Golf carts are a common sight along the Grand strand these days, and not just on the area’s many golf courses. Permanent residents and visitors alike can be seen buzzing about in golf carts, headed to the beach, to dinner, to the grocery store, or for a spin around the neighborhood to see what’s going on. Golf carts are perfectly suited to the slower lifestyle found at Myrtle Beach and along the Grand Strand. Not only do golf carts save gas, they’re also a good excuse to breathe the salty air – even if it’s for just a quick trip to the ice cream parlor or the grocery store.

The first motorized golf carts appeared in Myrtle Beach in 1951, a post-war product made possible by batteries originally designed to power wing flaps on B-17 bombers. In the seventy years since their debut, those handy self-powered carts have made their ways off the golf course and onto suburban streets, subdivisions, gated communities, and just about any other paved surface.

Visitors and residents alike often use golf carts to go shopping, visit the beach and go to the store. Golf carts are great for loading up the beach towels and cooler for a day trip to the beach or just to pick up some fresh fish from the local seafood market. It’s also a good idea to make sure that all of the paperwork and permits are in place. Golf carts regularly appear on police blotters as inebriated golf cart drivers plow these low-speed vehicles into walls, fences, trees and homes. So it’s wise to use the same good judgment driving a golf cart as driving an automobile.

While many communities allow the golf carts to drive to the beach, most also allow the use of carts to visit grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants.

Many golf cart owners spend more time on the cart than in their car! There are a few communities that do not allow golf carts on the property, so a home buyer interested in owning a golf cart should check with their Trembley Group Real Estate Sales Executive for guidance.

Currently, in areas where golf carts are allowed, they carts are allowed under the following circumstances. Some communities may have more restrictive regulations as well, so check with a sales executive for details on specific areas.

  • Golf carts are still only allowed to be driven during daylight hours.

  • Carts must be licensed and safety outfitted for street travel

  • Obtain a permit and registration from the Department of Motor Vehicles

  • Permit must be replaced every 5 years

  • Drive the cart within 4 miles of the registration address

  • Drive only on a secondary road with a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hours or less

  • May cross a road with a higher than 35 miles per hour posted speed limit

  • Operator must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver's license and have in possession while driving: registration of certificate, proof of liability insurance for the cart and driver's license

Links to Golf Cart Laws & Regulations on the Grand Strand

Myrtle Beach: http://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/golfcarts.html

North Myrtle Beach:  http://www.nmb.us/page.aspx?id=40

Surfside Beach:  http://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/golfcarts.html

Pawleys Island:  http://www.townofpawleysisland.com/golf-cart- restrictions/

Horry County:  http://www.horrycounty.org/AboutOurBeaches.aspx

South Carolina State Laws for Golf Carts: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t56c002.php

South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles:http://www.scdmvonline.com/Vehicle-Owners/Types-Of-Vehicles/Golf-Cart

For more information on golf cart permits: www.scdmvonline.com/DMVNew/forms/GC-2.pdf

A Few Words of Golf Cart Safety

To ensure safe operation of golf carts, the cart should not carry any more passengers than it is designed for.

A golf cart is a vehicle and therefore subject to the same laws that govern the operation of an automobile up on a public street.

Parents or guardians allowing an unlicensed child to operate a golf cart are subject to a fine in excess of $200.00. Golf carts being operated in violation of state law are also subject to being towed at owner’s expense.

Anyone interested in trying a golf cart before making the leap and purchasing one can rent a golf cart at many of the cart rentals along the grand strand. Carts can be rented online and many rental agencies will even deliver.

Looking to rent? Here are a few rental companies that have high-star ratings on Yelp & Trip Advisor:

King of Carts

A-JAX Golf Cart Rentals

Myrtle Beach Golf Cart & Scooter Rentals

For more information contact: Barb Treacy, Sales Executive & Realtor, BTreacy.TheTrembleyGroup.com, 843.957.1330

Need help? Call The Trembley Group at 843.945.1880 ext. 100 and we’ll help you look for the perfect listing or buyers agent!

At The Trembley Group, we pride ourselves on being the experts at more than just selling real estate. We are local residents, some of us have been here for a lifetime. The rest of us will be here until the end of time. We love living, working, and playing in the diverse backyard of Coastal Carolina, and look forward to helping you live and love your dreams soon too. Please reach out to us by phone or email for personalized service and one-on-one advice. 

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Our agents write often to give you the latest insights on owning a home or property in the Myrtle Beach, SC area.