For many years you could expect to see golf carts only on a golf course, and usually you could only rent them for that round of golf. But a lot has changed in the golf cart world, and many golfers are finding that it makes sense to go ahead and buy their own golf cart instead of renting it.

Some country clubs are now allowing members to buy and use their own golf cart when playing the course, and this lets each member customize their own golf cart in any way that they wish. Golf carts are also extremely popular with players who live in a retirement community that has a golf course. Many are discovering that golf carts have a wide range of use, even being able to be driven on the street in some cases. In some retirement communities, golfers have outfitted their own golf cart with lights, brake lights, safety belts, and all the other necessary equipment to be able to actually drive their cart on the road. And then when they want to play golf, they just drive their golf cart down to the clubhouse and right onto the course.

So if you think that buying a golf cart may make sense for you, what should you be looking for when you buy? Well first of all, you will find that there are several different competing brands of golf carts that are available for sale. And most all of these manufacturers turn out a very good, high-quality product. However, golf carts are very different from one brand to another, both in appearance and in the way they drive and handle. Each brand also has its own strengths and weaknesses, and that makes it imperative for you to determine in advance how you intend to use your golf cart and then try to find the brand that will best fit your needs.

Unlike many years ago, there are quite a few golf cart dealers spread across the country. So usually you should be able to find some dealers in your general area without too much trouble. When you locate them, pay them a visit to test drive the golf cart models that each dealer has in stock. You never want to buy a golf cart without having driven it yourself under conditions that would be similar to those that you will be using it in. You don’t want any unpleasant surprises after the cart has been bought.

If you intend to use your golf cart for more than just off-road activity, or just on the golf course, you can always make the golf cart street legal as long as your local laws will allow it. There are no federal laws regarding the use of golf carts, so usually the regulations that govern golf carts are made by individual cities and states instead.

There are also plenty of accessories that you can add to your golf cart to personalize it and make it your own. Some of these accessories include windshields, different kinds of tops and sides, lights and much more.

When it comes time to pay for your new golf cart, you can expect the price to fall somewhere in the $5,000 – $10,000 range, although if you choose not to add on accessories, and keep the costs to a bare minimum, you may be able to spend less then $5,000.

Whether or not owning a golf cart will work best for you is a personal decision, but for many people a golf cart can turn out to be a time and labor saving device both on the course and off.

Quite few people essentially come up with good reasons about purchasing golf carts for their own and personal usage. When you decide you essentially require a golf cart then there are quite a few things that must be kept in mind so as to make a good purchase decision possible. It is true that purchasing an already used model would allow in saving quite a lot of your fortune, but one should know what exactly they are looking at when moving towards buying a golf cart so that they can ensure that they get the best deal. This makes sense than wasting all money on things that would do no good to you.

Is the golf cart permitted in your golf course?

Even before you plan your purchase for a Golf cart, ensure to know if the golf course allows carts in the green. That would be the first step, even before you lay out a plan for a personalized cart. Quite a few courses don’t allow carts, however there are others who do. Carts are often used, when one stays in the Golf course and would prefer driving the cart to the Club house than an actual car. With increase in fuel prices, driving a Golf cart for miles over the course would actually make good sense. However, make sure that you find out if it really is legal to drive golf carts over the golf course and on roads of your local area.

Electric cart

After you are done with all the research concerning your area and if golf carts are allowed, you then need to check a few other things. The idea of purchasing an electric Golf cart would be a wiser choice as you would save lots of fuel in its operation. These carts would require lesser maintenance and also fewer parts being replaced when rusted. You could save a huge lot of fuel expense and even before you wonder if your golf cart needs replacement or repairing.

Stress on working order

When you check among various golf carts, look for one that has a brand new battery and also battery connecters. Ensure to check out for carts having a clean connector and also charger that are in quite good condition. The golf cart undoubtedly needs to be in a working condition. It is funny that quite a few of them purchase golf carts what are never in working order with hopes that it could be later fixed cheaply. However, they later realize that the project actually is a nightmare due to never ending repairs coming in queue. Simply step to your next option if you find a cart that is not working.

Look at the cart

Always keep in mind that you need to test drive your golf cart. Simply walk away if this seems to be not factually possible. When you take the golf cart for a test drive, ascertain to stop within spaces of 10-15 feet ensuring no sliding. Any golf course for that matter would not appreciate if your cart is on the verge of causing damages. The turning of the cart should be appropriate and hence check the steering well. Finally, don’t miss out on the wheels. Look around to be sure that all wheels are fine and in good shape. Simply by placing a bit of search for the right thing, one could save up to 75% when purchasing a used Golf cart.

Golf cart batteries are not the same type of battery that is in your automobile. If you own your own golf cart you will soon learn the ins and outs of golf cart battery maintenance and care. Depending on the size and make of your golf cart you may have between 4 and 8 golf cart batteries in your golf cart. Golf cart batteries are designed to be deep cycle batteries this means that they can be discharged to a lower voltage without damage to their cores. Golf cart batteries require special care.

All golf cart batteries come in 6 volts but are designed to work in either a 12 or 24 volt system. Connecting two 6 volt batteries in series will provide 12 volts that can be used in a 12 volt system. A golf cart batteries power is not measured in volts but in amps. The more the amps a battery can provide in a given amount of time, usually in hours, the more powerful the battery. If your golf cart uses 50 amps per hour at half speed and your combined battery amperage is 400 amp hours you theoretically could run the golf cart for 8 hours before the battery was totally discharged. However golf cart batteries will not provide the full amount of power (amperage) that they are rated for. This is because as you use the batteries power its voltage level drops below the 12 volts that is required by the golf carts motors. Once this happens, golf cart performance declines until the motors will not respond. Then you will have to recharge your golf cart battery.

A golf cart battery is charged by using a battery charger that changes the chemical composition within the battery. This charging process is not efficient and as such with each charging cycle the battery will hold less of a charge. In addition golf cart batteries that are deeply discharged have a shorter life span then batteries that experience only shallow discharge cycles. Quality golf cart batteries will have higher number of discharge cycles available then the cheaper models. The larger number of cycles the longer the battery life. Golf cart batteries must be charged correctly to achieve top battery efficiency. A good battery charger will automatically charge the battery to a high voltage for a prolonged period to return the golf carts batteries to the proper chemistry. This is very important to prolonging the life of your golf cart battery.

Properly maintaining your golf cart batteries will also prolong their life. Probably the number one problem that the golf cart owner will have with their golf cart batteries is not maintaining proper water levels in each battery cell. As you charge your battery it will begin to boil out water (hydrogen gas) as part of reversing the sulfide process. This water will need to be replaced on a regular basis with distilled water. Failure to keep battery fluids at optimum levels will shorten the life of your battery significantly. Basically the more you charge your battery the more often you need to add water to your golf cart batteries.

Keeping your golf cart batteries terminals clean is also very important. Clean terminals will allow the efficient flow of current from your golf cart batteries to your golf cart motors which will help them operate efficiently. Even more importantly it will allow the battery charger to correctly measure the condition of the battery so that a proper charging cycle can be applied. Again a properly maintained golf cart battery will last longer.

A properly maintianed golf cart battery will last you considerably longer than one that is neglected. Nothing is worse than climbing into your golf cart ready to play good round of golf and finding your golf cart batteries are dead. Take care of your golf cart batteries and they will take care of you.