The Cart Fee in Golf
The amount a golf course charges for the use of a golf cart varies depending on many factors. As a general rule, cart fees are lower at municipal golf courses and higher at resort or high-end daily fee courses.
The cart fee might be an add-on cost, or it might be built into a golf course's green fee. If it is built into the green fee, then walking rather than riding won't save you any money. The green fee is the green fee, whether a golfer uses a riding cart or not, at places with that policy.
However, if the cart fee is an add-on expense — for example, $40 green fee plus $20 cart fee — then a golfer can save money by walking rather than riding.
When the cart fee is an add-on expense, you can also ask about 9-hole vs. 18-hole fees. Not every course offers a 9-hole fee, but if the one you are playing does you can consider playing only nine holes. Or walking the front nine, then getting a cart for the back nine.
In addition to riding carts, many golf courses also offer rentals of push carts: the golfer walks, but her golf bag rides on the push cart.
At less expensive golf courses, it is common to find cart fees as optional add-ons. At more expensive golf courses, it is common for the green fee to be all-inclusive and cover the use of a riding cart.
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