Wheels Down

SURE, you can carry your bag and walk the next round. But why waste the energy? Or the opportunity to have a blast, for that matter. There are more ways than ever to cruise around the golf course this year. Think electric skateboards and scooters. Or you can use remote-controlled caddies. Not only can these all make your round faster — especially if there’s no group playing ahead of you — but they will definitely add a new level of enjoyment.

Here’s a primer on what’s generally available. You can also call ahead to any course you’re going to play and see what it’s offering along these lines.

Club Car’s Tempo Walk is a hands-free, autonomous caddie that follows you around the course via remote control, offering GPS yardage while carrying bags, coolers and accessories. It weighs 95 pounds, has three wheels, and props up your golf bag. It’s offered at several Southland courses, including Torrey Pines and La Costa.

(clubcar.com)

Sun Mountain’s FinnCycle is an electric cycle that rests the golf bag in the middle for easy club access and more riding stability. Front and rear suspension create a comfortable ride, while hand-operated hydraulic disc brakes make stopping smooth. They make a tight turning radius and have great pickup.

(finnscooters.com)

Phat Golf Scooters are pedal-free, throttle-powered, 200-pound electric sit-down scooters. They’re quiet, with oversize tires for stability and smoothness, and turn easily through curves. Three speed modes top off at eight, 12 and 20 miles per hour. They require almost no learning curve, so you can quickly get comfortable. Only offered for rent locally at Monarch Beach and La Costa.

(phatgolfscooters.com)

Alphard Golf’s Club Booster eWheel weighs 32 pounds and assembles easily  to transform almost any regular old push cart model into a remote-control caddie. Each charge of the lithium ion battery lasts 27 holes. It features dual powerful brushless hub motors.

(alphardgolfusa.com)

Bag Boy’s Nitron push cart is billed as the fastest-opening and -closing golf push cart, thanks to its nitrogen-powered piston opening system. It collapses to a fraction of its footprint so it can easily fit into a car trunk, and is offered in eight colors. Also from Bag Boy is the four-wheel Quad Junior push cart that’s made for kids 51” and taller. With all the features of the adult version, it also has adjustable handle height for junior golfers to grow with. It stops with a simple foot-controlled parking brake, and easily folds for small hands.

(bagboycompany.com)