Are Disc Golf Carts Worth It?

“Do you need a cart to play disc golf?”
“Are disc golf carts worth it?”

I get these questions regularly at SDG. From people who have never played a round and from people who’ve been playing for years. This week in the blog I hope to be able to finally answer some common questions you may have.

We’re finally able to ship disc golf carts!!! It used to be very cost prohibitive and difficult to do, so we always left it to the companies who made them. Now we’ve got a supply of carts and boxes ready. Along with a new shipping app to calculate the cost at checkout.

So this week the blog is what cart will work for you (if any).

Let me start by saying carts are not for everyone, but some players seem to take them everywhere. If people didn’t like them, we wouldn’t see them out on the course. Let’s take a look at some reasons to buy one. There may be more, but these are the most common reasons I hear from players who are looking at purchasing a cart.

1. Picking up your bag 60+ times a round is tough on your shoulders and back.
2. You’ve got more than just discs to carry.
3. You want a place to sit sometimes during the round.
4. Carrying capacity increases for discs.

If you feel that none of these apply to you then you probably aren’t in the market for a cart. To some people carts are a necessity to play disc golf due to injury or need to sit down. What I like about this sport is that it takes all kinds.

What’s the price range on carts?
We sell a bunch of different carts here at Sabattus Disc Golf. The lowest price is $190, and the most expensive is up there at $350. It kind of depends on what you need. The 190 dollar cart is the Zuca EZ cart. It has virtually no frills. It holds a couple of water bottles and your bag. If you get the 350 dollar Zuca All Terrain cart you get a built in seat, side pockets, and a bag built in.

What carts do you offer at Sabattus Disc Golf?

• Züca EZ Cart- $189 This is a cart for if you already have a nice bag. It’s raised for convenience but doesn’t come with a seat. Very easy setup and very reasonably priced.
• Züca Compact Cart- $239 A small cart perfect for holding a single row of discs. A seat that holds 300 pounds, and it’s very easy to maneuver. Seat is very low.
• Rovic RV1D Cart- $249 This is a cart to hang your nice bag on. It’s a push cart rather than a pull. Good if you have a bag already, doesn’t come with a seat but can be attached.
• Züca Backpack LG Cart- $269 Good if you already have a nice bag. It comes with a high seat so not much bending and cupholders. It holds most large bags as well.
• Züca All Terrain Cart- $349 This is the I need a bag and a cart combo. It has the most carrying capacity, a high seat, and is super customizable.

How heavy are the carts and are they easy to set up and break down?
The carts are pretty lightweight for being made of metal. The heaviest cart is about 15 pounds by itself. However you’re going to add weight with discs, water, and the sweatshirt you bring just in case.

The actual first setup can be done by us in the shop if you come here to pick it up. If you’re getting it shipped it takes about 10 minutes the first time as you set it up. All you need is a Phillips-Head screwdriver and the Allen wrench that comes with the cart. I’ve set up dozens if not hundreds of carts in the last couple years. Anyone can do it.

*Bonus tip!* When you are putting the cart together one of your axle heads comes off the axle. After you’ve got it back on make sure your tires spin freely, then tighten the axle head with the Allen Wrench. Too many people tell me they forget this step and lose an axle head on the course.

To break your cart down for transport it only takes about 5 seconds to remove the handle so you can fit it in your backseat/trunk.

What items are available for a cart, to upgrade it?
If you’re looking at Zuca brand cart accessories we have rain flys, seat covers, umbrella holders, extra drink holders, putter pouches, there’s so many different ways to add things to these carts. You can get pretty much anything you want to make this cart personalized.

Will I actually use my disc golf cart?
I can’t answer this one for you. It’s kind of up to you if you like it. I know that typically who I see using a cart is players over the age of 35. If you play with a 20 pound bag you’ll be picking it up 60 times and that’s lifting 1200 extra pounds while you’re playing a round of disc golf. We work hard at SDG to make the paths on our courses cart friendly. It’s easy enough to keep in your car and just pop out at the course.

Can I use a disc golf cart in winter?
Yes you totally can. It’s not going to be an everyday choice. It’s better when the snow is crusty and not too deep.

What’s the durability like on carts?
A great question! The carts we sell at Sabattus Disc Golf are high quality ones. Chris and I put them together ourselves so we know that they’re well made. It’s likely that you’ll need to replace the tires a few times in the lifetime of the cart. Everything else is made of solid metal and meant to be durable. The wheels are a hard foam with rubber coating. It used to be air pump wheels, but those don’t do well in the cold and they were much too bouncy when fully inflated.

What are the drawbacks to carts?
There are no cheap carts and you’re going to want accessories. A cart is a similar investment to a big bag. However, I see that people who don’t like carts are able to flip them fairly easily. So you shouldn’t feel locked in.
Carts don’t do well on every course. If you’re playing somewhere with lots of steep shots you have to roll that up the hill. So it’s always good to have a little backup bag.

So to answer the question of “Are disc golf carts worth it?”
Yes. Don’t just grab whatever cart you see is the least expensive, or whatever your buddy has. Think about if you already have a bag, if you’re looking for one that has a seat, if you need to carry a certain number of discs. Carts are a big investment in your hobby, if you have any questions you can always ask me in the pro shop. Carts and cart companies exist because people like their product and use them every day. You might be one of them soon.

May your discs miss all the trees,
Andrew Streeter #70397