Stewart Golf Q Follow independent review - first impressions

[@jamesross720]

@Peter Rattray Thank you very much for this review. I think it's the first independent review on KZbin from somebody who has sent their own money on one. Really helpful and informative, particularly re using the trolley on hilly terrain. Back golfing here in England from Monday. I'll wait for your follow up review and may take the plunge. This is the season that I finally give up carrying. I'm getting too old for it!

[@petermrattray]

I’ve got a shipping notification from Stewart today, so I think the travel bag for it will be with me tomorrow. I’ve got a round booked for Tuesday, so will do an update. I know what you mean... I carried my clubs until my early 30’s, when I had a car accident and hurt my back. I’ve carried a few times since, but the trolley is a lifesaver! Hope you’ve got a tee time booked for Monday 👍🏻

[@Daztardly]

Hi Peter. Fabulous review, great to hear from somebody that has actually paid for it with your own money. I have literally just ordered mine to replace my Motocaddy S7 remote after several years of ownership. I’ve been waiting for some time now and was glad to see the new Q follow released. That made my mind up. Thanks so much for your honesty. Really good to know how a non Stewart Golf bag works, and how the trolley works on proper hills. Great work, looking forward to your 2nd review. Hopefully you’re still happy with it😜. Don’t mean to rub it in, but glad I didn’t waste the extra £100 on the ‘carbon’ option. Thanks again Daren

[@petermrattray]

Thanks! I managed to get out on the course for the second time earlier this week - so have an updated video to put out once I get a chance to piece it all together. I really enjoyed using the trolley - it makes transporting your clubs around effortless. I’m sure you’ll love yours when you eventually get it. Hopefully it turns up earlier than expected. I discovered there’s a lot of carbon (painted plastic!) on the underside of the trolley too. To be honest, I would still buy the carbon model over the black edition purely because I love carbon! It does look good... it’s just a shame it’s painted plastic. Having said that - the ‘real’ carbon inlays in my car cost something silly like £1200 for 4 small pieces on the doors, and a 8” square round the gear selector... so real carbon is very expensive.

[@stevenfacey77]

Great review- I have one coming to Australia which has been delayed with the canal blockage, so was really concerned your independent review would be negative, but even more excited now to unpack the beast after getting your impressions-thanks again!

[@petermrattray]

Thanks Steven. I’ve got a second video almost ready to upload with some updates. Will hopefully get it finished tonight.

[@lowyde]

Great review. I noticed when you were going uphill that the front end was bouncing up and down. From my experience by putting significant weight in the front of your golf bag it runs far more smooth and the front wheels stay in the ground. I always put a sand bottle and a thermos and whatever weight I can in the front of my cart bag and it works like a dream.

[@petermrattray]

Thanks! I think there’s a happy medium between over loading the cart (making the steering / motors work harder) and the wheels bobbing up and down. The course I was on in the video has some quite extreme hills - which don’t look nearly as steep on camera as they do in real life! My regular course has some hills, but nothing as bad as these! Stewart recommend 14kg for the bag in the manual... but I’ve no idea what mine weighs. Might be worth popping it on the scales to find out.

[@PaddyP538]

Super video! Finally a video to show this cart on hills. 👏 it handled well going up the hill. The rear support seemed sufficient but might be better if it was a bit larger.

[@petermrattray]

Thanks! To be honest, I think if the rear stabiliser was any bigger, you’d continually be kicking it when walking behind the trolley. The support having wheels is a big improvement over the one on the X-Series where it’s just a skid plate - as it reduces the drag. It tackled the hills really well, but I’ve got a real test for it tomorrow!!

[@LASD218]

Very good review vid, honest and with you own money! I was looking at the X9 but I think Q is a bit better. I am pleased you mentioned the X9 also, which gives us newbies a sense of fairness between the two. Thanks for giving your opinion in a vid! Good job!

[@petermrattray]

Thank you! The X9 is a great trolley too, but I think the Q Follow is a better package.

[@b2bbogey735]

Great vid. Looking forward to the next review when you experience a bit more. Which I now see you have done already😁

[@tomhenry7535]

Great review _ thank you _ do you think it would lean w a carry bag being used? That is a big problem w my existing bat caddy.....

[@petermrattray]

Depends on the weight. Stewart recommend a bag of 14kg as an optimum - to make the front heavy enough so it doesn’t bob about too much, but also provide a good weight at the front end for steering. Too heavy, and it’ll strain the motors and struggle to turn. Too lights, and it’ll turn too quickly. You could always load up the pockets on the bag if it was way too light!! No idea what mine weighs - will have to pop the bag on the bathroom scales. My Tour bag is is on the last set of holes on the top strap - and there are 2 others for slimmer bags to hold them tight.

[@williamkerner]

Thanks for the video. I have several questions for you. 1) What happens if you get caught out in the rain, will the water cause a short in the battery? 2) How does it navigate through thick rough? Some of the courses here have sandy ground will it move through sand? What happens if it rains and the fairway gets soft or muddy? Can it make it through these situations? 3) I'm a little confused about using different bags, I may use a carry bag or a staff bag, will it work with both? 4) What is the range of the remote? Once again thanks for the great video! William

[@petermrattray]

I’ll try my best to answer these... 1. I haven’t had the Q Follow out in the rain yet, but it’s advertised as being fully waterproof. I’ve had the X Series out in some horrific weather and never had an issue - to the point the course has closed because it was flooding. I’d think if you drove it into a pond, it’d be game over - however with it being built in the UK it’ll be designed to handle proper rain storms. 2. Again, this is based on my experience with my previous trolleys, but they would happily drive in thick rough and beyond. I’ve seen me skipping holes, and cutting across thick grass above the ankle, and the trolley ploughing through it. Some of the links courses I play have pretty extreme rough. The sensible thing is for you to walk in the thick rough, and keep the trolley out of it by remote controlling it. No issues with soft or muddy fairways... but I’ve never tried it in sand before. I guess every situation will be different though. 3. I’ve always used a tour / staff bag with my trolleys. I do own a carry / stand bag, but only use it if I’m carrying my clubs or travelling. The manual says the ideal weight for the bag is 14kg, which is enough weight on the trolley to keep the front wheels planted, but at the same time light enough to steer properly without overloading the motors. Given a stand bag is designed to be light and carried, I think you’d struggle to get it up to 14kg without filling it with rocks! 4. According to the data on the website, this is 50m. There’s very few times in the last 12 years I’ve had to walk towards the trolley to get it to move as it’s out of range.

[@williamkerner]

@@petermrattray Very helpful info. I live in Tulsa Oklahoma (where the 2022 PGA Championship will be "Southern Hills") and we get these pop up storms and I was most concerned about the battery and it getting stuck in some mud. Once again thanks.

[@williamkerner]

Just purchased one, I can't wait to get it. You should be getting paid by Stewart Golf.

[@petermrattray]

Nice one - you’ll be really happy with it! If I was getting paid, then I wouldn’t be able to give honest answers, and probably wouldn’t be allowed to show things like the rear stabiliser snapping off!

[@richdouglas2311]

You did a superb job, so congratulations on that. What is not clear is what happens around the green. I assume you have to turn off the follow function? This (again, I assume) would leave you with the remote function or operating it manually. (I would hope both options would be available.)

[@petermrattray]

Thanks! I’m going to try and cover what you’re referring to in the next video covering a bit more of the operation of the trolley, however I’ll explain it step by step below. The Q’s electronics are a step up from the X9F when it comes to this manoeuvre... as the Q makes it near seamless. 1. Walking along the fairway... trolley in follow mode, remote on rear of belt. 2. Remove remote from belt, and press forward a few times - the trolley then changes from follow to remote with barely a slow down. 3. Step out of the way (very important!) 4. As the trolley goes past, grab my putter 5. Walk onto the green, whilst remote controlling the trolley so that it’s in the position where you’re going to walk off. Hope that makes sense?

[@swm7860]

Thank you very much for the video, I really appreciate the detail and honesty! The main thing I like about the Stewart trolley is that it folds up and down easily. Other trolleys you have to connect parts to, which could be inconvenient and or lost. The one question I have is, does it come with a drink holder attachment? I look forward to your updated videos. OK, now I see your follow up videos I watch now. One other question, just curious, where are you from? I’m from Florida USA.

[@petermrattray]

Thanks for the positive comments. I’m from Aberdeen, Scotland. Not quite as warm as Florida as you can see from my clothing… but I do love golfing in Florida! There is an optional drink holder… but I have an insulated drinks pocket in my bag which I prefer to use. The folding mechanism is pretty straight forward after you’ve used it a couple of times.

[@petermrattray]

That’s the next video uploaded now. It’s a bit later than I expected, but you’ll see why if you watch it!

[@rorywoods6344]

Hi Peter great review. I am looking at investing in the coming weeks and have listened to your review carefully. What i was wondering is in your opinion what is the best X10 follow or Q follow. I know it is a matter of opinion but the X10 appears more sturdy. Will await your response,

[@petermrattray]

Thanks! I’ve answered this one before on one of the previous videos, so here’s a copy and paste of the answer! The decision needs to made on your personal circumstances, as underneath the chassis, they’re essentially the same trolley. I can’t comment on an X10 Follow, but I had the X9 Follow which is much the same but with previous gen electronics. I upgraded to the QF for one reason only - the size. The QF folds up to a much smaller footprint and is much easier to carry. The X9F was a large trolley to carry from garage to car, and an awkward shape to lift in and out. Although it’s equally as heavy, my back certainly appreciated the change to the QF due to it being a much more manageable package! The QF comes with a 36 hole battery as standard… but I’m sure that’s an option when you order an X10? I had 2 x 18 hole batteries for my X9F which I rotated each round… and came in handy if I ever had an outing where it was 2 rounds. The X10 has a nicer look about it, and will have the updated electronics that are in the QF. The QF has the battery app to check its percentage - however it appears lots of people are having issues with this and can’t get it to work! So really, it boils down to personal preference. Do you need a trolley that folds up smaller to fit in the car? Do you have back issues and would struggle to carry something the size and weight of a large suitcase out in front of you? Both are great trolleys and do the same thing. It’s a tough call, and I probably haven’t made your decision any easier!

[@omertiroche4851]

Great independent review. Thanks for this! Having used it more now, how do you find the Bluetooth dropping in and out? Does the follow function work from the Bluetooth on your phone or from the Bluetooth on the remote? Cheers

[@petermrattray]

Thank you. I’ve only managed 2 rounds so far. I still can’t play my home course, and most courses aren’t accepting visitors just now. Roll on the 26th April when I can travel again! Anyway... the Bluetooth didn’t drop out on my second round either. The Bluetooth on the phone is only for checking the battery level. It has nothing to do with controlling / follow on the trolley. All control of the trolley must be done through the remote.

[@markpuccio6270]

Hi Peter. Very thorough review. Your past experience with other models of Stewart carts adds more value to your review and opinions. I just turned 61 and carrying my bag for 18 is becoming a challenge. I just ordered a Q follow based in part on your review. Thanks for sharing! Are you happy with the travel bag for the Q? I'm thinking it would be a good addition to protect the boot interior.

[@petermrattray]

Congratulations on your new purchase! Thanks for the positive comments, and glad the video is useful. I don’t know if you’ve seen my follow up video - which has a section about the travel bag? kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4u7lpWFa6qpgJo The simple answer is the travel bag works well. It feels decent quality, looks good, and is fit for purpose. I bought it for the same reason as you - to keep the car clean. I’m just back from my 4th round using it, and it’s simple and easy to fit the trolley in once you get the zips up for the first time! I gave up carrying when I was 31 after a nasty car accident. My back has never been the same, so having a trolley that carries the clubs for me is a saviour and lets me focus more on my game.

[@sbongardt]

Peter - Great videos and a few questions. It appears as though the bag sits more upright than the X9. I think you said you sold your X9 but curious as to what you think(would help with weight issues)? Also - Could you measure the distance from the base to the bottom of the top rest? It may be important to others like me as I recently have found using a Max Lite Stand Bag fits the X9 perfectly without the legs getting in the way (and I put a small 5 pound weight in the front). Finally - I think you said in one video you use Follow 80% with the Q - what would you say it was with the X9? Thank you in advance for any thoughts!

[@petermrattray]

Thank you! I will have to measure the distance from the base to the rest when I get home, but I think the distance must be almost identical to the X series. The bag rest is in the same place on my bag, and the strap goes round exactly the same bit too. I use the Q Follow exactly the same as I used my X9 Follow. I don’t think the follow function on the Q is any better than the X9F - or not noticeably anyway. Not sure what you mean about helping with the weight issues? I think all Stewart trolleys have the same recommended bag weight... so if you’ve got it sussed for the X9, then whatever you have will suit the Q too!

[@sbongardt]

Thanks for the quick response! It seems to me that like all electric trolleys the X9 was back heavy (more so perhaps but maybe that was the skid pad problem). The Q from what I can see seems to have the bag more vertical moving the CG forward (or appears so). They also claim a new follow upgrade. I wondered (in the 80% comparison question) if you used the follow mode on those hilly courses with the X9.

[@petermrattray]

The back of the Q Follow is much heavier than the front, as that’s where the battery / motors are. The rear wheel rather than skid pad makes a big difference to its ability to pull itself up hills though. I’ve done some measuring, and can tell you the base of where the bag sits to middle of bag support is 30”. The angle of the bottom of the base to the bottom of the curved bit in the top bag support is 55 degrees (measured on iPhone app, so not 100% accurate 😂). I don’t still have my X9 to compare unfortunately, but I could probably compare next weekend when I play with my father in-law with his X7. I use follow in exact same places I would have previously on my own course. The hilly course isn’t one I played with my X9F - I was only playing there due to the Covid restrictions we had in place at the time. I did take my X9F up some pretty hilly courses, and found it generally handled most thing. On some extremely steep ones, I’d probably walk diagonally across the fairway to help it out. Sometimes you have to just assume that the trolley will struggle, and get behind it and help it up though! If I’m being honest, I wouldn’t say I’ve noticed any difference in the Follow capabilities in the new version. The only thing I feel is that the Q sits a few feet further away from me when following... but no real difference in performance.

[@sbongardt]

Thanks so much, Peter - great information - it is hard to find honest reviews on these products!

[@petermrattray]

I can be honest as I’m not being paid! Generally, I think it’s a great product, and am very happy with it... but it does have some flaws!

[@mattburford2627]

This is the independent review I’ve been waiting for since November. Thanks for your thoughts. It’s a bit disappointing that the stopping overshot downhill, but I guess it was a steep hill and in those situations the remote would be best used. I also struggle to understand why Stewart don’t have some controls on the unit rather than relying heavily on the remote. Looking forward to getting mine soon (I also ordered a H2NO bag so I can hold an umbrella). Eagerly awaiting the next instalment 👍

[@petermrattray]

The overshoot on the hill was a particularly steep bit that you’re not even supposed to walk down. There is a zig zag path at the side to take you down there ‘safely’! It did well on most of the hills, however it seemed to pick up a fair bit of momentum on that part - possibly as it was accelerating from the last stop, and didn’t have time to stop quick enough. On the plus side... it managed to get up a similar hill without any intervention. Yes, a forward and stop button on the handle would be useful. My previous X9 Follow had an issue with the handset (it wouldn’t switch off) so it had to go back to Stewart for repair. An easy process, however due to Covid delays I still ended up not having it for 2 weekends. During those 2 weekends, my trolley was completely useless as it simply doesn’t work without the handset. My father in-law has 2 handsets for his trolley for that exact reason. I wanted to order the articulated umbrella holder for the trolley... however it’s out of stock at the moment, and the lead time is unknown. I’ve had this H2NO bag for almost 3 years (when I upgraded to the X9F from the F1) and have had an H2NO Stand bag for about 6 years now. Essential gear in Scotland!!

[@mattburford2627]

Would your decision to purchase be different now the X10 follow has been released?

[@petermrattray]

@@mattburford2627 not at all. The X10 is essentially the same unit at the X9 Follow, but with the newer motors / electronics. I hadn’t had my Q Follow on the course when they released the X10, so I could have easily returned it under the 30 day money back guarantee and swapped it over had I wanted. The look of the Q is growing on me to be honest, and my main reason for changing is the folded size / ease of transporting. If the Q had never come out, and I still had an X9F, I wouldn’t be upgrading to the X10 as it’s not really any different - just subtle improvements under the hood!

[@mattburford2627]

Thanks for the quick reply. Looking forward to video #2 to further whet my appetite.

[@brendantorrance3539]

@@petermrattray I just ordered the X10, its my first Stewart trolley. Im hoping its worth the money, my home course is quite hilly, but l would not let it follow me down some of the steep hills

[@bacmvp]

Can you say something about the noise? I heard that the X9 / 10 are relatively loud compared to other e-trolleys.

[@petermrattray]

I’ve been a Stewart trolley user for the last 12 years, and haven’t really used any other brands. The Q Follow seems to be quieter (from memory) than my X9 Follow was - but it does have upgraded more efficient motors. The X9 seemed to be more high pitched, and I could hear if accelerate / slow down as it tried to match my pace when following. The Q seems to keep a more steady pace and be quieter. I’ve been out on the course today, and have made a wee clip of the trolley noise - and will hopefully have that uploaded tomorrow.

[@nathancrichard1580]

How do you plan to do the wheels anthracite?...spray them?...my Q follow arrives next week😁

[@petermrattray]

I sent the ones on my X9F away and had them professionally painted in gloss black. They looked amazing when new, but within about 9 months, the paint was cracking and flaking off. I bought another set of wheels, and some black Plasti-Dip. Took a few attempts to figure out the best way to do them, but once they were done, they stayed immaculate for the 2 further years I had the trolley. I’m almost finished doing a spare set of wheels in Anthracite metallic Plasti-Dip, and then coating them in the Glossifier to give them a nice shine. Just one more wheel to do, and I’ll get them on the trolley. They need a heap of coats, so it’s a slow process when I’m at work all day! Nice one on the trolley - hope you love it 👍🏻

[@nathancrichard1580]

@@petermrattray will be very interested to see the results..if not I’ll buy a set of the silver ones😀

[@nathancrichard1580]

Do you dip them or spray them?

[@petermrattray]

@@nathancrichard1580 I don’t know if you can get the silver ones anymore. They’re haven’t been issued in at least 5 years. I spray them out of a rattle can! Take a bit of patience to get them masked up properly as the tyre blends into the wheel - but it’s easy enough.

[@kevinclements5981]

I've just Received my but I've just can't get the battery out have I done some wrong I've press the button and it doesn't what to release.

[@petermrattray]

I just push the button, and the battery pops up a bit - allowing you to get a grip on it. Lift from the button side, and lift it upwards. You’re not the only one to mention problems getting it out…

[@kevgiles4645]

Excellent review! And the first independent one! And from the ‘deen as well!

[@petermrattray]

Thanks! Got a course with very undulating fairways booked for Tuesday... so will see how it copes with that! I tipped my X9 Follow a few times at Royal Aberdeen 😂

[@richerodriguez8079]

Great review. Thanks for sharing.

[@mattburford2627]

How have you got on during subsequent rounds?

[@petermrattray]

Due to not being allowed to travel to my own course, and most courses not allowing visitors at the moment, I’ve only managed 1 more round since this video. I do have another video almost ready to upload - which should be either tomorrow or the next day depending on when I get a chance. I’ve potentially got 2 rounds booked for next week too!

[@jimlock6152]

Was your mud guards already fitted? Mine were but I’m having issues with my remote control not working properly.. thinking of sending it back to be checked over.. on a couple of occasions I’ve pressed the right turn button and all it has done is speed up.. one wheel clicks louder than the other..

[@petermrattray]

No, my mudguards were in a separate box inside the main box... and the 4 screws for securing them in place were in a little bag. It took me a while to figure out why there was a screwdriver in the box with it. Probably obvious, but have you checked the rear wheels are attached properly? I had an odd issue, which turned out one of my wheels wasn’t locked in place. The other thing you may have done is stopped the trolley with the Glide Stop button. It will then start in Glide Steering mode. Glide steering kind of looks like it’s speeding up, as I think it makes one wheel go faster than the other to give you a smooth turn.

[@jimlock6152]

@@petermrattray I find it strange how mine was 5 weeks and it arrived with the mud guards fitted.. everything seems normal but definitely having issues with the controls.. the left wheel definitely makes a louder click when I turn it left compared to the right wheel when I turn it right.. maybe it’s just me but something doesn’t add up right..

[@petermrattray]

Sent an email to [e-mail] and tell them about your issues. They’re usually really quick to reply, and very helpful. I had a little sheet in with my trolley about how to attach the mudguards. I thought they must ship detached for packing reasons... but maybe they’ve changed that? Are yours carbon or black?

[@jimlock6152]

@@petermrattray carbon, I noticed it’s even gone up to £1849

[@petermrattray]

Wow... £200 extra for plastic bits painted like carbon. Makes me glad I ordered in January.

[@racingporsiempre]

Hi. Does it fit on a regular suitcase i'm case i'm travelling? Thanks

[@petermrattray]

You’d need to define ‘regular’ suitcase as I have a couple of suitcases that I’d consider regular sized that are different sizes. I don’t think it’d fit in either of them. I also think that the trolley has a specific orientation, so unless you were to have it locked in place inside the suitcase (much like it comes packaged from the factory) that there would be a good chance it’d be broken when it reached its destination. The other thing to consider is that it has a large lithium battery - so probably wouldn’t be able to go on an airline anyway. Personally, if I was travelling to play golf (which I did frequently before Covid, and hope to again in the near future!), I’d be taking my own clubs with me and renting a trolley or buggy at the course.

[@golffreak2770]

Heard rumors that a major trolley manufacturer is working on a AI-driven system with lidar sensors and a submeter GPS receiver. Autonomous driving and follow me functionality is achieved by connecting the system to the motor controls. In a ‘programming round' you can define parking postitions at each green and tee box and route safe paths around bunkers and hazards on the display. When playing an 'advance function’ drives the trolley to the next parking postition, so e.g. when hitting the green from 160 yards you could take out the putter and press advance and the trolley moves to the position beside or behind the green. From there to the next tee and so on. With the additional remote control one could still pause the autonomous driving when e.g. a playing partner hits his ball. Then just press continue and the trolley advances on its own. Of course one can always steer by hand in uncertain terrain. This is probably the future of electric trolleys.

[@petermrattray]

Something to look forward to I guess. Wonder if you could set multiple locations, depending on which tee you’re playing, winter greens etc. Perhaps you’d be able to download other people’s courses to save learning them - much like the Garmin / Skycaddie library of GPS courses. The future of electric trolleys it may be, and we might not be that far away from these sort of revelations... however for now, the Q Follow is a top trolley!

[@5grasmere]

That’s a lot of detailed info for ‘a rumour’ 🧐🤕 methinks you know more than your letting on, plus I’ve seen you add this ‘scripted comment ’ on other Stewart KZbin vids 🤨

[@sbongardt]

Any additional information on when this version might be available?

[@rosestewart9397]

There is the X10 now and you can use any bag on that one, I think I will get the X10, it looks better

[@petermrattray]

If you watch some of my newer videos, I mention the differences with the X10 in there. The X9 Follow I had prior to the Q Follow is VERY similar to the X10 other than it has some upgraded electronics. The X9 Follow was a great trolley - just too bulky for me. I agree, the X trolleys look better… but the folding / compactness / ease of carrying the Q Follow make it the winner for me personally. You can use any bag with the Q Follow too.

[@petermrattray]

That’s the third part uploaded... How was fitting the new stabiliser? Did I manage to make the full 3 rounds on 1 charge?! kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6aTpphrl5aKaas

[@yunro7659]

Selling $2700 + ? Crazy!

[@petermrattray]

£1650 in the UK. Costs less than my annual club membership - and I’ll probably get 3 or 4 years out of this before it’s time for an upgrade. At that point, I’ll probably sell it for around £1000!

[@imrantazim2688]

I'm really disappointed in this Q Follow trolley. For the price you pay for these trolley's, minimum requirement is a small LCD Screen with basics such as time, yardage, speed and battery levels. You shouldn't have to download an app to view battery levels that's just ridiculous idea unfortunately.

[@petermrattray]

Personally, I think a screen on this trolley would be a waste of time. The trolley is a follow device, so spends most of its time behind you. I don’t think you’ll ever see a screen on one of these. The only thing I’d like to see on the handle is some sort of start / stop control to save having to use the remote for everything.