Golf Cart Tires Buying Guide

Golf carts have become extremely versatile since their creation in the mid-20th century. Not only are they used for rapid transport between holes and hauling clubs and gear across the green, they’re also used as a form of transport outside the course, too.

Driving your cart on different types of terrain is going to require a change, however. You’ll likely need to get new tires on your vehicle. Even if you only drive it on the green, you’ll eventually have to replace worn wheels. If you use your cart in a variety of settings, you might even have more than one set that you switch out to account for different terrain.

Your local golf cart dealership is Dever Golf Car Sales here in Kentucky. We’ve provided this buying guide to golf cart tires to help you make an informed decision about what wheels will work for your vehicle.

What Type Of Tread Do You Need?

Not every tread is the same! While you might think tires are fairly similar looking at a glance, there are actually a number of unique styles you can have with different widths, heights and tread depths to help the vehicle move across whatever terrain you’re on.

The standard-issue tires that come on vehicles fresh from the factory will generally be turf tires that are made to handle the golf course. But for those of you who wish to ride on roads or over dirt, you’re going to need to analyze the three styles to determine which one will work best for you.

Turf/Street

This style is the only way to go when it comes to driving across the course. The soft rubber and shallow tread make turf tires ideal for traveling over the grass with ease. If you do a lot of street driving, you may want to get radial tires, which have cord plies in them that are arranged at a 90° angle compared to the direction of travel.

Off-Road

To travel over dirt and mud, you’re going to need something a little more aggressive fitted to your golf cart. That’s where knobby off-roading tires come in. These are more like the tires you might find on a quad or side-by-side, but they’re fitted to golf cart sizes. However, they are a very poor choice for street riding, as they’ll be noisy and the knobs will quickly wear out when driven on pavement. Because they’d tear up the grass, you can’t use this style on the green, either.

All-Terrain

If you’re looking to maximize your driving potential and get the best of all the styles, look for all-terrain tires. Their smooth and shallow tread will suit sidewalks and roads well, while still having enough depth to grip more difficult terrain. Since their tread is so aggressive, this style likely will not work on turf, so you can’t use them on the greens without tearing everything up.

Buying Used Tires

While buying a used vehicle is often a great value, buying used wheels is less so. Tires wear down and can’t be repaired beyond a certain point, so if you get a set that’s already got a lot of miles on it, they may not last you very long. Buying new tires means that you’re the first and only owner so you’ll know exactly how many miles you put on them. New wheels will also last you much longer and perform better with improved fuel efficiency, so even if they’re more costly up front, they actually save you money over time!

Still got questions on what to consider when purchasing new golf cart tires? Visit one of our Kentucky dealerships to talk to our experienced staff, who can help you determine the size and type of tread you’ll need. Dever Golf Car Sales has three locations in Lexington and one in Louisville to serve all our Kentucky customers!