The 10 Best Upgrades For Your Cart | Accessory Must-Haves for 2022

What used to only be seen on the greens of the golf course, golf carts have evolved to become a truly versatile vehicle. You can now use them on golf courses, vacation resorts, hunting grounds, or just about any place you can think of.  

With so many uses, adding or updating your golf cart with the proper accessories can go a long way in increasing the functionality of your cart.  

For example, if you use your cart to transport family and friends, adding a rear seat is a great investment. If the cart is used primarily for yard work or maintenance, adding some storage space for additional cargo would be very beneficial.  

The options are truly limitless. With that being said, here are the 10 accessories that we think get you the most bang for your buck.

 

1. Wheels and Tires

Golf cart wheels and tires are an extremely vital component to your buggy. Not only can they spiff up your cart, but having tires that are specific to your most traversed terrain can guarantee a smoother ride. 

If you primarily drive on pavement or on the golf course, heavy duty off-road tires can guarantee a loud ride and torn up greens.  

If you take your cart on the trails or use it on the farm, street/turf tires are going to get you stuck in no time.

That’s why thinking through where you most often use your cart can be a helpful exercise before making your purchase.

Not only is the application important to think through, but so is thinking through how you want your cart to look.

Golf cart wheels have come a long way from the standard, bland OEM ones that come on your cart. There are now multiple styles, sizes and color options for you to choose from (like our GCS™ Colorway™ wheels… just sayin’).

What colors are currently on your cart and will the wheel color match? How much of your wheel well do you want to be filled up by wheels and tires? When you look at your cart, do you want to notice more wheel or more tire? These are all important questions to ask yourself!

*Pro-Tip: It is important to look at the overall height of whatever combo you are looking to purchase. Depending on the size of the combo and your cart’s make and model you may need to install a lift kit. Most reputable sellers will provide you with that information. For reference, EZGO has the largest wheel well in the industry and can fit the widest range of wheels and tires without needing a lift kit. Club Car and Yamaha have similar wheel well size and will typically start needing a lift kit once the overall height is over 18”.

 For our EZGO family, check out our article covering the 7 Best Accessories for EZGO Golf Carts!

2. Rear Flip Seats

If you want to great increase the usability and value of your golf cart, then adding a rear seat is a great move.

The standard type of rear seat for golf carts are what are called flip seats. As the name implies, these have a moveable tray that flips back and forth.

Keep the tray closed and you have an extra row of seats for your family and friends. Flip the tray open and you now have a cargo bed for hauling extra cargo.

Installation of rear seats is pretty straightforward but will require a little bit of elbow grease. If you cart still has the factory attachments you will have to remove the golf bag holder attachments and small cargo cage to allow for the installation of all the mounting hardware.

Most rear seats will also come with the option to add additional accessories like a grab bar, seat belts, additional diamond plating and more so you can customize to your needs!

*Pro Tip: Seats will often be sold with two different metal options- steel or aluminum. Steel is a stronger metal and will often have better strength than aluminum BUT… steel rusts. Aluminum is weaker and won’t be as strong BUT… aluminum doesn’t rust. You will have to think through your application and climate when making that decision.

 

3. Light Kits

Driving your cart at night without lights is not only scary, but can be downright dangerous!

If you are using your cart at times of low visibility then adding lights to your cart is a no brainer. On top of that, if you are planning on making your cart street legal, then having properly functioning lights is a necessity.

Light kits are usually sold in two different types: Basic and Deluxe.

Basic light kits supply headlights, tail lights, and running lights and a wiring harness. When engaged the lights will illuminate but the lights are not provisioned for turn signals, brake lights or a horn. They are primarily for the cart owner who needs functioning lights without the bells and whistles. 

Deluxe kits are an upgraded light kit for those individuals who are looking to transform their carts into a fully functioning transport vehicle. Deluxe kits are provisioned for headlights, tail lights, turn signals, brake lights, and a horn. These are typically the type of light kits that are required for golf carts to be street legal.

Installing your light kit will require a few things. You will most often be required to cut into your cart’s fiberglass body to install the lights. After that, you will run the wiring harness, connect your lights and components together, connect to power you are good to go!

*Pro Tip #1: If given the option of LED or halogen lights- we recommend LED. There are two main reasons for this. First, LED lights typically have a wider range and brighter contrast. You can usually see farther and more clearly with LED’s. Second, LED lights also draw significantly less power than your standard halogen light, about a 1/3 less. This means you will have a lot less draw on your batteries and will be able to drive farther when using your lights.

*Pro Tip #2: Golf cart lights typically operate on 12 volts of power. This means depending on your battery set up you may have to purchase a voltage reducer. However, our FlexVolt™ lights operate on 12-48 volts without the need for a voltage reducer. Yes we know… it’s awesome.

*Check with your local Department of Transportation for specific street legal requirements.*

4. Windshields

On top of adding comfort, safety, and style to your cart, a windshield is another necessary component if you want to make your cart street legal. 

What makes golf cart windshields unique is they are most often sold as fold down windshields. That means in the middle of the windshield is a folding crease to allow you to adjust when your windshield is open or closed. 

Want to feel the wind flow your hair? Fold it down!

Is it raining and cold? Fold the windshield up to get protected from the elements.

The standard windshield is made from acrylic which is a plastic material that provides exceptional strength and optical clarity. Acrylic has a good balance stiffness and flexibility to help alleviate easy forms of breakage.

Windshields are one of the easiest accessories to install. They will usually come with sleeves that attach to the front roof supports, a few nuts and bolts and then you are ready to go!

                  

 

5. Mirrors

Golf cart mirrors are relatively low in cost and allow for a quick and easy install. 

This aftermarket accessory increases road awareness and safety for you and your passengers or anything else you may be hauling. 

The most common golf cart mirrors are rear view mirrors and side view mirrors. As with everything, there are degrees of quality when it comes to mirrors.

If you want to find standard automotive style mirrors, your options will be endless and thankfully pretty cheap!

However, if you want upgraded versions there are full length rear view mirrors with 5 panels along with side-view mirrors with built in LED indicators (like ours!)

6. Storage Solutions

Golf carts rarely offer efficient storage to carry your things safely. You have the built in golf cart bag holder but outside of golf clubs, that isn’t very efficient.

The good news is that there are now many different storage solutions available to golf cart owners!

For hauling larger, bulkier items you can look into something like the Cargo Caddie. This large plastic container provides rigid sidewalls for a lightweight but strong storage solution.

For smaller items that you just need to get out of the way you have options such as under seat storage trays or dash kits.

These items provide a more concealed storage solution for those items that aren’t necessarily large but are best not left out in the open.

Lastly, if you want to go really heavy duty, you can purchase something like a utility box. This is typically a large, aluminum cargo bed made for hauling heavy items or materials. Keep in mind this type of storage solution will require you to attach it to your cart with mounting hardware so this will not be able to be quickly taken on or off.

    

7. Front Seats

Ok we get it, a front seat is technically not a golf cart accessory. However, few things can negatively impact your ride experience quite like an uncomfortable front seat.

Does it feel like you are sitting straight on the wood base when you go over bumps? Yeah it’s probably time to replace your front seat.

Out of all the parts on your cart, front seats tend to experience some of the most wear-and-tear.

With riders constantly standing up and sitting down, accompanied by the fact that a lot of golf carts get left outside, it’s not hard to imagine why that would be the case.

 When replacing your front seat, you will find you have many options with varying degrees of quality. If you want simply replace your current front seat with something that looks the same, you have that option.

If, however, you want to take you front seat to the next level, there are customized front seats that you can purchase.

You can choose your color patterns to match your cart for the perfect look. On top of that, you will typically have upgraded cushion feel with a larger cushion diameter for a more bucket seat look and feel.

If however, your cushions are in good shape but you just need to replace the vinyl, there is always the option to just purchase replacement covers. Keep in mind, you will need to install these yourselves and it is recommended that you have a pneumatic stapler for proper installation.

*Pro Tip: When looking to purchase a front seat there are a few things you should look for. First are the reviews. What do people say about the craftsmanship of the seats? Do people complain about stitching coming apart? These are good indicators of a low quality seat. The second thing to look at are the materials. Is the seat base made of wood or high quality HDPE plastic? Is the vinyl marine grade and able to withstand the elements. If you cart is outside, you definitely want to make sure you know the answers to those questions.

             

8. Speakers

Celebrate your hole-in-one with some victory music! Actually, don’t do that. That’s bad golf etiquette. Wait until you get home and then celebrate your hole-in-one!  

When it comes to adding a sound system or speakers to your cart you have a wide range of options that come with varying degrees of install difficulty.

On the one hand you can install actual sound systems that will require cutting into your cart to mount speakers and other necessary components. This is a big job and should only be done by professionals.

The other option is to purchase a speaker. This allows you to connect your phone (typically through bluetooth) so you can still rock out without having to go through a difficult install process.

These speakers will oftentimes have mounting hardware options available so you can still secure your speaker to your cart.

When purchasing a speaker for your cart you will need to know the specifications of the speaker to know what kind of weather you can use the speaker in.

For example, what is the speaker’s IP rating? This is the rating that tells you how protected the speaker is from dust, water, and other unwanted elements. 

You will also want to know the power source of the speaker. Does it require a direct connect to power or does it use a re-chargeable battery?

These are just a few questions you should ask yourself to help guide you in purchasing the best speaker for your needs.

If you want to have a lot more fun on your cart, adding a speaker is a great step!

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9. Floor Mats

It’s not uncommon to track dirt, mud, and other debris into your golf cart, especially if you use it for groundskeeping or gardening transport. 

A removable mat provides a barrier between dirt and the factory surface underneath, so you can keep your cart clean.

Although the floor mat is typically a completely negligible piece of the cart, it can quickly turn into a safety issue if not take care of.

Luckily, floor mats have evolved to be more than just a piece of rubber. 

Golf cart mats now come with unique features such as water channels, upgraded rubber compounds for enhanced grip and slip protection, and unique color trim to perfectly marry form and function.

If you are concerned at all about safety and want to make sure you and your passengers have minimal risk, you should definitely consider purchasing a new floor mat.

             

 

10. Battery Chargers & Meters

If you have ever gone to drive your cart and come out to find a dead battery, you know how frustrating that is.

There are few things on a golf cart that are more important than your batteries so when it comes to buying a charger, you want to invest in quality. 

When it comes to purchasing a battery charger here a few things you should look out for.

First, does the charger offer some sort of intelligent charge capability? Batteries require different charge rates depending on their current charge level and having a charger send max charge at all time can do some real damage to your batteries.

Similar to speakers, you will also want to know the IP rating of your charger. A high quality charger should have a decent IP rating so to be able to withstand the elements. We all know water and electricity don’t mix so if the charger can’t handle a little bit of water- don’t buy it!

             

 

Well that’s it! Our list of the golf cart accessories that we think add the best value to your cart.  Whether you own a Club Car, EZGO, or Yamahacart, these accessories are sure to upgrade your golf cart! This is by no means an exhaustive list and there are plenty of other things that you can add to your cart.

Keep in mind, quality matters. No matter where you shop, make sure the place you buy from sells quality parts and has a customer service team ready to assist.

If you have any questions regarding these accessories, please don’t hesitate to contact us!