Motocaddy really impressed us last year with the release of their all-singing, all-dancing M5 GPS model, the world’s first touchscreen trolley.
The M1 Electric Trolley is Motocaddy’s most affordable offering in the electric trolley market and the brand are referring to this latest model as the simplest-to-use compact trolley in the world.
We put it to the test on the golf course to see whether it lived up to that very claim…
The Tech
The M1 is said to boast a design which is ‘car-boot friendly’, meaning that it is easy to store and transport along with your golf clubs.
In terms of actual 'technology', and compared to the likes of their M5 GPS, Motocaddy have kept things pretty simple here with a focus on practicality rather than inundating golfers with features.
There’s a new anti-glare LCD screen, which has been optimised for use in all-weather conditions.
This will show you a speed indicator with nine different settings, a colour-coded battery indicator and Adjustable Distance Control up to 45 yards.
The five-spoke wheels feature a new sporty design and finish, and are ambidextrous to make it quicker and easier to get them on and off before or after your round.
The trolley also comes with a built-in USB port so that you can charge your phone, GPS or any other electronic device while out on the course.
Two different models are available, a standard M1 or the M1 DHC (Downhill Control) with a choice of Standard Lithium or Ultra Lithium batteries.
Motocaddy M1 Electric Trolley Review
Looks
I think Motocaddy’s trolley range has really taken a step forward in terms of looks and finish over the last couple of years, since the reintroduction of the M-Series range and particularly with the launch of the M-Tech trolley.
The latest updates to the trolleys in 2021 have taken things to another level again. Whilst the overall design and colour scheme of the trolley is quite similar to the 2018 release, Motocaddy have toned down the red accents in favour of more black and graphite, and changed the colour of the wheels from white to black.
While these do only sound like small changes they have made a huge difference to the overall look of the trolley and gives it a much more premium finish.
When folded down the trolley is nice and compact so it should fit comfortably in any size of car boot, and you can also choose to invert the wheels if you wish to make the overall surface area even smaller.
Setup
Motocaddy call this the simplest-to-use compact trolley in the world, designed to be quick and easy to fold. Does it live up to the billing?
I tested this trolley on a cold, damp November day in Manchester. The kind of day where you just want to get to the golf course and get going with your round to warm up, rather than faffing about at your car boot with all of your gear.
Luckily the M1 trolley really is very easy to setup.
Once you have attached the left and right wheels, simply release the upper latch, unfold the handle and secure, then release the lower latch and lift up the handle.
The front wheel will then roll out from underneath the trolley into place. You can then adjust the handle to your preferred angle, secure the latches again and you’re good to go.
I liked the way that the front wheel rolled in itself, especially when you come to fold the trolley up, and this should make life much easier particularly if you’ve been playing when it is wet and muddy.
As with most modern trolleys the M1 also benefits from on-board charging so that you don’t have to take the battery out each time you want to charge it up, which is a much more convenient way of doing things.
Performance
As you would expect from a £600 Motocaddy trolley, the M1 works brilliantly and the main thing I took away from this review is just how easy it is to use.
This may sound a little stupid because pushing an electric trolley should never be difficult, but having tested the likes of the M5 GPS and M-Tech trolleys in the last couple of years it was actually quite refreshing in some ways to go back to a trolley which has no frills or extra features.
The M1 just seems to quietly go about its business in the background, allowing you to focus on enjoying your round and
playing well. You don’t have to worry about fiddly touchscreens, constant notifications and shot tracking. Just set the correct speed and set off walking.
The trolley is relatively light at just under 10kg, so it was no surprise to find that it felt nimble and easy to handle out on the golf course.
Having said that, I was impressed by the overall build quality and sturdiness of the frame and the handle considering that this is essentially the entry-level option in Motocaddy’s lineup.
After a full round of 18 holes the battery indicator was still showing three bars out of four, so I’d be fully confident that you could play 36 holes in a day without having to worry about recharging.
Motocaddy M1 Electric Trolley Verdict
As Motocaddy’s most basic electric trolley the M1 isn’t jam-packed with features but there are plenty of golfers who don’t want too much going on anyway – when it comes to an electric trolley you just want something that’s practical, compact, simple to set up/fold away and performs well.
And that’s exactly what it does.
Golfalot reviews always try to answer whether the product we are testing does what the brand says it is going to do. Motocaddy call this the simplest-to-use compact electric trolley in the world and I think you’d have a very difficult job to find something which really challenges this.
Would I Use It?
Yes I would. Although I do think that £599.99 is expensive for an electric trolley that doesn’t give you any other features, but if all you want is a smart looking, great performing trolley that you can rely on for every round, it may be worth every penny.
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Fantastic battery life
- Looks are a big improvement on the previous model
- Reliable, stress free performance
- Good build quality
Cons
- Some golfers will miss features like the scorecard/bluetooth connectivity
- £599.99 is not cheap for Motocaddy's most basic electric trolley
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