.
“Our goal is simple: to bring our products and services closer to the customer and to become part of the George and surrounding community,” said Mark Chittenden, general manager of Smith Power Equipment’s turf division.
The branch centers on three brands: Tara and Evolution golf carts and Toro turf maintenance equipment.
Toro equipment serves golf courses, sports fields and professional landscaping operations, while the new location gives Smith Power Equipment additional resources to support the Garden Route’s established golf market.
Tara vehicles are aimed at both fleet and personal transportation customers. The Tara Spirit Pro is positioned for golf course fleet use, while the Spirit Plus offers additional features for individual owners.
Smith Power Equipment Managing Director David Kelder said the company saw an opportunity to provide golf courses with another fleet option at a price point that could help operators control expenses.
“We identified that South Africa needed more affordable fleet carts to ensure that golf courses could not only maintain rental pricing for golfers, but also generate funds to invest into course maintenance programs or clubhouse upgrades,” Kelder said.
Evolution fills the more feature-heavy end of the market with lithium-powered golf, personal transportation, commercial and utility vehicles.
The company’s D-MAX GT4 includes steering wheel controls, an onboard refrigerator, wireless phone charging, an upgraded sound system, a touchscreen with Android and Apple CarPlay compatibility, automotive-style seating and lithium power.
Evolution also offers four-, six- and eight-passenger models.
Beyond product sales, Smith Power Equipment is placing considerable emphasis on service. The George branch provides access to spare parts, technicians, workshop facilities and ongoing maintenance support.
The location is backed by the company’s distribution centers in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
“The branch is supported by our two distribution centres in Cape Town and Johannesburg, so you can be assured of national backing with local accountability,” Chittenden said.
For fleet operators, that local support may prove just as important as having more vehicles to choose from. A golf car can arrive with every modern feature imaginable, but eventually somebody still has to service it.
