Golfers who walk are a funny bunch.
They're a tight-knit fraternity who loathe riding in golf carts and probably act a bit snobbish toward those who do. But there are also three warring factions within golf's walking kingdom: those who carry, those who push/pull and those who splurge on electronic trolleys with remote controls. (I'm not counting the fourth estate: Pros who walk with caddies, although you can do that more and more on the world's most famous courses).
Each of these three types of walker battles a stereotype. The carriers are the elitists who frown upon the others because they're working the hardest, the pushers/pullers are too lazy to carry and the electronic trolley golfers are just rich, old golfers looking to show off. None of this is true, of course; how you choose to walk is purely personal choice.
I've always thought of how a golfer chooses to walk as an age and fitness thing. When you're young, you hoof it and carry anything. As your back gets a little balky and the dad-bod kicks in, it's probably time for a lighter-weight Sunday carry bag and fewer clubs. Me? I skipped both those stages and went straight for the pull/push cart. Those were useful for two decades. Now, fully embroiled in the mid-life crisis realization that my golf game is in decline, I've upgraded to the remote-controlled electronic trolley. It's a great toy that makes golf more fun.
What stage of the walking golfer life-cycle are you in? Let's look at the pros and cons of all of them.
Carrying your own golf bag
When I started playing golf in the mid-1990s, carrying your golf bag wasn't all that fun. Most golf bags were bulky and the straps always seemed to be out of place or uncomfortable. Today's golfer is so spoiled. There are so many choices now.
A handful of companies - Jones Sports Co., MacKenzie Golf, Stitch and Seamus Golf - have perfected the lightweight 'Sunday' carry bag. The downside for going this route is the lack of stand legs, limited room for clubs and small pocket spaces. Golfers who want a more traditional (although slightly heavier) stand bag can choose between established brands such as Ping, Titleist and Sun Mountain or an up-and-comer like MNML Golf, which produces a lightweight bag infused with cool features like a speaker and lined pocket that keeps drinks cold.
Carriers: you need to realize, first and foremost, that you're not any stronger, fitter or better than any other walking golfer. Even though you're lugging extra weight around, you're not necessarily getting more exercise than the other two groups, according to a recent study by Graeme Close, a professor of Human Physiology at Liverpool John Moores University. Close found that the difference in energy expended between carrying a bag, pushing a cart or driving a remote control trolley was negligible.
Walking with a push or pull cart
Breaking my back at age 13 pretty much ruined my chances of ever carrying my golf bag. That's okay because the push cart mafia has gained more acceptance over the years as golf continues its march toward being more casual. I started my walking career with a cheap pull cart - you know the one, those $100 fold-up models with two wheels at a sporting goods store. They do the job but they're not glamorous.
As your age and income (hopefully) go up, it's wise to invest in a dependable push cart. They've got three wheels instead of two, so they're more stable and easier to push up hills than to pull. I've tested three different models in recent years - the Sun Mountain V1R Speed Cart, Bag Boy Nitron and Omada Golf TriLite. They all cost less than $300 and easily fold up to transport from course to course in the trunk of your car. Accessories such as cellphone, drink and umbrella holders make the walking life pretty comfortable. I've got nothing bad to say about going this fairly economical route.
Splurging on an electric trolley
As I've mentioned in recent reviews of the Batcaddy and Q Follow by Stewart Golf, I'm all in on modern walking technology. Once you get the taste of the good life, it's almost impossible to go back.
I'm in the middle of testing my first Motocaddy, and it's also quite the exotic machine. The Motocaddy M7 REMOTE features a GPS screen to make getting yardages easier than ever.
Buying an electronic trolley isn't cheap - costing roughly $750 for the most affordable Batcaddy to $2,500 for a high-end Q Follow. Like the other items in the story, though, you probably have to factor in what you're saving in cart fees into the equation. Plus, there's the hassle of making sure the batteries for your remote control and your trolley are charged at all times.
The reward for these minor issues is a better overall walking experience. You can go look for your ball or your partner's ball without worrying about where your trolley is. You can always summon it with the remote control.
The follow technology brought to market by Stewart Golf in 2014 is pretty incredible. You truly feel like you've got your own caddie walking behind you, ready to hand over a club when you're ready to hit. You'll attract plenty of jealous onlookers, too.
Just like regular push carts, these trolleys fold up easily after the round to be transported.
I have one friend in my foursome who loves his Batcaddy and another who wants no part of worrying about potentially driving an electric trolley into a bunker or ditch. He's perfectly happy with his manual push cart.
Golf has always been a deeply personal game, from how you swing to what equipment you use. Walking the course is no different ... to each his own.
What kind of walking golfer are you? Let us know in the comments below.
Definitely push cart mafia. I'll book a lot of the "Hot Deals" but tell them I'm good with walking even though it includes the price of the cart and will occasionally get some funny looks. If I'm traveling where I flew with my clubs and the course doesn't have good push carts, I'll carry over riding if I can. Recently moved from a 3-wheel to 4-wheel push cart and definitely recommend as it's an even easier push.
I "graduated" to an electric cart late last year after pushing a manual cart for a few years. That was better than carrying, which I used to do when I was younger but I recently joined a club with a fairly hilly course and decided to research the electric cart options. I really liked my push cart (had storage, a cooler, range finder holder and swivel front wheel) so I decided on going with a conversion kit (the Alphard V2 worked with my existing cart and was only $800). I couldn't be happier. I walk 18 just about every golfable day, and I sometimes walk an additional 9 because I'm more refreshed than before. I recently did a stress test for my heart and I crushed it - walking is good for your longevity and golf game - I'm less tired on the last few holes that my playing partners/opponents who carry/push and quite a few matches are decided on those holes.
CANNOT BELIEVE you did not even mention the very inexpensive Alphard V2 electric wheels which for about $700-800 can convert most push carts into electric wheels controllable with remote, or for additional $ a wireless follow (front, left, right, or behind) function. I’m a fan and my unit, added to a ClicGear which I already owned, has performed flawlessly for 2 years. Luckily my club stores my cart in the cart shed and every 27-36 holes I take the easily removable lithium battery off and recharge at home, although many quckly disconnect the V2, fold up their cart per usual and travel with it from course to course. My home course is extremely hilly and this godsend has allowed me to continue to walk rather than cart ride.
I have been walking and carrying for more than 50 years and, in my opinion, the best way to play golf. I guess i’m just old fashioned but it’s the way I love playing golf.