The Top Golf Cart Alternatives

As golf courses continue to open after the pandemic of COVID-19, many courses are preferring golfers to ride solo.  Traditional golf carts haven’t changed much in 50 years and we have compiled a list of the top new golf cart alternatives for you today.  

Let’s take a look at the top 10 options for single rider “golf carts”.

Golf Board:

The golfboard experience is similar to surfing, snowboarding or skateboarding all in one, that’s why it’s no surprise that the company was co-founded by legendary Surfer Laird Hamilton.  Having personally been on a golfboard, I can confidently say that this board changes the golfing experience.  With over 300 courses now offering GolfBoard rentals, and hundreds of thousands of GolfBoarding rounds played, the GolfBoard has a proven ability to attract new players and energize the sport. 

The proprietary 4 wheel Posi-Traction feature provides solid climbing ability even on the steepest hills while simultaneously reducing turf wear.  The GolfBoard is primarily controlled using a one-touch thumb throttle which allows the user to smoothly accelerate and decelerate.  Ease of use and safety is optimized by an on-board computer that monitors speed, and controls braking.  The rider simply releases the thumb throttle, and the board immediately decelerates and comes to a complete stop. 

The GolfBoard is the only board available with a proprietary “Spring Deck” technology which utilizes flexible spring plates. This Spring Deck technology gives the GolfBoard amazing suspension and flex providing an extremely smooth ride.  

The battery capacity Provides sufficient power to easily complete 18-holes on a single charge.  The GolfBoard’s battery also allows for fast recharging times between rounds. After going 18 holes, most GolfBoards can be recharged and back on the course for another 18-holes in two hours or less.  The premium product comes with a premium price tag as you can pick one up for around $7,000!  

Ellwee:


In 2017 the Ellwee was Founded by Viggo Hansson and Mathias Lindmark, who before Ellwee were online entrepreneurs.  ELLWEE is based in Sweden, and shares the same city with SAAB Automobiles headquarters. They coin themselves as the future of electric powered transportation and aim to become a market leader in lightweight electric vehicles. The vehicle comes in 4 colors, and starts at around $5,000.  Ellwee delivers a versatile, agile, and fun to driving  experience. It has reimagined scooters and utility vehicles and has been developed to hold anything you desire through modular components such as coolers, roofs, two bag caddy and storage attachments.  The Max speed: 20 mph, with a Range of about 60 miles, and a Charge Time of 8 hours.  Ellwee doesn’t rely on big, high-powered petrol driven engines instead they use an energy efficient 1500 W brushless motor. You can charge it conveniently at any wall socket.  We love the modern four wheel aesthetic to this vehicle and looks like something Elon Musk would create if he was a golfer.  

Finn Scooters:

What do you get when you cross a moped with a golf cart?  You get a 2-wheeled, electric golf experience that is thrilling, simple, and efficient.  The Finn Scooter was invented by Rick Reimers who also currently runs the company as the CEO.  The scooter comes in 7 colors, and carries your golf clubs between your legs when riding.  Positioning the golf clubs in the center of the bike promotes incredible maneuverability, and stability.  The company claims you can average about 7.5 minutes per hole, or 18 holes in just over 2 hours.  The Finn Scooter has state of the art technology behind it.  They have a patented internally-geared hub that allows for more torque to climb up any hills or slopes you may encounter on or off the course.  The battery system is meant to provide 600-1000 charging cycles where it will last 18 holes on each charging cycle.  They also have a motorcycle grade suspension for a premium riding experience.  The scooter runs around $3,500 and is well worth the price tag if you can swing it! 

Gohemian Turf Cruiser:

The Gohemian turf cruiser offers a bit of exercise with your golf game.  Think of the Turf Cruiser as a kind of crossover vehicle that pairs the physicality and independence of walking with the comfort of riding in a standard golf cart.The hybrid vehicle offers a 750 Watt electric assist feature which has 3 settings:  Low, Medium, and High to tailor the level of exercise you would like.  There are times when you want to play golf without distractions. Riding solo on the Turf Cruiser, you can stay focused on your game.  The Turf Cruiser is said to decrease your time of play by 30-45 minutes.  The bike has a top speed of 13 MPH, and weighs around 190 Lbs.  The Gohemian lets players with busy schedules get exercise while they golf, so they don’t have to choose between hitting the links or the gym.   After many years of playing contact sports, Chris Allen, Gohemian’s founder, discovered golf, and soon became passionate about the game, playing every weekend and squeezing a round in, whenever he could, after work.  Because he had a back injury, Chris took a cart instead of walking. All was well and good except there often wasn’t enough time to get in a full round, especially during the week. For Chris, having to stop at 15 or 16 holes because there wasn’t enough time was frustrating.  So he started researching and soon had his answer: an electric-assist vehicle. Unfortunately, these aren’t for sale for personal use as they are just getting started, but they are expanding the number of courses that offer the turf cruisers instead of traditional carts.

Golf Skate Caddy:  

Similar to the golfboard, the Golf Skate Caddy allows you to ride standing up, but a main difference here is the option to ride seated also.  The company just released the 2020 version of the Golf Skate Caddy V3.  Despite only being officially launched at the PGA’s 2014 Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, golfers and clubs around the globe have been clamouring to get their feet on the totally unique Golf Skate Caddy ever since the first prototypes were released and word quickly spread.  The Golf Skate Caddy is gentler on the course, quieter than a traditional golf cart, more decadently decked out than most cars, while staying simple to operate.   Some of the features include:  A Full color control screen, 5V Waterproof Dual USB ports, Storage for balls/tees/sand divot replacer bucket, quick release seat, high-wind resistant umbrella, drink holder, and cooler.  The Golf Skate Caddy charges fully in about 2-3 hours, and will last 18 holes on a single charge.  The Auto engaging park break allows the vehicle to stay put on hills or slopes.  The Golf skate caddy will run you about $5,000, but if you golf a lot, we consider the pricetag well worth it.  

Caruca: 

Put on Kickstarter in 2016 by creator Josh Hein, the Caruca was able to raise the initial $20,000 to put the vehicle in production.  Combining sleek modern design and a comfortable ride, the Caruca is a great new approach to the single rider cart.  With a wheelbase specifically engineered for stability and a low, centralized weight distribution, Caruca offers riders a safe, single-rider option. The top speed of 10 MPH, and while the vehicle is lacking a bit in power, but does provide the option to stand or sit which is nice for riders of all ages.  The Caruca can last for up to two rounds on a single charge.  The vehicle is extremely easy to drive and less of a learning curve means a wider range of golfers can hop on and go without needing to sign any waivers or watching informational videos.  The price during their kickstarter campaign was $3,700 and it still is in this price range today.  

Phat Scooters:

Founded by Dan Hankins, Beau Ralphs, and Peter Johnson around 2017 in Arizona.  The Phat Scooters are remarkably easy to ride and handle, allowing even the most motorcycle-averse to  have a safe experience on the golf course while your bag rests comfortably behind your seat.  Pat Perez of the PGA Tour said that “it feels like riding a couch”.  The electric Phat Golf scooters are built to speed up the pace of play all while ensuring a fun and exciting game for players.  The 2020 electric golf scooter comes fully loaded with a golf bag rack, cooler, divot bottle, non-damaging kickstand, removable battery, and more!   The battery offers up to 3 rounds with a single charge.  The wide tires for easy balance and traction, the heavy duty suspension for a luxurious ride, and the extreme low maintenance are just a few of the reasons we love the Phat Golf Scooters. The Phat Golf Scooter can be purchased or leased, with a cost starting at $3,495 when purchasing.

Fairway Rider:  

The G3 Rider foldable single seat golf buggy is a great solution for getting you around the golf course. The G3 Rider offers you the ultimate combination of power, performance and stability. It’s swift acceleration, responsive steering and robust suspension means you can get around the course quickly and comfortably.  The G3 Rider electric cart provides you with enough efficiency to get through 36 holes on a single charge.  A foldable Golf Buggy design for easy storage, offers a 2-speed drive with reverse,  as well as Front and rear shock absorbers.  The ultra-wide tires give you superb grip around the course and the 1000w motor means this cart can deal with hilly terrain easily.  The Fairway rider will cost  you around $2800 to start.  

Fat Tire Scooter

Founded by Kurt Budday in 2017, the Fat Tire Golf Scooter company offers 3 models, with two of those offerings being of the 2-wheeled options.  The golf bag sits perfectly behind as you ride on the scooter.  With hand accelerator and brakes, you will find the ride very easy and simple to get used to.  The Fat Tire Golf Scooter includes:  Heavy duty golf bag holder, Sand bottle for divot repair, removable cooler, a drink holder, tee holder, and LED headlight.  All of their golf scooters can be “locked” at approximately 15 mph for course safety. Individual purchasers can unlock that feature for up to 25 mph.  The Lithium Ion Battery life will last you up to 2 rounds on a single charge and takes about 6 hours to fully charge.  The Fat Tire Golf Scooter is very “turf friendly”, with large tires and very light weight, it is less damaging than a traditional golf cart.  The pricing starts at $3,400 for the least expensive model and goes up from there.  

Southbound Golfie:  

If you prefer to get a little more exercise while you play golf, then the Golfie is a perfect alternative.   A light and versatile electric golf bicycle built from the ground up to play golf in style. The Golfie allows you to choose your desired degree of fitness ,from 0 (no assist) to 5 (full assist), and complete 18 holes in just over 2 hours.

This multi-functional e-bike features many golf-specific accessories, for example, wide turf-friendly tires, extended mudguards, a kickstand with an oversized foot and the patented, design-registered golf bag holder which firmly holds any size golf bag in a perfectly balanced position. Its quick-release attachment system allows for multiple placements that unclip in seconds for easy transportation or alternate use as a commuter.  The 500W motor and the 48V lithium battery offers plenty of power to help you climb inclines with ease and ranges up to 40 miles on a single charge.  The Golfie runs about $2,000 and will ship from South Africa.  


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