Martin Hopley
By

The Motocaddy S3 Pro electric golf trolley comes with a lead acid or lightweight lithium battery which is the version we tested. The classic Motocaddy sweeping style frame is still there on the S3 Pro and the choice of white, black and platinum colours offers a number of stylish options.

The frame folds down easily and uses a single clip to lock it in place so you can lift it up with one hand. Unfortunately the folded trolley does not sit upright so you will have to store hanging or on all 3 wheels which is not ideal.

However on the other hand, in can be folded down with the lithium battery in place and, better still, you can use the simple connector cable to charge the battery without removing it.

The front wheel is completely adjustable without the use of any tools so you can correct any drift on the trolley and this is the best kind of adjustable front wheel in the market at present.

The frame can accommodate any size of bag, although tour bags and similar styles that have a front pocket are restricted in access by the main bar of the frame. You will either have to place them sideways or use a specific cart bag.

Compared to the S3 Digital the S3 Pro has a much better speed control dial on the handle. It is larger and more part of the handle instead of being on top of it, which makes changing speed easier. Stopping and starting just require a push on/off and the colour screen gives you enough information, even if some of the writing could be a little larger.

We are not sold on the angular styling of the dual handle as it is a little too deep and not as comfortable to hold as others in the market. There are 2 buttons either side of the speed dial to control the menu and these are a bit on the small side and one of ours was not as responsive as it should be, which makes getting to some of the more advanced features a bit of a bind. This is a shame as everything about the S3 Pro exudes quality apart from the bit you look at and hold.

Features we liked were the Adjustable Distance Control to send the trolley a fixed distance of up to 60 yards – one of the best things about electric trolleys. Also the round timer and 5 minute lost ball timer that beeps to tell you time is up are thoughtful features, as is the USB charger for GPS and smartphones.

The distance measuring function on such trolleys still baffles us, as it is only useful for measuring shots you have taken and even then only if you take your trolley in a direct line to your ball. There is a competition mode to turn it off, but it would be better just removed and the central space taken up by the distance display used for something that is actually going to help you get the most from the trolley, like speed, time and battery charge remaining that are currently squeezed in elsewhere.

There are also a good range of accessories you can get such as an umbrella holder (a must), USB cables for virtually any device, a raincover that has a zip on it and a height extender to increase the height of the handle for taller players, but, of course, they are extra.

OK, we may have been a little harsh on the Motocaddy S3 Pro as it is a tried and trusted design that does the basics well and is solid and stylish. Some of the features such as the battery charging in the tray, front wheel adjuster, pin code lock, lost ball timer and the USB are ahead of the game.

However this is a top of the range model from a major manufacturer and the little things start to matter more, such as no ‘ABS’ for controlling the speed going downhill that is available on similar models from other manufacturers. Having a ‘feature packed’ trolley is less beneficial if the controls and menu make them hard to see and use. We will give you 5 stars for the S3 Pro young master Motocaddy, but could do better, must try harder...

Golfalot Rating: 5 stars
Overall Rating - 4 stars:
More from Motocaddy
Share:

Videos

Picture

Motocaddy S3 Pro 2012 Golf Trolley

Motocaddy S3 Pro 2012 Golf Trolley - Product Details

UK Launch01 March 2012
GolferMens, Women, Senior, Junior
Trolley TypeElectric
Wheels3
Manufacturer's WebsiteMotocaddy Website

Retail Partners

User Reviews

roamin
March 2013

In general the trolley works carrying your bag around... but so do other trollies.

But this trolley does have issues, namely its very difficult to see whether the motor drive is on or off. The thin, 1cm diameter dark blue circle against a black background with just one SMALL segment rotating when on power is on is almost impossible to see in daylight... OK for night golfing but haven't got round to trying that yet. Gives rise to interesting issues such as chasing your trolley downhill when it 'walks off' by itself. Been a close thing several times with water.

The same knob being used for both changing speed and switching drive on/off is a major part of the problem... it's very sensitive and easily switched on/off whilst changing speed... It's OK when you use it on a nice boring flat course but once it starts getting hilly these issues raise their ugly heads.

These issues just shouldn't be there with such an expensive trolley.

It does JUST get around 36 holes on a recent full charge (new battery)... but heck... the batteries are EXPENSIVE!!!!

Write a Review

Facebook Comments