Trolley Use Has Increased By 44% Since 2020...Here's Why You Should Buy Or Upgrade In 2022

Trolley Use Has Increased By 44% Since 2020...Here's Why You Should Buy Or Upgrade In 2022

We're all now familiar with the effect the Covid pandemic has had on golf. Participation numbers are at levels not seen this century and the demand for golf equipment has followed suit. Nowhere has that demand been seen than with golf trolleys - or carts and caddies as some like to call them. The recently published Motocaddy Report has highlighted that trolley usage globally has increased by 44% since the start of the pandemic, with numbers in America rising the quickest. This is a sharp rise even by modern standards, and all this information got me thinking, why has trolley usage gone up so much? And with innovations in trolley design and usage as good as ever, is now a better time than ever to invest or upgrade? 

Here, I'm going to discuss why popularity for the best golf trolleys has soared since the start of the pandemic and why, with innovation from trolley brands at its highest, now is probably one of the best times in recent memory to invest or upgrade your trolley equipment. 

As mentioned above, participation in golf is at unprecedentedly high levels. Golf facilities in the US saw 60 million more rounds played in 2020 versus 2019 and the UK saw a similar surge in participation with an extra 2.3 million adults playing a round of golf in 2020. 

A fascinating development from 2020 onwards has seen golfers in the US take up walking the course at unprecedented levels. With Coronavirus restrictions stopping the use of more traditional ride on motorised carts, American golfers have taken to walking in droves, with an electric trolley being the walking companion of choice. The Motocaddy Report cited that some 11% of American electric trolley owners have owned them for less than a year with a substantial 67% of American golfers surveyed also said they are either likely or very likely to buy an electric trolley soon. While 57% of American golfers surveyed still use a ride on golf cart, this switch to walking is only likely to increase through 2022 and beyond. 

With this increased demand, it certainly feels like manufacturers are innovating even more than ever, and subsequently the choice on offer for golfers is better than ever. While Motocaddy vs Powakaddy is often the biggest battle for supremacy in the market (especially in the UK), brands like MGI, Stewart Golf, Sun Mountain, Kaddey, JuCad and others have brought new innovations to the market that have made trolleys an even more desirable and accessible golf product. 

I'm not just talking to golfers who have never invested in a golf trolley either, I'm talking to those who may not have invested in four or five years. Since then, golf trolleys - especially electric ones - have gotten smaller, quieter, lighter, more compact and more technology-packed than their predecessors. Yes, your four or five year old electric trolley will still have life in it, but the quality of life increases that have arrived since then are significant and worth checking out for yourself.

This year has already seen the new Motocaddy S1 and Powakaddy CT8 GPS announced and this has only added to the range of golf trolleys available. Short on trunk space and need a compact trolley? Try the Powakaddy CT6 or Motocaddy M1. Fancy a GPS device embedded into the handle of the trolley? Try the Motocaddy M5 GPS or Powakaddy FX7 GPS. Looking for a unique space-saving push cart? Try the Kaddey Switch. Looking for a remote controlled trolley? There's the MGI Zip Navigator? Looking for a trolley that follows you on course? Try the Stewart Golf Q Follow. I could go on... In short, for me, the increased demand for electric trolleys has seen manufactures across the world up their game and the last three years of product launches have shown that. 

But, aside from the obvious technological advances, why else is 2022 a great time to invest or upgrade your trolley? More data from the Motocaddy Report shows how golfers have become more conscious of the health benefits of simply walking the golf course - with the mental and physical side of the game feeling a lot easier when the golf bag is off your back.

In the UK, 90% of those surveyed said that the biggest benefits of an electric trolley was being able to walk without the strain of carrying a bag, with 80% saying that using a trolley had lead to fewer injuries that may impact the golf swing. 

Other reasons in the found in the survey in favour of using a trolley  include suffering few injuries, having more energy to hit the ball and having more energy at the end of the round.  All in all, there are a fairly comprehensive set of reasons to be considering a change in how you take your clubs around a golf course heading into 2022. Carrying a set or half set of clubs still has its joys, and I don't want to take away from those (myself included) who still enjoy chucking a set of clubs on their back and heading out onto the links from time to time. However, with the choices available and the clear health benefits of using a trolley, there has been no better time to change the way you transport your golf clubs on course.