By Chuck Hancock, contributor to GolftheMidAtlantic.com; Photos courtesy of Clicgear

The walking golf bag cart.  Many of us (myself included) most likely have had such a device at one time or another.  You remember the ‘old’ days, when courses weren’t built with holes being a 10-minute walk apart from each other, allowing those of us who wished to walk the opportunity to do so. 

Unfortunately, most courses we play today are not nearly as “walker friendly” as those older courses.  You could almost say the motorized golf cart has taken away some of its quality, and at many courses, you simply are prohibited from walking.  Golf cart revenue – money, money, money….

But, alas, there are still some walk-able golf courses.  Many have said, and I agree, that walking during a round of golf, in addition to the obvious health benefits, helps keep your ‘head in the game.’  Walking to your ball, instead of zooming right up to it in a riding cart, enables a player to formulate his plan for his next shot.

Or at the very least, a chance to stop and take in the scenery along the way. 

My first walking cart I suppose, one of the “pull” variety, adequately served its purpose – but it was pretty basic.  Having two wheels, you placed your bag on it, and off you went.  But if I’d hit a bump going down a tricky path or over uneven terrain, and, oops, inevitably, the bag somehow came loose and began to (or did) fall off the cart. 

I remember one such incident – I was traveling down a hilly dirt path between the 17th green and the 18th tee, a distance of only about 40 yards, at a country club where I played for 10 years.  All of the sudden my bag became separated from my pull cart.  My playing partners looked on, in a combination of disbelief and great comic joy, when I took my bag completely off the cart, picked up the cart, and hurled it nearly all the way down the bottom of the hill.  It may still be there; albeit, buried in a pile of leaves and tree branches. 

Needless to say, walking carts have certainly come a long way over the years. 

The new Clicgear cart, voted "Best New Product" at the 2007 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, is light-years removed from my first pull cart.  According to Todd Hansen, National Sales Manager for ProActive Sports, Inc., this award is “voted on by previous merchandisers of the year.  These are very respected pros or buyers from the best shops in the country.”

In stark contrast to the walking carts of old, the Clicgear cart doesn’t weight 25 to 30 pounds, but a mere 16 pounds.  Its innovative folding mechanism allows it to take up an amazingly small area of 13 inches by 15 inches by 24 inches.  Five color choices are available -- Black, white, silver, orange, and blue.

I’ve yet to see another walking cart, this a “push” cart, which folds down to such a small size.  This compact beauty can fit in literally any car trunk, as well into a locker at many golf clubs.  To this, Hansen says that the “feedback has been amazing.  Everyone loves the compactness of our cart, and how sturdy the cart is.” 

Yes, this is a push cart.  But, don’t plan on expending much energy pushing it.  This perfectly designed cart, while as solidly built as any other such cart on the market, rides like a Bentley.  We are talking smooth!!

The cart includes a cup holder and a roomy storage tray.  On top of the storage tray are clips to hold a scorecard and pencil; also built in are places to hold three tees.  Additionally, a towel hook is provided, as well as small areas of velcro on each side to attach your golf glove if you so choose. 

Having previously used a push cart made by another manufacturer (and, by the way, a very fine product), I find the bag straps on the Clicgear cart to be the most secure I have seen.  Your bag is NOT coming loose during your round.  The wonderfully padded handle can be adjusted up and down to accommodate any player, and it even comes with an optional umbrella mount (which attaches to the center of the handle) onto which the handle of an umbrella can be inserted.  A compact size tire pump is also included. 

The Clicgear cart also comes standard with a brake which is both releasable and settable by a quick pull and turn of a lever (conveniently located just inches away from the handle).

According to Todd Hansen, at the 2008 PGA Show, Clicgear will “introduce a complete accessory collection.  Targeted accessories will include a carrying case, sand bottle, cart umbrella, cooler bag, GPS/Range Finder holder, and cargo net.”

As the late great comedian Jackie Gleason used to proclaim, “And away we go.”  I suspect you may feel similar joy upon first attaching your bag to the new Clicgear cart.  This cart, with its effortless ride, makes walking both easy and a pleasure.  This cart is certainly not to be overlooked when considering the purchase of your next walking cart. 

The panel who selects the PGA Merchandise show “Best New Product” award is certainly qualified, much more than me, to recognize a fantastic product when they see one.