Photo by Erin Nelson.
Riley Grace Jones, 9, climbs onto the front seat of a golf car, or personal transit vehicle, as her younger brother Hudson, 4, sits on the second row at Diamond Golf Cars on U.S. 280.
It was during a trip with business executives from E-Z-Go golf carts that Bill Ochsenhirt agreed to be a retail dealer for the company. No longer just for golf courses, golf carts were becoming popular for individuals and the need for a retail store was evident.
Having owned and operated golf courses for over 20 years, Ochsenhirt had the experience needed to open Diamond Golf Cars in Inverness in 2012. What initially started as a test store has grown to become a leading dealer in the region.
With the growth came the need for more space. The company had outgrown their showroom in the Riverhill Business Park shopping center in Inverness when Ochsenhirt began looking for another space.
“The idea to move started a few years ago as we were growing and other manufacturers asked us to carry their brands,” Ochsenhirt said. “We had to have more of a selection and our service area was growing as well.”
It took several years for Ochsenhirt to find a location that was large enough and also had access to a traffic signal and back entrance for 18-wheeler deliveries. He found the perfect spot in Inverness Corners last summer and opened the doors to the new showroom on June 21.
The operations had been spread out, but now everything is under one roof. Ochsenhirt says he is glad to have more of a team atmosphere. Having seven years of experience with the retail space, Ochsenhirt knew how he wanted to lay out the new store.
“I wanted it to be an experience when people shop,” he said. “When you walk into the showroom, you can see over 40 cars at different levels of price and features in person and we have a window to see the service technicians customizing the cars before your eyes.”
What makes Diamond Golf Cars unique is carrying all the major golf cart manufacturers under one roof. Their five brands are 95% of those sold in the U.S. market. They sell new and pre-owned carts and also service all major brands of carts. The store offers trade-ins, buybacks and rentals.
“We carry all major brands so the customer can see all of them in one place,” he said. “Our customers aren’t using the cars for golf, but at the lake, beach or in their neighborhood. They are a personal transportation vehicle, and they decide how they’re going to use it. One of big advantages of having a larger store is that customers can come in and see what they want before they buy it.”
Customization is one of the biggest parts of the business. Customers can choose colors, seat styles, music systems and many other personalization options. Ochsenhirt said the top request is for sound systems, followed by seatbelts and cup holders. Ochsenhirt and his staff of five can help navigate customers through what they can or can’t do for their cart based on trademarks and copyrights.
“Our focus is on the local experience,” he said. “This move was made to elevate the experience for our customers coming to store to shop.”
While Ochsenhirt owns a second location in Huntsville, he doesn’t foresee opening more locations anytime soon.
“I get asked all the time to duplicate our model in other places,” he said. “Where to expand isn’t the problem, the limitation for me is quality manpower. We are very specific in our knowledge of sales and service knowledge. You can’t duplicate that buy opening another store.”
Diamond Golf Cars is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on weekends by appointment at its new address, 160 Inverness Plaza.
For information, visit diamondgolfcars.com.
