How to Buy the Best Golf Cart Batteries

Power - by Joe Weber - updated on 2/9/2024

It's time. Time to get your spring golf cart prep and maintenance checked off and make sure your golf carts are ready for golf season. The battery is the heart of your golf cart. Whether it's used on the course or for tooling around the neighborhood, if your battery is bad, your cart is useless.

If yours is on its way out, or it dies, you can kiss that next birdie goodbye as you walk back to the clubhouse or you could be left stranded and have to walk back home from the grocery store.

New batteries are costly, follow these tips to ensure you get the best, most reliable battery for your golf cart so you can spend more time out on the course and less time in maintenance mode.

Start with the Basics

First things first, what make and model of golf cart do you have? Your golf cart model will determine the voltage, group size, and how many batteries you need for the system. You can find all of this information in the golf cart's owner's manual or by searching your make and model on our golf battery page.

Depending on the BCI Group Size of your batteries, you could have several capacity options to provide longer run times for your golf cart. The amp-hour (AH) rating corresponds to how long the battery will run between charges. The higher the AH rating, the longer the runtime.

Which Chemistry is Right For You?

You really only see two chemistries of batteries for your golf cart, lead acid and lithium.

Lead Acid

Tried and true, the lead acid battery has been around for over a century, has gone through real-world tests repeatedly and has proven several times over to be a great battery.

There are two types of lead-acid batteries available for golf applications: flooded and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM).

Flooded

Flooded batteries provide long life, reliability and often the best return on investment. They do require ventilation and require routine maintenance. Flooded batteries are still the most common golf cart battery around and are sought after for their proven reliability and lower cost.

Some benefits of flooded batteries include:

• Wide range of capacity and voltage options to meet specific power needs
• High performance at partial state of charge
• Low operating cost for power output
• Multi-fit terminals for easy installation

AGM

Absorbed Glass Mat batteries offer greater reliability and safety over flooded batteries while being completely maintenance-free.

Some additional benefits of AGM batteries include:

• Maintenance-free - Spend less time caring for your batteries and more time on the course.
• Longer lifespan - Longer life means more time in between new battery purchases, saving you money.
• Charge faster - Charges up to 5X faster than flooded lead-acid batteries so you can spend more time doing what you love.
• Spillproof - Mount AGM batteries in any orientation (not inverted) without spilling electrolyte fluid.
• Better cold and heat resistance - AGM batteries are more resistant to those cold spring mornings and the blistering summer heat.
• More durable - Thanks to AGM batteries using thicker lead plates and not having loose electrolyte, they are much more durable and resistant to vibrations.

Lithium

Newer to the golf scene are lithium batteries. Lithium batteries provide many improvements over lead-acid batteries although they do have a slightly higher initial cost.

• Twice the power - Who can say no to more power? Lithium batteries have the highest density around, providing more power in a smaller, lighter package.
• ¼ the weight - Less weight = more power to the wheels. Using lithium batteries, you could save hundreds of pounds on your golf cart.
• Super fast charging - Fully charges in under 4 hours vs. 8-10 with lead-acid batteries.
• Up to 4X longer life - Replace batteries less often with lithium. Lithium batteries last up to 4 times longer than their lead-acid counterparts.
• Safe and maintenance-free - Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are the safest form of lithium around. Coupled with an advanced battery management system, these batteries are the safest and most intelligent batteries available.

There are special considerations when it comes to charging lithium golf cart batteries. You'll need to set up the charging system appropriately for lithium and there may be some voltage regulation needed for any accessories attached to the cart to function.

Research the Brand

Batteries generally all look alike, just from looking at "Battery A" vs "Battery B" vs "Battery C", you can't really get much other than what's on the label. Take your time to research available brands. Which one has great research and development? Which has the best warranties? Which one uses the best materials? Does one brand have better performance than another? These are all things you won't see just by looking at the batteries on the shelf but are easily answered with quick web searching.

Embrace your inner detective and see what you can discover.

Here at Batteries Plus we proudly stand behind popular brands like Duracell Ultra and in our stores, Trojan Lithium.

Don't Forget About the Charger

Using the appropriate charger can make a world of difference in the longevity of your batteries. Whichever battery you choose, you must use a charger that is designed for that battery's chemistry.

Different chemistries have different charging requirements and not using a charger designed for your specific battery design could be costly. The trusted experts at Batteries Plus can help you find the best charger for your golf cart batteries.

Recycle Your Old Batteries

When you purchase new batteries for your personal or fleet golf cart you will need to do something with the old ones. Lead-acid batteries, no matter where you get them, come with a core fee when you purchase them, encouraging you to return the old ones to get your core deposit back.

Not only will you get your deposit back when you return your old batteries, but Batteries Plus will also take them and work with our recycling partner to ensure they are recycled properly to minimize the environmental impact batteries can have when improperly disposed of. Take a quick peek at our Recycling page to see just how much we can recycle at our local stores.

Don't Forget the Accessories For Golf Cart Maintenance

You may find that traditional flooded lead-acid batteries are the best for you. Make maintenance easy with Flow-rite watering systems. If you maintain a fleet of golf carts or just one, these systems can reduce your watering time to a fraction of the time it normally takes. They are a must-have accessory for golf cart maintenance.

Stop into your local Batteries Plus or shop online today to see all we have to offer for your golf cart battery needs and don't forget to check out our blog "How Do You Maintain a Golf Cart?" to see several great additions to your arsenal of tools and accessories.