There comes a time when all golfers reach a certain level (or age) when they contemplate whether it’s worth investing in an electric golf trolley. 

Even though there are some great budget option electric golf trolleys available, they are still a significant investment – money which you could otherwise spend on a new set of clubs! 

In this article, we’ll run through some of the advantages and disadvantages of electric golf trolleys and what you need to consider before deciding whether it’s worth buying one for you. 

Advantages of electric golf trolleys 

Golf is a hard enough sport as it is! And as golfers, we’re willing to try anything that can make our rounds that little bit easier. An electric golf trolley can do just that, so it’s worth considering buying one for some of the reasons below.

Save Energy

The most obvious benefit of an electric golf trolley is the fact it can save you energy!

Whilst golf isn’t the most demanding sport in the world, you’ll still walk 4 – 6 miles per round and put a decent amount of strain on your muscles. In fact, you can burn over 900 calories whilst out on the course. 

If you’re not the fittest person ever and are pushing or carrying your bag, you’re going to notice the round will start to take it out of you by the middle stages of the back nine. A drop in energy levels could affect your swing and your concentration and even cause you to score worse.

Having an electric golf trolley will take off any of the strain of your body and means you can put all your energy into your golf game instead.

Prevent Injuries

Following on from the above, having an electric golf trolley takes away all the strain of carrying a golf bag. In the short term this will save you energy, but in the long term it will also help you prevent any injuries.

If you’re the type of golfer who complains about the state of their back after a round of golf carrying a set of clubs, then it’s definitely worth considering a push or electric golf trolley. 

Electric golf trolleys still need to be taken to and from the course, so as long as you’re careful loading and unloading them into the car, you should help prevent yourself from doing any damage.

Carry more on the course

If you’re not carrying your golf bag, then you don’t have to worry about the weight of it. 

Is there a slight chance it may rain on your round? Well, when carrying your golf bag you may think twice about taking your waterproofs out on the course if you’re not necessarily going to need them. With an electric golf trolley, you don’t need to take any chances.

If you’re using a golf trolley, you’re more likely to have a bigger golf cart bag too which means you can carry more things out on the course with you. 

Now we’re not advocating that you take everything and the kitchen sink out for 18 holes of golf, but using an electric golf trolley and not having to think about the weight of your bag means you can be more prepared. Whether that’s just always keeping your golf umbrella, waterproofs, an extra jumper, spare balls and a spare golf glove in your bag, then you’ll be prepared for whatever the elements throw at you. 

All in all, this can help you score better!

Disadvantages of electric golf trolleys

Whilst there are some clear advantages to your golf game from using an electric golf trolley, there are also a few drawbacks.

The expense

The first thing that makes a lot of golfers carefully consider buying an electric golf trolley is the price. 

There’s no getting away from it, electric golf trolleys are an expensive piece of kit and it’ll likely set you back in the region of £350 – £800 depending on the level of trolley you want. For some people, that’s the same cost as the price of a year’s golf membership. 

Either way, it’s money that could be spent in other areas of your game; a new set of irons, a course of lessons or some new fitted woods. 

Charging and storing electric golf trolleys

Whilst electric golf trolleys provide extra convenience on the course, they can be a bit of an inconvenience off it. 

First, you’ll need to store the trolley somewhere and it’s probably not going to fit in your club locker. If you have a garage then storing your trolley shouldn’t be an issue, but if like me, you live in a city centre flat, it’ll probably be harder to find a place. 

If you don’t have a garage, it can also be a bit of a pain to cart your trolley to and from the car. Electric golf trolleys weigh a fair bit and carrying them up and down stairs (whilst possible) isn’t much fun.

Secondly, you’ll also have to charge the battery before each round. Whilst plugging in the battery isn’t too much effort, remembering to do so the night before your round of golf may be. Last thing you want to do is get to the course only to realise your battery is flat and you’ll have to carry your bag. 

Playing on the course

One thing I love about playing with a golf stand bag is that you can walk anywhere. 

Particularly when you’re playing a new course, it can be useful to walk to the tee with your bag before committing to a club. Likewise, if you’re left with a tricky up and down around the green, taking your golf bag to the ball before deciding how you’ll play the shot can leave you with more options. 

With an electric golf trolley you can’t do that. Most golf clubs will restrict golf trolleys to certain paths around the tees and encourage users to stay away from areas close to the greens.

Of course, you can walk to the tee or to your tricky up and down shot with a number of clubs, but that’s just a faff isn’t it? Plus that’s how you can easily lose clubs. Or end up being that golfer that you see running back to the tee because they realise they’ve left their 3 wood there, slowing the whole course down. 

Whilst electric golf trolleys can help make the round easier in some ways on the course, it’s not all win-win. Think how you enjoy playing golf alongside the below considerations before you commit to buying one.

Should I buy an electric golf trolley?

If still not sure whether you should buy an electric golf trolley, consider these factors below which may help you come to a decision. 

Age

The younger (or fitter) you are, the more able you should be to carry your golf clubs on the course. On the contrary, the older you are, the more acceptable it is to have an electric golf trolley. 

It kind of links into the first couple of advantages of electric golf trolleys in saving your energy and preventing injury which age plays a part in exaggerating. 

If you’re fairly fit and comfortable carrying your clubs on the course, then you really don’t need to consider an electric golf trolley unless you’re playing tournaments frequently and want to help conserve your energy for your game. If you struggle carrying your clubs for 18 holes or have a track record of injuries, then you should more seriously consider investing in an electric golf trolley.

Type of course you play 

If you’re regularly playing a short, flat seaside links, then a golf trolley is going to be less of a necessity for you. However, playing a hilly course regularly is going to make carrying your golf bag more difficult and make a golf trolley more appealing. 

Consider the type (or types) of courses you play. The longer and hillier they are, the more likely you’ll see the benefits from an electric golf trolley. 

Also consider the ground conditions of the course. Some clubs that struggle with the wet ground will introduce trolley bans in winter, so it’s not very much use if you buy an electric golf trolley but can only use it for several months of the year.

Amount of golf you play

I bought my first electric golf trolley at 20 something. Some golfers at the club thought I was too young to have an electric golf trolley and would make remarks that “back in their day” they would be carrying their clubs. 

At the time, I genuinely preferred carrying my clubs, but I bought the trolley as I was regularly playing 4 or 5 rounds a week including regular 36 hole scratch golf competitions around the North West of England.

Waking up at 6am on a Sunday to drive for a couple of hours to then end up exhausted on the back 9 of the second round made the investment in the trolley well worth it and helped me play better. Not just in the 36 hole competitions, but in the following days too. 

Consider how much golf you play. Again, the more you’re playing, the more benefits you’ll see from an electric golf trolley. 

Consider a push trolley

So we’ve run through all of the advantages and disadvantages of buying an electric golf trolley alongside some of the key consideration factors, but if you’re still on the fence, it may be worth considering a push golf trolley instead. 

Push golf trolleys are typically a lot cheaper than electric golf trolleys, but still offer some of the same benefits. 

These days, there are push golf trolleys on the market that are built just as good as electric ones and require almost zero effort to push around 18 holes. I even did a review of the Motocaddy Cube which I could push with just one finger on flat ground!

A decent push golf trolley may be a good middle ground if you’re not quite convinced in buying an electric trolley. You can check out our round up of the best push trolleys here.