I'm a member at my local 18 hole course. Carts don't come with membership. It's either spend 30 bucks a round or lease one for 770 a year. It makes sense for me to buy one.Hmmm, that is a tough choice. I am a member at one of the local courses so I get the carts for free, and the other course I just rent it. After figuring in maintenance costs etc, it was cheaper that way. I had looked in to buying and I just couldn't justify the cost at all.
That being said, if you are going around to different courses and aren't a member at any of them, I guess that would make buying a little more appealing.
Let us know what you end up doing. I have always been curious about how long those batteries actually last.