My walking season doesn’t begin for another couple of months or so. It’s hot here in southeast Texas until late October or so. Carrying my bag this time of year, or even using a manual push cart, is pretty much out of the question as temperatures are still approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the humidity levels hover well above 80 percent.
The only time I walk this time of year is when it’s cart-path only. But most of the time, when that’s the case, I’ll just wait for a better day. The only exception would be if I had someone or something to carry my bag.
The answer to the latter is an electric push cart. And if it's remote-controlled, all the better. That way, I’m not carrying or pushing a cart manually. All I have to do is walk and swing – and control the electric trolley.
Fortunately, a recent assignment to review the new Navee Birdie 3X Electric Push Cart provided that help for me during some recent rounds. You save a lot of energy using a powered trolley, and even more if it’s easy to operate. In the case of the Navee Birdie 3X, it’s pretty simple to operate, although there was a learning curve.
Navee, a Chinese company known for its scooters, is now applying its expertise to an area that its executives see as an opportunity, especially in the robust North American golf market. At one of the courses where I used the Birdie 3X, a couple of golfers stopped me near the clubhouse to inquire about it, so I gave them a demonstration. They were impressed.
While most public golfers in the deep South usually ride because of the heat, I do think there’s more and more interest in these electric caddies, as I’ve been noticing more of them lately at courses that are indeed walkable (many public courses have too much distance between greens and tees).
One of the big selling points on the Birdie 3X is that there’s a “follow-me” mode. In other words, you can set it to follow behind you on the golf course. Just walk and go, much like we've seen on the Stewart Golf Q Follow. That certainly worked, but it wasn’t my favorite way to use the Birdie 3X, which I will get back to later.
Three Different Ways to Use the Birdie 3X
This Navee electric cart can be operated in three modes: power assist, using the remote control to steer it, and using the remote control to have it follow you. A large display screen to indicate speed and mode, as well as battery strength for both the cart and the remote, is located on the handlebars. (The remote is also rechargeable.)
During my first round of use, I must admit, I used it a lot in power assist, which is very similar to another electric push cart I've tried in the past, the MGI Zip X1, which I loved for its simplicity and value (The MGI, with no remote capability, retails for around $700). With the Birdie 3X, you simply squeeze the buttons on the handle as you walk behind it, and it provides power. You can adjust the speed (0-9 km/hour) to your preference as it does the work.
If that’s all it did, it would be fine, but you’re not going to spend $1,700 or so unless it has remote control capability. In this case, my favorite way to use the cart was in constant speed remote mode. Once I got the hang of it, I found it really easy to navigate, simply using the arrows on the remote to steer and change speeds. It travels out in front of you, which I kind of prefer. I like being able to see what it's doing.
I gained so much confidence using it this way that I navigated the parking lot with it, steered it around other golfers in front of the clubhouse, and parked it right by the door with ease as I went in to take care of my green fee. After a few holes, I had no trouble navigating bridges or around the greens in this mode. While power assist is good, this is much better.
Cautious in Follow-Me Mode
Don’t get me wrong, putting this cart in follow-me mode is a great concept. If I felt I could totally trust it, this would probably be the best way to use it, but when you’re crossing a bridge or going around a bunker, you have to make sure it’s following your path exactly. It won’t always do that. If you always walked in a straight line, it probably wouldn’t be a problem, but that’s not how we play golf.
So when I played with it in that mode, I found myself constantly turning around to see where it was, making sure it didn’t try to cut across a creek before it reached the bridge. Even if it follows you perfectly, you’re still going to want to look back and make sure it’s still with you. So if I had something tricky to navigate, I used it in one of the other modes.
One of the ways the instructions said to use it in follow mode was to clip it to your belt, but I found that a bit inconvenient in terms of turning the mode on and off. It is important that there's nothing impeding the bluetooth signal to the cart, so you can’t really put it in your pocket. Holding it in my right or left hand when I walked ensured the best performance, plus I could easily and quickly stop it that way, but that’s not quite hands-free. Still, it was a pretty good way to use it, and I would switch back and forth on the course depending on the hole. Par 5s were good opportunities to have the cart follow me.
A Few Details About the Birdie 3X
The Birdie 3X has five wheels - two 11-inch wheels in the back, two smaller front wheels, and a fifth wheel for stabilization – and a rechargeable 22-volt, 240-watt Lithium-ion battery, good for 36 or more holes on a single charge. It is easy to navigate and handles different terrain with ease. I wouldn’t let it go down and up a severe hill by itself, however. In those instances, I used it in power-assist mode to make sure I had full control of it. But in most situations, I found it to be quite stable.
At just under 38 pounds (which is slightly below average weight for electric trolleys), it takes a little effort to put it in your car. It’s easier if you have a decent-sized SUV or a pickup truck. I have a sedan, so I was folding down the back seat as it was difficult to put the cart and my golf bag in the trunk at the same time.
But once you get it out to the golf course and set it up, it’s worth the trouble. As for set-up and storage, the Birdie 3X folds up (50 x 22 x 15 inches) and expands very quickly. There’s one release button that’s easy to pull to get it to unfold. The upper and lower bag supports work well, too, especially with a cart bag. I used a Sunday Golf Big Rig, largely because it has a generous cooler pocket for drinks.
It also comes standard with a mesh storage pocket under the handle, an umbrella holder, and a cup holder. There’s also a C-type charging port for a mobile phone near the display screen. And there’s a Smart Navee App, which can be used for setup as well as another remote using your smartphone.
