Back to the future

Isn’t the pace of technology truly fascinating? With so many products being released year after year, it can be fun to look back and consider what we used to play with and all the recent features that we now have access to.

Take the electric trolley for example. In 1999, PowaKaddy introduced the Freeway and it looked fantastic. Can’t you remember your jaw dropping when you laid eyes on an electric trolley for the first time? We were really taken by the innovation, but modern trolleys by comparison are even more decked out with all kinds of fancy functionalities.

When you think back to these previous models, it just goes to show how easy it is to take the current technology for granted. We now have GPS and remote-control capabilities, but it also begs the question, where will it go next? What kinds of fascinating functionalities will we have at our fingertips in the future?

To fully appreciate the impact the electric trolley has on the modern game of golf, we're going to go back over the centuries and consider how caddying has evolved over time.

History of the caddie

Golf has certainly come a long way, but what would a golfer be without his caddie? Being a caddie is a role integral to golf, and one that has its own rich history. The name caddie dates back to 17th century old Scottish language, and would refer to ‘young gentlemen serving in the army’.

The term was adapted to extend to freelance odd-job men and boy messengers available for hire in urban areas such as Edinburgh. As the game grew, the term would become synonymous with lads that would be paid for carrying clubs in bundles under their arms on the golf course.

The 20th century brought revolutionary technological advancements to many aspects of daily life, and the approach to caddying was no exception. By the mid-50s, golf cart brands such as E-Z-Go were growing and expanding in the Americas. English golfer Sir Henry Cotton was pictured in the 1960s using what’s believed to be the first electric trolley – the Tractor Caddy, made by Watson-Oswin Electric.

Essentially, with the advancement of technology it became popular and accessible for golfers to play with motorized assistance as well as input and advice from human caddies. The founding of PowaKaddy in 1983 is when the electric trolley really came into its own as a commercial product.

PowaKaddy's innovative timeline

Throughout their forty years of being in operation, PowaKaddy has made several innovations that’ve contributed to the richness and variety we now have within the electric trolley market.

 Please read on as we compare the recently released CT8 GPS electric trolley from PowaKaddy with one of their now decade old models, the 2013 PowaKaddy Freeway.

The iconic shape

The 2013 Freeway was a tremendous model in its own right. It was quiet, compact, and made golf incredibly uncomplicated. The Freeway had a slender frame that snaked from the handle through to the forward wheel. The battery sat in a compartment between the two back wheels and the user could adjust the dial on the handle to select their desired speed.

Almost twenty years later, the 2022 CT8 GPS has a similar build but looks much sleeker in every aspect. The trolley is much more ergonomic and compact, the CT8 GPS can fold up to be even more compact than its predecessors. The recently released trolley also has an eye catching and pleasing colour design, with specs of blue highlights on the metallic silver frame.

Multiple functionalities

The now-decade-old Freeway entry tuned up a lot of the tech found in the previous models. It was a lot lighter, had a T-Bar handle, and had a much more maneuverable, sporty look. It had a quiet 200w motor and had a key lock system that helped hold cart bags in place securely so they don’t twist while the in motion. 10 years later, the CT8 GPS has refined all these fundamentals and is truly an elegant entity within its own right.

A big reason to buy the latest trolley of course is the revolutionary built-in GPS software. You can view all kinds of estimations, including distances to the front, middle, and back of the green. By making use of the Active Green View and Drop Flag Technology on the CT8’s GPS system, you can fully prepare for each shot throughout your round.

PowaKaddy is a true pioneer within the electric trolley field, and no feature better exemplifies that than the CT8 GPS’s EBC (Electronic Braking System) capabilities. This quality means the trolley can maintain a selected speed for downhill descents, which is much preferable to it flying off to crash into a nearby bush or tree.

Compact and convenient

So, there’s a lot to unpack under the hood, but PowaKaddy has also made sure that the trolley is incredibly easy to set up and pack away again before and after each round. The Simple-2-fold™ design allows the trolley to neatly fit inside car boots which makes it ideal for storage and transportation.

The trolley’s folding mechanism is effortless, and this ease of use also extends to the interface. The touchscreen display is crystal clear and will let you explore dynamic, colourfully-mapped greens. You can even drag and drop the pin icon to match where the flag is in real life to give you super accurate yardage readings.

The trolley has over 40,000 pre-loaded courses, and with features like score tracking and automatic hole advancement, you’ll have the peace of mind to fully focus on your game.

The battery could not be easier to charge due to the cable free battery system. Just plug it in and leave it overnight, then unplug and you’re ready to go.

The range

PowaKaddy makes fantastic electric golf trolleys, and if you’re looking for a more affordable option than the CT8 GPS, you’ll no doubt get along with the FX3, FX5, and CT6 entries. If you’re after a truly premium electric trolley experience, you’ll get it with the RX1 GPS thanks to the remote-control feature.

When there are so many kinds of golf trolley available, it can be hard to settle on which one would best suit you. Should you settle for a push cart or go for an electric trolley? We’re available in the pro shop so if you’d like to consult us, we’d be more than happy to offer our expert advice. Simply contact us or pop by the next time you’re at the club.