he majority of golf carts driven today use a 6-volt golf cart battery, which is why most online searches for golf cart batteries tend to take you straight to 6v options. Of course, as any golf cart owner familiar with using a 6-volt battery knows, there are reasons why people want to find another option. Not only do 6-volt golf cart batteries tend to run out of juice pretty quickly, but they can also be lackluster when it comes to power and other performance needs.

There are plenty of choices when it comes to finding the best golf cart battery for your needs. Knowing which battery is right for you depends a lot on your current cart, your budget, and what you actually use (or want to use) your golf cart for. There are also, of course, some less-than-optimal options for your golf cart battery. In a pinch, you might be tempted to use a marine battery, but while it will likely work for a short period of time, it will shorten the amount of time you can go without a charge and potentially hurt other components in your cart in the long run. No matter how many times your neighbor tells you to use a regular car battery in your golf cart, don’t — out of all of the golf cart battery options out there, a car battery is one of the worst, especially when it comes to longevity.

Your golf cart is not a boat or a car — so don’t treat it like one.