GolfMagic X3R test verdict: 9/10

5 December 2006

Motorised golf trolleys are for old men and birds! That's what all my young mates told me. Well, it would appear that this kind of statement is as outmoded as a Persimmon-headed driver. The Stewart Golf X3R radio controlled trolley appears to be for good players, young players, male players and definitely rich players. At £999 it's probably twice the price that most club golfers would expect to pay even for a top priced trolley. But it seems that Stewart Golf don't mind.

You see, when you aim at the exclusive, luxury market, price is not so much the issue. It's about style and one-upmanship. Well, the X3R will certainly turn heads with its sleek curves and shiny body and the manufacturers even say it could take more than 3 shots off your game as you glide along the fairways rather than lugging your overloaded carry bag.

But is it for real? Would I just feel like an old man and/or a golf totty? Well, I put an X3R through its paces for three months on the slippery slopes of north London's finest golf courses and it passed just about all the necessary tests.

It's easy to fit any size of bag into the elasticated loops and it's easy to manoeuvre despite looking rather large. The remote control is good at least 50 metres away and the battery will easily manage 36 holes with a re-charge. It's quiet and can turn on a sixpence even just using the remote. The problem is trying not to get too cocky while steering it through a bunch of bunkers halfway down the fairway.

On the down side, at near 26kg in weight (including battery), the X3R is probably the heaviest trolley you'll ever lift out of the boot of your car; plus it has no central lifting point which makes it awkward. It's better to keep it at your club, although a nifty carry bag is a super extra purchase if you need to travel with it!

The trolley certainly is fun to use with the remote, but it works just as well as a walk-alongside trolley, although it's a good idea to adjust the four-speed control to suit your various walking paces. For example, I set mine for the plod, the slow amble, the brisk walk and the oh-my-God-we're-a-hole-behind! By the way, these are my own self-penned speed names, but the point is you can set your own pace.

We have life-long engineer Roy Stewart to thank for all this high-end trolley design. He started thinking of making a new kind of golf trolley in the 1980s when he first retired, but it took until 1999 before drawings and concepts began to make sense. After a few years of development, the X1 trolley was unveiled and ex-Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance gave it a nod of approval. Now the X3R (the R stands for remote, of course!) is the latest version and the Gloucestershire-based company is currently selling worldwide.

That price has meant the X3R is a bit of a celebrity must-have. The likes of Vernon Kay, DJ Spoony, Matt Dawson, Ray Clemence, Tim Lovejoy, Ian Wright, Paul Robinson, Ronnie Corbett and Rubens Barrichello are all X3R owners.

So, motorized golf trolleys are now officially for old men, birds, celebrity golfers…and me.

Read the full report online at golfmagic.com.