Golf has rules. Lots of them. The USGA publishes a book. Your local course has a sign by the first tee. Your playing partner has opinions he shares freely whether you asked or not.
But there's a whole separate set of rules that nobody writes down. The ones governing the 4,000-pound electric vehicle you're sharing with another human for four-plus hours. The golf cart has its own code of conduct, and if you violate it, people will judge you silently and never say a word.
Until now.
Rule 1: The Driver Drives
Whoever sits in the driver's seat on the first hole is the driver for the entire round. This is not a democracy. This is not a rotating shift. You picked your side at the start, and you're committed.
If the driver parks in a weird spot, you walk the extra 15 yards. You do not passive-aggressively suggest a better location. You do not reach for the steering wheel. You sit there. You trust the process.
The only exception: if the driver has consumed enough beverages that their steering becomes genuinely hazardous. At that point, a polite coup is acceptable. But it should be handled with the delicacy of a hostage negotiation.
Rule 2: Cart Path Only Means Cart Path Only
When the sign says "Cart Path Only" or the GPS screen shows that angry red boundary, you stay on the path. You do not nudge the cart "just a little" onto the fairway because your ball is right there. You do not argue that it "looks dry enough."
The grounds crew maintains those courses. They set cart rules for a reason. And the marshal will find you. He has binoculars. He has a radio. He has the energy of a man who peaked as a hall monitor in 1978 and never let go.
The 90-degree rule: When carts are allowed on the fairway, you drive on the path to a point perpendicular to your ball, then cut across at 90 degrees. Not 45 degrees. Not "close enough." Ninety. Degrees.
Rule 3: Don't Drive Through Someone's Line
This is the big one. When you're near the green, your cart should be parked to the side — ideally between the green and the next tee. Never drive behind the green while someone is putting. Never park where someone is about to chip from.
And for the love of everything sacred, do not drive your cart on or near the putting green itself. Ever. I've seen it happen. I've lost sleep over it.
Rule 4: Take Your Clubs to the Ball
When you get near the green, grab your putter and a wedge (or two) before you park. Don't walk to the green, assess your chip, then walk back to the cart to get the right club, then walk back to the ball. This is the number one pace-of-play killer with carts, and it drives the group behind you to madness.
The pro move: Grab your putter, your sand wedge, and your gap wedge every time you're within 50 yards. You'll have whatever you need without a return trip.
Rule 5: The Music Question
This is a generational divide. Younger golfers treat the cart Bluetooth speaker like a constitutional right. Older golfers view course music with the same contempt they reserve for cargo shorts at a steakhouse.
The actual rule: Music is fine at a low volume if everyone in your group is on board and you can't hear it from 50 yards away. If you're playing Metallica loud enough for the adjacent fairway to hear your playlist, you've made an enemy of every golfer within earshot.
Ask your group first. Keep it low. And if the course has a policy, follow it. This is a rare case where asking permission actually matters.
Rule 6: Park Smart at the Green
When you approach the green, park the cart on the side closest to the next tee. This way, when you finish putting, you walk forward to your cart — not backward. It saves time, keeps the flow moving, and prevents the awkward moment where you have to drive your cart past the group already teeing off behind you.
This is such a simple thing, and almost nobody does it. Be the person who does it.
Rule 7: Don't Be a Brake Jockey
The electric cart makes a sound when you brake hard. Everyone on the green hears it. If you're approaching a green where someone is putting, coast to a stop well before you're close enough for the brake noise to be a factor.
Same goes for the parking brake. That metallic clunk carries. Set it gently. Or just leave the cart in a flat spot and don't bother with the brake.
Rule 8: Share the Cooler Space
The cart has a small cooler area (or a spot where a cooler fits). If you're sharing a cart, you're sharing that space. Don't bring a full-size Yeti and expect your cart partner to balance their water bottle on their lap for 18 holes.
Standard protocol: Each person brings what fits in their half of the available space. If you want to bring a six-pack plus snacks plus a sandwich, bring a cart of your own.
Rule 9: The Passenger Has Responsibilities
Being the passenger is not a vacation. You have a job:
- Hold the flag when your partner is chipping near the green
- Spot their ball when they hit into trouble
- Keep an eye on the time and pace of play
- Navigate when the cart path splits
- Manage the scorecard if nobody's using an app
The passenger is co-pilot, not cargo.
Rule 10: The Return
When the round is over, return the cart to the designated area with your trash removed, your empties disposed of, and the cart reasonably clean. If you spilled beer on the seat, wipe it. If the floor mat is covered in grass, shake it out.
You're borrowing someone's equipment for four hours. Leave it better than you found it. This isn't a rule — it's character.
The Golden Rule of Cart Etiquette
All of this boils down to one thing: be aware that you're sharing a golf course with other people. The cart is a tool, not a toy. Drive it like an adult. Park it with purpose. And remember that the goal is golf, not go-kart racing.
Although — and this stays between us — that downhill stretch from 16 to 17 is definitely a little fun at full speed.
Drive responsibly. Putt aggressively.