2021 Official Review: Motocaddy M5 and M7

[Motocaddy]

On 6/14/2021 at 8:55 AM, ole gray said:

Ok folks my review is up and done!  I will continue to monitor and answer any questions you have for as long as needed.  It has been a pleasure and  I am so thankful to MotoCaddy and MyGolfSpy for this opportunity!  Roger Teat who is heading up the US side  of MotoCaddy was solid gold l while assisting us through the process. I enjoyed my teammates comments throughout the conversations leading up to the reviews!

Thank you Big Stu, Tpoole22, and golfish for sharing your stories and knowledge.

 

 

 

Thanks @ole gray for the fantastic review!  It was great working with you guys and following along!!

[Snicks]

Just finished reading 17 pages worth of reviews. Good job guys.  

I noticed lot of you using the MotoCaddy golf bag, has anyone used a Vessel Stand bag or similar bag on these and run into any problems?  

[MaxEntropy]

Nice write-up @ole gray! 

 

[ole gray]

1 hour ago, Motocaddy said:

Thanks @ole gray for the fantastic review!  It was great working with you guys and following along!!

Thank you sir! 

44 minutes ago, MaxEntropy said:

Nice write-up @ole gray! 

 

Appreciate ya!

[Northern Monkey]

Having read all the reviews I’ve ordered an M7 and it should be with me next week. Really looking forward to taking it out

[Motocaddy]

On 6/17/2021 at 1:40 PM, Northern Monkey said:

Having read all the reviews I’ve ordered an M7 and it should be with me next week. Really looking forward to taking it out

Enjoy!  We think you are going to love it!!

[Northern Monkey]

Well I took the M7 out for the first time today and have to say I am really impressed with it. The difference it makes to your game is impressive. Felt a lot fresher after playing and didn’t have the usual aches and pains from pushing a trolley around. 
It was a little more noisy than I was expecting, but to be honest some of that was my clubs moving around in the bag, and I think I need to use it some more to see if this is normal. The motors themselves seem very quiet but there did seem to be some noise coming from the wheels. Now admittedly this could be due to it being new and then bedding in so will reserve judgement until after some more use. 
It is lacking in storage space which could improve it but overall though I would highly recommend it, you won’t look back once you have one

[golfish!]

17 hours ago, Northern Monkey said:

Well I took the M7 out for the first time today and have to say I am really impressed with it. The difference it makes to your game is impressive. Felt a lot fresher after playing and didn’t have the usual aches and pains from pushing a trolley around. 
It was a little more noisy than I was expecting, but to be honest some of that was my clubs moving around in the bag, and I think I need to use it some more to see if this is normal. The motors themselves seem very quiet but there did seem to be some noise coming from the wheels. Now admittedly this could be due to it being new and then bedding in so will reserve judgement until after some more use. 
It is lacking in storage space which could improve it but overall though I would highly recommend it, you won’t look back once you have one

Hmm I havent noticed any noise coming from the motors but did notice some creaking coming from the wheels. I believe it depends on the terrain you are on but I dont think it affects the functionality of the cart. As for the on board storage, I did mention that in my official review that on board storage is a bit limited but I believe Roger mentioned they are looking at upgrades for future models. The accessory package takes care of some of that giving you a ball and tee holder in your scorecard holder, an umbrella holder, a device cradle, and a cup holder (definitely recommend the XL one if you have anything larger than a beer can). 

[Tpoole22]

Edited

Edited June 24, 2021 by Tpoole22

[xOldBenKenobiX]

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

t’s like jumping on your bike for the first time, you don’t want to run into old lady Gertrude’s rose bush or Uncle Felton’s fish pond.

I needed this to laugh this morning Ole Gray.

[xOldBenKenobiX]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:23 PM, BIG STU said:

No I will not get rid of either one because they have been very beneficial to me health wise

This is the most important aspect that I can see for that cart, is the fact that you still can take a long walk and not have to push the cart, so you are getting a some exercise without being exhausted at the end of it.

Thank you for the review @BIG STU

[xOldBenKenobiX]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:24 PM, golfish! said:

Testing the Motocaddy M5 GPS has been a pleasure not only because of the ease of setup and intuitive nature of the functions but also because Motocaddy seems to be a company that cares about their customers. If you are asking customers to shell out $1500 for a product you better make sure they feel like they are getting value and service. The little things like the great packaging, the inclusion of a glass screen protector for the M5 GPS screen, Roger’s (Motocaddy USA President) involvement during our testing and availability to answer questions all made me feel like I was a valued member of the Motocaddy family and not just another customer. On top of all that, I have shot some of my best rounds this year so far while walking with the Motocaddy and feel like I have kick started my journey to getting back in shape. Aside from the high cost and a few areas of improvement such as the need for a screen lock to prevent accidental screen touches, a button lock for the motor activation, and some improved options for on-board storage I highly recommend Motocaddy to anyone looking to get an electric push cart. I know I will be using my unit for years to come. 

That is an awesome review too, thank you for the work put on it @golfish!

[xOldBenKenobiX]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:22 PM, GolfSpy MPR said:

• @ole gray 
• @BIG STU 
• @Tpoole22 
• @golfish! 

It should go without saying, if any of you guys get too bored with easy walking give me a shout I will gladly take one of those carts for several walks when I golf.

[Tpoole22]

@golfish! I had no idea that the scorecard holder had a ball slot in the back so thank you for pointing that out. I was actually really hoping for something like that on the cart initially so I'm glad they found a spot for it

[ole gray]

54 minutes ago, xOldBenKenobiX said:

I needed this to laugh this morning Ole Gray.

Glad to oblige partner! 

[ole gray]

On 6/25/2021 at 9:24 AM, xOldBenKenobiX said:

This is the most important aspect that I can see for that cart, is the fact that you still can take a long walk and not have to push the cart, so you are getting a some exercise without being exhausted at the end of it.

Thank you for the review @BIG STU

 

You hit the nail on the head hoss.   It's like a walk in the park without carrying a 30 lb ruck sack.  A friend of mine who also has an electric cart, was walking up the fairway with me last Thursday.  He said man this is the life huh?  I said yea this is better than coon hunting on a full moon!  No doubt it's the ticket to an enjoyable round of golf.... 

Tip --  In case you are pushing your luck with the battery and it kicks the bucket on the 16th hole of the third round.   Unplug the battery and load it on one your buddies cart, if that's a n option.  Flip the wheels to make your trolley base narrow and it's really close to pushing a non electric cart. 

[ole gray]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:23 PM, BIG STU said:

Ok I think most of the folks know my background. I am 64 years old now. I had retired working part time for the company I was with. Had a bad accident at work ended up breaking my back both sides of the L-2 and collapsing the disc. Also broke my shoulder and had a bad concussion. Prior to the accident I had been walking some with like 5 clubs of my classic gear in a Moonlite bag.  I was walking like 5 holes a day and then hooking up with my buds riding in the afternoons at least 18. I had actually lost about 20 LBS of weight without trying or altering my diet any. Then wham the accident. I was bedridden for about 4 months even though I tried to get out a couple of hours each day practicing putting with a broomhandle putter with my back brace on. Yep I gained weight back and added some. I had progressed some and had permission from my Docs to hit balls some along with my physical therapy. But the Docs did not want me to even carry the 5 club Moonlite set up. I resorted to an old antique Bag Boy pull cart I had restored a couple of years back. Now going from my car to the range which is about 300 yards really hurt my back and I would have to rest.

This opportunity came up with MGS and Motocaddy. Everyone knew my health status. But Motocaddy and MGS had faith in me and that alone lifted my spirits. I want to thank both and all my fellow MGSers that had faith and encouraged me.

Style--- Loved the rugged looks of the unit as a whole. Me as a redneck engineer loves stuff like this. I remember when I unboxed and assembled it I told my wife this thing is built like an Army Tank. With me function and durability counts a lot over pretty looks even though to me the unit looks sturdy and looks great to my eye. Followed the well printed instructions and everything fell into place. Charged the battery per instructions and went ahead and charged the remote on my phone charger. I appreciate the thought and engineering on the whole unit from the packaging to the unit itself. Gotta give them 20 points out of 20 here

 

Set up --- Pretty easy when you follow the instructions the first time. Everytime after that is a no brainer. As far as storage it works well for me. I could put it in the trunk of my car with my clubs because I drive a big car a S-500 Benz and it has a big trunk. But I have so much stuff in the trunk in fact have the air bags up on position 2 for weight. Still have tools and stuff related to the trucks. But anyhow that is all my fault. Since no one but me the wife and the dogs ride in the car I store it in the back seat with no problem. Weight wise even with my hurt back ( still healing) I do not have any pain or difficulty putting it in the back seat. Now I do pull the battery out for weight reasons when lifting. I might can see the problem with folks with smaller vehicles. I can see where it could be difficult for someone petite like my wife. So basically I can not see as a engineer where they could lighten it up any because I feel the durability would suffer some But hey nothings perfect so I give it 18 out of 20 points

On course--- More like on range for me--- It works great ---- I can set up the bag in my shop for my range needs. The supplied ( for our tests) Motocaddy bag works well for me. I can load it up with like 14 clubs and can fit my 2 training aides the square striker and the Skilz Ball trainer plus my alignment sticks in the putter well. This all translates well for my range sessions. I have so much stuff I can keep the Motocaddy bag stocked with essentials like gloves and tees. The accessory pack really works well for me here too. I can stuff the cooler part on the bag with 4 bottles of water and my blue ice packs. Motocaddy even supplied us with a larger drink holder for the side. LOL my Bubba cup was even too big for that but I went to Wally World and matched one up to it. I can pack it with ice and add water when I get on range. The scorecard holder works well here too. I have 2 golf balls I have marked and balanced for putting drills and they fit well here. Where the scorecard is supposed to go I keep some cut down slightly 3x5 cards to keep notes on when club engineering and testing. Love the umbrella holder. On the range when I take a break I can stand under the umbrella and write notes and drink cool water. For me I have to give the accessory pack a 20 out of 20 points. Due to my health I have not been able to go out on the course with it for a round yet but I am looking forward to the fall weather when I usually get out walking with my vintage stuff.

M-7 remote--- Love it!!! When I first recieved the Motocaddy I put it together in the living room and charged the battries as instructions say to do. Now I do live in a Mobile Home and I actually slowly manuevered it down the hall and down the wheelchair ramp ( previous owner was handicapped) and right back to the shop. Ran it at first in the neighborhood to get used to it. Got pretty darn good with it. Went to the course and the fun began messing with folks. Learned to do tricks with it. But for me it works well I do not have to bend over to push or operate it which is a lot of stress off my back. The remote has helped a lot I can walk at my own pace with no stress. This is really where this cart helps me immensley. When I first started I had it on position 2 and after about 5 sessions I found Out I was "catching it" with no effort so up to 3rd speed. Now I can do 4th speed on occasion and if I fall behind no worries because it stops if it gets out of range as advertised. The remote is so fun that I gotta give it 20 out of 20 points.

Usefullness---- In my situation I find it very useful and in my situation I feel it has sped up my recovery. Motocaddy was also very generous and gave us a bag to test along with the cart. Now to be honest 14 way cart bags are not my thing. I am old school 3 way divider type guy. In fact my staff bags with 6 way dividers I have the center section out but that is just me. With that being said the Motocaddy bag works very well with the cart. I can also see the benefits of the storage set up. It ties in well. I am looking forward to this fall when the weather cools and I can play my walking vintage rounds. The Motocaddy bag fits really well and balances well on it. My Titleist and unmarked Burton staff bags fit well on it but I find them a little top heavy because they sit higher than the Motocaddy one does. My old Jones bag which is my everyday gamer rides excellent on it. The old Ping Hoofer sits at a funny angle and the legs want to deploy plus I get the club hang associated with Hoofers. But all in all with the Motocaddy cart bag it is well engineered and has easy access to all pockets. Personally even though I am not a fan of 14 way cart bags I would reccomend someone purchasing a Motocaddy to get the bag too because it helps the whole ball of wax. But because I am a little biased towards 14 way cart bags and being opmistic I am going to give it 18 out of 20 points--- I will concurr that I may change my attitude on the 14 way bag after my fall vintage sessions

Play or Trade--- No I will not get rid of either one because they have been very beneficial to me health wise--- I am looking forward to the day when I can go 18 holes with it especially in my vintage rounds Going to give it 20 out of 20 points here because you folks do not know how beneficial it is to me

I want to apologize because no pics are available. I did some pics but my computer got some kind of virus or hack. When I down loaded my pics with the USB cord ( which is new to me) the whole thing went to hell in a handbasket I lost everything on both phone and the computer including some of my old pics. Had to send out my computer to have fixed ( cost me $200) and had to have Sprint do some kind of work on my phone. I was hesitant to do my report because of this but I figgured you guys would understand. So overall I gave it 96 out 100 points. Like I said thanks to everyone involved with MGS and Motocaddy. I especially want to give a shout out to our esteemed Member gofish. He got me set up and walked me through the video thing with Roger Tart. And Roger what a great guy. "Fish " as I call him helped me last week and he did not even know it. I had to do a video thing with the SC State Workmans Comp folks and what he taught me helped immensely. Yeah Fish I kept notes on what to do plus the lady with the State WC helped me too

But yes the whole Motocaddy "package" as I call it is a well thought out engineered product from the packaging to the finished product and the performance to me is outta sight.

 

Hey partner if you stay off them damn porn sites you won't lock your computer down.... jk  Enjoyed your review buddy!

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, ole gray said:

Hey partner if you stay off them damn porn sites you won't lock your computer down.... jk  Enjoyed your review buddy!

Naaw do not have to worry there---- Me and this lady up the road who owns a restaurant got into it bad because of the actions at her restaurant last September---- One of her friends threatened me and my family and called the Police on me. When the Police saw what she had written she was arrested. She got her friend to hack my FB account and it went in from there. I had all the stuff firewalls and such installed. Her and her friend go to court next month and will more than likely have to pay for my damages plus some others she had hacked. The lady who owns the restaurant denies all of it but the Police looked at my computer and the Police Officer told me it was full of viruses etc. They did take whatever from my hard drive for evidence. And the female officer who is a computer specialist told me what to do and who to take it to. Part of that mess was I lost all my pics when I tried to download

[Rickp]

15 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

Naaw do not have to worry there---- Me and this lady up the road who owns a restaurant got into it bad because of the actions at her restaurant last September---- One of her friends threatened me and my family and called the Police on me. When the Police saw what she had written she was arrested. She got her friend to hack my FB account and it went in from there. I had all the stuff firewalls and such installed. Her and her friend go to court next month and will more than likely have to pay for my damages plus some others she had hacked. The lady who owns the restaurant denies all of it but the Police looked at my computer and the Police Officer told me it was full of viruses etc. They did take whatever from my hard drive for evidence. And the female officer who is a computer specialist told me what to do and who to take it to. Part of that mess was I lost all my pics when I tried to download

Wow what a mess!  Glad you’re getting it  taken care of and MB Police we’re definitely helpful

[BIG STU]

On 6/15/2021 at 2:06 PM, Snicks said:

Just finished reading 17 pages worth of reviews. Good job guys.  

I noticed lot of you using the MotoCaddy golf bag, has anyone used a Vessel Stand bag or similar bag on these and run into any problems?  

I experimented with different bags because of the way I was testing--- My Titleist Staff and Burton Staff bags go on it fine and tie down fine. But they set about 2 inches higher than the Motocaddy bag because of how the base is designed to lock in the Motocaddy Bag. They were alright but sketchy balance wise. My old school Hoofer will sit on it but the angle makes the stand want to deply and if I turned it sideways I could not get to all of my stuff in the pockets. Also had the old Hoofer problem of club hang up. I think a lot of that was bag angle. My standard everyday Jones Classic non stand fits and rides fine. My old school Vagabond bag ( like a Jones) fits and rides fine too. But even though I am not a big 14 way cart bag man I feel the Motorcaddy bag does really well walking. For me I liked the cooler and the storage. Also liked the one pouch I can carry my phone in if not using the holder on my Motocaddy. The owners of my course told me I could walk if the course was not crowded but one of the owners ( friend for 20 years) insisted I carry my phone with me walking because one never knows at my age. Normally my phone stays in my car when on the course and playing with others. And it is a piece of mind that I can charge my Phone off the Motocaddy power supply if need be.

[BIG STU]

2 minutes ago, Rickp said:

Wow what a mess!  Glad you’re getting it  taken care of and MB Police we’re definitely helpful

Yep they are a great group of folks I worked with quite a few of them when I ran the wrecker business. Now the County Police were the ones who handled my case since I live in the county but I know and have worked with them in the past plus a good Church Bud of mine is a Captain on the force

[xOldBenKenobiX]

On 6/27/2021 at 7:40 AM, ole gray said:

 

You hit the nail on the head hoss.   It's like a walk in the park without carrying a 30 lb ruck sack.  A friend of mine who also has an electric cart, was walking up the fairway with me last Thursday.  He said man this is the life huh?  I said yea this is better than coon hunting on a full moon!  No doubt it's the ticket to an enjoyable round of golf.... 

Tip --  In case you are pushing your luck with the battery and it kicks the bucket on the 16th hole of the third round.   Unplug the battery and load it on one your buddies cart, if that's a n option.  Flip the wheels to make your trolley base narrow and it's really close to pushing a non electric cart. 

That is awesome to know, I was wondering if it died on the course, how would you drag it back to the car.

[ole gray]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:24 PM, Tpoole22 said:

Motocaddy M5  Official Review

Intro

I want to start by saying thank you to MGS and to Motocaddy for giving me the opportunity to test the M5 cart as well as the Dry cart bag. Over the past few weeks I have taken the cart for 8 full rounds and with me to the range around 6 times to make sure that I could test all of the features that are advertised. 

Style What’s it look like(18 out of 20) 

This cart is seriously made well and feels incredibly sturdy. You can tell as soon as you get it out of the box that theres no way this thing is going to fall apart. I play a lot on public courses that are very bumpy and have no worries about anything breaking. They did a great job making such a sturdy cart without making it too huge. It actually looks great too, I really like the dark grey color and some of the blue stripes. The screen is not huge, but is very bright and I have no problem seeing and being able to go through all of the features. Overall I would give it a 10 out of 10 because this cart packs a lot of features into a frame that is very sturdy without being too large.

Setup (10 out of 10 points)

I decided to try to set everything up straight out of the box without reading the manual and within minutes had it rolling around my living room chasing after my dogs. When you pull it out of the box the only thing that you need to do is connect the battery and put the wheels on. The majority of the features are just so easy use and find. The only feature that I could not figure out without reading the manual was how to push the cart without the power. Other than that, I got it connected to the app on my phone and could even connect to my local course from my house about 1.5 miles away. I also did not realize that you could flip around the wheels to make it smaller for storage even though I was not super concerned with that.

 

I decided to time myself to see how quick I could get it set up right out of my car. It took me less than 3 minutes to flip the wheels around, unfold the cart, plug in the battery and have the GPS find my course. 

 

 

 

On-Course (18 out of 20 points)

This cart is a game changer for me in many ways. For starters its helped me to walk more rounds. In the two months since we received these I’ve walked every round. I’ve also never had a GPS or range finder so I have always had to bum one from a friend mid round. Now they come to me to get distances to middle of the green or to clear any hazards. This feature alone saves a good bit of time knowing exactly what the distances are right when you stop the cart. 

 

 

 

Even though I am fairly tall I still have no problems with the height of the cart. The top half is adjustable to a height that suits me very well. There are 9 different speeds that start out at a snail’s pace and go up to a light jog for me. I would probably never need speed 9 unless I am trying to fly through an evening round quickly, but its nice to have the option. The courses that I play are not super hilly other than a few holes that have huge hills, but having the down hill control really comes in handy as well as the parking brake so that you do not lose control of the cart. At most when going down a big hill I would just turn it down 1 speed because I probably walk slower as well. 

 

The only thing that I think should be added is an anti-tip wheel like the M7, because there was a couple times that the cart tipped over on me. One time was on the side of a steep green so that was my fault for not watching it better, but the other time it hit a big bump going up a hill that tipped it over backwards. Now that we have the accessories to go with the cart I have no issues with storage at all. I’m able to put my phone, large water bottle and scorecard on there with no problem. If these were not included though I would definitely be wanting some type of storage compartment on the cart.

 

 

 

 

Accuracy and Handling  (9 out of 10 points)

This thing is super easy to handle and adjust speeds. Initially I was thinking that having a front wheel that turned freely would have been nice, but I realized that it would make the cart go all over the place especially on some of the bumpier public courses that I play. A couple of features that I noticed right away that are really nice is the parking brake and the adjustable distance control so you can send the cart up to 60 yards out with the press of a button. I use this feature quite often when I get up close to the greens I will send the cart usually around 10 to 15 yards out towards the next tee box. I didn’t use the shot distance feature very much, but the few times that I did it seemed to be very accurate even when I was off to either side in the rough. They did a great job adding in the 1-2 seconds between changing the speed so that you cant accidently send it all the way up to max and have to go chasing after it.

Although the cart bag was technically not part of the initial review I feel like I need to add in that it complimented the cart very well and having the easilock hooks on the bottom made it feel very secure. I think that given the choice I would still go with the M5 again over having the remote. Obviously if there was a cart that combined the features of the two it would be perfect. Because it does not have some sort of way to keep it from tipping over or a safety shut off for when it tips over I gave it 9 out of 10.

Electric Cart  Usefulness (20 out of 20 points)

I can say without a doubt that this cart is incredibly useful. I can tell a big difference at the end of my rounds in how much more energy I have. This definitely translates to me playing better towards the end of my rounds where I would normally be getting pretty tired. That is far from the only benefit though. I have been able to save time before my shots by having the distances right in front of me when I get to my ball as well as being able to take a different approach to my shots due to knowing distances to clear hazards and the center of the green. One thing that I did not expect was that it would actually be space saving compared to my current push cart. It’s much easier to fit my cart and bag in the trunk of a small car because it folds up so small.

 

 

 

 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20 points)

To be honest, before I I this cart, purchasing an electric cart had never even crossed my mind. This isn’t because I just didn’t want one or think that it would be useful, I guess just because I was content with what I had and had not seen one before. In this case I guess you could say ignorance is bliss because I had no idea what I was missing out on. I definitely feel lucky to be able to acquire on in this way because I was actually in shock when I initially saw the price tag. Now that I have had some time with the cart I definitely see why it costs that much and that is actually worth it. There’s a reason that you see a lot of big youtube golfers using these lately. I will absolutely be keeping the cart and may have to end up getting one for my wife as well. 

 

Conclusion

Testing this cart was a lot of fun and I am really grateful to have had the opportunity. If you are looking for a cart that is loaded with features and will help to make your rounds easier, I highly recommend looking into Motocaddy. That being said, if they did come out with a cart that had a remote feature along with the GPS I would be buying it immediately. The amount of involvement that Roger had in our testing says a lot about how much they care about their product and want to make sure that we had everything that we needed. I will be using this cart for a long time and believe that using it will help me shoot better scores. 

 

Final Score: 95

 

Great job partner!  

[ole gray]

Any questions on the M7 that you all may have thought of?

I walked Sunday and I begin my three days in a row today so I'm packing the miles on my M7 and she's not complaining.  Heck she's toting my stuff like a stud pack mule heading to the corn bin. I'll be putting 20 + miles on her this week.  Love this tower of power machine! 

[ole gray]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:24 PM, golfish! said:

[Motocaddy M5 GPS] – Official MGS Forum Review by [golfish!]

Intro

Well since most of you following this thread already know enough about me and all the first impressions, unboxing and other pertinent details of the first part of the review, we will skip straight to the performance review section! Since I play at least 1 round per week, I planned on at least getting that many rounds in till the end of testing. As I received my unit on April 6th, I have recorded 9 complete rounds using the Motocaddy and a few that I know I did not complete and thus did not have a scorecard for in the Grint app. I even brought it with me to Phoenix on a business trip and got to use it out of state. Wonder how many testers got to do that! I also made sure to use my Shotscope V3 watch and my TecTecTec rangefinder to compare GPS distances to hazards and flags. I apologize now to all the people who played behind me as I looked at my cart screen, my watch, and my range finder as I got close to the pin! I made sure to test the battery life by going as many rounds as I could between charges and happy to report it never actually died on me on the course. Me dying on the course as I walked my hilly home course for the first time...well that’s a story for another time!

Style What’s it look like(16 out of 20 points) 

The Motocaddy M5 GPS is a sexy beast. Like the German performance sedan of the same name, it has curves in all the right places and feels sturdy enough to take over rough terrain. Although the construction is mostly plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap and has a heft to it that gives you the confidence that it will last a long time even with some rough use on the course. The hinges and latches feel firm and have a satisfying feeling when you actuate them. The overall form is very sleek looking with a nice wide base and a slim column. Yes I am describing the cart. GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!!! The GPS screen is large enough to be easily read on-course but not so large that it draws too much attention to it. 

 

When fully folded, it is just a bit longer than my Sun Mountain reflex cart. It is significantly wider with the wheels attached. I was able to fit it in the cab of my Chevy Silverado Crew Cab with 2/3rd the rear bench folded up. I usually store my golf bag on the floor of the cab with the Motocaddy folded up, wheels attached and the nose of the cart pointing up. 

As for accessories and customization, don’t expect too much. This is the main reason I deducted 4 points from the overall score. Since they are just breaking into the US, the current options are limited but as I understand it, they will be bringing more variety to the US market over time. The M5 and the M7 come with a pre-attached accessory station that accepts their accessories which include a cup holder, a device cradle, an umbrella holder, and a scorecard holder with ball and tee storage all of which Motocaddy graciously sent. We even got the XL cup holder which holds my 64oz insulated water bottle. The original cup holder barely holds a can of beer and trying to fit anything larger is like asking my extra medium shirts to hold in my belly after Thanksgiving dinner! The device cradle barely holds my Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra so if you have a large device then you might have trouble holding it in the cradle. The mechanism that holds the cradle to the accessory station is a bit weak in the ball joint so my heavy device kept tilting downward and resting on the top of the GPS screen. The scorecard holder is pretty cool with a cover and storage for 2 balls and tees. The storage slides out from under the scorecard holder. Points for ingenuity and design as I am an engineer and appreciate good product design. The only thing missing is more on board storage. Not much there but I assume the engineers and designers expect you to store items in your bag.

Setup (10 out of 10 points)

As a dad, I am obligated to read all instruction manuals and secretly enjoy them. However, setting this thing up from out of the box to ready to hit the course is so easy a caveman can do it. The cart comes mostly assembled from the factory so all you need to do is charge the battery, attach the wheels and it is ready to go. The M5 GPS comes with a glass screen protector which is as easy as installing one on a phone or tablet. Charging and installing the battery is idiot proof (though I say that with caution as a former US Marine, our claymore mines are embossed with “This Side Towards Enemy”) Installing the wheels is straightforward with satisfying clicks once the wheels are correctly in place. There is no left or right wheel but the wheels can be inserted with either side facing out and should be installed so the track is wide. Narrow is only for storage. There is a bit of a learning curve for finding the locking point for the wheels as there are two positions. One position is for use with the electric motor. This locks the wheels to the axles. The other position is for freewheeling in case you lose power during your round. This allows the wheel to rotate around the axle. But after a few times, this becomes like second nature. Unfolding and folding the cart itself is also a simple task. 2 latches are unlocked, you open the cart in one smooth motion then lock the latches back into place. Easy peasy. 

Using the GPS is very intuitive. When the unit is powered up, (no physical switch, just plug in the battery and it powers up automatically) there are two options from the home screen. “Play Golf” and “Settings”. If you go to Play Golf, it automatically activates a GPS search of nearby courses and within a minute or so, it lists all the nearby courses. You chose from the list and it starts you off on Hole #1. If you want to connect to your phone to receive notifications via bluetooth or connect to wifi to update the software or the course maps, this is all done through the setup screen. This process is also very intuitive and for the most part easy to do. Full points for ease of setup and use.

On-Course (15 out of 20 points)

I have used a Motocaddy in Germany during a round played while on a business trip.Since then I have walked many rounds with my manual push cart so I assumed this would not be any different. I was surprised by the difference in my overall condition after the round was over. I am not in the worst physical shape by any means but there is lots of room for improvement. Having an electric cart makes the task easier and motivates me to walk more rounds.

There is a learning curve associated with motor speeds. I started off slow at setting 5 but soon realized that I could maintain speed 7 comfortably. I used only a few of the 10 speed settings. The slowest for going downhill, a middle setting usually 6 or 7 depending on terrain and then very rarely the highest setting if I am really trying to book it (usually away from a spraying sprinkler head, a chasing goose, an errant ball etc) The DHC (downhill control) mode works really well and it is automatic so no need to fiddle with settings. The ADC (automatic distance control) mode takes some getting used to and it is definitely a novel feature that I found myself not using very often on the course. It was just easier to bring the cart with me to the edge of the green like I did with my manual push cart. Other than remembering to activate the motor and stop it, the M5 functions just like a regular push cart. There were a few times I forgot it was an electric push cart and tried to push it manually without activating the motor. Handle bars are at just the right height to punch me in the gut every time I did this so I learned quickly. The touchscreen itself is pretty sensitive and I would accidentally touch a soft button on the screen here and there. A screen lock might be able to prevent this in a future update. I also accidentally activated the motor and the cart almost got away from me a few times. I mentioned this to Roger (Motocaddy USA President, who has been a great resource during the test to answer questions) and he said they would look into a possible button lock or other mechanism to prevent this in the future. Overall the experience was great and I felt that it actually helped me to maintain a nice rhythm on the course as compared to riding in a cart and waiting to hit before every shot. The 5 points deducted are for the areas of improvement mentioned here. Fix those and I think this could be a perfect functioning electric cart.

 

 

Not sure if anyone mentioned battery life yet but the battery life on these is outstanding. I was able to go about 50 holes on a single charge and still have enough juice to keep the cart on for an after hours range session and make it back to my truck. This obviously depends on how hilly the course is and how fast you are moving but I was moving at a pretty brisk pace ( pretty much on speed 10 the whole time) for the final 14 holes or so before I ran out of daylight.

Accuracy and Handling  (10 out of 10 points)

To compare GPS yardages, I used my Shotscope V3 and my TecTecTec ULT-X rangefinder to measure distances to things like hazards and pins. The M5’s limitation is that it can only give you distances to hazards and greens but that is the same limitation as my Shotscope. Only my rangefinder can give me yardages to things like the end of a fairway on a dogleg, the slow group in front that just hit 150 yard tee shots from the back tees, etc. I was however able to get distances from unusual spots such as in the woods, from other fairways, the parking lot, etc. Overall the distances were fairly accurate and when compared to my devices, I found that the M5 GPS distances were a bit further away than what my watch and rangefinder gave me. Since I already have 2 measuring devices, I did not find the GPS function all that useful for me but for someone without any measuring devices, the GPS is accurate enough.

Handling on the M5 is great but there are watch points. Going up hills you do have to keep some pressure on it as it could rear up and do a wheelie if you let it just go up really fast. I did try to do a burnout with it and ended up looking silly chasing the cart as it dragged my clubs on the ground with the front wheel in the air. Also on very steep side inclines, it is recommended to go slow as I almost had the cart topple over sideways but that is because I was trying to go too fast. If I were buying a Motocaddy I would probably go for an M7 over the M5 as I mentioned I already have 2 distance measuring devices. 

Electric Cart  Usefulness (20 out of 20 points)

I gave full points here because an electric cart is absolutely useful. I definitely have more energy and stamina through and after my rounds as compared to a manual push cart even on relatively flat courses. Hilly courses for sure you feel the difference but even on a flat, easy muni on a relatively cool day, I still felt the difference between the M5 and a manual push cart. I actually shot some of my best rounds this year so far while walking with my M5. Since I am trying to get into better shape, having an electric push cart helps me to enjoy the round and not worry about lugging around the 3-4 liters of water I usually drink during a standard summer round here in SoCal. With a prospective job in Houston in the near future, I will probably be carrying more than that and knowing that I will not be expending energy just to carry my hydration allows me to enjoy the walk. Also, one of the cooler things about having an electric cart compared to a manual cart is that I could walk and drink at the same time. 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20 points)

It’s no secret the Motocaddy units are beaucoup dollars. If money wasn’t an issue, I would definitely purchase one of these for myself based on this test if I had to return the unit. I enjoy walking my rounds as it helps me to maintain a better rhythm between shots and to get into better shape long term. I have only used a golf cart a handful of times since starting the test and that was either because I was bringing my daughter along or I was playing on the road and could not bring my cart with me. Other than those reasons I have walked as many rounds as I could. An electric push cart of this caliber is a great tool for any golfer of any skill level. There is a reason the tour pros walk and are able to play as great as they do. (Caddies carrying bags helps) As for the Motocaddy brand, there is a reason they are the official sponsors of Rick Shiels’ podcast and the number one selling brand of electric push cart in the UK. I know that I will continue to use my Motocaddy M5 until either the cart breaks or I break.

Conclusion

Testing the Motocaddy M5 GPS has been a pleasure not only because of the ease of setup and intuitive nature of the functions but also because Motocaddy seems to be a company that cares about their customers. If you are asking customers to shell out $1500 for a product you better make sure they feel like they are getting value and service. The little things like the great packaging, the inclusion of a glass screen protector for the M5 GPS screen, Roger’s (Motocaddy USA President) involvement during our testing and availability to answer questions all made me feel like I was a valued member of the Motocaddy family and not just another customer. On top of all that, I have shot some of my best rounds this year so far while walking with the Motocaddy and feel like I have kick started my journey to getting back in shape. Aside from the high cost and a few areas of improvement such as the need for a screen lock to prevent accidental screen touches, a button lock for the motor activation, and some improved options for on-board storage I highly recommend Motocaddy to anyone looking to get an electric push cart. I know I will be using my unit for years to come. 

Final Score: 91

 

You're a Rock Star dude!  Your review was excellent from introduction to final statement.    

[golfish!]

On 6/25/2021 at 7:11 AM, Tpoole22 said:

@golfish! I had no idea that the scorecard holder had a ball slot in the back so thank you for pointing that out. I was actually really hoping for something like that on the cart initially so I'm glad they found a spot for it

Yep I was looking at the tray and saw two holes in the bottom and thought how do I get the balls in there? Then realized it is a sliding tray. So awesome.

5 hours ago, ole gray said:

 

You're a Rock Star dude!  Your review was excellent from introduction to final statement.    

Thanks @ole gray I had to cut about 1000 words from the uncut version to hit the word limit so I had to leave out a lot more jokes and funny anecdotes!

[xOldBenKenobiX]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:24 PM, Tpoole22 said:

I decided to try to set everything up straight out of the box without reading the manual

Dad style, I like it.

And I am glad that I am not the only one that does not read the instructions.

[MyWifesSwingCoach]

11 minutes ago, xOldBenKenobiX said:

Dad style, I like it.

And I am glad that I am not the only one that does not read the instructions.

In my house they are referred to as "Destructions" and are rarely used lol Unless of course SWMBO thinks its taking too long and has had enough of my crap haha

[xOldBenKenobiX]

10 minutes ago, MyWifesSwingCoach said:

In my house they are referred to as "Destructions" and are rarely used lol Unless of course SWMBO thinks its taking too long and has had enough of my crap haha

I only read it if something does not fit, I try to explain to the wife that half of the fun is trying to figure out how to put it together.

[MyWifesSwingCoach]

9 minutes ago, xOldBenKenobiX said:

I only read it if something does not fit, I try to explain to the wife that half of the fun is trying to figure out how to put it together.

All that gets me is an eye roll lol But at least my 7y/o daughter uses the word "Destructions" instinctively haha