Let’s discuss cart fees.

Fight the power and walk the course!

Carts is how courses make money.

The old park style courses were all built to walk. Not so much the neighborhood courses now.

I still walk, but our back 9 is brutal.

I miss the old munis I used to play with the 2 tee adjacent to the 1 green and so forth

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No

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If they are not making money on carts, how much do they need to mark up the price?

Not many courses can afford to lose money on cart rentals.

They don’t lose money on it. But it’s not some money maker either. You’re paying for the lease. Most clubs don’t own their carts; they continuously lease new carts every 3-4 years. Longer for Brec; shorter for private. Pelican is in that 3 year range and the carts are above base model.

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Longer for Brec

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Definitely obvious at Webb.. was there a couple weeks ago for a golf match and all they had was gas carts.. gas cart might be the most annoying ever on a course

I can find out but my guess in order of biggest money makers:

Big events (weddings, parties, etc)
Golf Events (varies, but the big ones tend to do well)
Food/beverage (might be more than golf events over an entire year.)
Pro shop

Dues, fees, and miscellaneous just keep the place running.

AI:

The cost to lease a fleet of approximately 70 golf carts can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the type of golf carts (e.g., standard, luxury, gas-powered, or electric), the lease term (e.g., 12 months, 36 months, or longer), the leasing company, location, and any additional services like maintenance or repairs included in the agreement. While I don’t have access to real-time pricing specific to March 17, 2025, I can provide a general estimate based on available industry insights and trends.
For a fleet of this size, leasing is typically structured as either an operating lease (short-term, flexible, with the option to return the carts) or a capital lease (longer-term, often with a buyout option, such as $1 at the end). Golf courses, resorts, and large facilities commonly lease fleets, and costs are often quoted on a per-cart basis or as a total monthly payment.

Estimated Costs

• Per Cart Monthly Cost: Industry data suggests that leasing a single golf cart can range from $75 to $150 per month, depending on the model and terms. For a standard electric golf cart (e.g., Club Car Tempo or EZ-GO TXT), the lower end (~$75–$100) is more typical, while premium or utility models might push costs toward $120–$150.

• Fleet Total Monthly Cost: For 70 carts, this translates to a range of approximately $5,250 to $10,500 per month ($75 × 70 to $150 × 70). Discounts for larger fleets or multi-year leases could reduce this, potentially bringing the cost closer to $4,500–$7,000 per month.

• Annual Cost: Over a year, this would equate to roughly $54,000 to $126,000, though seasonal payment options or shorter terms could adjust this figure.

• Additional Fees: Initial payments (e.g., first month’s lease plus fees), delivery charges, insurance, and maintenance (if not included) could add 5–15% to the total cost. Some leases include service and repairs, which can stabilize expenses but may increase the monthly rate slightly.
Real-World Examples

• In 2019, the City of Marysville, Michigan, leased 60 new EZ-GO electric golf carts for 52 months at a total cost of $224,625, or about $4,320 per month (~$72 per cart). Adjusted for inflation and a slightly larger fleet of 70 carts, a similar deal in 2025 might range from $5,000 to $6,000 per month.

• Commercial leasing companies like Advantage Golf Cars advertise flexible terms, with operating leases starting as low as 12 months and capital leases offering $1 buyouts, suggesting monthly costs for a fleet could be tailored to budgets as low as $4,500 or as high as $10,000+ depending on customization and services.

Factors to Consider

• Lease Term: Shorter terms (e.g., 12 months) typically have higher monthly payments than longer terms (e.g., 48–60 months).

• Cart Type: Electric carts are generally cheaper to operate but may have similar lease costs to gas-powered ones, depending on demand and fuel considerations.

• Negotiation: Bulk leasing for 70 carts often comes with discounts or incentives, especially if bundled with maintenance packages.

• Location: Costs may be higher in urban or tourist-heavy areas compared to rural regions.

Recommendation

For a precise figure, contacting a golf cart leasing provider like Club Car, EZ-GO, or a regional dealer (e.g., Advantage Golf Cars) with your specific needs—70 carts, intended use (e.g., golf course, resort, industrial), and preferred lease duration—would yield a tailored quote. As a ballpark estimate for 2025, expect a monthly cost of $5,000 to $8,000 for a fleet of 70 standard electric golf carts on a multi-year lease with basic maintenance included. For a more detailed breakdown or to explore options, I can search for current leasing offers if you’d like! Would you like me to do that?

Thanks. That seems to be what AI has to say. And it also says the fee is intended to make money for the club. At what rate simply depends based on rate of play, location, etc. Based on the number of rounds at Pelican though, they seem to be using it for some major profit to their club. They got 18k rounds in 2025. I’m guessing that’s both courses though.

I don’t even charge cart fees. They are baked into green fee because our course is almost impossible to walk without drastically slowing down play. Heavy elevation changes.

Up north, so today was the first day of carts. It was so nice last week when everybody was walking. There was zero waiting. Today I was walking and waiting on carts in front of me and had carts behind me rolling up on me. So annoying.

It was a nice 70* day, get out and walk

5-8 inches of snow forecasted Wednesday. Hopefully the course gets wet again and it's back to walkers only for a while.