Husband-and-wife team offer customized transportation options

Morrie and Charlene Ballaron have spent the past 25 years focused on providing customers the golf car to fit their needs—whether it be cruising through the neighborhood or playing 18 holes at the golf course.

After working in Tyler for a few years, the Ballarons were approached by an Austin-area developer who thought the couple needed to open a store in Georgetown. In 1997 they opened Capital Golf Cars on Del Webb Boulevard in Sun City.

The couple, who had lived in Austin previously, missed living in the Austin area and quickly jumped on the opportunity.

Since opening, Morrie said the store's customer base is largely made up of Sun City residents.

"People [in Sun City] use them as a second mode of transportation there, normally just running around the development," Morrie said. "A lot of people get rid of a car [when they retire] and buy a golf car. Some of them play golf, so they get two."

Morrie said golfers typically prefer the two-seater options when hitting the links, but people carting around grandchildren or visitors may look at purchasing four- or six-seat options.

Along with selling custom golf cars, Capital Golf Cars also offers replacement parts and vehicle service and maintenance. For those who cannot bring their golf cars to the shop for repairs, Morrie said the shop will pick up cars and offer loaner golf cars while repairs are being made.

Capital Golf Cars customers are also able to customize their rides in a variety of ways, including wheel style and height, fabric shades, color and add-ons such as golf club and golf ball cleaners, radios and coolers.

"Most people around here, I've noticed, tend to get nicer vehicles," Charlene said. "The ones with tasteful enclosures and custom seats."

Last year the store expanded to offer custom seat options such as color combinations and more form-fitting shapes than traditional bench seats. Demand for the custom seats increased dramatically soon after, Sales Manager Bryan Palmer said.

"Almost every car we sell, we sell with custom seats," he said.

Palmer said the alternating current, or AC, golf cars are also in high demand because they are able to maintain their speed on Sun City's hilly terrain.

In 2012, Capital Golf Cars owners Morrie and Charlene Ballaron opened their second Georgetown dealership, Extreme Golf Cars, on I-35 to cater to more users.

Extreme Golf Cars Manager Robert Simmons said the customers he sees tend to be ranchers, farmers, hunters, beachgoers and I-35 travelers passing by on their way to or from Austin.

Models that sit higher off the ground are often sought out by people looking for a beach vehicle, Simmons said, while more rugged styles with the option to fold the back seat down into a flat bed for hauling gear are popular with hunters.

"You can use 'em for the road, you can use 'em in a pasture, you can use 'em virtually anywhere," Simmons said.

Extreme Golf Cars, 6950 N. I-35, 512-635-1851, www.extremegolfcars.com, Hours: Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., closed Sun.

Capital Golf Cars, 400 Del Webb Blvd., Ste. 101, 512-864-0777, www.capitalgolfcars.com, Hours: Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., closed Sun.