2021 Official Review: Motocaddy M5 and M7

[Tpoole22]

Brian and I just had a zoom call with Roger Teat, the president of Motocaddy US to make sure that any initial questions or concerns that we had were answered. We didn't have a ton of questions for him right now because we are early into testing and most of the features are pretty straight forward. He did give us some tips on battery life and how to play without the GPS if you are in a tournament. The big question that I had and @cnosil to answer your question from earlier about using the caddy without power. To do this the wheels are just moved over to the second notch (pictured below) and from there they can spin freely so it can be used as a regular push cart.

I'll try to get a video of this later to show how easy it is to put the wheels on or to take them off.

[Tpoole22]

On 4/9/2021 at 1:33 AM, yungkory said:

That thing folds up pretty small! Can you guys show pictures of it in your trunk? Bonus points if you have a small car, trying to see just how compact this thing really is.

Here a couple pictures of it in the trunk of my friends Honda

[yungkory]

17 minutes ago, Tpoole22 said:

Here a couple pictures of it in the trunk of my friends Honda

Preciate that!

[golfish!]

2 hours ago, dlow206 said:

Really want to see how this things perform on the really steep hills. At my home course, i find a way to tip over my push cart every once in a while. 

It can still tip over if you are not careful. I had a few close calls walking across the slope of a hill. If you take it at slow speed and hold on to the handles it is fine. If you try to speed across it wants to tilt over sideways but overall  about as stable as a normal push cart. I don't think the additional weight of the battery is enough to offset the weight of the club heads up top making a push cart a bit top heavy. Uphill I am not risking it on auto on a very steep climb and holding on to the handle bars. Downhill is no issue as the center of gravity is back far enough for it to not want to tip forward plus the DHC (downhill control) keeps the speed constant. The M7 remote units have a wheelie bar in the back so @BIG STU or @ole gray can tell you a bit more about how that performs!

21 minutes ago, Tpoole22 said:

Brian and I just had a zoom call with Roger Teat, the president of Motocaddy US to make sure that any initial questions or concerns that we had were answered. We didn't have a ton of questions for him right now because we are early into testing and most of the features are pretty straight forward. He did give us some tips on battery life and how to play without the GPS if you are in a tournament. The big question that I had and @cnosil to answer your question from earlier about using the caddy without power. To do this the wheels are just moved over to the second notch (pictured below) and from there they can spin freely so it can be used as a regular push cart.

I'll try to get a video of this later to show how easy it is to put the wheels on or to take them off.

@cnosil Thomas got a really good picture of the axle with the 2 notches. You can see the pin sticking out closer to the motor. That pin is what locks the wheel to the axle. I over-engineered the wheels in my last post lol! It does not have a freewheeling bearing. The wheel has a spring loaded offset ring that helps the wheel to stay locked into the notches. When the wheel is in the outer ring position, that locking ring just rotates in that outer notch. I am guessing since manual mode is intended only for emergency use if the battery dies during a round, reliability of a metal ring rotating in contact with a metal axle was not a design concern, more how to make manual mode possible with this setup. Long term I would not rely on such a design for normal operation but worst case for one full round if you forgot to charge the battery I think that is ok. There is grease on the axles so that may be a point of maintenance required long term.

[tchat07]

So I am going to pair a few of the topics into one question. If you're on a steep hill can you just push it? Or do you still use the motorized feature?

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[Tpoole22]

25 minutes ago, tchat07 said:

So I am going to pair a few of the topics into one question. If you're on a steep hill can you just push it? Or do you still use the motorized feature?

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app
 

I'm assuming that you are talking about going downhill correct? I haven't had a chance to test this yet, but what Roger said on our call earlier was that when you are going down a hill it is best to leave the speed on 1 or 2 so that the cart doesn't go too fast and get away from you. You have the option at anytime to change it to manual so that you have better control. 

@golfish! Have you taken this down any big hills yet and did you go for the motorized feature?

[golfish!]

 

6 hours ago, golfish! said:

Hmm from the instructions I read I didn't see any OFF mode. Technically moving the wheels to the second position would be an off power free wheel mode. Roger mentioned he would walk us through that procedure so I will update after the call!

So after the call with Roger, it is confirmed that the way to use the cart as a manual push cart is to adjust the position of the wheels on the axle as mentioned before. There is no electric mode for free wheel. Thomas mentioned disconnecting the battery but trying to push is still against the resistance of the motors. I have tried push the cart forgetting it was electric without activating the motors and it will not move easily.

42 minutes ago, Tpoole22 said:

I'm assuming that you are talking about going downhill correct? I haven't had a chance to test this yet, but what Roger said on our call earlier was that when you are going down a hill it is best to leave the speed on 1 or 2 so that the cart doesn't go too fast and get away from you. You have the option at anytime to change it to manual so that you have better control. 

@golfish! Have you taken this down any big hills yet and did you go for the motorized feature?

Yes I had a chance to take it down a fairly steep hill and using the DHC (downhill control) features works really good. Speed stays consistent the whole time. I probably would not bother to adjust the wheels to manual push mode and just use the lowest speed setting as in the video even on a really steep hill. I would hold the handle bars though for control. Video below using slow speed down a hill. I will find an even steeper hill and post more videos.

 

[PMookie]

12 hours ago, Tpoole22 said:

Hey everyone! Sorry I know I'm a little late here. I just got back from vacation last night and finally had a chance to get my hands on the trolley.

I can't thank MGS and Motocaddy enough for the opportunity to test the M5 trolley. Little bit about me. I am 28 and have a wife and one year old boy named Rory(yes after Rory Mcilroy). I have been golfing for about three years now and as a former baseball player I was bound to be hooked on golf. I knew as soon as I went out for a round with some coworkers that I was going to love this sport. I play to around a 12 handicap currently and try to play 1-2 times a week and go to the range at least once a week. Luckily even though I have a one year old, my inlaws live with me so I can always get at least an hour to run out to the range whenever I want. 

I applied for this opportunity because being a new dad I need to get as much encouragement to exercise as I can get. I already walk the majority of my rounds, but with some of the public courses I play being very hilly sometimes I am dragging by the end so I am hoping that this can help out a bit. As I mentioned earlier, I am testing the M5 version of the Motocaddy that has a GPS. This works out perfect for me because I actually do not have a rangefinder and usually have to borrow from my friends. There are a number of features on this trolley that I am excited to test out including score tracking, adjustable distance control, shot distance measurement, on board charging, smartphone alerts, drag and drop pin position and distance to front back and middle of the green. 

First Impression:

The first thing that I noticed is that this thing was surprisingly heavy and as Brian mentioned it is packaged very well. Everything was already assembled on the cart other than the wheels and the bottom cart strap in case you have the motocaddy cart bag that hooks in. Apologize if the pictures all go to the bottom. 

I put this next to my caddytek push cart and was amazed at how small it actually folds up. I made sure to get a picture with the wheels inverted as well as normal. I will also take a picture in the trunk of a small car later since someone already asked for that.

I was really impressed with how quick and easy the set up was. Within 5 minutes I already had the cart assembled and connected to both my home wifi and Bluetooth on my phone. The wheels have a button that you press to put them on and take them off in just a couple of seconds so that you can invert them to save space if you need to. You can also tell how bright the screen is which I know will really come in handy when it is really sunny outside.

I'm really excited to get the cart out on the course later this week to test out all of the features. As you can tell my son is really excited about it too. 

I think the Honma clubs will help this bad boy run even BETTER!!!!

[PMookie]

20 minutes ago, golfish! said:

 

So after the call with Roger, it is confirmed that the way to use the cart as a manual push cart is to adjust the position of the wheels on the axle as mentioned before. There is no electric mode for free wheel. Thomas mentioned disconnecting the battery but trying to push is still against the resistance of the motors. I have tried push the cart forgetting it was electric without activating the motors and it will not move easily.

Yes I had a chance to take it down a fairly steep hill and using the DHC (downhill control) features works really good. Speed stays consistent the whole time. I probably would not bother to adjust the wheels to manual push mode and just use the lowest speed setting as in the video even on a really steep hill. I would hold the handle bars though for control. Video below using slow speed down a hill. I will find an even steeper hill and post more videos.

 

 

I see the cart in the distance. If you were playing in a group with others riding a cart, do you think you were able to keep-up more effectively than using a pushcart, or just carrying a bag?

[golfish!]

1 hour ago, PMookie said:

I see the cart in the distance. If you were playing in a group with others riding a cart, do you think you were able to keep-up more effectively than using a pushcart, or just carrying a bag?

Definitely easier than carrying a bag (never carried a bag on a full 18, only on a par 3 course with 3 or 4 clubs) but I have carried heavy packs in the Marines and know that it wouldn't be pleasant lol. As compared to a regular push cart, I believe so. Time will tell as I play more rounds but that morning I played with 2 of my buddies who rode together in a cart. Since I did not have to expend energy on pushing the cart, I was able to walk a brisker pace than usual to be able to keep up. For sure they were still able to get ahead of me after every tee shot but after that it really did not matter. We finished our round in 3.5 hours.

[ole gray]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:23 PM, ole gray said:

Motocaddy

First I would like to thank Motocaddy for this awesome piece of equipment  and MGS for giving me the opportunity!

Hi folks my real name is Bill Sandefur and I have been a member on MGS since November 2016. Prior to that I was on THP for a few years and a couple of other sites briefly. I’ve had the pleasure to review many pieces of golf equipment over the years. It’s always fun to get new stuff to review however it ain’t exactly free. It takes a lot of good old fashion honest work to do it right.

I’m a senior at 70 years old however I’m in better than average shape with a few parts worn out from excessive use over the years. It doesn’t stop me from loving to exercise at my local gym and walking while golfing several times a week. I started back walking in March of 2020 thanks to covid and all it brought to us.

I'm a Vietnam Army veteran and played three sports back in my younger days. Squirrel, rabbit, and coon hunting was once a treat as my Dad and I enjoyed a good day in the woods.  We always let the coons go as it was more fun treeing them rather than shooting em. A good coon hound is worth it's weight in gold!

I am excited and welcome the opportunity to put this Motocaddy trolley through the paces and will start today April 13th, 2021. Hang on to ya jockstrap as I’m going to hop on this hoss and give er a ride!

Stay tuned for plenty of pics and videos !
 

 

[tchat07]

I'm assuming that you are talking about going downhill correct? I haven't had a chance to test this yet, but what Roger said on our call earlier was that when you are going down a hill it is best to leave the speed on 1 or 2 so that the cart doesn't go too fast and get away from you. You have the option at anytime to change it to manual so that you have better control. 
[mention=79024]golfish![/mention] Have you taken this down any big hills yet and did you go for the motorized feature?

You all answered it perfectly. I was also thinking more one of those steep side hill or anything around water haha

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[golfish!]

58 minutes ago, tchat07 said:

You all answered it perfectly. I was also thinking more one of those steep side hill or anything around water haha

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app
 

Haha yes on steep side hills you still have to be careful. I think the unit is a little more stable than a standard push cart but with all the weight at the top, it is still top heavy so it can topple over. I had a few instances going across a hill where the unit started to tip but I managed to keep it right by holding on to the handle bars. Around water and bridges I just keep the speed low for better control. At the lowest speed it is really crawling along. At the highest you would be sprinting the entire round. I haven't cranked it up to 9...yet...though I am sure for testing purposes our moderators will ask us to test out the high speed mode...I can see an improptu 60 yard drag race on the fairway between the Motocaddy and a standard cart...automatic distance control engaged!

[Tpoole22]

Since it's so early in the season I think the 50 golf balls I'm carrying should be a good counter weight for going up hills haha

[fixyurdivot]

11 hours ago, golfish! said:

There is no electric mode for free wheel. Thomas mentioned disconnecting the battery but trying to push is still against the resistance of the motors. I have tried push the cart forgetting it was electric without activating the motors and it will not move easily.

It would sure be a convenient feature to be able to switch from engaged to disengaged using the controller.  With my luck the battery would run out right after hole #4 at Mesa Del Sol... where the local Coots love to hangout around the green... yuck .

Good start on the reviews testers! It sure looks like a pretty compact unit.

[ole gray]

I had a fun day with the M7 today! It's easy peasy to setup using two levers to have it in position in no time.  One lever at the base between the two wheels and one on the handle bar and you're up and ready to load the bag. 





 

[fixyurdivot]

I presume it has a small FOB remote for steering and those two headlight looking things at the top of the center photo are the sensors?

[ole gray]

I presume it has a small FOB remote for steering and those two headlight looking things at the top of the center photo are the sensors?

I’ll get a pic up tomorrow of the remote .


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[TBT]

Does the M7 with the remote have a “follow me” function? I played with a guy that had a Powa Caddy once in Arizona and he clipped a remote to his belt and it just followed him...when he got to the green he grabbed his putter and pushed a pause button on the console to keep it off the greens


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[golfish!]

Took the M5 out for a spin today (lol sounds like I am talking about a certain German performance sedan) to test the battery life. Last time the battery was charged was last week after my second round. Battery has been sitting disconnected since then. Plugged it in today when setting up the cart and at first the battery indicator showed full. Then immediately dropped down to about 75% but still green. 35 minutes in, the indicator had not changed. It went down to 50% and yellow then bounced back up to green for bit. I would say about 1 hour into the round, the indicator stayed at 50% and yellow. By the end of the round which lasted 3 hours and 45 minutes (we lost light at about hole 15 and just walked back to the clubhouse and stopped at 100 yards at each hole in and played closest to the pin) the indicator had not changed. I will not charge the battery until my next round with the unit. Not sure if it will be this weekend or next week. This should be a realistic test of someone who may charge the battery to full and leave the unit in their trunk with the battery for a round per week. 

 

Also distances on the GPS were consistently longer than my Shotscope watch but within acceptable limits. 

Also, look at what arrived today. 

14 way divider with 7 pockets. Details card attached to handle states 100% waterproof! Umbrella holder is internal, not external like my current bag. Construction feels sturdy and the zippers feel very premium. The bag strap connectors are metal. I believe my Datrek light bag is made of plastic but may be to save weight not necessarily because of cheaper construction. This bag does not have a dedicated putter well. Not a deal breaker. I like that the insulated compartment is the largest front compartment and is at the bottom for best drainage. On my Datrek bag, the cooler compartment was the middle compartment. Since I drink a lot of water and sometimes take my own wraps to the course, I appreciate a big cooler compartment. 

Motocaddy sent all of us testers a bag in order to test the Easilock function. Essentially it is a self-locking mechanism for the bag so we dont need to use straps when on the Motocaddy cart. Similar to a groove and tongue design, the tongue is on the bottom of the cart and the groove is on the bottom of the bag. There are also 2 studs that screw into the bottom of the bag. The bag comes with the screws and a small wrench (or spanner as they call it in the UK, so is a spanner wrench a wrench wrench? lol) to install. See pictures below.

Motocaddy claims the Easilock system makes the bag straps obsolete and the bag should not rotate or come off the cart. Challenge accepted!

Finally got a video of the ADC (automatic distance control) function in use. You get up to the green after your excellent approach. You grab your putter, activate ADC and send the cart towards the next tee. As long as the path is relatively straight with no hazards in the way, it will be there waiting. Distances go from 5-60 yards. The ADC speed is automatically set to 5. There goes my dreams of drag racing a fellow golf cart in my group lol. Was a bit windy today sorry for the windy audio!

 

[ole gray]

Does the M7 with the remote have a “follow me” function? I played with a guy that had a Powa Caddy once in Arizona and he clipped a remote to his belt and it just followed him...when he got to the green he grabbed his putter and pushed a pause button on the console to keep it off the greens


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No sir I it does not have the “follow me” function


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[ole gray]

M7 MotoCaddy gettin setup for my round today. 
 

 

[golfish!]

4 minutes ago, ole gray said:

 

 

M7setup.MOVUnavailable

@ole gray the movie isn't showing...

[ole gray]

Just now, golfish! said:

@ole gray the movie isn't showing...

ok I'll try again

 

[ole gray]

1 hour ago, golfish! said:

@ole gray the movie isn't showing...

The M7 goes well both up and down hills. With that said be careful when you are running speeds at 4 up because quick drop offs and such will cause a tip over!. 
 

 

[ole gray]

1 hour ago, golfish! said:

@ole gray the movie isn't showing...

 

Here's one putting the battery in my M7 MotoCaddy:

 

 

[ole gray]

Someone had asked me this morning about the display screen and remote. 
 

 

[Rickp]

M7 MotoCaddy gettin setup for my round today. 
 
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Reminds me of the Clic Gear cart I had, in fact even easier!


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[TBT]

No sir I it does not have the “follow me” function


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Seems like a missed opportunity


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[golfish!]

Nice videos @ole gray! I have been opening both latches and opening the unit in one go and not in 2 steps but either way works! One thing I did find is when closing the unit back down, the front wheel needs to be lifted slightly for it to fold down or else the friction between it and the pavement keeps it from folding down. Anyone else having that issue?