Peachtree City: Where golf carts outnumber cars and drive the future of family transportation

Peachtree City: Where golf carts outnumber cars

Golf carts are increasingly popular for family transportation, with Peachtree City leading the trend as they become a primary mode of private transportation. Advances in technology, such as Apple CarPlay and lithium-ion batteries, are enhancing golf carts, making them a viable low-emissions transportation option.

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - National Golf Cart Day was a big deal here in Georgia where the three major American manufacturers are located and where metro Atlanta’s Peachtree City reigns as "the golf cart capital of the world," with some saying there are more carts than cars.

What they're saying:

So, where better to celebrate? At Golf Rider, a dealership, they say your average customer is no longer just a golfer looking to carry clubs, its moms and dads looking to haul their kids.

The usage of golf carts has changed," said Lee Woodruff, GM of Golf Rider in Peachtree City. "It used to be the guy going to the golf course, going to play a round of golf. Now, it’s families and children driving to school, especially here in Peachtree City, recreational family use, so it’s actually private transportation now."

We hit the famous paths here with Peachtree City Mayor Kim Learnard behind the wheel of her cart and asked if they are getting interest in other cities who want something similar to the more than 100 miles of cart paths.

"We’ve had interest from a lot of cities and in the couple of years that I’ve been mayor, we’ve had interest from a lot of publications. We’ve been featured in Bloomberg News, New York Times, Slate Magazine and a number of other publications. I think there is a resurgence. People are taking another look at golf carts and golf cart infrastructures as an alternative low emissions transportation venue," Learnard said.

Big picture view:

And it’s not just Peachtree City, more communities across the country are now allowing street legal carts to operate on roadways or paths, if they have them.

Back at Golf Rider, they say changes in technology too are driving sales these days. Golf carts now come with Apple Car Play and backup cameras, seat belts and other safety devices built in. Lithium battery technology has extended the range between charges.

By the numbers:

Georgia is home to the three leading American manufacturers of golf carts and its multi-billion dollar industry. E-Z-Go and Club Car are built in Augusta and Yamaha is built here in metro Atlanta in Newnan.

In 2024, the U.S. market size was estimated at $2.07 billion, and it's expected to continue expanding, driven by increasing demand with the expansion of more golf courses and cart-centric communities as evolving trends.

"It’s in rural communities. It's in lake communities. It’s in neighborhoods," Anthony Kritz, E-Z-GO Southeast Regional Sales Manager. "You see in Peachtree City, the golf cart capital of the world. You can go everywhere here. So it's just changing exponentially."

Not in the market but interested in jumping in: Let’s say you are not in the market for a new golf cart. You can actually rent a cart for a day and explore the 100 miles of paths here in Peachtree City.