Golf carts are fine if you're driving around a resort course, but for serious golfers who prefer to walk, lugging equipment remains a necessary evil. Push carts help, but you're still tethered to a wheeled contraption that needs constant attention. Enter the iXi golf trolley, which takes the logical next step: making the thing follow you around automatically.

Designed by Joachim Froment and the team at Futurewave, the iXi Golf Trolley uses AI to track players and position itself intelligently on the course. The idea is to replicate having a personal caddie without the $100-per-round (or more) fee. The trolley follows seamlessly, staying out of your way during shots while keeping your clubs within easy reach.

The engineering is impressive. The lightweight aluminum frame uses reinforced custom extrusions and die-cast junctions, designed to maximize durability versus weight. Also clever is the patented "iXi latch" one-click folding system—addressing the storage headache that plagues most golf equipment.

Beyond just hauling clubs, the iXi incorporates swing analysis and performance tracking. The autonomous movement is the real draw here, promising to eliminate the mental bandwidth spent managing equipment so players can focus entirely on their shots.

The design language is clean and modern, avoiding the utilitarian aesthetic of most golf carts. That matters in a sport where equipment often serves as much as status symbol as tool. The compact form factor should help with course acceptance—many clubs are particular about what wheeled equipment they allow.

After successful showcases at CES and the PGA Show, plus a crowdfunding campaign that netted over 250 pre-orders, the iXi appears to have found its market. The Core77 Design Awards judges agreed, awarding it both the Professional Winner in Sports & Outdoor and the overall Editor's Choice Best in Show.

At this point, the real test will be real-world performance. Golf courses present challenging terrain, weather conditions, and the inevitable sand traps and water hazards that could confuse autonomous systems. But if Futurewave can deliver on the promise of truly hands-free golf equipment transport, they may have solved one of the sport's most persistent annoyances.

The iXi represents the kind of thoughtful technology integration that enhances rather than complicates an experience—assuming the AI works as advertised when it hits the course.

See the full project details here, or take a moment to view the full collection of 2025 Core77 Design Awards honorees.