Today, I’m going to take a deep dive into the new Clicgear Model 4.5 push cart. (Full disclosure: I am a huge fan of Clicgear carts.)
My first Clicgear cart was a 2.0 which I put into service in 2009 or so. A few years later, the Clicgear 3.0 cart was the subject of one of my first product reviews for MyGolfSpy.
Since then, I believe I’ve spent many hours of on-course time with every incarnation of Clicgear carts. Model after model, they keep being the carts that I play with each week.
Currently, I am pushing my clubs around on a pleasingly purple Clicgear 4.0+ cart. I am very satisfied with my purple Clicgear, never even considering that I would want to swap it out for a new version.
Until Clicgear unveiled the model 4.5 cart at this year’s PGA Show.
By the way, I’m not totally sure how Clicgear equates their change in number with the level of upgrade. Why do some carts get a “plus” added to their number and others the “0.5”? One of golf’s great mysteries.
Regardless, this Clicgear 4.5 cart has a whole bunch of newness and, as such, I had to check it out.
Clicgear’s stable base of base features
Before we explore the new elements, let’s run through a brief list of the features that have made me keep using Clicgear carts for almost 20 years.
First of all, the carts are amazingly compact when folded. I tend to drive cars with trunks. Because of this, I need a cart that can fit in the trunk with my golf bag.
Way back when, I was trying to decide between a Sun Mountain Speed Cart and the Clicgear 2.0. The Sun Mountain cart was great on the course but not compact at all when folded. Plus, it had inflatable (aka de-flatable)tires.
For those of you concerned about the complexity of folding a Clicgear cart, don’t be. It may take you a bit to figure out the folding progression but once you get it, folding and unfolding will not be an issue.
I also appreciate how stable Clicgear carts are on the course. You may need to initially adjust the front-wheel tracking but, after that, it’s nothing but straight and balanced travel.
I’ve only seen a Clicgear cart fall over once. We were playing the Pacific Dunes course at Bandon Dunes and the sustained winds were about 35 mph, gusting above that. My buddy didn’t set the brake on his cart and the wind pushed it backwards into a bunker.
On a more positive note, if the wind can be strong enough to push one of these carts, you are strong enough as well. Pushing the cart is not a chore.
Finally, I appreciate that these carts are built to last. My original Clicgear 2.0 is still fully operational. Should anything break, Clicgear sells replacement parts. In this day and age where Right to Repair is not common, it’s comforting to know that you can fix a Clicgear if needed instead of buying a whole new cart.
Enough of the boring basic build stuff. Let’s dive into what’s new with the Clicgear 4.5.
The Clicgear 4.5’s upgraded user interface
Most of the Clicgear 4.5 cart is very similar to the Clicgear 4.0. Since the Clicgear 4.0 is a solid cart, this is a good thing.
For reference, the Clicgear 4.0 was the runner-up in the 2025 MyGolfSpy Push Cart Buyer’s Guide.
The key difference between the 4.0 and the 4.5 is the console. Previous console upgrades have been incremental and typically minor. For example, swapping the elastic scorecard securing cable for a silicone one.
This time, the console is all new.
The console of the Clicgear 4.5 is noticeably larger than the previous console. It opens in a different direction and now has a latching mechanism to keep it closed. There are new magnetic and Velcro sections on the sides of the console for gear mounting. Finally, there is a brand-new zippered storage compartment underneath.
Overall, this new console changes the way the golfer will interact with the cart. You’ll still push the cart the same way but your golf stuff storage plan will change.
On the course with the Clicgear 4.5
Many of these new features seemed great on paper but I needed to see how they behaved under the harsh conditions of my local municipal course. Not every cart I use makes it through 18 holes unscathed.
Overall, the new features are well thought-out functional improvements. But there are a couple of things you need to be aware of that influence their playability, especially if you are already a Clicgear user.
New adjustable cup holder
Starting with the cupholder may see silly but the design was one of the annoyances of the previous models. Silly or not, the cupholder size issue proved large enough that Clicgear started offering two different-sized holders. This required that you needed to either select the size that matched your planned beverages before you left home or bring both cupholders to the course.
The new cupholder is fixes the size issue once and for all.
With the new cupholder, if you need to transition from small can to king can at the turn, you are all set. The new bungee+slide lock system quickly converts the size of the cupholder from skinny can to oil can.
Additionally, the cupholder is tall enough to hold all but the largest of water bottles securely. Personally, I keep my big water bottle in my bag pocket or I drop it into the console netting but it will fit in this new holder.
The only downside to the new cupholder is that you will need to remove it when you fold the cart lest it be crushed in the process.
Clicgear users know this is not really a new issue. It was also the case with the previous cup holder if it was attached to the forward console mount.
Taking the cupholder off before folding the cart is easy. As a bonus, once the cart is folded, the new cupholder clips nicely to the lower mount, keeping it with your cart so you won’t forget it.
Console size and design
The plastic console of the Clicgear 4.5 is larger and less rounded than previous consoles. It also opens from the top rather than from the side. This orientation change is great, making it much easier to access the gear stored inside.
The latch is a nice touch. It makes it a bit more complex to open but it prevents things from spilling out when you play or when you fold the cart.
I’m not totally on board with the new bungee system just yet. I think it is better than the silicone system of the Clicgear 4 but it seems like the cords should have been higher up on the unit to maximize functionality.
Your scorecard will now sit across the console. The pencil holder may seem way over-engineered but it is an improvement over the silicone holder that was not tight enough to secure the pencil.
On the plus side, the adjustable nature of these cords should increase their longevity. When the elastic stretches with age, you can just pull them tighter and they will lock pencils and cards in place.
New gear mounting system
I love that there is a magnetic attachment on the side of the console. Seriously, it’s my favorite new feature.
Mounting a magnetic rangefinder or speaker to a previous Clicgear cart required some engineering since magnets won’t stick to the aluminum frame.
Now you can attach magnetic devices with reckless abandon. Your laser or speaker will be at the ready on the left side of the console. Fun fact: I found myself using my laser way more often since it was so easy to access.
The Velcro pad on the other side of the console was also useful but not as significant to my play. The edge of the netting on the previous model, and this one as well, is also Velcro-receptive. It’s nice to have the new, larger attachment point, but not as groundbreaking as the magnet.
There is also a Velcro attachment site on the new under-console bag. I don’t think I ever attached my glove to that pad. That attachment spot is far less convenient and intuitive.
You will also notice an integrated phone holder in the console. It does a great job of keeping your phone secure. Also, if you need to charge the phone, there is a cable pass-through in the console so you can charge and keep playing.
Under console zippered storage
It’s nice to have a zippered compartment to securely store gear on the cart. If you are not putting your phone in the new phone holder, you can slide it in here and not worry about losing it.
Just remember to take your phone and other gear out of storage before you fold the cart. They could get crushed.
In isolation, I think this new storage bag is a great addition. Unfortunately, it comes with a trade-off.
Expanding the size of the plastic console necessitated reducing the size of the access opening to the netting in front of the console. The volume of netting was reduced as well.
While the new zippered storage section replaces the storage volume, it does not represent the same type of storage usage. I dump all kinds of things into that netting: water bottles, found balls, peeled clothing layers, trash and any other treasures.
The reduced netting area is OK for storing trash but most of the other stuff I usually cram in there just won’t fit.
Maybe I just need time to adapt to the new containment system but, as of now, the loss of the netting was a big price to pay for the larger console. I wonder if Clicgear shouldn’t have removed the netting completely, expanding the volume of the console and zippered bag into that space.
Bag fit issues
Unfortunately, there are a couple of lingering issues with mounting certain bags on the Clicgear 4.5. While the top strap was long enough to secure my Vessel Player IV bag, it was too short for some of my larger bags.
This is not a new issue. My Clicgear 4.0 has three purple straps and one longer black one that I bought to fit larger diameter bags. Yes, it was only $17 to add an extra 5.75 inches, but that’s an annoying additional purchase for someone who uses a large bag.
The other fit issue came at the bottom of the bag. When I first mounted the bag, the bottom of the bag rubbed against the front wheel. Adjusting the lower section height (VIDEO) added a bit of separation, but ultimately I needed to purchase another accessory, the Booster Clip, to get the bag well above the front wheel.
Some bags just sit too low on the bottom bracket so they need the extra lift from the booster. Often, this is more related to the shape of the bag’s bottom than the Clicgear’s bag holder.
The odd thing for me is that my Vessel Player IV bag sits just fine on my purple Clicgear 4.0 but rubs the wheel on the 4.5. However, the $12 Booster Clip fixed the issue perfectly.
On one hand, needing the longer strap and booster is annoying. However, it is amazing that Clicgear makes products to make their carts work better with different golf bags. For $29, you can dial in your cart to better fit your bag.
Don’t forget that the top bag bracket is also adjustable, raising and lowering to better interface with various bags.
Am I switching to the Clicgear 4.5?
If I didn’t already own a Clicgear 4.0+, I’d be all in on the new Clicgear 4.5. I don’t see anything with the new design that I would consider a red flag. As far as carts go, I’m happy to see that this new one is still a Clicgear cart.
As far as upgrading from my current cart, I am not sure. On one hand, I enjoyed the play experience with the new console. The locking console and the magnetic attachment point additions added ergonomic ease to my rounds with the cart.
The new cupholder is a winner as well.
I have two hesitations. The first one is the loss of the netting. It seems trivial but I use that net space for gear all the time. I will need to see if the new under-console storage can actually replace the functions of the lost netting.
My other hesitation is that this new cart is not purple. It may seem silly to you but I love the purple color of my Clicgear 4.0+. As of now, the color options of the Clicgear 4.5 carts are limited, and somewhat boring.
The initial Clicgear 4.5 color offerings were white, slate gray and black. Previous Clicgear carts were red, yellow, lime green, orange, light blue and purple. I’m not sure what market research removed color from the palette but I’m not a fan of the decision.
All may not be lost, though, since they just announced a new navy color this week. Maybe the bright colors are coming back soon. If they made a purple one, I’d probably make the switch.
Hopefully, some of the new components will be available to order a la carte (get it?) in the future. The new cupholder would be the first thing that I would recommend current Clicgear users purchase. I’m also wondering if the new 4.5 console will fit on a 4.0 chassis.
If the netting issue proves to be a non-issue, I would add a new 4.5 console to my purple 4.0 in a heartbeat. I have no clue if it would even fit but it looks like it will. If I Franken-cart the two, I’ll report my findings.
Finally, if my only real criticism is that it’s not purple, that says something about how good the Clicgear 4.5 cart really is. If you are thinking this is the season you start pushing your clubs, this should be on your short list for checking out.
Find out more about the new Clicgear 4.5 push cart at ClicgearUSA.com.
