As it was suggested months ago, the problem was a bad battery. I never had any low voltage problems with the engine running and didn't pay that much attention when it wasn't running. Well, I was at a cemetary of all places on Saturday and when I went to leave, it cranked once or twice and then [clickety-click] nothing!!
I was lucky enough to have one of the groundskeepers to offer to give me a jumpstart. While I was waiting for him to trade the golf cart out for a standard street vehicle, I noticed my voltage indicator read
10 volts (engine not running). As soon as I got a jump and the engine started, the voltage jumped up to about 13.5 or so.Needless to say I was relieved at the apparent lack of any problem with the alternator. I threw my jumpstart pack in the back and headed off to Pep Boys where I got a new battery. It took about ten minutes to install the new battery and everything works fine now. This thing idles like a purring kitten since I put the new battery in. Had I not been so lazy and just gotten off of my butt and had the battery tested, I could have saved a lot of worry and agrivation.
So, the moral to the story is... the next time I have any problems that might in any way be related to the battery, I'm yanking that sucker out of there and having it tested right away. My procrastination caused me to worry when I could have just identified the culprit (and I can't imagine an easier place to start than with the battery) and been done with the whole matter.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR RESP>Yes.