Golf is an ancient game, a game of tradition.

And at its heart it is still a very low-tech game of using a stick to hit a ball into a hole.

But it might soon be forever changed by a very high-tech addition… the GolfBoard.

The PGA named it “Best New Product” at its 2014 Merchandise Show.

The eQuinelle Golf Club in Kemptville, Ontario, recently obtained 4 GolfBoards. It’s just the second course in all of Canada to include them in their golf cart fleet.

So, what is a GolfBoard?

It can be described as a skateboard crossed with a Segway turned into a personal, motorized golf cart.

It consists of a skateboard-like platform sitting on four wide-based turf tires. A handle extends up from the front for holding your golf bag, and for holding onto.

The Golfboard uses a lithium battery-powered electric motor. The rider simply stands on it, flips the switch into forward, and zooms along at speed of up to 19 kilometres per hour. Turning is accomplished by leaning left or right, not unlike a skateboard.

 “I think it is a wonderful invention,” says Gary Sager, a member at eQuinelle. The 69-year-old says it is very easy to learn how to use. “It didn’t take long at all. Once we got away from the clubhouse and onto the flat surfaces it was just a breeze.”

They cost around $6,000 U.S. – or about the same as a larger electric golf cart. But the GolfBoard boasts some advantages. Because it’s lighter and easier on the turf, it can go anywhere a pull cart can go. Because each player gets one rather than sharing a golf cart, they can significantly speed up the game. They also use less power and take up less space.

And then there’s the fun factor of zooming around the course like a turf-based surfer or snow-boarder. (It uses 4-wheel drive.) Hopes are high the GolfBoard will breathe new life into a game that has struggled to boost its numbers, particularily with young people. “This is another way of being innovative to get more people coming to the game of golf,” says Katharine usher-Vollett, General Manager at eQuinelle.

Gary Sager puts it this way. “They’ll be able to play while they’re playing.”