Carrying golf bags for hours around a golf course – especially when you’re playing on hilly courses – can put a lot of stress on your arm, back, and knees, thus making it difficult to put together a string of decent stroke plays.
If you’ve ever walked around an 18 or 36-holes golf course, I’m sure you can relate to what I’m saying.
Luckily for all golfers, the days of carrying heavy golf bags are over.
Electric golf trolleys have come to save the day.
As you may already know, electric golf trolleys are cart-like machines, which are used by golfers to ease the stress of moving clubs and other items up and down the course.
Keep reading to find out what you need to consider when buying one.
1. Battery strength
The first and the most important factor to consider when buying an electric golf trolley is the battery power.
This factor is important because battery life and strength determine how far a trolley can go before shutting down.
When examining the battery strength of an electric golf trolley, some of the questions to ask include:
- How long does the battery last before it needs to be recharged?
A good electric golf trolley should have a battery that lasts at least 6 rounds before a top-up is required.
- How long does it take to be recharged?
A good electric golf trolley battery shouldn’t take more than 8 to 12 hours to be fully charged.
- Is the battery strong enough to get you around the course?
A good electric golf trolley battery should be strong enough to go round a course – be it an 18-holes course or a 36-holes course.
- What’s its lifespan?
A good electric golf trolley battery should have a lifespan of at least 5 years.
- What are the materials/chemicals used in producing the battery?
Generally speaking, electric golf trolley batteries come in lead-acid or lithium form. The cheaper option is the lead-acid battery. But, as you may have already suspected, they don’t last as long as their lithium counterparts.
2. Control
Different kinds of electric golf trolleys have different control systems.
The choice you make depends on how you want to control your machine.
At the lowest level of the range, you have the models with the basic on/off pre-set buttons.
At the mid-level of the range, you have the “speed-dial” controlled trolleys.
And at the top level of the range, you have the hi-tech trolleys, which are often remote-controlled.
Additionally, there are some with braking systems, which are specially designed for hilly courses.
3. Size of the trolley
A trolley‘s size doesn’t really matter on the course, seeing as the machine is always pre-programmed to do its job. So, whether heavy or light, small or big, a golf trolley will always do what is expected of it on the course.
However, it’s important to consider size when choosing a golf trolley because of the ease of conveyance.
Remember you’ll have to carry the trolley to the course. So, you need to be sure you’re buying an electric golf trolley that can fit easily into your car. There are different sizes, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that will fit in your car’s back seat area or in your car’s boot.
Some trolleys are collapsible and foldable. But what this means is that you’ll have to do a lot of assemblages each time you get to the course. If you’re choosing this type, be sure to find out whether the brand you’re buying is easy to assemble or not.
4. Accessories
Gone are the days when golf trolleys were used for strictly transporting items.
Nowadays, these machines serve a far greater purpose.
For example, electric golf trolleys, these days, come with accessories like:
- On-screen GPS for navigating courses
- A remote-controlled system, so you don’t have to worry about being in control of the trolley at all times.
- USB ports for connecting with smartphones and also for charging your phones.
- Umbrellas for shielding players from rain, sun, or any harsh weather condition.
- Pedometers for distance measuring
- Scorecard for keeping track of performance
- Phone holders for phone safekeeping
- Etc.
When you’re buying an electric golf trolley, ensure you look out for these kinds of accessories or any other one you feel will improve your trolley’s functionality.
5. Materials
Electric golf trolleys usually come in three material variants, which are Aluminum, Titanium, and Steel.
As you may have guessed, each material variant has its own downsides and upsides. I’ll point each one out, and you can decide which is best for you.
Aluminum: Upsides
- They are extremely lightweight, which means you won’t even feel anything in your hands when handling them.
- Thanks to the lightness of their weights, they easily glide around the course.
On the downside:
- They have a soft finish, which gives them a tendency to dent easily.
- Not so durable like the other two materials
Titanium: Upsides
- Also lightweight, but stronger than aluminum, which means better durability.
On the downside:
- Titanium-made trolleys are amongst the costliest in the electric golf trolley market.
Steel: Upside
- The strongest and most durable option.
On the downside:
- They are the heaviest, which means they feel heavy in the hand when handling them. You can improve that by mounting them on stable wheels, though.
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