When golf legend Tiger Woods received his 5-year drivers license suspension in his Wednesday plea agreement for a March crash on Jupiter Island, the question almost immediately came up: Can he still drive a golf cart?
For many Florida residents and especially a golf professional, golf carts can be part of the daily routine.
"You know what? You got me. We'll have to look into that," Martin County State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl said in a news conference.
"I'll get back to you. I know you cannot drive a golf cart while impaired on the roads because it is a vehicle," he added. "My gut reaction is going to be no."
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The rules on golf cats can vary widely from town to town in Florida, but the state Department of Transportation does have some rules.
In Florida, golf carts are considered low speed vehicles with speeds of 20-25 miles per hour and generally need title, registration and insurance and be driven by a licensed driver.
"To my knowledge, Tiger Woods would be allowed to drive a golf cart onto the golf course in his private golf community, but when it comes to driving the cart on public roads or in places where you see people driving on in areas that are open to the public, I would suggest he avoids doing that," former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg said.
Golf carts are seemingly everywhere now in Florida, and rules can seem to be relaxed in some communities, but Aronberg cautions testing the rules of plea agreement.
"If there's a gray area, stay away from that," he said. "You don't want any risk of going back in front of the judge and having to explain yourself why you may or may not have violated your probation."
