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The best electric golf trolley for most UK golfers is the Motocaddy M1: a compact fold, nine speeds, a send-ahead function and a five-year battery warranty once registered. The Motocaddy SE is the budget pick, the PowaKaddy CT6 suits small boots and the M1 DHC is the one for hilly courses.
Every spec here comes from the maker, every price from a UK retailer page we opened on 3 November 2026 and every "on the course" comment from a named independent tester. Our how we choose page sets out the whole method. A trolley is one of the bigger buys in our wider guide to golf gadgets worth owning, so it pays to get the sums right first.
Three things most trolley guides skip
- The hill upgrade (DHC or EBS) costs about £50 on the trolleys here that offer it, which makes it the cheapest decision on this page.
- Weights aren't like for like. PowaKaddy quotes the frame without its battery, so add 1.56kg to 1.8kg before you compare (retailers differ).
- Motocaddy's five-year battery cover only starts if you register within 45 days of buying. Miss it and you get 24 months.
The best electric golf trolley for each type of golfer
| Best for | Electric golf trolley | Why it's here | Know this first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most golfers | Motocaddy M1 | Compact fold, nine speeds, 45-yard send-ahead | No downhill braking |
| Best budget electric golf trolley | Motocaddy SE | Lightest here, one-step fold | Longest fold, no speed readout |
| Hilly courses | Motocaddy M1 DHC | Holds its speed downhill, parks on slopes | No GPS |
| Small boots | PowaKaddy CT6 | Smallest folded box here | Braking costs extra |
| GPS with hills | Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC | Full hole maps plus downhill control | Pointless if you own a good GPS |
| The biggest screen | PowaKaddy CT12 GPS | 5-inch portrait touchscreen, tiny fold | Dearest here |
| Budget remote | Navee Birdie 3 | Remote control for less | Beeps and drifts on side slopes |
How do you choose the right electric golf trolley?
Four questions settle this for nearly everyone. Answer them in this order, because each one rules out more trolleys than the one after it.
Standard, remote or follow?
A standard electric trolley runs at the speed you set and you steer it by the handle. A remote trolley takes commands from a handset, so you can walk to your ball while it goes elsewhere. A follow trolley tracks a signal you carry. You pay for each step. Today's Golfer puts the best models at up to around £2,000.
Most golfers walk beside the trolley anyway, so a standard electric trolley with a send-ahead function covers the common case: you set it off towards the next tee while you walk round the green. If you want full hands-free control, read our guide to the best remote golf trolleys. They are heavier, which matters every time you lift one into the car.
Do you already own a GPS or rangefinder?
A GPS electric golf trolley sounds like the clever buy, but built-in GPS is often the worst value on the spec sheet. Golf Monthly's review of the CT12 GPS calls it an unnecessary purchase if you already have a GPS device or only use a rangefinder.
| GPS step-up at Scottsdale, 3 Nov 2026 | Extra you pay | A separate device instead |
|---|---|---|
| PowaKaddy CT6 to CT6 GPS | £150 | Garmin Approach S12 watch, about £109 |
| Motocaddy M1 to M5 GPS (sale price) | £200 | Shot Scope G6 watch, about £150 |
| PowaKaddy CT6 to CT12 GPS | £400 | Garmin Approach S70 watch, about £480 |
Trolley prices are Scottsdale's on 3 November 2026. Watch prices are from our own guide, checked on 2 November 2026.
A watch or a small clip-on works on the range, in a buggy and on holiday, while a trolley screen stays with the trolley. Our guide to the best handheld golf GPS shows what a clip-on gives you. The GPS watch guide covers the golf GPS watch route. If you're still deciding between the three types of device, our rangefinder, GPS and watch comparison lays it out. Our best rangefinder guide covers lasers. The case for a screen on the trolley is a big, clear hole map you don't have to charge separately or remember to bring.
How hilly is your course?
Without downhill control, gravity adds to the motor on a slope and you end up holding the trolley back. With it, the motor keeps a constant speed on the way down. Motocaddy calls this DHC (Downhill Control) and PowaKaddy calls it EBS (Electronic Braking System). Motocaddy's version also has an electronic parking brake, which holds the trolley still on a slope while you play.
On 3 November 2026 the DHC version of the M1 listed £50 above the standard M1 at Motocaddy, with the same battery. At Scottsdale the PowaKaddy CT6 EBS and the PowaKaddy FX3 EBS each sat £50 above their standard models. Scottsdale's M5 GPS and M5 GPS DHC showed the same £50 gap. If your club has even a few steep holes, that's a small price for not holding a trolley back on wet grass. It also adds about 0.6kg on the M1, so a hill-free golfer can skip it with a clear conscience.
Will it fit your boot?
This is the mistake people find out about on the drive, so measure first. Run a tape across the car boot floor with the parcel shelf in place, then compare it with the folded dimensions. Don't stop at the longest number. A trolley with a shorter length can still fail on height.
Our seven electric golf trolley picks
Best for most golfers: Motocaddy M1
Regular walkers on normal courses who already use a watch, laser or phone for distances.
The 2026 M1 gives you the things you'd use every round and leaves out what you'd pay for and ignore. It has nine speed settings on a 2.8-inch screen, Adjustable Distance Control that sends it up to 45 yards ahead, a USB charging port and a cable-free lithium battery that disconnects itself when you fold the frame. Inverting wheels shrink it further. The handle adjusts to your height.
Golf Monthly's Joel Tadman tested the near-identical M1 DHC and said it does the basics better than most. The send-ahead is the feature to care about. That review says sending the trolley to the next tee makes a real difference to pace of play. That's what the budget SE doesn't have.
- 45-yard send-ahead in 15-yard steps
- Battery can stay on the trolley to charge
- A four-digit PIN security lock on the trolley
- No downhill braking. On a steep course, pay for the M1 DHC.
- Sold with the Standard battery at this price. The 36 hole battery (ULTRA) costs about £50 more.
- Register the battery within 45 days to get the 60 months of cover.
Best budget electric golf trolley: Motocaddy SE
First-time buyers moving up from a push trolley who want power and nothing else.
The SE is Motocaddy's entry-level model and, at 9.3kg, the lightest one National Club Golfer looked at in its 2026 Motocaddy test. Its reviewer liked the one-step fold and how quietly the motor runs. You still get nine speed settings, a lightweight lithium battery and a USB charging port.
The saving shows in the display. National Club Golfer describes an LED with two coloured lights and no numbers, so you set your speed by feel. Golf Monthly's review of the older SE made the same complaint.
- Lightest trolley on this page
- One-step fold
- Same five-year battery cover as dearer models, once registered
- No send-ahead function and no downhill control.
- 830mm folded length, so measure a small boot first.
- Older reviews describe the 2024 model with different numbers. These are the 2026 figures from Motocaddy.
Best for hilly courses: Motocaddy M1 DHC
Golfers at clubs with long descents and sloping lies who don't need a screen map.
This is the M1 with automatic Downhill Control, an electronic parking brake and all-terrain tyres with an anti-skid tread. Golf Monthly's review is the most useful thing we read on it. Tested on hilly courses at Centurion and Tandridge, the reviewer could walk normally down steep slopes without touching the trolley. The brake also held it on sidehill lies during each shot.
That review found its only real limit in the features list. There's no GPS here, so it makes the most sense if you already use a GPS app or handheld device for your yardages.
- Constant speed on descents
- Parking brake holds it uphill or downhill
- Takes Motocaddy's optional anti-tip wheel, sold separately
- Weighs 0.6kg more than the M1.
- On 3 November Motocaddy had the Standard battery version out of stock, so this price is for the larger ULTRA.
- The Scottsdale listing we opened showed this model out of stock, so check there before you plan on it.
Best for small boots: PowaKaddy CT6
Anyone with a small car boot, a shared car on golf days or little storage space in the garage.
PowaKaddy's Simple-2-Fold frame comes down to 510 x 425 x 375mm, the smallest box on this page and about a third smaller by volume than the M1. It has an integrated carry handle, a 2.8-inch colour screen and ADF (Automatic Distance Function, PowaKaddy's send-ahead) at 15, 30 or 45 yards. An anti-tamper dial stops it switching on by accident.
If you buy a PowaKaddy cart bag, its MAG-LOK magnet holds the golf bag on without a lower strap. Other cart bags can still go on with the straps. One caution: Today's Golfer lists "not as stable as the S1 DHC" (a Motocaddy model) as the CT6's only drawback, so for a really steep course look at the CT6 EBS or a DHC model.
- Smallest fold here, with a carry handle
- USB-C port for your phone or GPS
- The 9.9kg is without the battery. Retailers list the 18 hole pack at 1.56kg to 1.8kg, so plan on about 11.5kg to 11.7kg lifting it.
- EBS braking is a separate model, about £50 more at Scottsdale.
- Five-year battery cover is pro rata and Scottsdale says it needs registering, so a late claim may not cover the full cost of a new one.
Best with GPS and hill control: Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC
Golfers who don't own a GPS device, play away courses often and have hills to deal with.
This GPS electric golf trolley has a 3.5-inch touchscreen with 40,000 pre-loaded courses, front, middle and back distances, hazard information and full hole mapping with a movable target. Motocaddy says the hole maps and performance tracking are free for life, with Bluetooth phone notifications and Wi-Fi updates. Adjustable Distance Control goes to 60 yards in 5-yard steps. DHC and the brake are the same as on the M1 DHC.
Golf Monthly picks the M5 GPS as its top choice among electric golf trolleys and says it stays easy to use in poor weather. Today's Golfer rates how it copes with undulating courses, though it says the bag straps aren't the most secure, so a Motocaddy bag with EASILOCK is worth thinking about.
- Hole maps with no annual fee, says Motocaddy
- A built-in screen means one less device to charge and pack
- Golf Monthly mentions a paid Performance Plan for extra mapping features, so check what you'd want before relying on it.
- Price checked in Scottsdale's Black November sale. Its list price there was about £100 higher.
- Motocaddy quotes 11.2kg, the most of its four trolleys here.
Best big screen: PowaKaddy CT12 GPS
Keen golfers who want the clearest possible course map on a trolley that still folds small.
PowaKaddy says the 5-inch portrait touchscreen on this premium GPS electric golf trolley is the largest on the market. It shows the full hole, with 40,000 courses stored on the trolley and no subscription. There's Stableford and strokeplay scoring, a lost ball timer and game tracking through an app. It folds to the same 510 x 425 x 375mm as the CT6.
Golf Monthly's CT12 review calls it the best compact GPS trolley that tester has used. It found yardages within a yard or two of a laser rangefinder and says the portrait screen makes sense because it's the shape of a hole. The same reviewer is clear this is a niche buy and that the CT6 is the sensible choice if you already own a GPS.
- Biggest screen we found on a trolley
- Courses stored on the trolley, where the CT10 syncs through an app
- Pinch to zoom, like a phone
- PowaKaddy's spec table says "2 x 30v 230w" while its feature list says one 230-watt motor, so ask the seller if that matters to you.
- The 18 hole battery is standard, with a 36 hole pack for about £50.
What does an electric golf trolley really cost over five years?
The sums below take the price we checked and divide it by rounds played. The middle column uses the 37 rounds a year that BRS Golf reported for the average club member in 2022. The last column runs for eight years, inside the 7 to 10 year life Golf Monthly's trolley tester puts on them. It also adds one replacement lithium battery.
| Trolley | Cost per round: 15 a year, 5 years | 37 a year, 5 years | 37 a year, 8 years, one new battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motocaddy SE | £6.65 | £2.70 | £2.60 |
| Motocaddy M1 | £9.99 | £4.05 | £3.48 |
| PowaKaddy CT6 | £9.99 | £4.05 | £3.34 |
| Motocaddy M1 DHC | £11.33 | £4.59 | £3.99 |
| Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC | £13.32 | £5.40 | £4.32 |
| PowaKaddy CT12 GPS | £15.32 | £6.21 | £4.69 |
How we worked it out
Battery prices used: Motocaddy lists its M-Series Standard pack at about £280 and ULTRA at about £330. The SE takes the S-Series 28V Standard pack, about £270 and out of stock on 3 November. The Golf Shop Online sells PowaKaddy's 18 hole pack at about £240. Charging, repairs and resale value are left out.
What the numbers show
A golfer playing 15 rounds a year pays more than twice as much per round as a club regular, which makes a push trolley or the SE the honest answer for occasional golf.
Then there's the gap between the SE and the M1: on the eight-year sums it's about 88p a round, roughly a pound for send-ahead, a screen and a smaller fold. For a club regular, that's easy to justify.
What do the specs on an electric golf trolley mean?
Battery terms
What each term means
- 18 or 36 hole: a guide, not a promise. Motocaddy says its ULTRA completes 36 holes on a single-motor trolley in normal conditions. It adds that terrain, temperature, load and battery age all change that.
- Lithium or lead-acid: every trolley in this guide uses lithium. Retailers list PowaKaddy's 18 hole pack at 1.56kg to 1.8kg, light enough to stay on the trolley when you fold it.
- Cable-free: Motocaddy's CLICK 'N' CONNECT and PowaKaddy's Plug 'n' Play both slot in without a wire.
Which battery should you choose?
If you only play 18 holes and charge between rounds, a standard lithium battery will do on most courses. Motocaddy claims its ULTRA pack recharges on its charger in under five hours, with five times the lifespan of lead-acid. Battery life also drops in the cold: Click Golf points out that lithium batteries lose performance at low temperatures, so an 18 hole pack has less in hand on a frosty day. The bigger pack makes sense for 27-hole days, hilly courses or long gaps between charges. It was about £50 extra on the models we checked. Our golf trolley battery guide goes through charging and storing a lithium battery in detail, which is how you get the most years from it.
Motor, wheels and fold
What each term means
- 230W: the figure on all six standard trolleys here, so it won't separate them. Don't pay extra for it.
- 28V or 30V: a system voltage. Makers don't give a climbing figure for it, so choose on braking and battery first.
- Inverting wheels: the wheels flip inward to save folded space. Check whether the quoted size assumes this.
- All-terrain tyres: extra tread, standard on the DHC models here.
Other electric golf trolleys worth knowing about
Here's what we left out of this buying guide and why, for when a shop or a friend suggests something else.
| Model | What it is | Why it isn't a pick |
|---|---|---|
| PowaKaddy FX3 | GolfMagic calls this simple 18 hole model the UK's best seller | Dearer than the SE at Scottsdale, with PowaKaddy's compact fold saved for the CT range |
| PowaKaddy FX5 and PowaKaddy CT8 GPS | Mid-range steps in PowaKaddy's FX and CT families | They sit between the models above |
| PowaKaddy CT10 GPS | 3.5-inch portrait touchscreen on the CT frame | Golf Monthly says courses sync through an app, up to 20 at a time. We'd pay for the CT12 or skip the screen |
| PowaKaddy RX12 GPS | A remote electric golf trolley with the 5-inch screen | Golf Monthly found it less stable over tricky terrain than some rivals. See our remote guide |
| Motocaddy M-TECH | Motocaddy's luxury GPS electric trolley with its largest display | GolfMagic questions whether it justifies the extra over an M7, given a similar features list |
| Stewart Golf Q Follow | A follow trolley with a retractable stabiliser and a carry handle | No screen or GPS. GolfMagic says it needs its remote at all times, so that has to stay charged |
| Motocaddy M7 GPS Remote | Today's Golfer's overall pick, a remote electric golf trolley with GPS | A big step up in price. See our remote guide |
| Stewart Golf Vertx Remote and V10 Remote | The Vertx is Golf Monthly's favoured remote model. The V10 has Active Terrain Control, says Today's Golfer | No GPS and heavy to lift. Covered in our remote guide |
| MGI Zip X3 and Zip Navigator | Today's Golfer's affordable pick, plus MGI's remote model with gyroscope tracking | The same test says the X3's buttons feel cheap. The Zip Navigator belongs in our remote guide |
| Ben Sayers lithium | Clubhouse Golf had the 18 hole model in its sale at about £349 | Cheapest we saw, but we couldn't open an independent test of it, so it doesn't go in |
Does an electric golf trolley help your game?
Golf Monthly, Today's Golfer and GolfMagic all say an electric trolley saves energy, reduces fatigue and may save the odd shot late in a round. None of the guides we read measures that shot saving, so treat it as opinion. The stronger case is comfort: Golf Monthly says a golfer with back pain on steep courses gets the most from one, while a fit player on flat ground will notice it less.
Being honest, walking with a good push trolley already takes the golf bag off your shoulder. If walking 18 holes is getting harder each year, an electric golf trolley could keep you on your feet rather than in a buggy. That's worth more than a yardage screen.
Which accessories are worth adding?
Buying for someone else? Our golf gifts for dad guide has cheaper ideas.
Otherwise, start with what's in the box. Scottsdale was offering a free umbrella holder with many new Motocaddy and PowaKaddy trolleys on 3 November. Motocaddy's M1 DHC came with an Accessory Station that takes its umbrella holder, drink holder, scorecard holder and device cradle, each sold separately. Golf Monthly's short list is a rain cover, an umbrella attachment, a GPS or phone mount and a drinks holder.
The mistakes people make with an electric golf trolley
- Paying for GPS twice. If there's a watch on your wrist, the screen on the trolley is mostly a duplicate. Spend the difference on braking or a better bag.
- Comparing weights that aren't the same thing. PowaKaddy's 9.9kg excludes the battery. Motocaddy's table doesn't say either way. Lift one in a shop if you have a bad back.
- Forgetting to register the battery. Motocaddy's extra 36 months needs online registration within 45 days of purchase. Its warranty only applies to products bought and used in the UK or Ireland.
- Buying a stand bag out of habit. Today's Golfer suggests swapping to a cart bag with an electric trolley. A bag lock such as EASILOCK or MAG-LOK only works with that brand's own bags, so factor that in if you're buying both.
- Ignoring your club's winter rules. Today's Golfer notes some courses restrict trolleys in certain months or require specific tyres. PowaKaddy sells winter wheels for about £90 at Scottsdale, so ask your club before the first frost.
- Reading old reviews as new ones. The SE and M1 both changed for 2026. Weights, warranties and even battery choices in older reviews no longer match.
The bottom line
- Regular golfer on a normal course: Motocaddy M1.
- Any real hills: add the £50 or so for DHC with the M1 DHC.
- Tight boot: PowaKaddy CT6.
- Occasional golfer or first electric trolley: Motocaddy SE.
Your questions answered
What is the best electric golf trolley in the UK?
For most UK golfers we'd choose the Motocaddy M1, because it combines a compact fold, nine speeds and a 45-yard send-ahead function. Choose the M1 DHC for hilly courses, the PowaKaddy CT6 for small boots and the Motocaddy SE on a tight budget.
Is an electric golf trolley worth it?
It depends on how often you play. At 37 rounds a year, a trolley at about £749 works out at roughly £4 a round over five years. At 15 rounds a year it's closer to £10 a round, so an occasional golfer may do better with a push trolley or a cheaper electric model.
Do I need an 18 hole or 36 hole battery?
An 18 hole battery suits most golfers who play one round and then charge. Pick the larger pack for hilly courses, 27 hole days or if you won't charge between rounds. On the Motocaddy and PowaKaddy models we checked, the bigger battery was about £50 extra.
Do GPS trolleys need a subscription?
PowaKaddy says the CT12 GPS has no annual fees or subscriptions and Motocaddy says the M5 GPS includes free lifetime access to full hole mapping and performance tracking. Golf Monthly mentions a paid Motocaddy Performance Plan for extra mapping features, so check before you rely on one.
Will an electric golf trolley fit in my car?
Measure your boot against the folded size. The PowaKaddy CT6 folds to 510 x 425 x 375mm, the Motocaddy M1 to 650 x 470 x 410mm and the Motocaddy SE to 830 x 490 x 370mm. Check length and height.
Can I use a stand bag on an electric trolley?
PowaKaddy says its cart bags work on any trolley, though Today's Golfer recommends swapping a stand bag for a cart bag. Bag locks such as EASILOCK and MAG-LOK only work with the maker's own bags.
Are electric trolleys allowed on every golf course?
Not always. Today's Golfer notes that some courses restrict them in certain months or ask for specific tyres to protect the ground. Check with your club, especially in winter.
Where these facts came from
- Motocaddy M1 specs, price and battery optionschecked 3 November 2026
- Motocaddy M1 DHC specs, price, stock and warranty termschecked 3 November 2026
- 2026 Motocaddy SE specs and warrantychecked 3 November 2026
- Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC specs and free mapping claimchecked 3 November 2026
- Motocaddy replacement battery priceschecked 3 November 2026
- What Motocaddy says about ULTRA battery rangechecked 3 November 2026
- PowaKaddy CT6 specs, fold and warrantychecked 3 November 2026
- PowaKaddy CT12 GPS specs, screen and feeschecked 3 November 2026
- PowaKaddy FX1 folded sizechecked 3 November 2026
- Navee Birdie 3 motors, gradient and range from the makerchecked 3 November 2026
- Navee Birdie 3 UK price, weight and box contentschecked 3 November 2026
- Scottsdale prices for Motocaddy trolleyschecked 3 November 2026
- Scottsdale prices for PowaKaddy trolleys and winter wheelschecked 3 November 2026
- PowaKaddy 18 hole battery price and weightchecked 3 November 2026
- Navee Birdie 3 warranty termschecked 3 November 2026
- Golf Monthly's top pick and M5 GPS commentschecked 3 November 2026
- Today's Golfer on price range, CT6 stability, M5 bag straps, cart bags and course ruleschecked 3 November 2026
- Independent test of the M1 DHC on hilly courseschecked 3 November 2026
- Independent test of the CT12 GPS screen and yardageschecked 3 November 2026
- Independent test of the Navee Birdie 3 and the trolley lifespan figurechecked 3 November 2026
- Golf Monthly on the older SE's missing speed displaychecked 3 November 2026
- National Club Golfer on the 2026 SE's display, fold and weightchecked 3 November 2026
- BRS Golf figure of 37 rounds a year for the average club member in 2022checked 3 November 2026
- GolfMagic on the FX3, M-TECH and Q Followchecked 3 November 2026
- Ben Sayers lithium sale price at Clubhouse Golfchecked 3 November 2026
- Click Golf on lithium batteries in cold weatherchecked 3 November 2026
- CT6 price, battery choices and battery weightchecked 3 November 2026
- CT12 GPS price and battery choiceschecked 3 November 2026
- M5 GPS DHC sale and list pricechecked 3 November 2026
- M1 price and battery choiceschecked 3 November 2026
- Replacement battery price for the Motocaddy SEchecked 3 November 2026
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
