This new motorized bag follows you around the course.
As a rule, I walk the golf course whenever the opportunity presents itself. It gives me a much better feel for the holes and the distances, if I explore them on foot rather than in a cart. Plus it’s amazing exercise – 18 holes is roughly the equivalent of walking 5.5 miles or 11,000 steps. And unless it’s in Florida, chances are every course has some terrain. So it’s rarely a flat walk, which helps work the calves. And yes, I prefer to carry my bag, too. If it’s a super hilly course like we have many of in California, then I’ll take a smaller bag with fewer clubs. But I still get in my workout.
I was reminded of that this morning, when I received an email from a golf bag manufacturer citing an independent scientific study that found that playing golf while walking – and using a push cart or electric trolley – increases your health, mental focus and scoring. Apparently, testers used a metabolic analyzer and a standard face mask to test energy expenditure on the course. They discovered that golfers burned the most calories per hour using a push cart – to the tune of 36 percent more than golfers on motorized carts. And although the study didn’t measure golfers like me who simply carry their bag, it does make a compelling argument for walking.
Let’s face it: When golf became a craze early on in the pandemic, many courses wouldn’t even let you take a cart out. Or they made you take one alone – for physical distancing purposes. Thus, a new walking-the-course trend was established.
While there are a slew of new carry bags and push carts on the market to help you accomplish the feat, one product that’s struck my interest is the coming-soon Wheel Pro Stride golf bag ($2,199) from Zero Friction. This lightweight, unique electric golf bag has plenty of features. “It is like having your own private caddy that can essentially travel anywhere in the world with you,” says Zero Friction founder and president John Iacono. “And it even follows you around the golf course.”
Weighing 15 pounds, it includes a remote and a built-in intelligent gyroscopic control system for stability, speed control and soft start. The bag can handle all terrain – including steep uphill slopes and tall grass – so it should not tip over. A fully charged battery should be able to travel 36 to 45 holes, as well. Although it tops out at 5 miles per hour in speed, it averages 3, has an automatic brake system and a smart gearbox. The bag portion offers 14 individual club dividers, two waterproof pockets, a pair of towel/accessory rings, an umbrella holder, and a built-in cooler that holds up to six cans. Two invisible magnets can secure your rangefinder and Bluetooth speaker.
The bag is available in black or gray. Its quick-release, 10-inch all terrain wheels allow you to easily store the bag – especially in a car trunk, oversized golf travel bag or in a tight space within your garage or basement.
What I like best about it: You never have to rent another push cart, or lug around a separate one. Plus of course, it’ll help your body by forcing you to get more steps in.
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