Mark Twain once said, “Golf is a good walk spoiled.” Perhaps he would have felt differently about the game if he had had his own powered golf cart to zip him along the golf course. In Twain’s day, golf courses were typically built on compact parcels of land, and they were often less than 6,000 yards long. Today’s golf courses are much different; with courses that sprawl over hundreds of acres (often weaving in and out of rows of homes), and course lengths that are approaching 8,000 yards in some cases. If Twain had been asked to describe the modern game he might have been more apt to say golf is “a really, really long walk.”

With golf courses becoming increasingly difficult to walk, and with many courses insisting that golfers rent a powered golf cart, it is no wonder that more and more golfers are purchasing their own golf carts. This is particularly true in golf course communities where members often live near their home course. Owning your own golf cart not only allows you to avoid the recurring charges of golf cart rental fees (although some clubs charge a trail access fee for those using their own golf carts), it also allows golfers to personalize their golf transportation to suit their tastes and needs. Various color schemes, heaters, air conditions, refrigerators, and even radio and television options are available to customize your golf cart. Luxury golf carts are very popular, and a quick search on the Internet can lead you to dealers who specialize in golf carts that have more features than many full size automobiles.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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