Can a pushcart help you make more birdies? Riding a cart can rob a golfer of the rhythm needed to play great. To experience time and space between shots, to purge stress through the soles of the feet, to let the tempo of a walk bleed into the takeaway: These are all good things for scoring. But without a caddie, the shoulder and neck fatigue of carrying a bag might translate into bad shots. A solution? The modern pushcart, which thanks to smart designers, is leaps better than the rickety rental contraptions you sometimes find at the local muny. In selecting the best eight, our four equipment editors evaluated each model's ergonomic adjustability, the ease and size with which it folds to fit inside a car trunk, the utility of accessories like umbrella and beverage holders and, of course, how smoothly it rolls. The game is meant to be walked, and, ironically, technology is what might restore this tradition.
On A Roll
Bag Boy Automatic
$200 | WEIGHT: 17.5 pounds
FOLDED: 16 X 31 X 13 inches
WEBSITE: Bagboycompany.com
HOT: Not only is it easy on your back by folding and unfolding in one motion, it's also easy on the course. The EVA foam G-Force wheels have a raised center tread to minimize turf damage. Carrying a 20-pound golf bag, each wheel exerts only 1.85 pounds per square inch, or 40 percent less pressure than air-filled wheels.
NOT: Velcro straps to secure the bag seem outdated by comparison.
Cadie U-4GT
$200 | WEIGHT: 19.5 pounds
FOLDED: 23 X 28 X 16 inches
WEBSITE: cadiegolf.com
HOT: Attention to detail makes this pushcart as all-purpose as the family minivan. The umbrella holder is smartly positioned, the mesh storage pocket is deep and the beverage holder accepts all comers. Also nice is the partial-fold option that allows you to keep your bag attached when you stow it as a unit in your trunk.
NOT: At nearly 20 pounds, this is the heaviest cart to make our list.
ClicGear 2.0
FOLDED: 15 X 25 X 13 inches
WEBSITE: clicgear.com
HOT: The burly aluminum frame and 2.5-inch tire tread provide a quiet, stable ride, even over tree roots and other places you shouldn't hit the ball. But the most amazing feature about this rugged vehicle is that it collapses to the size of a briefcase without having to remove a wheel. A bonus is the spacious console.
NOT: Six steps in the unfolding process take some mental training.
Sun Mountain Microcart
FOLDED: 12 x 25 x 16 inches
WEBSITE: sunmountain.com
HOT: Folding this cart is faster and requires less skill than changing a lightbulb -- seriously. Because it collapses from the top, you don't even have to bend down. The magnetic scorecard holder, center umbrella mount and extendable base for wider golf bags are well-designed extras.
NOT: Some might find the four-wheel design slightly less maneuverable than a three-wheeler.
Sun Mountain Speed Cart V1
FOLDED: 20 x 38 x 13 inches
WEBSITE: sunmountain.com
HOT: Console upgrades to this classic line include a padded valuables tray, a thin bungee strap for the scorecard and a swiveling drink holder, but our favorite improvement is the strapless bag brackets. Small screws secure any size bag quickly and effortlessly.
NOT: Unless you're storing it at your club, many other carts fold down smaller for easier transport.
Trekker TC3
$190 | WEIGHT: 16.5 pounds
FOLDED: 15 x 32 x 14 inches
WEBSITE: trekkercaddy.com
HOT: To promote a healthy pushing posture, the handle height is adjustable and a T-shape subframe distributes WEIGHT: low and evenly over three wheels. It folds without having to remove the wheels, and the brake with a push-button release is conveniently located at the top of the handle.
NOT: With several metal locking pins, the breakdown to carrying size is more of a project than most.
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