Carting along

     By Chris Jones
     View staff writer
      These days, life is one big drive along the fairway for Kenny Cox.
      As the president and owner of Silver State Golf Carts, a new business located at 342 Sunpac Court in northeast Henderson, Cox is lucky enough to spend a good deal of his time on the golf course.
      Unfortunately, he's there to work.
      Cox and his three employees handle everything from golf cart repairs to customizations and sales at golf courses across the Las Vegas Valley. Although he grew up less than a mile from cart manufacturer E-Z-Go Textron's former facility in Santa Ana, Calif., the 30-year-old Cox never thought working with golf carts would become his life's pursuit.
      "I always drove by (E-Z-Go's building) and thought it would be a cool place to work," Cox said. "I walked in the door one day and got hired. Then I really got into it, and I decided I might as well stick to it."
      Over his 12-year tenure with the company, Cox learned various aspects of the cart business. Soon after graduating from high school, he started working as a service shop technician and gradually worked his way up through the company's hierarchy before leaving in February with the title of dealer coordinator.
      Sensing an opportunity to venture out on his own, Cox said he "took my retirement and ran" to Southern Nevada. In mid-March, he opened his 5,600-square-foot office and service facility in a small industrial complex near Boulder Highway and Sunset Road.
      "There are a lot of new golf courses getting ready to open up out here," Cox said. "We work in Henderson and Las Vegas and are slowly working toward the Laughlin and Pahrump areas."
      Although much of his business is derived from servicing large-scale contracts at local golf courses, Cox said he also handles the needs of individuals who wish to own their own golf cart.
      "A lot of people golf in them every day, but others use them to tool around the neighborhood," Cox said. "They can even make them street legal."
      The private aspect of the business can be quite lucrative. Cox said custom carts typically sell for $5,000 to $10,000, with some specialized models -- most notably a scaled-down replica of a Dodge Viper -- selling for as much as $18,000.
      Silver State also handles other specialized services, including cart rentals, accessories and replacement parts.
      While he's not the first golf cart entrepreneur to set up such a shop in the Las Vegas Valley -- the phone book lists nearly 20 such businesses locally -- Cox believes he can find his niche in the marketplace by offering the best service.
      "There's a lot of competition out there," Cox said. "I come from a service background, so our main goal is to service the customer. If you take care of that, sales will follow."
      Clay Meininger, who serves as the director of golf for The Revere at Anthem Country Club, backs up Cox's assessment of Silver State's attention to its clients.
      "Kenny's very accommodating," said Meininger, who's worked with Cox since his days at E-Z-Go. "We really try to hit on customer service, and in his field I think Kenny is very customer-oriented."
      One aspect of the business that hasn't grown on Cox is a passion for the sport to which he dedicates so much of his time. Despite spending much of his time on golf courses, Cox said he very seldom picks up the clubs.
      "I've been on every golf course in Southern California, but I've only played at three of them," Cox said.