Golf Cart Etiquette: Safe Driving and Proper Parking

You'd think driving a golf cart would be the easy part of golf. And honestly, it is — until you drive through a wet area and leave ruts, park in the wrong spot and slow down everyone behind you, or get waved at by a marshal for driving somewhere you shouldn't.

Here's the crash course (pun intended) on cart etiquette.

Always off-limits

Usually fine

• Cart paths (always safe)
• Fairways (unless "cart path only" is in effect)
• Rough areas (unless marked otherwise)

Courses use different cart policies depending on weather, season, and course conditions.

Cart path only

When the course posts "cart path only" signs, you must keep the cart on the paved path at all times. This usually happens when:

• Recent rain has softened the fairways
• The course has been recently aerated
• Seasonal conditions make the turf vulnerable

Yes, this means walking to your ball, hitting your shot, and walking back to the cart. Bring several clubs with you to avoid multiple trips.

The 90-degree rule

This is the most common cart policy for normal conditions:

The goal is to minimize the amount of time the cart spends on grass while still being convenient. Don't drive diagonally across the fairway — straight lines to and from the path.

Scatter (open) cart rules

On dry days with firm turf, some courses allow you to drive anywhere on the fairway. Even then:

• Avoid driving in the same tracks repeatedly (spreads out the wear)
• Stay out of wet or soft areas
• Never drive between a greenside bunker and the green

This is the single most impactful cart habit for pace of play.

Park your cart past the green, on the side closest to the next tee. Not beside the green. Not behind the green. Ahead of it, toward where you're going next.

Here's why: after everyone finishes putting, you walk directly to your cart and head to the next hole. If the cart is behind the green, the whole group walks backward while the group behind waits to hit their approach shots.

Golf carts aren't toys, even though they're fun to drive. Injuries happen more often than you'd think.

Alcohol and carts

Many courses serve alcohol, and yes, people drive carts after drinking. Some jurisdictions treat golf carts as vehicles, meaning DUI laws apply. Beyond legality, tipsy driving on hilly terrain with open sides and no seatbelts is genuinely dangerous.

Use common sense. If you've had a few drinks, let your playing partner drive.

Most carts seat two people. When sharing:

• Drop your partner at their ball before going to yours (or vice versa)
• Bring extra clubs when walking to your ball so you don't need to return to the cart for a different club
• Don't drive away while your partner is swinging — vibration and noise are distracting
• Take turns driving if one person prefers to drive

• Don't litter. Toss trash in bins on the course or at the turn.
• Return the cart to the designated area after your round with your scorecard and any personal items removed.
• Report problems — if the cart is driving oddly, making strange noises, or has low battery, tell the pro shop. They'll swap it out.
• Sand bottles — many carts have a sand-and-seed bottle. Use it to fill your divots on the fairway.

Golf cart etiquette is straightforward: follow the course's cart rules (path only, 90-degree, or scatter), stay off greens and tee boxes, park ahead of the green toward the next tee, and drive safely. These habits protect the course, speed up play, and keep everyone safe. Master them and you'll never get a side-eye from a course marshal.

Cart policies and guidelines reflect standard practices across US golf courses. Safety recommendations are consistent with guidance from the National Golf Foundation and course management organizations.