The Best Golf Push Carts of 2024
Push carts help save strain on your body while maximizing exercise while you play golf
Golf push carts have grown in popularity in recent years as modern push carts have made it much easier for golfers to walk the course instead of using a golf cart. A push cart used to be an accessory you rented on occasion but didn't own. Now it’s a must-have for golfers who enjoy a good walk.
The Best Golf Push Carts
We’ve tested several of today’s most popular push carts, from budget options to high-end push carts, and even one of the most popular electric push carts, so it’s safe to say that we know this category well. These are our favorite golf push carts you can buy today.
Bag Boy Nitron
Weight: 16.75 lbs
Typical Price: $279
The Bag Boy Nitron is my everyday push cart, and it’s easily the best push cart I’ve ever used out of somewhere around 10 different models.
You won’t find a push cart that opens or closes easier than the Nitron. This cart comes equipped with Nitro-Piston Technology, which allows the cart to deploy in one easy step, and it’s just as easy to collapse.
I also love that there is ample storage, including a console that’s big enough for modern phones and a pouch underneath where I stash my top layer after the morning chill gives way to the warm sun. I also have to mention that the water bottle holder has a rubber ring, which securely holds any reasonably sized water bottle, which is a huge upgrade over my last push cart with a rigid cup holder that failed with anything but the perfect-sized bottle.
The hand-mounted parking brake is an upgrade over the foot brake you find on a lot of other push carts.
Pros:
- Easy to fold and unfold
- Very compact when folded up
- Excellent storage
- Very smooth ride
Cons:
- Long-term durability is unknown
Bag Boy Nitron Push Cart Life-Tested Review
BIG MAX Blade IP
Weight: 14.3 lbs
Typical Price: $349
If space is your issue, no cart collapses as flat as the BIG MAX Blade IP. This is an ultra-slim design that features BIG MAX Flat Fold technology. Its features include an adjustable upper bracket to accommodate any size bag, double brakes, and a QL base which allows for a multitude of accessories to attach with ease. The Blade IP is also available in six color options.
Pros:
- Folds flat, very compact when folded
- Very stable on the course
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Top end price for this category
- Some bags may rub the front wheel
Sun Mountain Speedcart V1r
Weight: 17.95 lbs
Typical Price: $250
I used the Sun Mountain V1r for a couple of golf seasons before I switched to the Nitron, and even though I prefer the Nitron, there is a lot to like about this trolley.
It’s very easy to maneuver on the course and the storage is quite convenient. The console holds your smaller accessories (snacks, balls, tees) and the mesh compartment offers storage for extra things like a top layer, headcover, more snacks, or an oversized water bottle.
The V1r is available in 10 awesome dual-color combinations and also features improved upper and lower bag brackets so your bag won’t move, no matter how speedy you get.
Pros:
- Convenient mesh storage compartment
- Hand brake
Cons:
- Not particularly compact when folded
Kaddey Switch
Weight: 14.9 lbs
Typical Price: $400
Everything that’s old is new again, and if you think two-wheeled push (or pull) carts are old, you haven’t seen this new version, the Switch, from Kaddey.
This cart looks as minimal as they come, in a modern way, but you’ll be surprised at how functional it is. You can push or pull it, and the handle is adjustable to whatever angle you prefer. The trolley itself is designed to give you the option of keeping your bag attached to it on and off the course, and if you elect to do that, all you have to do is attach the oversized wheels at the course and you’re ready to go.
The console offers plenty of space for your tees and balls, and the clipboard on top is designed to serve as a phone mount to film your swing, which is a clever feature.
If you’re intrigued but prefer a three-wheeled cart, you’re in luck. Kaddy makes a three-wheeled version of the Switch, dubbed the Switch+, that otherwise delivers the same functionality.
Pros:
- Elegant, minimal design
- Console hold your phone to film your swing
- Push or pull
- Easily folds/disassembles into a very compact package
Cons:
- Design requires you to attach and remove the wheels before and after your round
Clicgear Model 8.0+
Weight: 22 lbs
Typical Price: $329
If you want a 4-wheeled push cart, you won’t find one better than the Model 8.0+ from Clicgear. This cart tends to work better with cart bags and features a patented slide-to-close design, which allows it to collapse with ease.
It also features a silicone strap system, four accessory mounts, a large storage net, and the best umbrella holder in the business. The only downside is that this push cart is designed for cart bags, and may not be a good fit for stand or carry bags.
Pros:
- Four wheels
- Small footprint when folded
- Compatible with plenty of great accessories
Cons:
- Designed for larger cart bags, not ideal for stand and carry bags
MGI Zip Navigator
We tested the Zip Navigator's sibling, the AI Navigator
Weight: 34.96 lbs (with battery)
Typical Price: $1,495
If you want a push cart that you don’t even have to push, check out the MGI Zip Navigator electric push cart. I tested a version of this cart, and while admittedly this category as a whole is not for me, there are plenty of great features of this cart.
As an electric push cart, or more appropriately electric caddy, you don’t have to push this cart on the course, making it the least physically demanding cart on this list.
It runs off of a 24v battery that gives you 36 holes of free walking, untethered to your golf bag. Twin 230-watt calibrated motors give this cart supreme power to get around any terrain, as well.
Pros:
- No need to push the cart
- Remote control steers and controls speed
- Wheels attach inside-out for compact stowing
Cons:
- Controlling the cart takes getting used to
- Must ensure battery is charged between rounds
- Caddy tips and leans when terrain is not flat
MGI Ai Navigator GPS+ Life-Tested Review
TourTrek 2-Wheel
Typical Price: $119
We’ll finish with the most basic pull cart. If the Kaddey Switch is a modern classic, this TourTrek 2-Wheel cart is just a classic. But it’s perfectly functional and significantly more affordable than most other options.
For around $119, this gets the job done without breaking the bank. It has a durable frame, high-strength support cables, and quick-release wheels for easy storage. With a scorecard holder and spots for two spare golf balls, this basic cart outperforms its price.
You won’t find a water bottle holder, console, or other storage in this unit, nor does it have a nifty folding mechanism that reduces its footprint significantly when it’s time to store the cart, but you wouldn’t expect any of that at under $125.
Pros:
- Functional without the bells and whistles
- Budget friendly
- Classic design
Cons:
- No console, storage or bottle holder
Push Cart Buyer's Guide
The first push carts began popping up in the mid-1940s. A man named Bruce Williamson decided to take a pair of lawnmower wheels and attach them to a spring-suspension chassis. The idea was revolutionary for the golf industry, and years later, led to the founding of the company BagBoy.
Push carts were and still are commonly referred to as “pull carts,” with models able to go in either direction. In the United Kingdom they’re commonly referred to as “trolleys.”
Prior to this invention, people either carried their bags, used a wagon-like device to pull their clubs, or used a caddie if the club offered that service.
Push carts have gone through a rollercoaster of hot and cold over the years. While you can’t deny their functionality, push carts were shunned a bit when the double strap golf bag came out. For younger generations, carrying their golf bag was trendy and their dads were the ones using push carts.
Modern Models
Today, push carts have become a staple yet again. That can be attributed to the fact that manufacturers have engineered designs that are fresh and appealing to all generations, and also in a multitude of color options.
In addition, as the NCAA Golf Championships have gained popularity with more TV coverage you’ll notice every player, women and men, uses a push cart. The optics definitely have an impact.
Modern push carts are also available in two, three, and four-wheeled options. You can even splurge and get yourself an electric push cart that runs on batteries and essentially drives itself.
The COVID-19 pandemic actually caused serious problems for push cart manufacturers. As golf was deemed a safe outdoor activity in many places, consumers bought push carts in records numbers in an effort to continue playing golf while also being socially distanced from other players. Manufacturers could not meet the high demand initially, but eventually caught up as the 2021 season began.
What Separates Value from Premium?
The variation in push carts models has never been greater than it is today. You can find models ranging from $99 all the way up to $2,000. There are a few main components that separate the value models from the mid-range, to the premium.
Weight
Heavier is not always better. In fact, many people are in search of the lightest possible push cart they can find. Due to material and production costs, lighter aluminum models cost a bit more. The luxury is that the lighter the weight, the easier it is to lift into your car and generally move around the golf course.
Foldability
It’s important to see the model you’re interested in completely collapsed. Oftentimes, the trunk space in your car dictates how big of a push cart you can own. Models that collapse and fold into the smallest measurements typically command a higher price.
Wheels
The most common issue with push carts are wheel problems. Carts that are on the less expensive side will typically have lower-quality plastic tires and rims that crack after a reasonable amount of use. In addition, the components that hold the tires in place will begin to give way.
When you pay for a mid to premium level push cart (typically $200 or more) the quality of the tires, rims, and components will be much higher.
Brakes
Push carts typically have two brake options, foot or hand. Foot brakes sit over the tires and require you to engage them every time you stop. Hand brakes are located up near the handle and are a little more convenient. Neither is necessarily better than the other, as long as they do the job and stop the cart from moving.
Details
Keep in mind the details when shopping for a push cart. The straps that hold your golf bag in place along with the closure clasps are typically much more durable on better models.
Storage is another detail you might not consider initially. A good push cart will have a space for your scorecard, perhaps an enclosed compartment at the top. Some have a mesh storage space near the bottom, as well. The more storage space, the higher the price.
Which is Best for you?
Ultimately, that’s up to you but you should consider usage and budget above all else.
If you plan on using this push cart weekly, you should consider spending the money on a mid to high-end push cart, again $200 and up will be your investment. If you go with value and use the cart a lot, you’ll probably end up having to buy another one, leading you to spend more on the backend.
Everyone has a budget, so try to stick to yours. Are the MGI carts that run on battery power awesome? They sure are. But if that’s not in your budget, don’t go for it.
If you only plan on using a push cart a couple of times per year, consider just renting one from the course you’re playing. Typically, golf course push cart fleets are in decent enough shape to serve your needs.