So you want to buy a Golf Trolley?

Trolleys - so lightwight.

Unlike some of its human models, trolleys didn't have to be dragged from slumber under a hedge or haystack, sobered up and given the inevitable tip. Fortunately most of today's caddies are sharp, conscientious and extremely loyal, while mechanical bag transportation has become smooth and sophisticated. Even the electric-powered ones fold up into little more than a suitcase.

Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself when you're thinking about buying a trolley.

How good are pull trolleys?

While pull-trolleys that you see lined up for hire outside most pro-shops are well balanced and easy to tug along, they leave much to be desired when modern carry bags are placed aboard.

The spring-loaded stand device tends on most bags to make them unstable on rigid trolleys, because the base doesn't sit flush to the bottom of the frame. So if you like the idea of a pull trolley make sure the cradle is substantial enough to hold the bag and that adjustable or 'bungee' straps are provided.

Bear in mind too that if your course is hilly you can put a lot of strain on your pulling arm, dragging it up the hills. This will be even worse if the trolley isn't properly balanced with a wide wheel based. Too many pull trolleys - especially many foldaway ones - have a narrow wheelbase which tends to put extra weight on the bottom of the bag, lifting your pulling arm up into an awkward position.

The 'push-me' Kaddie Stroller.

Relatively new innovations are powerless trolleys you push instead of pull. These are designed to keep the weight at the clubhead end and keep the nose up so you don't impale yourself on the handle.

I have an American-built Kaddie-Stroller, with three 12-inch diameter pneumatic tyres - one at the front, two at the sides - which bear the load of my bag admirably. It looks like the love child of a super-market trolley and a pushchair, but I've got over the ribbing from colleagues now and with its aluminium frame it can be pushed along with the strength of a little finger.

Can I be bothered with electric-powered trolleys?

I have never been a great fan of these robots of the course - and when some seniors are playing or its ladies' day - to see a group marching up the fairway can be like watching formation dancing with a Red Arrows display thrown in. Having started together line abreast, they then tend to disperse in different directions at the touch of a button!

However, if you have the discipline to power up the battery before you play and can afford the boot space, they can be a great energy saver for those of us unwilling to drag a bag on our backs or on a pull-trolley for 18 holes. I have noticed, too, that they can be a great boon in competitive play.

We all get a little knackered over the closing holes, trying desperately to keep our concentration to post a good score. A powered trolley will do everything but play the shot for you and at least keep you fresher than if you were carrying or pulling a trolley. Note too how many kids are using their mum or dad's powered trolleys to save their energy.

PowaKaddy's All-Terrain model

Dr Roger Hawkes, Ryder Cup doctor and PGA of Europe medical adviser, certainly thinks so.

He says: "Golfers need to be aware of good posture and avoiding putting undue strain on their golfing muscles. It cannot be helpful to be constantly picking up a golf bag and placing it on the shoulder repeatedly for four hours. "Even among the young, fit and healthy, it can lead to muscle strain, especially in the back and shoulders."

Indeed more than half the field in next week's Jameson/Golf World Champion of Champions event for elite amateurs are likely to use powered trolleys.

But to use a powered trolley on a regular basis surely infers you're getting old before your time?

Far from it, indeed the leading brand, PowaKaddy, believes that if you're serious about your golf you need to take the weight off your shoulders. In a recent survey, the company discovered that in a round of golf we take around four hours and walk five miles but only hit the ball between 70 and 100 times. Much time and energy is spent getting to the next shot and all too often it's a poor one, particularly towards the end of the round. This, says PowaKaddy, is caused by 'a tired swing but conserving energy generally results in a better swing and more concentration.'

Remote-controlled RoboKaddy.

What about trolleys with remote control?

These have been around for at least ten years and can be a boon for golfers who know how to use them to good advantage - but an irritation to others. Driven by a signal from a detachable remote control they can bowl along independently until told to stop and park. They can even be put in reverse!

Unfortunately some golfers find them a nuisance. While they are about to play their shot, their playing partner is aiming the remote control at the trolley directing it around bunkers to the back of the green like some demented couch potato!

So what should we pay for a basic mechanical trolley?

You can get a flimsy tubular steel version for as little as £30 - even less if you buy it second hand. More likely you'll pay £50 to £90 for one with detachable wheels and a foldaway frame. The Kaddie-Stroller, however, with fold-up tubular aluminium frame and three detachable wheels costs £99.99.

And the price for an electric powered trolley?

Cheapest we found was the three-wheel Booster at £200 closely followed by the Hill Billy All Terrain two-wheeler at £215 (3-wheeler, £260).

New to the powered trolley market is KaddyMax which folds away into little more than and 18-inch cube at £269.95 while PowaKaddy produces a wide range of powered models in their Whitstable factory. They include the top-selling Freeway Titanium (£499), the re-designed Freeway Titanium Sport with electronic distance function (£525) and Freeway Titanium Sport with electronic braking system (EBS) at £595. There's also a version with pneumatic tyres. The revolutionary RoboKaddy, with remote control will set you back £799.

There's a terrific range to choose from but first you must decide on a trolley not only to suit the terrain you most regularly play on but also to suit your pocket.

If you have a golf trolley, why not review it on our user review section. The best four reviews every month win a prize of Titleist golf balls.