2018 ELECTRIC CART BUYER’S GUIDE REVIEW

How many electric carts have you seen on American golf courses? It’s probably not many…yet, but despite the fact that push carts still carry a stigma in some circles, use of push carts and now electric push carts is on the rise. Scientists and nutritionists alike extoll the benefits of using an electric cart over carrying or riding, but they have a hard time getting through to some old school golfers.

This Buyers Guide is a little bit different than the rest. It’s the first time MyGolfSpy has expanded into the electric category. Only three products were tested, so we focused on giving you the pros and cons of each product. Some of the electric carts have remote control technology with different speeds and features that allow the golfer to have a great experience with every round. The three carts that we have tested are the Bag Boy Navigator Quad, Stewart Golf X9 Follow, and the Alphard Golf Club Booster eWheels.

We’re Here to Help

The process of buying anything in today’s time has become stressful and time-consuming. We feel the best reviews are those that help you make the right choices and help you get the most out of your time and money. This way you can buy with confidence and eliminate a lot of the guesswork. We are here to help show you how a product will perform before you buy.

One key to our testing protocols is that we test products head-to-head. We select the top products from each category and put them through extensive and detailed head-to-head testing. We test both in the lab and in the field. We score each product across a range of weighted categories. We then rank the products, explain why products finished where they did, and give awards to the best-performing products in the category.

THE METRICS

The modern push cart is miles above those rickety ones from twenty years ago. Our testing focused on the maneuverability of the cart, but we also considered its durability, stability, and the folded footprint.

We’re always fine-tuning the process to make sure we’re collecting the best data possible. Continuing that trend we’ve updated and refined this year’s analysis to bring you the best buying advice possible.

Electric Cart Features Chart

Name	Price	Battery type	Number of Wheels	Battery life	Warrenty
BagBoy Navigator Quad	$1,895.95	Lithium	4	36 Holes	1 Year
Stewart Golf X9 Follow	$2,999.00	Lithium	4	18 Holes	2 Year
Alphard Golf eWheels	$599.00	Lithium	2	27 Holes	2 Year

We put in hours of testing utilizing data-driven protocols and new metrics. The methodology and attention to detail are better than ever.

For push cart testing, we set out to best replicate the stresses put on a cart during a round. Carts were loaded with a variety of bags each containing the same equipment. Inside the bags were 14 clubs, 4 gloves, 1 rangefinder, 1 set of rain gear, tees, and 1 box of golf balls. Testing included, but wasn’t limited to, evaluating the brakes, stability, handling, and maneuverability of the carts on the course.

Notes were taken on the durability of the carts as well as their available features and folded size.

Test Completion – Within this Buyers Guide, the three motorized carts were tested head-to-head with an eye for the pros and cons of each when used on a golf course. All three carts performed well with regard to getting golfer and bag through a full 18 holes efficiently. The ones that did not perform as well as others had issues with the bag twisting due to tough terrine or sharp turns.

Final grades were awarded based on total scores. Best Overall is our highest overall scoring pushcart, and awards are given to the top three submissions. Also, more specific Best in Class recognitions are awarded to push carts in certain categories (like maneuverability, durability, and stability) that push the industry’s design envelope.

We also give an “Editor’s Choice” and a “Best Buy” award to those products that provide value products that compete with the bigger names on performance.

THE BEST PUSH CARTS OF 2018

Results

This is MyGolfSpy’s first Buyer’s Guide of the electric cart. With a limited field, we’re able to give you a more detailed head to head comparison.

Bag Boy Navigator Quad is an outstanding electric cart option for the everyday golfer. It has features that allow you to keep up with play and a seat for those times when things get slow. Building on those features, the quad offers multiple walking speeds and keeps track of the miles traveled during the round. Retail price is $1895.95.

Stewart Golf’s X9 Follow is another well-designed offering. Linked via Bluetooth, the cart will follow the remote controller (keep it with you) across the course. Like the Navigator Quad, the X9 Follow offers multiple speeds and turns effortlessly. A downside to this model is how the bag fits on the cart. The straps and the bag well are a bit undersized, and because of that, the bag tends to slide when changing direction and may fall off the cart completely. It’s on the heavy side, which can make it difficult to get in and out of your car. With prices starting at $2999.99, the X9 is the most expensive model we tested.

The eWheels from Alphard is a fantastic alternative for the golfer who is not obsessed with features but would still prefer an electronically driven cart. The eWheels is designed to fit most popular push cart brands like Clicgear, Bagboy, and SunMountain. It has enough juice to handle up to 27 holes, depending on the of the terrain. It’s exceptionally easy to use and its stability is determined by the push cart to which it is attached. Alphard has priced the unit at an affordable $599.95 which is considerably lower than other electric carts on the market.