How electric golf trolleys end up in ponds – and how to stop yours

In 2025, 1 in 5 accidental damage claims made through Golf Care involved electric golf trolleys. Damage to your golf equipment can be costly as the average electric golf trolley costs between £500 to £800 brand new, and depending on what you store on your trolley, the overall cost can increase drastically.

For example, the average set of golf clubs can cost you anywhere between £350 and £1,000, and that’s without including any additional kit such as a rangefinder which you may store on your trolley too.

To help you take steps to reduce the risk of damaging your trolley and its contents, we've reviewed our claims data to identify common electric trolley mishaps, along with tips to help look after your golf trolley.

What our claims data revealed:

• 39% of claims made through Golf Care in 2025 were for accidental damage
• 1 in 5 accidental damage claims involved golf trolley accidents

For accidental damage claims involving golf trolleys:

• More than 30% were made due to an electric golf trolley ending up in a body of water
• 20% included claims for smashed or damaged screens
• 1 in 10 claims involved golf trolleys being blown over by the wind
• 1 in 10 claims were a result of damage sustained while loading or unloading the trolley from a car

Why do electric golf trolleys end up in water hazards?

You may assume that electric golf trolleys driving themselves into a pond, stream, or river is unlikely, but 1 in 3 accidental damage claims involving golf trolleys last year mentioned exactly that.

Looking more closely at these claims, three common causes stood out.

Runaway trolleys

42% of claimants reported parking their electric trolley and watching it restart for an unknown reason, or accidentally knocking a button on the trolley which caused it to start, and watching the trolley zip off into the water.

Winds and slopes

Environmental factors come up in 30% of these claims, whether it’s strong winds or parking your trolley on a slope, that then caused the trolley to topple over near a water hazard.

Remote control mishaps

Lastly, some claims were made as a result of dropping the remote, pressing the wrong button on the remote, or the trolley not responding when using the remote control to make it come to a stop, ending in the trolley taking a dip.

What happens when an electric golf trolley goes into water?

Generally speaking, electric golf trolleys are not usually waterproof but may be water-resistant. This means your trolley is suitable for playing golf in the rain, but if your trolley becomes submerged in water, it’s likely to suffer damage.

If your trolley were to end up in a water hazard, this can cause damage to the electrics such as the battery, motor, control box, and screen.

What should I do if my trolley ends up in the water?

If your trolley becomes totally submerged, you must practice caution in pulling it out of the water as a lithium battery when wet can be highly dangerous.

1. If you see sparks, smoke, or bubbles in the water coming from the battery, do not touch the trolley.
2. If it is safe to do so, pull the trolley out of the water as quickly as possible.
3. Do not try to turn the trolley back on.
4. Disconnect the battery straight away to cut the power to the trolley.

How to stop your electric golf trolley ending up in a water hazard

There are several steps you can take to reduce the risk of your electric golf trolley falling into a water hazard. Based on the claims we’ve seen last year, here’s our list:

1. Park your trolley well away from water hazards

   This may be the most obvious, but putting some extra distance between your trolley and any surrounding water hazards may save your kit from getting wet should your trolley malfunction or fall over.

2. Avoid parking your trolley on a slope

   Try to find a flat surface to park your trolley on, or have a fellow golfer keep hold of your trolley while you take your shot.

3. Check your trolley has fully stopped

   Several of last year’s claims mentioned parking their trolley and walking away, only to find it in a pond later. Always check that your trolley has come to a stop before you continue the round.

4. Take care with the remote

   For trolleys that have a remote, make sure you keep the trolley close and avoid remote manoeuvres around water hazards.

5. Don’t attach an umbrella in strong winds

   Attaching an umbrella to your electric trolley could make it more likely for your trolley to be pulled over in strong winds, and was mentioned in multiple golf trolley claims last year.

Specialist golf insurance by Golf Care

Before you head out onto the course to practice, you may want to consider financially protecting yourself and your golf equipment with specialist golf insurance. Get a quote online today.