In Australia, a golf buggy can be two very different things: a ride-on vehicle you sit in and drive, or a trolley that carries your bag while you walk. That’s why a search for “golf buggy” turns up $200 push trolleys and $20,000 carts side by side. This guide explains which is which, what each costs and which one you need.
What is a golf buggy in Australia?
“Golf buggy” is an umbrella word here. Australians use it for ride-on golf carts and for push, pull and electric trolleys, and only the context tells you which is meant.
A “ride-on buggy” or a buggy “with seats for two” is a golf cart. A “push buggy”, “3-wheel buggy” or “remote control buggy” is a trolley. If a listing doesn’t say, look at the price: trolleys cost hundreds to a few thousand dollars, and ride-on buggies cost thousands to tens of thousands.
What is a golf cart?
A golf cart is a small ride-on vehicle, electric or petrol, built to carry two to six people plus golf bags or cargo. In Australia “golf cart” and “ride-on golf buggy” mean the same vehicle.
Beyond the course, golf carts work on farms and acreage, in resorts and caravan parks and in retirement villages. New ride-on carts in our range start at $4,350, with most four-seaters closer to $15,000.
What is a golf trolley (or push buggy)?
A golf trolley is a wheeled frame that carries one golf bag while you walk the course. You push it, pull it, or let an electric motor drive it.
They come in three main types:
- Push or pull trolleys (often called push buggies or walking carts). Usually 3-wheel or 4-wheel and fold flat for the car boot.
- Electric or motorised trolleys. A battery-driven motor does the pushing. You still walk.
- Remote-control trolleys. Electric trolleys that follow a handheld remote, so you can walk hands-free.
Golf retailers often list electric trolleys as “motorised buggies”. Drummond Golf’s motorised golf buggies range, for example, is made up of PowaKaddy and MGI electric trolleys priced from $1,099 to $2,762.
How do golf buggies, golf carts and trolleys compare?
The short version: you ride a golf cart, and you walk with a trolley. “Golf buggy” can mean either, so check which one a listing is selling.
| Ride-on golf buggy / golf cart | Electric (motorised) trolley | Push or pull trolley | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do you ride it? | Yes, 2–6 seats | No, you walk | No, you walk |
| Power | Electric (lead-acid or lithium) or petrol | Battery-driven motor | You |
| Carries | People, bags, cargo | One golf bag | One golf bag |
| Typical price (AUD) | From $4,350 new in our range | $1,099–$2,762 at Drummond Golf | The cheapest of the three |
| Licence or rego | Only for road use, which depends on your state | No | No |
| Where it’s used | Course, estate, farm, resort, village | Golf course | Golf course |
What does “electric golf buggy” mean?
Usually an electric trolley. Most Australian searches for “electric golf buggy” or “motorised golf buggy” are people looking for a battery trolley to walk the course with.
If you want an electric buggy you can sit in, you’re after an electric golf cart. We stock electric golf carts and lithium golf carts. For the battery side, read lithium vs lead-acid golf cart batteries and how far an electric golf cart goes on a charge.
Which one do you actually need?
If you play golf on foot and want to save your back, buy a trolley. If you need to carry people, cover ground or move gear around a property, buy a ride-on golf buggy.
A few quick tests:
- One golfer, walking 18 holes: push trolley, or an electric trolley if hills wear you out.
- Two golfers who’d rather ride: a 2-seat golf cart.
- A family, an estate, a farm or guests: a 4-seater or 6-seater. Our seat-count guide helps you choose.
- Rough ground, hills or towing: a petrol or lifted cart.
From our side of the counter: buyers are drawn to newer, more affordable carts, and lithium batteries have been in high demand. If you’re riding rather than walking, a new lithium golf cart gives you all three, with prices in our range starting at $4,350. If you only walk the course, a trolley does the job for far less.
Do you need a licence for a golf buggy?
Not for a trolley, and not for a ride-on golf buggy used on private land or a course. Taking a ride-on cart onto a public road brings in state rules on licences, registration and where it can go.
We cover it in detail in can you drive a golf cart on the road in Australia?, golf cart road rules by state and do you need a licence to drive a golf cart?
Looking for a ride-on golf buggy? Browse golf buggies for sale. Every new buggy comes with a three-year warranty and freight-insured delivery Australia-wide. Or tell us what you need and we’ll recommend one within one business day.
Frequently asked questions
Is a golf buggy the same as a golf cart?
Sometimes. A ride-on golf buggy is a golf cart. But Australians also call push and electric trolleys “golf buggies”, and those are not carts.
Is a golf trolley the same as a golf buggy?
Often, yes. “Push buggy” and “golf trolley” usually mean the same thing: a wheeled frame that carries your bag while you walk.
What is a motorised golf buggy?
In most Australian shops, an electric trolley that drives itself along while you walk. A motorised buggy you sit in is an electric or petrol golf cart.
How much does a ride-on golf buggy cost?
New ride-on buggies in our range start at $4,350. Most four-seaters sit around $15,000, and six-seaters around $22,500. See current prices.