Although I live in Texas where the vast majority of most golfers don't walk, in the winter time and early spring, I do like to hoof it when I get a chance if I'm playing a course conducive to walking. When I do walk, I almost always use a push cart, so for the past decade or so, I’ve employed a Sun Mountain Speed Cart that has worked quite well.
Recently I had the chance to test out Sun Mountain’s new three-wheel Ridgeline 3 push cart, so I braved the heat and played my home course with it. I didn’t even get it out to the course when I realized what a dramatic improvement this was, and it started with putting the push cart in the trunk of my car.
The Ridgeline 3 ($350 msrp) takes up way less space than my old one, might be a little lighter, and it’s a lot easier to set up (expand) and take down. The folded size of Ridgeline 3 is 26” x 15” x 16.5” and the cart weighs only 18 lbs. The main selling point of the Ridgeline 3, however, is that it works with pretty much any golf bag, from a stand bag to a cart bag. It’s that adaptable, and I never felt like my bag was going to fall off the cart despite playing a course with a lot of elevation change and mounds.
The Sun Mountain Ridgeline 3 secures a bag like no other push cart I’ve ever tried thanks to a patent-pending adjustable upper bag bracket that slides up and down to accommodate different size golf bags. In other words, the cart is completely adjustable to the size of the bag, and that includes the brackets and straps that go around the bag.
It’s a great feature especially if you use different bags for whatever reason. I especially liked it with a full-sized cart bag, which I loaded down, including a six-pack of cold drinks. The Ridgeline 3 handled it all with ease.
But back to what this push cart is like before you get to the course. It extends simply by pulling on the front wheel and cart handle, then extending the handle by releasing a lever. It takes all of 10 seconds, if that. Collapsing the cart is just as easy. After you take your bag off, you just open the handle latch, lower the handle, release the folding latch at the bottom and fold it down. This takes just a few seconds as well.
As for securing your bag, you simply adjust the aforementioned upper bracket for the size of your bag, set it on the platform at the bottom, adjust the straps and clasp them around the bag.
This adjustability on hand is great for a junior golfers since it can grow with the junior as his or her clubs get longer and the bag gets bigger. Or it works well for family members who might use the same push cart on different occasions and have different sizes of bags. As for the functionality of the Ridgeline 3, it checks all the boxes. It has what the company calls anti-tipping technology, a stainless steel ball bearings EZ Glyde system, and a breaking lever is easy to set and release.
Standard accessories include a cup holder, a scorecard pad, a mesh storage tray (perfect for headcovers), an accessory tray for valuables including your phone, keys and wallet, umbrella holder and umbrella mount. Optional add-on accessories include sand/seed mix bottle, cooler, rangefinder holder, and a seat, for example. The last one I might have to consider adding, especially if I start walking a little more this time of year in the Lone Star State.
Ridgeline 3 is available in white, black, silver, sand/hunter, sport blue and candy pink and if you're seeking a lightweight, simple-to-use push cart, it's well worth considering.
