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History of the Caddy-Cart
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~ ~ When I started golfing as a young lad my golf clubs stood in the corner of the front porch, in a small carry bag, ready to be hoisted at a moment’s notice at the first opportunity of a game.
During the school holidays, I was out on the golf course almost before my last mouthful of breakfast was swallowed, only returning to quickly swallow a quick bite at mealtimes before I took to the links once more.
Even now, some forty plus years later, things are not so different. My clubs and bag still occupy a spot in the hall cupboard, but nowadays they are a little bulkier and heavier than the pencil bag of my youth.
~ ~ ~ ~ Golf has come a long way since those halcyon days of the 1960’s, when all that was required was a simple bag, a few “sticks” and golf balls, and a strong pair of legs to carry you round the course.
To look in the average golfer’s bag today would surprise you, as it contains literally everything but the “kitchen sink”. (and if you look hard enough you might even find that!)
There is usually a complete change of clothing, with socks, trousers, jumpers, hats, and golf shirts. Then you have your waterproofs in case of rain, an assortment of towels, your on-course refreshments consisting of all imaginable kinds of food and drink, your spare golf balls, and any other item the mind can think of that could be of any possible assistance.
~ ~ So if you want to carry your golf bag today, you better first of all take a six month fitness course at your local gym.
Next time you’re watching a golf tournament on the telly, spare a fleeting thought for the poor “caddies”, who’s job it is to hump and carry for the pros, and generally tend to their every need.
Having actually carried out this thankless task for a number of golf pros over the years, (I know a fair few) let me tell you these “bag carriers” earn every last shilling of their wages, that are not that great unless their man happens to figure prominently in the money list.
~ ~ So since around the 1960’s most
golfers have not carried their clubs and equipment, but use what is known as a “caddy-cart”, a contraption which looks rather like a two-wheeled shopping trolley, on which they place their bag to push or pull round the course.
Before this time most caddy-carts were cumbersome, heavy affairs, which sat outside the local professionals shop for hire, and were used infrequently (if ever) by most golfers.
~ ~ But by the 1960’s, lighter alloys were becoming known, which made it possible to construct folding trolleys, which could be stored easily in car boots and were both light and easy to use on the golf course.
As a result, the caddy-cart gained quick acceptance by a generation of golfers “tired of being tired” at the end of their round of golf.
~ ~ There were no real revolutionary advances in golf cart design or manufacture until the late 1970’s, when a British company called
“Powakaddy”, based in Sittingbourne in Kent, came onto the scene with the very first “motorised” caddy-cart.
Today, these fine contraptions are gaining steadily in popularity, and are used by about 30% of all golfers, and it is about these I will now talk.
The “Powakaddy”
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~ ~ The basic idea behind the Powakaddy was very simple indeed.
Instead of a golfer having to pull their caddy-cart up hill and down dale, a small electric motor was fitted to
power the wheels, thus taking all the strain out of the task of transporting a heavy golf bag over six or seven miles of rough terrain.
~ ~ The early models tended to be cumbersome affairs, with motors resembling aircraft engines, and almost requiring a car trailer to transport them to the golf course.
But with the rapidly expanding technology of the 80’s and 90’s, they very soon became extremely light and portable, and began to catch on in a big way with golfers.
~ ~ I required my first electric cart in the early 90’s, and have since upgraded it to a newer model in 1999.
The model I now own is called the Powakaddy Classic, and is still the company’s best selling model from what is now a fairly extensive range.
~ ~ The Classic comes in three parts.
There is the base, with two wide wheels for extra stability, and on which the electric motor is attached. Then there is the front wheel section, which is simply clipped to the base to give a solid and freestanding platform on three wheels. And finally there is the handle section, which again simply clips into place, and has all the controls for the trolley.
It is only a 30-second job to assemble the cart, then simply slot in your re-chargeable battery, hook up the connections, and off you go.
~ ~ The controls are very easy to use.
There is a little round knob on the handle that you twist to supply variable amounts of electric current to the motor. This dictates the speed at which the trolley will progress, and can be adjusted as you walk to suit both your own walking pace, and to cope with gradients.
The battery comes along with a charger, and the company state that you will get two full rounds of golf from a 14 hour (overnight) charge.
This however, is NOT the case, as I know by bitter experience, as in the early days I tried this out and ended up having to drag the whole “caboodle” back to the clubhouse and abandon my second round when it “died” on me after about six holes of play!
What I now do is to take two charged batteries with me if I intend to play two rounds in a single day. (Not so often these days, the old bones aren't up to it anymore!)
~ ~ The Powakaddy is very portable, and when my best golfing buddy and I play together, the car boot easily holds both his trolley and mine, plus our golf bags and ancillary gear.
A good service once a year at a cost of around £40 ensures that I have trouble free golf, and it is now an essential part of my golfing armoury, leaving me far less tired and able to concentrate better on the game in hand, and not on humping and pulling.
Cost and Availability
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~ ~ My Powakaddy, the Classic, cost me £300 (Irish Punts) back in 1999.
The company web-site (www.powakaddy.co.uk) doesn’t seem to quote current prices, as all equipment is sold exclusively through golf professional shops and a nation-wide chain of agents.
It does list however all stockists, with contact numbers, so if you have an interest it shouldn’t be too difficult to find your local dealer.
The Powakaddy range is extensive, ranging from their new Freeway trolley, which seems to be a smaller version of my own Classic (and cheaper?) through to elaborate sit and ride trolleys for you golfers who can’t even be bothered to walk between shots.
There is also a range of traditional pull type trolleys, and a range of different golf bags specially designed to fit the caddy-cart.
Rating
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~ ~ To anyone who has read this far it is fairly obvious that I am a big fan of this particular piece of golfing equipment.
I highly recommend it to any golfer who is prone to getting a bit tired during their round of golf.
