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The Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy makes walking easy, even with a loaded bag. No tech fluency required, no unnecessary moving parts. Built-in GPS boosts the value even more.
Introduction
In the last few years, the motorized push cart has gone from a stare-inducing curiosity to a staple on many golf courses. The products in the category have matured, too, from unrefined first efforts to delivering polished user experiences. I got to walk my first few spring rounds with the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy and have found that it offers one of the most pleasant walks possible.
Size & Set Up
Don’t let the picture above scare you – setting up the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy is pretty much foolproof. The two rear wheels attach without tools, as does the anti-tip wheel. You can install the three of them in under a minute. The other pieces shown are the scorecard holder, drink holder, and phone/device cradle. None of these takes more than an additional minute to set up.
After charging the battery, you’ll “CLICK ‘N’ CONNECT” it to the caddy, which means you just drop it into place. The M5 turns itself on when you unfold it, though you need to make sure the charging port is pressed down – a detail I missed early on. When you first power it up, you’ll need to connect the M5 to your home WiFi for firmware updates. This takes two or three minutes. After that, the Motocaddy M5 is good to go.
Folded, the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy measures 25.5″ front to back, 18.5″ wide, and 16″ tall. It fits very easily into the cargo area on an SUV and should slide into the trunk of any mid or full sized sedan. Without a bag, the M5 weighs 25 pounds, which isn’t nothing, but it’s not prohibitively heavy. [See Price / Buy]
Storage & Accessories
As you can see, the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy does not have a storage-focused console like many push carts or electric caddies. This is, in part, because of the space used by the GPS system, which I’ll discuss later.
Instead of a big storage compartment, the M5 has an “Accessory Station” where you can clip on several of their proprietary accessories. They offer an umbrella holder, drink holder, device cradle, and a scorecard holder. The case for the Motocaddy Pro 5000 rangefinder [review HERE] can clip the Accessory Station, too, which is very convenient. Motocaddy also makes a bag that can be attached to the trolley if you want more storage, but that seems unnecessary to me if you’re using a cart bag.
Overall, as someone who is constantly trying to spend less time juggling stuff and just play golf, I like what the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy does. The Motocaddy bag – or any modern cart bag – has all the storage you need. Without a storage console, you won’t spend any time shuffling tees or balls from your bag to your cart and back again. Throw your bag on the M5 and go play. [See Price / Buy]
On Course Performance
For those not familiar with Motocaddy’s family of electric caddies, there are four models. From most expensive to least, they are: M7 GPS Remote [review HERE], M7 Remote [review HERE], M5 GPS DHC, and M1 DHC. Among these four models, there are two key variables: remote control and GPS. Only the M7 models are remote controlled; the M5 and M1 require the golfer to steer. Where the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy differs from the M1 is the inclusion of the built-in GPS system.
Let’s kick off the discussion of the on course performance with step one: loading up your bag. If you use a Motocaddy golf bag [review HERE], you can take advantage of EASILOCK, what they call “the world’s simplest bag-to-trolley connection system.” Once you screw the “locks” into the base of the bag, you line them up with the holes on the M5 to keep the bag securely in place. With EASILOCK, you don’t need a lower strap, and your bag never twists.
Next, let’s discuss the walk. Using the Motocaddy M5 couldn’t be much easier: push the center button to start or stop, and choose from nine speeds by spinning the dial. Each speed is meaningfully different, but you won’t find yourself helplessly chasing your caddy because you went one level too high. Speaking of chasing your caddy, one of the namesake features – DHC or Downhill Control – keeps the speed constant when you’re going down a slope.
If you do want to send your M5 off ahead – a straight shot to the tee box or up to your ball while you search for a friend’s – you can do that. After a double tap on the button, choose your distance from 5 to 60 yards and give it another push. Your Motocaddy M5 will roll the desired distance then stop.
Also worth noting, the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy is virtually silent. If you’re one of the select few that understands you’re supposed to walk directly to your ball, you know that this important because you might be walking while someone else is getting into their shot. Additionally, the battery life is excellent. Motocaddy does not make specific claims about battery life, but I’ve been getting through nine holes using only about 10% of the battery.
Turning to the GPS, this is much more than a throw-in feature, it’s one of the major reasons to choose the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy. That starts with the size and quality of the screen – a 3.5″ LCD touchscreen that’s easy to read and responsive. There are over 40,000 courses pre-loaded. On each hole, you get a flyover, distances to hazards, and you can measure your shots with one tap. There’s an easy-to-use scoring feature and even a lost ball search timer.
Ultimately, the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy is everything I want in a powered cart. I get the physical benefits – less effort expended, more energy reserved for thinking and hitting shots – without any hassle. I’ve used and enjoyed remote controlled electric caddies, but for me a remote is just another piece of gear I have to keep track of. The M5 gives me the benefits of the newest tech without any of the burden. [See Price / Buy]
Conclusion
If you want to walk freely but are hesitant to bring more tech to the course, check out the Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC electric caddy. This motorized push cart is extremely easy to use but will still do all the heavy lifting throughout the round. [See Price / Buy]
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Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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