Club Business

As members of Haig Point, we live in a uniquely dependent community. Golf carts aren’t a luxury here. They’re our primary mode of transportation. Every trip to the ferry, mansion, or neighbor’s house depends on those carts being reliable and affordable to maintain.

That’s why I want to raise a concern I recently encountered during a service experience with my GEM cart, and how it may affect many of you.

The Reality Behind the Repair Bill

After submitting my cart for standard repairs, I received a quote that totaled nearly half the value of the vehicle itself. Wanting to understand the costs better, I did some research. What I found were identical OEM Polaris parts available from authorized dealers at significantly lower prices—sometimes more than 60% less than what I was quoted.

When I asked for clarification from Brian Fogleman, head of the new cart maintenance service, I was told that:

• The club requires parts to be sourced through one GEM dealer.

• A 35% markup is automatically added to all parts.

• This markup is club policy, created by management, approved by the board, and voted in with the last budget.
  

What’s particularly frustrating is that this pricing stands in direct contrast to the club’s recent promotional messaging, which boasted "best prices on the island – we encourage you to compare!" I did compare—and what I found didn’t reflect that claim. Even more, the service was promoted as having "broad buying power and the ability to get parts onto the island." That may sound great in a brochure, but it’s not reflected in the pricing members are actually seeing. Instead of cost savings from that buying power, we’re seeing inflated shipping charges and price premiums.

But Here’s the Bigger Issue:

Haig Point isn’t a community where carts are optional. They’re essential infrastructure and we have older members, and families. Charging a 35% markup—on top of labor and high shipping costs—for basic transportation is, respectfully, inappropriate.

GEMs and other electric carts are widely used by members, and the club, including Don Hunter, should be:

• Negotiating better bulk/dealer pricing for parts.

• Capping markups at a more reasonable rate (20% is standard in many communities).

• Offering transparency around costs and policies that affect members’ daily mobility.
  

We’re already paying a premium to live in a remote, high-service community. The least we can expect is fair treatment on something as fundamental as getting around.

This Isn’t Just About One Bill

This is about how we, as members, hold the Transportation Committee and the Board accountable for decisions push members away from using club services. If you’ve had a similar experience—or want to see more member-friendly policies around cart maintenance—now is the time to speak up to the transpo committee. Let’s not normalize excessive markups on basic member service.

As for me personally, I’ve made the decision to begin taking my cart repairs off the island. As many of you know, J&J is unreliable as a secondary option. Between the club's 35% markup on parts, inflated shipping costs, and a lack of pricing flexibility, it simply no longer makes financial sense to service my vehicles here based solely on convenience. And that, frankly, speaks volumes.

If a member—who’s already paying substantial transportation dues—is being incentivized to leave Haig Point for basic repair needs, something’s off. Especially when the cart service was recently advertised as offering "best prices on the island." That promise doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.

Transportation isn’t a luxury here—it’s a necessity. It should be priced and supported accordingly.

If Haig Point truly believes in "best prices on the island," it’s time to back that up with real savings, transparent pricing, and policies that put members first.