By Michael Cooney
G’DAY golfers! What a wonderful month we have and I know I keep saying this but the products for 2023 keep getting better and better.
Let me introduce you to this month’s product. The MGI Navigator AT (All Terrain) Electric Buggy is a feature I need for my game.
Let’s talk about my experience with the buggy. What I like to do with buggies and other accessories I get to review is to make sure I can get the full experience without any help (demonstration) so I can judge how easy to use and how good a product is.
This buggy was straight out of the box so I got the full experience. I am a true believer that this adds to the experience when using a product and the MGI Navigator AT has not let us down.
I don’t want to say it’s a simplistic design because that would degrade the buggy but its ability to fold up and down truly is amazing. The ZIP fold technology allows us to simply pull a lever and the buggy folds up. Along with this, being able to unlock the wheels and turn them in so the folding space for the buggy becomes smaller is quite remarkable.
With the space it now allows for the buggy to fit into most car boots without any hassle and although the buggy is extremely sturdy, the weight to lift it up and put away allows for anyone to get it in and out of the car.
Talking about getting it in and out of the car, the buggy’s battery is another feature we must talk about, not only for its light weight, but also the quality of the battery. It is a High-Performance Lithium 24v 380 WH but its ability to click in and out was very user-friendly.
The other feature for the battery was its short time frame to recharge. I played two rounds of 18 holes and it didn’t take long for the battery to fully charge.
Now for the use of the buggy. This isn’t my first time navigating a buggy with a remote control but as I watch golfers walk with a remote in hand and their buggy rolling along the fairways metres ahead, I’ve always thought why. Now I know the answer.
I do most of my reviews at Sandhurst Golf Club which is a long course and for the first time I walked off not feeling like I’d walked 18 holes. It honestly felt like I had walked about 11 or 12 holes which is great for performance and to shave shots off your score. Having more energy can be a performance benefit.
The remote-control feature is a great idea. It’s a full directional remote control that allows the buggy to go in any direction at a selected controlled speed. For peace of mind, I never let it get more than 50 metres ahead.
Let’s chat about some of the features of the buggy that I really enjoyed. I was hitting the ball everywhere and finding spots on the course I didn’t know existed so this was great to see the MGI Navigator AT in action. Its ability to not get knocked over was fantastic.
It was able to easily handle the rough, tree roots, etc. The fully foldable rear wheel and the independent swivelling front wheels were immense, allowing me to travel anywhere on the course without having to worry about the buggy tipping over or losing control.
Speaking of terrain and rough surfaces, we must mention its handling up and down hills. Sandhurst is not the hilliest course in Melbourne, but there are some holes where the downhill breaking occurs. We played the championship course where the walk from the 12th green to the 13th tee goes down under the road into the tunnel and it was slightly wet but the buggy’s ability to break downhill really stood out. It was easy to control and navigate my way down.
In summary, golfers contemplating getting a golf cart or for those who want to have a better experience on the course this buggy is a no brainer.
It’s light yet sturdy, compact without being complicated in design but its most important feature in my opinion is that you will enjoy the walk more even if your golf isn’t that great.
Happy golfing!
Michael Cooney is a teaching professional at the PGA Centre for Learning and Performance at the Sandhurst Golf Club in Melbourne and is always on the hunt for the latest and greatest in golf products.
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