Last Updated on January 8, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
When we first moved to a golf cart community, one of the things that I found shocking was the number of golfers who lack proper etiquette on a golf cart. Some people grow up on and around golf carts, and others get their hands on them for the first time and think it’s bumper cars at a theme park. If you are new to golf and want to know the rules of the road and proper golf cart etiquette, we have you covered. As a golf cart owner and a golf professional, I know that sometimes you just want to get to that first tee; here’s how to do it correctly!
Key Takeaways: 5 Things To Know About Golf Cart Etiquette
If you don’t have time to look through all of my advice on golf cart etiquette, here are the five things I want to make sure you leave with.
1. Follow all advice of the golf course, it’s there for a reason
2. Golf carts can be dangerous; operate them like a car
3. High speed is not necessary; a golf cart traveling at high speed that makes a sharp turn can flip
4. Stay away (far away!) from all greens
5. Make the kids wait to drive
Golf Cart Etiquette Tips For All Golfers
When you take a quick look at my golf cart etiquette tips, the bottom line is safety. We want to make sure everyone gets through the day without getting hurt. If golf carts remain undamaged, that’s even better. Finally, the last goal is to ensure that the people who work so hard to keep the golf course in great condition won’t have to deal with any serious damage because of your mistakes.
Keep the Speed Reasonable
Most golf carts have max speeds of around 15 mph. Some courses will have the carts a little slower due to hills and inclines that make high speed dangerous. However, many golf course
communities have golf cart owners who add some modifications to their carts to increase speeds to 20mph or more. Even if your golf cart is fast, ease up on the speed.
Slow play has nothing to do with golfers who drive their cart at a reasonable speed and stay on the designated path.
If It’s Cart Path Only- Obey It
Golf courses will periodically put rules in place, like cart path only on Par 3’s. In addition, after a storm, you may notice that golf carts are only allowed on the path.
Some golfers get away from the clubhouse and start venturing from the designated cart path.
Don’t do that; you want the course to be ready the next time you go to play, so take care of it.
Use The 90-degree Cart Rule
The 90-degree rule helps keep the course in great condition so the fairways don’t experience additional damage. Enter the fairway at a 90-degree angle, go to your golf ball, and then exit the fairway on a straight line. The idea here is that you won’t be making tracks and patterns all over the fairway.
Let’s just be realistic here: not everyone will enter the fairway, hit one shot, and exit the fairway.
Although the 90 degree cart rule is good etiquette, it doesn’t always work.
Two Carts Per Golf Group
Even if you and all your playing partners have your golf cart, only take two carts when you head out to play.
The amount of wear and tear that the course undergoes is doubled when you send four carts out in a single group.
Use The Brake When You Park
I know it’s fun to fly up next to the green, hop out, get yourself almost that running head start up to the birdie putt.
Don’t do this.
It’s a good idea to put the parking brake on when you are parking the cart at tee boxes and greens. The chance of the cart rolling and hurting someone or getting damaged is actually higher than you think. Golf carts have better parking brakes than they have had in years; all you need to do is use them!
Watch The Sharp Turns and Corners
I’ve seen a golf cart flip over, and it’s not a pretty sight. I worked at a country club in South Florida, and an elderly man (with a lead foot) went out for a round of golf with a friend. They came back after about three holes with a damaged cart, some nasty bruises and scrapes, and a newly found respect for that turn from the 3rd green to the 4th tee box.
Golf carts can flip.
Follow the golf cart rules, use common sense, and be especially careful in the parking lot to ensure you don’t lose control and flip the cart.
Avoid The Deep Puddles
When you see a deep puddle in front of you, it’s not a challenge to run through it with the cart.
Avoid all wet areas on the golf course and even on the cart paths. When you can’t see what you are driving through, you can do serious damage to the cart and even hurt yourself.
Those tire tracks on the fairway from a golfer who couldn’t respect these golf cart etiquette concepts could take weeks to heal. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my drive landing in a tire tread mark because someone couldn’t be smart about their golf car.
Don’t Get Anywhere Near the Green
Most golf carts have markers around the green where they tell you to head back to the cart path. It’s good golf cart etiquette to always follow these signs. I know your ball may just be three or four feet ahead of the market, but this is not a rule to mess with.
Check the local rules at every course you play, and make sure you know where you can and can’t take the cart.
Greens are sacred in golf. I don’t even like when golfers get their push cart too close. Be smart about how you use any type of cart (walking cart or driving cart) when you get close to the greens.
Share The Path
Maybe this is one of those unspoken rules, but I will go ahead and say it.
When you are on the cart path and approaching other golfers, maintenance crew, golf course staff, etc., move to the side to let them through. Share the cart path in your golf course community as well. Most paths are not wide enough for two carts to fit simultaneously. However, if everyone gives just a little, it’s possible to have a more friendly interaction out on the course.
Stay Alert and Aware of Grassy Mounds
This golf cart etiquette tip is more about protecting your golf bag and golf clubs than anything else.
You may damage your golf clubs when you hit a grassy mound or bump in the fairway with too much speed. Golf carts don’t handle this type of terrain all that well. Pay attention and look ahead when you are driving.
Using cell phones while driving a golf cart is dangerous. You have seen the guy riding along the edge of the water hazards, talking to his boss, and inputting his score for the last hole all at the same time.
From my personal experience with helping people pull carts out of ponds, I can tell you this never ends well.
Don’t Let The Kids Drive
I know it sounds so fun for kids to get a chance to drive the cart. When the game of golf gets a little boring, the kids will be much more interested when they have a chance to drive the cart.
Don’t do this.
Everyone that drives a golf cart needs a valid driver’s license. People think that golf carts are not nearly as dangerous as other modes of transportation. However, golf carts can still cause quite a bit of injury and even death if they are not used correctly.
Don’t make anyone have to approach you about a young person driving a cart; just be smart and save golf cart driving for licensed drivers.
Final Thoughts
Golf cart etiquette is important for new golfers or those who just need the reminder. If you can follow and even remotely understand the rules of golf, you can absolutely learn how to safely and smartly operate a golf cart. Stay on your side of the cart path, be kind to fellow members, and make intelligent decisions that would make your golf course superintendent (and your Mom) proud!
