How Long Do Golf Cart Batteries Last? (With tips to extend their lifespan!)

Golf is by no means a sport for the unfit, and with 18-holes that you often need to traverse to finish the course, you can see why you will need some form of fitness to ensure you maintain your consistency.

The golf cart is one of the modern designs that aim to alleviate walking, but how long do golf cart batteries last?

Properly maintained golf cart batteries last about 4 to 6 years, while private owners get about 6 to 10 years out of their golf cart batteries. Other significant factors include the type of options on the cart that may increase the draw from the battery pack.

Furthermore, how long the batteries in your golf cart will last heavily depends on a few factors. However, these can be grouped into one thing; maintenance. Like almost any motor vehicle, maintenance is a crucial part of your golf cart, and you will need to ensure that you keep the batteries in the optimal window when playing.

With so many influential factors that could affect the battery life of your golf cart, we have looked at how private golf carts and fleet cars match up.

We will also look at a few common tips that you can use to make sure the battery in your golf cart will last as long as possible.

If you want to know whether you need a license to drive a golf cart, I encourage you to read this article: Do You Need A License To Drive A Golf Cart? and minimum age to drive a golf cart.

Table of Contents

Which Batteries Do Golf Carts Use?

Unfortunately, golf cart batteries are by no means straightforward, and with the advancement of modern technology, there are a variety of different golf car batteries that you might need to choose from.

Here are the four major battery types you would find in many golf carts:

Flooded Lead Acid Batteries
AGM Lead Acid Batteries
Gel Lead Acid Batteries
Lithium-Ion Batteries

Flooded lead acid batteries tend to be the most common of all the batteries we see used in golf carts. However, the world of battery technology ever advancing, which means more people are using lithium-ion batteries to power their golf carts.

When choosing a battery, most people would opt for the cheaper deep-cycle battery, which would be fine, but it can require plenty of maintenance.

On the other hand, the lithium-ion battery is far more sophisticated and easier to maintain. You don’t need to worry as much about the maintenance of these batteries.

How Long Does The Average Golf Cart Battery Last?

When looking at how long golf cart batteries last, we have to consider the differences between private golf carts and commercial options.

The commercial golf cart is the one you would rent at your golf course. On the other hand, the private golf cart is one you would probably buy, and this will be your private property.

Fleet Golf Carts (Commercial Golf Carts)

The average lifespan of the fleet golf cart would be around 4 to 6 years in total before you need to replace the battery. In terms of playing golf with your cart, many people have suggested that the average golf cart you can rent would give you about 3-rounds of golf at the absolute maximum. Most say about 2-rounds for older carts.

One reason golf carts do not have the same battery life stems from how often they are used. You should note that a commercial golf cart is used almost every day, which means the battery is constantly charged and discharged. Eventually, this will take a toll and could affect the cart’s performance.

Private Golf Carts

On average, you could get between 6 and 10 years of life from the battery of your private golf cart. Some lithium-ion batteries would even give you close to 20 years with proper maintenance. Note that a private golf cart does not have to be used as often.

The most important difference is also that one person will determine how to regulate the battery power of the golf cart and when it needs to be charged.

After speaking to a few of the local golf course’s private golf cart owners, I learned that a private golf cart could give you up to 6-rounds of golf on a single charge.

Bear in mind that the average walking distance for the course is about 2 miles (3.22 km) or slightly more, depending on your route. These golf carts also tend to be much better maintained.

3 Important Factors That Influence Golf Cart Battery Life

Before we delve into a few of the tips that you could use to extend the battery life, we need to look at which factors would reduce the overall battery life.

After using a few golf carts, I have noticed a few things that drastically affect how many rounds you get from a golf cart. Here are some of the most important factors to keep in mind:

1- Maintenance

We have already stressed the first one, and you should be cognizant of how important that maintenance aspect of your golf cart is.

The more you maintain the battery and other components, the more you can weed out things that unnecessarily drain your battery on the cart. You might have additional electrical connections with faults that put plenty of strain on the battery.

The video below shares basic maintenance tips for a consumer golf cart battery.

2- How You Drive Your Golf Cart

Depending on how you drive, it could be another important factor that would influence how long the battery would last.

If you drive erratically and you keep going at excessive speeds, this would influence the power exerted by the battery. Bear in mind that your battery needs to give you more power the fast you go to sustain the speed.

Many of your people might also try to do tricks and stunts with the golf cart. Not only could this be dangerous due to the possibility of crashes, but you are placing more strain on the battery to perform at a certain level.

It is best to make sure you use the golf cart for what it is intended to be used for and not other stunts.

3- Accessories

The final thing that will affect the lifespan of your golf cart battery is the accessories you have mounted on the cart. The more accessories you have which consume power, the few miles you get in range.

Things like massive headlights or even speakers connected to the fusebox might not be a great idea for those trying to get the best battery life from their golf cart.

4 Essential Tips To Improve Golf Cart Battery Life

Now that you know what would reduce or affect the battery life of your golf cart, we must look at a few tips. However, you might already pick up on a few do’s and don’t’s by reading some of the influential factors.

With that in mind, here are a few important tips that could help you when trying to extend the battery life of your golf cart.

1- Make Sure The Golf Cart Is Maintained

The most important thing you could do would be to ensure that you maintain the golf cart effectively. If you can reduce any additional problems that cause the battery to work more than it should, you will extend the long-term battery life and how far you can go with one battery charge.

It is best to look at your golf cart once a week if you drive often and simply do a basic check to see if all the components are in working order and what you could do to improve the efficiency.

2- Reduce Accessories

It might be fun to have big headlights or to connect your cooler to the golf cart, but this does not help you in any way. Having accessories on your golf cart rely on the golf cart battery would significantly reduce the efficiency of the battery, and you will notice that it drains far more rapidly.

The best thing you could have connected is a mobile charger, which does not put as much strain on the battery cells.

3- Drive Slower

Much like your car uses more fuel when you step on the gas, the golf cart will use more battery power if you drive faster.

If you aim to play 3 or more rounds, you should drive at an acceptable rate. Most golf courses might even have a speed limit, which forces you to drive a certain speed or risk being fined.

The main reason for this is not to improve your battery life but to remain safe as well. You must try to remain as safe as possible when riding your golf cart to ensure you don’t tip the cart and to respect the other players.

4- Consider Lithium-Ion

If you still have a deep-cycle battery, you might want to move to the 21^st Century and consider modern lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-Ion golf cart batteries tend to be more expensive, but they have a far better lifespan and should offer you better mileage.

How Do You Know When Your Golf Cart Batteries Are Going Bad?

Generally, when golf cart batteries begin to lose their power, they will take longer to accelerate and might not even reach the speeds you want. You might find it challenging to climb hills. It might be time to switch out your batteries if you’re not getting the power you need when you expect it.

It is better to upgrade your golf cart battery before it lets you down.
If your golf cart is struggling to reach uphill or it takes longer than usual to charge the battery, I suggest you start looking for a new golf cart battery.

You might wonder how much it costs to replace batteries in a golf cart. Generally, replacing your lead-acid or AGM batteries will most likely cost you between $800 and $1,500.

Which Is Better, an Electric Or Gas Golf Cart?

Gas golf carts are generally faster than electric ones, can easily haul heavier loads, and are easier to refill the tank. In addition, with gas-powered golf cart batteries, you can move in less time, and you are more likely to be able to drive them on roads because of the faster speeds they offer.

How Often Do You Water Golf Cart Batteries?

It is generally recommended to refill about once every 30 days and after charging your golf cart batteries. However, depending on your specific situation, it might also vary over several days. When filling the batteries, ensure you add enough water to bring it 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch (0.635 to 0.3175 cm) close to the indicator ring to prevent overfilling.

Wrapping Up

Most golf carts are designed for players to play one or two rounds. When you rent one from your local golf course, you won’t get more than a few miles before it needs to be charged.

However, private owners can use these tips to extend their carts’ range and battery life. Let us know in the comment section how long your golf cart lasts.