Community Services recently introduced a revised Golf Cart Safety Manual with updates to the safety standards for golf cart operation in all Aramco Communities. The safety manual specifies that all golf carts must undergo an annual mechanical and safety inspection which will be paid for by Community Services. While this type of inspection is not new to RHGC members, the revised safety manual specifies that all golf carts must be fitted with seat belts for all passengers and either a rear view mirror or wing mirrors in order to be in compliance and pass the inspection. Because the vast majority of golf carts don’t come standard with seat belts and/or rear view mirrors, and because these items may not be readily available locally, golf cart owners will have until September 30, 2022 to have these items installed.
The mechanical and safety inspections, however, will begin Monday, July 4, with the understanding that the requirement for seat belts and mirrors will be waived until September 30, 2022. Once seat belts and the mirror(s) are installed, the cart will be inspected a second time to finalize registration.
Inspections for up to 20 golf carts per day will be performed Monday – Thursday between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm, and you can reserve your spot via Golf Genius. Once you register and select your date and time, you can park your golf cart in one of the parking spaces shown in the yellow box below. To make it more convenient, you can park your golf cart there before you leave for work in the morning and pick it up at lunchtime or after work. Community Services has notified Security that we will be using that area for inspections. Please remember to remove any valuables from your golf cart.
The safety manual also specifies that anyone who operates a golf cart, regardless of whether it is owned, borrowed, or rented, is required to have a Golf Cart Operator License in order to use the golf cart anywhere on or outside of the golf course. This includes driving a golf cart from a cart shed to the driving range or chipping area, on the course during a round, between the golf course and home, going from the golf course to the gas station, etc. A Golf Cart Operator License may be obtained by passing a 10 question quiz and holding a local or home country license. A separate email will be sent to members with a link to the quiz. You can see a sample of the quiz on in Appendix 5 on pages 12 and 13 in the safety manual.
Please refer to these FAQs for additional details:
FAQs
Q: Who can I contact if I have any questions not covered in the FAQs below?
A: You may direct any additional questions you may have to DHAHRANRESIDENTIALRELATIONS@aramco.com, and a representative from Community Services will respond.
Q: Is Community Services going to provide seat belts and rear view mirrors to golf cart owners at no cost since this is a new Community Services requirement?
A: Golf cart owners will be responsible for the cost of purchasing their own seat belts and rear view mirrors.
Q: Will golf cart owners be required to pay for installation of seat belts and/or the rear view mirror(s) since they are non-standard and a new Community Services requirement?
A: Community Services will organize the installation of seat belts and/or rear view mirrors at no cost to the owner. Owners who choose have these items installed on their own can do so at their own expense, but any cost incurred for installation will not be reimbursed. A separate announcement will be sent once the process is finalized.
Q: Are golf cart owners required to install a wind screen, turn signals, or a horn?
A: A wind screen, turn signals, and/or a horn are not currently specified as a requirement in the Golf Cart Safety Manual and not included as a part of the inspection. See Appendix 1, page 9 for the inspection form.
Q: Is there a minimum standard specified for the type of seatbelts and/or rear view mirror(s) that I am required to install in my golf cart?
A: The Golf Cart Safety Manual recommends steel mounted inertia reel seat belts (pg. 7). Loose strap seatbelts similar to those used in an aircraft seat are not recommended. Golf cart seat belt kits with the steel bracket and inertia reel lap belts are widely available online for most golf cart makes and models. The Golf Cart Safety Manual does not mention a minimum standard for rear view mirrors.
Q: Will Dhahran residents be allowed to drive golf carts anywhere on camp like in other Aramco camps after installing seat belts and/or rear view mirror(s)?
A: Yes. Golf carts will be allowed anywhere on camp beginning on October 1, 2022, provided the cart has passed inspection, is registered, and the driver has a valid Golf Cart Operator License.
Q: I have an electric cart and a cart shed, and I only use my golf cart on the golf course. I don’t drive it on the road. Do I still need a Golf Cart Operator License?
A: Yes. A Golf Cart Operator License is required to use a golf cart anywhere and everywhere.
Q: Who do I contact for a golf cart inspection and how do I schedule the inspection?
A: The golf cart inspection will be performed at RHGC by the mechanics from Al Sinan, and you sign up for a time slot using the Golf Genius app. A separate announcement about this will be forthcoming.
Q: Who will supply the Golf Cart Operator License, where do I get it after passing the quiz, and what is the validity?
A: Community Services will provide the Golf Cart Operator License at no cost, and the licenses will be available for collection at the starter window following full registration. Once issued, the license is valid as long as the person driving the golf cart has a valid local or home country driving license.
Q: What happens if I haven’t completed the mechanical and safety inspection or had the seat belts and/or the mirror(s) installed by September 30, 2022?
A: Aramco Industrial Security will be start issuing violations for golf carts being driven outside of the golf course that do not meet the requirements specified in the Golf Cart Safety Manual after September 30, 2022.