How to Prepare Your Golf Cart for the Beach

Driving along the beach in a golf cart is very different from driving in town or around a landscaped golf course. Prepping your golf cart before you go helps everyone have a better, safer time on the sand. For more information, visit Ben Nelson Golf and Outdoor Equipment in Madison and Biloxi, Mississippi, serving Mobile, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi.

Appropriate Tires

There are two approaches to prepping your golf cart’s tires for sand. The first is to lower your regular tires’ air pressure. You essentially give yourself four flat tires. They have more contact with the ground, which gives better traction in sand. This puts you at greater risk of a flat and reduces control, however. It may save you a little upfront, but it can cost a lot in the long run.

The other option is simple: by all-terrain tires. They’re more affordable than you may think, and you can get high-end golf cart tires for much less than you’d spend on tires for other vehicles. They help prevent sinking, provide the extra traction you need, and they don’t come with the additional risks you assume when lowering the air pressure.

Powerful Engines

Even with great tires, golf carts need a strong motor to perform well on sand. Unlike hard ground, sand doesn’t allow vehicles to conserve momentum. That means the engine works hard for every inch of ground, and things don’t get easier as it goes along. 

If you want to drive in sandy areas regularly, you’ll need at least a 48-volt engine, though in this case, stronger is always better. A 48-volt engine may be enough for driving along the shore or crossing other flat, sandy spaces. If you want to go over dunes, however, you need an even stronger engine. You may want to consider a gas-powered golf cart. 

Regardless of what kind of sandy terrain you travel, invest in air-fuel filters. Sand will blow in and clog the filter quickly compared to the dirt and dust of a manicured golf course. Clogged air filters reduce your engine’s power and make sandy excursions much more difficult.

Important Accessories

Reliable tires and strong engines give you the tools to move through sand, but it’s also important to protect yourself and make the adventure comfortable. 

Windscreens keep sand out of your eyes as you drive. Depending on where you plan to drive, you may consider full enclosure accessories. Zip-on doors are great for areas with significant seasonal temperature shifts, and actual, metal doors provide great protection from coastal winds. Finally, a locking glove box keeps personal items safe if you plan to step out of your golf cart and into the water.

Is your golf cart beach-ready? We can help you enjoy the coast during any season. To learn more, visit Ben Nelson Golf and Outdoor Equipment in Madison and Biloxi, Mississippi, serving Mobile, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi.