FORE!

The village of Shadyside does not have a country club nor golf course. But that may be tough to tell if you didn’t know better.

The village has experienced a recent influx of golf carts navigating through the picturesque community. So much so, they became an issue on the floor of Monday’s village council meeting.

It appears some village residents are not taking kindly to that mode of transportation in the village.

Their complaints vary, but some are concerned with youths driving the golf carts while others have taken exception to such vehicles being on sidewalks.

For a town the size of Shadyside, golf carts make sense. The town’s landscape lends itself ideally to such transportation. Traveling via golf cart in Tiger Town obviously makes sense since it is growing in popularity.

As with any vehicle, safety has to be of paramount importance. Everything else takes a backseat.

Safety is a two-way street, however. It entails those in the cart as well as well as pedestrians and other motorists.

Shadyside officials have made safety a driving force for golf cart usage in the village. Operators must have a valid driver’s license and their vehicles must adhere to the same standards as that of cars, such as brakes, lights and seatbelts.

Village officials have taken precaution to another level as golf carts are not allowed on Central Avenue, the main thoroughfare in town and home to “The Loop.” Such prohibition eliminates the most likely chance of a severe golf-cart accident in town.

While golf carts may not be wise for many Ohio Valley towns, they do appear to be on a safe path in Shadyside.