Rules and regulations on personal carts?

[zholifield]

So I've been debating on making the jump of buying me a cart, cart fees jist about doubly my monthly membership fee, so I have a problem when I buy something I can't leave it alone "stock" how far is too far when customizing your golf cart? 

[SavvySwede]

4 hours ago, zholifield said:

So I've been debating on making the jump of buying me a cart, cart fees jist about doubly my monthly membership fee, so I have a problem when I buy something I can't leave it alone "stock" how far is too far when customizing your golf cart? 

Different clubs have different rules. You'd have to ask them for yourself. There is likely some sort of storage fee to keep the your cart at the club as well.

[Club Rat]

8 hours ago, zholifield said:

cart fees

Usually, most clubs charge an annual trail fee. Which means you pay the monthly fee regardless of if you play or not. Do the math, some months you may golf more than others, while winter months you may not play any. Figure out a break even cost and include purchase and maintenance cost. Some courses offer an annual cart fee which is a great deal if you golf often. The benefit for most cart owners is living close and driving the cart to the course. It's a great convenience to put your golf shoes on, load up the cooler, take snacks, etc to go play from home.

[RickK]

I live in a country club community and own a golf cart.  We, as most private clubs do, have cart regulations that must be adhered to.  Ours must be white or off-white in color (althought the club's carts are green).  Must be electric, cannot be gas.  You must get your cart inspected by the club each year.  We pay an annual trail fee.  For me, it would probably be cheaper to rent a cart since I am not playing that much but I prefer to own...just for the convenience.  Plus, it is great to just run around the neighborhood in.

I put a set of Sunbrella seat covers on mine and they are great.  I have a cart cover for rainy and cold days along with a propane heater that fits in the cup holder.  I have headlights and tail lights...they are mounted into the body like any normal vehicle would be...not something attached/hanging down/sticking up.  I have chrome rims and wide tires.  I have a radio console under the roof of the cart with radio and speakers.  Fold in half windshield, dual sand bottles, cooler mounted on one side and ball/club washer on the other.  I have an EZ-GO cart and it was a model that you could install a "speed chip" in so mine runs about 20mph. I debated on putting turn signals on it but decided not to.  The stuff that fit on the steering column looked a bit flimsy and I know how to do hand signals. 

I bought a tray to fit under the seat to hold more crap and found that to be a mistake.  For my cart, it sat very close over the batteries and help speed up battery post corrosion.  That is another thing, if you get an electric cart, you MUST keep the battery post and cables free from corrosion or you will find yourself stranded with a broken cable.  I carry a long extra cable and a little ratchet and socket...just in case.

If I did not already own a cart, a few years younger, and was going to buy a cart...I would seriously consider the Tomberlin E-Merge.  I have a couple of friends who own them and they have some sweet features. 

As far as "too far"...it really depends on where you will be using your cart and what is allowed.  We have a lot of people in our neighborhood who have carts with lift kits on them but none of them play golf or use them on the course.  There is no rule against it but you are making it harder (meaning higher) to get your clubs out of the bag. 

Edited December 5, 2015 by RickK

[RickK]

Could not re-edit my post so will add this....

Seen some carts with fender flares and they look really cool.  Seen some with brush guards on them (not a fan). Also, www.buggiesunlimited.com has just about anything you can imagine to add to a golf cart for golf/hunting/or whatever. 

[zholifield]

19 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

Different clubs have different rules. You'd have to ask them for yourself. There is likely some sort of storage fee to keep the your cart at the club as well.

Thanks for the response, I play at other courses sometimes and I was wondering if there was a general guideline. From what I've been reading most don't allow lift kits and all that "understandable" but I guess I was looking to see if anyone on here has ran into any problems with aftermarket accessories and what not.

[ev780]

I have a reconditioned Club Car that I love.  Basically the same setup as RickK except I use a Bose Bluetooth speaker and my phone for entertainment.  No covers as I am pretty tolerant of the cold or I just give up that day. I have a tray over the front dash just behind the wheel for misc debris. Also installed a holder for my laser. Mine has all the street legal stuff and as a 48 volt setup it moves along pretty good. 25 mph give or take.

Consider a couple things.  The convenience factor is big for me. Probably be cheaper just to use the club's carts but I live on the course and able to get home from the 19th with a little less risk. 

Batteries must be considered in the cost analysis.  Figure on about a grand every 5 years or so.

Personalty it was always a dream to live on a course and own my cart.  Kind of pretentious but WTF, I earned it!!!!

[RickK]

On 12/5/2015 at 2:38 PM, ev780 said:

Personalty it was always a dream to live on a course and own my cart.  Kind of pretentious but WTF, I earned it!!!!

Amen!!!  Me too.  

 

On 12/5/2015 at 1:21 PM, zholifield said:

Thanks for the response, I play at other courses sometimes and I was wondering if there was a general guideline. From what I've been reading most don't allow lift kits and all that "understandable" but I guess I was looking to see if anyone on here has ran into any problems with aftermarket accessories and what not.

Give us an idea of what aftermarket accessories you have in mind and maybe we can help more.  I have owned carts at 3 different clubs so I have a little experience.

Edited December 8, 2015 by RickK

[zholifield]

5 hours ago, RickK said:

Amen!!!  Me too.  

 

Give us an idea of what aftermarket accessories you have in mind and maybe we can help more.  I have owned carts at 3 different clubs so I have a little experience.

Thinking just some nice wheels now, looking like I can't paint it too many different colors, "according to my local courses" possibly some other little odds and ends, I was thinking before of using those kit bodies. I really liked the Shelby Cobra kit, but apparently the body has to be original as well, thank you for the reply 

Edited December 9, 2015 by zholifield

[RickK]

1 hour ago, zholifield said:

Thinking just some nice wheels now, looking like I can't paint it too many different colors, "according to my local courses" possibly some other little odds and ends, I was thinking before of using those kit bodies. I really liked the Shelby Cobra kit, but apparently the body has to be original as well, thank you for the reply 

All of the clubs I have belonged to and most other clubs that I know of have the off-white/white restriction for color.  I know that some of the big retirement communities in Florida allow the kit bodies but none of the clubs I have belonged to or am familiar with around do allow them.   

You can find some really nice wheels and tires to go on golf carts.  Some may require you to raise the cart up just a bit but as long as you don't put a huge lift on it you can probably get away with it.  The tires and wheels I put on mine fit perfectly with the stock body. 

You can still dress one out pretty nice even with stock body. 

 

[zholifield]

6 hours ago, RickK said:

All of the clubs I have belonged to and most other clubs that I know of have the off-white/white restriction for color.  I know that some of the big retirement communities in Florida allow the kit bodies but none of the clubs I have belonged to or am familiar with around do allow them.   

You can find some really nice wheels and tires to go on golf carts.  Some may require you to raise the cart up just a bit but as long as you don't put a huge lift on it you can probably get away with it.  The tires and wheels I put on mine fit perfectly with the stock body. 

You can still dress one out pretty nice even with stock body. 

 

Alright thanks for the info buddy, that's what I've mostly gathered from doing some research with my local clubs, what size wheels do you have? 12" 14"? With low pros?

[Pretzel]

I have a golf cart. Unfortunately it's a bit, eh, unorthodox in design and the golf course I worked at banned me from taking it onto the course (even though I drove it to work for a while).

What I mean is it happens to have a lift kit, which is necessary to facilitate the 18 inch offroad tires with 2 inch deep tread. I think it was mostly the tires they took offense to, in addition to the lax governer allowing too high of speeds, due to the potential damage to the course. It's used mostly as a farm vehicle, hence the modifications.

[Dave2512]

On ‎12‎/‎9‎/‎2015 at 2:36 AM, Pretzel said:

I have a golf cart. Unfortunately it's a bit, eh, unorthodox in design and the golf course I worked at banned me from taking it onto the course (even though I drove it to work for a while).

What I mean is it happens to have a lift kit, which is necessary to facilitate the 18 inch offroad tires with 2 inch deep tread. I think it was mostly the tires they took offense to, in addition to the lax governer allowing too high of speeds, due to the potential damage to the course. It's used mostly as a farm vehicle, hence the modifications.

More surprised the Frederick cops didn't hassle you. I had to call 911 for a sick family member back in Sep. and they were stormtrooping through my house. I swear sick person on 2nd floor, cops on lower floor looking through my rooms. I sit in the kitchen on weekend nights and see them pull over 20 cars a night on 52 and 15.

Anyway every club is different. I don't of any public course that allow personal carts. At my parents club pretty much anything goes. I see people out there in replica 57 Chevys to brightly colored Club Cars and Yamahas. My parents have a little lift and slightly oversized street tires on custom wheels. Crazy what they spent on that thing.

[Barek]

Any ideas where I can find good quality golf cart batteries?

 

Thanks

[David in FL]

1 hour ago, Barek said:

Any ideas where I can find good quality golf cart batteries?

 

Thanks

Any place that sells the carts themselves.  You can also find them at large marine stores.  

[DrvFrShow]

[SteveH]

I have my own cart but aside from windshield, club and ball washer and club cover I have kept it stock. Its a gas cart, a Yamaha. I maintain it myself, pretty easy, and pay a trail fee. I keep it at the course. With what I spend on trail fee, maintenance and fuel I don't save a lot, compared to what it costs for an annual cart pass, but I like the convenience of having my own cart as I play nearly every day in summer. I bought it when it was 2 years old from a dealer. Originally, I was going to customize it but I'm too busy playing golf and it does a fine job the way it is. If I had electric, I would have to have a generator to charge it and in our climate batteries only last 2 or 3 seasons and are a fairly costly maintenance item. The club has all gas carts too.

[bubble]

do you need a cart to play ?