If you’re traveling internationally and looking to get in a round abroad, you may want to consider a rental set.
You thought the British Open ending the men’s major championship season was a bummer? Wait until you see this.
Domestic travel is bad enough these days in the United States with severely understaffed airlines leading to frequent flight delays, cancellations and of course, lost luggage. On the international scale it’s even worse, and one picture showed just how backed up high-traffic airports can be.
Just days after Cameron Smith won the British Open in epic fashion at the Old Course at St. Andrews, a pile of golf bags currently sits in the Edinburgh Airport, which is just 50 miles from the Home of Golf.
There’s a comfort that comes with playing with your own clubs, but if you’re traveling internationally this year and looking to get a round or two in abroad, you may want to consider a rental set.
Check out Golfweek’s 10 favorite golf bags for 2022
What type of golf bag do you need? Unsure if you should go for a cart bag or stand bag? We’ve got you covered. Both have their pros and cons. Cart bags are nearly impossible to carry anywhere besides from your trunk to the cart but also provide a ton of storage options. Stand bags are incredibly light and do exactly what you need them to do. While they have fewer storage options than a cart bag, you’d be surprised at how much can fit in a stand bag.
Our David Dusek already brought you the best stand bags of 2022. Some of them are on this list because simply put, they’re incredible bags and worthy of holding your most precious cargo every time you tee it up.
It all depends on what you want when you play. Do you always use a cart and have accessories like a portable speaker, GPS, umbrella, ball retriever, etc.? Then a cart bag is probably the best fit for you.
Are you a player that takes a cart most of the time but will occasionally take a good walk? A stand bag will help you accomplish both types of rounds with ease.
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Today’s stand bags offer loads of storage and easy access to your clubs and gear in lighter, more durable designs.
If you are in the market for a new golf bag and are not a PGA Tour or LPGA member, a stand bag is probably the way to go. Even if you ride around your local club every time you tee it up, which makes you a prime candidate for a cart bag, a well-constructed stand bag is lighter to transport to and from your car, and it will accommodate everything you should need during your round.
When you consider which stand bag to buy, create some priorities.
If you intend to walk and carry your bag, its weight is especially important. Over 18 holes, every pound counts, so be sure to compare how much each bag weighs.
If you bring loads of high-tech gear and accessories such as a portable speaker, a spare battery, a water bottle, an umbrella and a laser rangefinder, look for a bag with plenty of pockets and spots where you can easily store your stuff.
There are bags on the market that have individual compartments for each of your 14 clubs, but most have a top divided into either four, five or six sections. More dividers can help keep things organized, but dividers add weight. It also can be frustrating to get clubs in and out of individual holders. Opting for a bag with fewer dividers can save weight, but cramming three or four clubs into one section can be cumbersome when the grips and shafts are cluttered.
To help find a good bag at a good price, look for the following models at your local store or online.
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Vessel is known for quality golf gear as well as bags, and this season the company has launched a pair of new stand bags.
Vessel is known for quality golf gear as well as bags, and this season the company has launched a pair of new stand bags — the VLS and VLS Lux.
The VLS Stand Bag is the next generation of the company’s lightest full-featured stand bag. The group has taken its previous lightest bag and reduced the weight even more, giving it a larger top and touched up the details. This bag weighs 4.2 pounds and is made from a heavy-backed nylon twill. The VLS Stand Bag includes a magnetic cooler water probable pouch, 4-point adjustable strap and carbon fiber legs for maximum stability. The bag will come in four colorways of black, grey, olive and navy.
Vessel VLS Stand Bag in Four Colorways- $305. (Vessel)
The VLS Lux Stand Bag is a new line of their classic Lite Lux bag. The updated bag is equipped with a larger top, leather top handle, and a solid base with patented rotator stand technology. This bag weighs 4.8 pounds and comes with five exterior zip pockets and 1 exterior slip pocket. There are two strap options of a double equilibrium strap or a single strap for this bag.
The VLS Lux is launching a new perforated black with quilted detailing and a pebbled white followed by the Lux crosshatch material in black, natural and maroon.
Vessel VLS Lux Black Perforated stand bag- $385. (Vessel)
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Club Glove is providing its signature travel luggage to the 2021 U.S. Ryder Cup Team.
Golf and travel go hand in hand, so it’s important to get a good quality travel bag for your sticks as you check more courses off your bucket list.
Club Glove was founded by Jeffrey Herold who is an entrepreneur, avid surfer and golfer. Herold had aspirations of using wet suit material for golf club head covers and that is how he got his start in the golf accessory business back in 1990. After his headcover debut, he began designing the companies signature travel bag.
Herold called his travel bag the “Last Bag,” meaning that it was the last bag you would ever have to buy for travel. This sturdy bag is used by over 80 percent of PGA Tour players. Club Glove was voted the No. 1 luggage and golf travel brand across all professional tours.
Club Glove Last Bag Large Pro is shown in royal blue- $359. (Club Glove)
The Last Bag comes in three sizes: Collegiate, Large Pro and XL Pro Tour. Each size has different levels of storage based on your travel needs. The bags are constructed with Cordura 1000 D water-resistant nylon up to 3x stronger and last up to 5x longer than standard polyester for extended durability. There are 23 different colorways and comes with the option to embroider your bag or purchase a warranty. (Shop Club Glove)
Like in past years, Club Glove is providing travel gear for the 2021 U.S. Ryder Cup Team. They have been selected as their official golf travel bag provider for the team, captains and officials.
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Loaded with features that will keep your clubs and gear secure, find the perfect golf bag for your needs and budget.
Legend has it that the first people to play the game that evolved into golf were shepherds who hit stones through fields and into rabbit holes. Using only one club, which was probably just a stick, meant they did not need a bag.
But you can carry 14 clubs, so a golf bag is pretty important. Plus, you carry more than just your clubs when you play golf. It would help if you had golf balls, tees and someplace to store things such as a laser rangefinder, a rain jacket and valuables such as car keys and your wallet. On some days, you bring an umbrella or maybe even a Bluetooth speaker.
Golf bags tend to fall into one of four categories, and finding your ideal golf bag is pretty easy once you think about how you typically play.
If you never walk when you play, then a bag’s weight does not need to be considered and you can enjoy the luxury of something big. Staff bags such as those used by players on the PGA Tour and LPGA are the biggest, but a cart bag makes more sense and is less expensive. Cart bags have lots of pockets, protect your clubs and securely fit on the back of a golf cart.
If you prefer walking and only ride occasionally, a stand bag typically is the way to go. These bags are lighter than cart bags and feature retracting legs that can keep the bag upright . Stand bags tend to have water bottle pockets and most now come with a strap system that allows you to carry the bag like a backpack, making it more comfortable while putting less strain on your body.
A growing number of players are enjoying a more minimalist version of golf, eschewing extra gear. They walk exclusively and don’t take many things on the course aside from clubs and balls. Legless carry bags are a viable option for this type of player, and they have a throw-back style that can make a statement that is also functional.
Finally, Sunday bags are typically the smallest and lightest bags, but they usually are not large enough to carry 14 clubs. Golfers who want something they can easily take to the range or a par-3 course love the convenience of Sunday bags, but they are typically a player’s second (or third) bag.
If you are in the market for a new golf bag this season, here are several models you might want to consider.
Cart bag, stand bag or carry bag: What you need to know for golf bags
Like many fathers, my dad told me to invest in well-made belts and good shoes. He said that you can tell a lot about a man by the care and attention to detail he puts into those things. He was right, and the same thing can be said about a golfer’s bag.
Golf bags are designed to serve a very simple purpose: to hold your clubs when you play. However, well-designed and well-conceptualized bags are made to do a lot more than that. They can make playing less stressful, while at the same time helping to add a splash of style to your game.
If your bag is breaking down or you just want a change, realize that the key to finding your ideal bag is to consider how you play and what you need on the course. After you answer those questions, here is what to look for, as broken down into three categories that generally encapsulate most players:
Ogio’s Convoy SE Cart Bag 14 (courtesy of Ogio)
I’m never going to walk: Cart bag
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a resurgence in walking on golf courses, but many golfers are continuing to ride in carts. After all, many courses in the United States are not conducive to walking and have large distances between greens and tee boxes.
If you know you are not going to walk, then a cart bag is a good option. A well-made cart bag could last a decade.
Many cart bags can balance on flat ground and stay upright, but they don’t have fold-out legs to keep them steady. They typically have pockets on the front and both sides, while the back side will be devoid of pockets and be flatter to make the bag fit more securely on the back on the cart.
Think of a bag like the Ogio Convoy SE Cart Bag 14 ($249.99) as a U-Haul truck you take on the course. It has 14 compartments in the top to hold clubs and keep them for banging around, as well as 13 pockets. There is an insulated cooler pocket, bottle holder, a removeable ball pocket, an umbrella holder and pockets that can hold a rain suit, laser rangefinder and more. There is also a soft-lined pocket for a watch, cell phone and other valuables.
Cart bags tend to be relatively heavy (Ogio’s Convey SE is 5.9 pounds), but if you are riding that’s not an issue. Be sure there are at least two handles near the top to make it easier to get the bag into and out of your car, and look for a strap that has plenty of padding for when you will need to carry the bag from the parking lot to the course.
Sun Mountain 2.5+ 14-Way Stand bag (courtesy of Sun Mountain)
I prefer to walk, but ride occasionally: Stand bag
If you are a player who will ride on some occasions and walk on others, you need a golf bag that is versatile. You need to consider how heavy the bag is and how easy it will be to adjust the shoulder straps. You also need to think about what you will carry in it. For you, a stand bag might be the smartest option.
Not surprisingly, stand bags are the most-common style of bag used by recreational golfers. They are smaller than cart bags and usually are about 2 pounds lighter. That may not sound like a lot, but after 18 holes you will appreciate the difference.
Stand bags have a mechanism that springs a pair of legs outward when you set down the bag, allowing it to stay upright at somewhere near a 45-degree angle. This makes it easy to access your clubs.
Stand bags typically have three or five dividers in the top to keep your clubs organized, but some models, such as the Sun Mountain 2.5+ 14-Way Stand bag ($239.99), offer 14 individual club slots.
The 2.5+ 14-Way weighs less than 4 pounds and has five pockets, including a full-length apparel pocket, ball pocket and a pouch designed to hold a water bottle. There is also a velour-lined valuables pocket. The retractable legs are made from carbon fiber for extra strength without adding weight.
Like most stand bags, the 2.5+ 14-way has a strap system that allows you to carry the bag like a backpack, distributing the weight over two shoulders instead of one. The straps have thick foam pads for added comfort and can be adjusted quickly.
Typically, adding club club dividers adds weight, so if you prioritize having a light bag, look for one with three or five dividers in the top.
Jones Original golf bag (courtesy of Jones Sports Company)
I never ride: Stand bag or carry bag
And then there are the purists. Some golfers would rather not play at all than ride in a cart. They insist that golf is a walking game. Period.
For them, a stand bag can be a good choice. However, there is a growing number of younger, hipper players who love the look and style of throwback equipment, including the bags used by players back in the days of Hogan, Snead and Palmer. For those players or anyone who takes a minimalist approach to the game, a legless carry bag (or walking bag) is an option.
As the name implies, carry bags are designed to be carried on your shoulder and do not always work especially well on the back of carts. They do not have the retractable legs of a stand bag, so they are laid flat on the ground.
A classic-looking example of a well-made carry bag is the Jones Sports Company’s Original bag ($150). Introduced in 1971, it is made from nylon and vinyl, and the minimalist, retro style remains the same.
Its top is divided into three sections to separate clubs, and it has three pockets, two in the front and a long one in the back, to hold balls, tees and a few other things. The Original bag has a single, well-padded strap to rest on your shoulder, and the bag weighs just 3.15 pounds.
For golfers who consider the walk to be as important, if not more important, than their score, or for players who sometimes opt to use fewer than 14 clubs during spontaneous evening and weekends rounds, a carry bag could be just the thing.
Pros rarely walk the course carrying their own bag, so TaylorMade and Cobra have supplied the stars who will play at Seminole with new gear.
Unless you are from Northern Ireland and knew the kid who shot 61 back in 2005 to break the course record at Royal Portrush, the last time you saw Rory McIlroy playing 18 holes carrying his own bag was never. But that’s exactly what the world’s No. 1 golfer is going to do Sunday afternoon at Seminole Golf Club in Florida.
McIlroy’s partner, 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, also will carry his own bag, as will their opponents, Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff, during the TaylorMade Driving Relief charity match.
McIlroy, Johnson and Wolff are full staff players, which means they not only swing TaylorMade clubs, they use other gear made by the company such as golf balls and bags. At Seminole, the large staff bag their caddies typically haul will be replaced by TaylorMade FlexTech Lite stand bags in the same blue color scheme used on the company’s SIM woods and irons.
TaylorMade FlexTech Lite Stand Bag. (TaylorMade)
The FlexTech Stand bag ($199.99) weighs only 4.1 pounds and is divided into four sections to keep clubs separated. It has eight pockets, including a water-resistant valuables pocket to keep keys and a wallet dry. There is also a pocket for a water bottle and another for a laser rangefinder. The shoulder straps are self-adjusting and feature lots of padding.
There is also a proprietary system in the base that springs the legs forward when the bag is set down, helping ensure the bag stays upright for easy access to clubs and gear.
While Fowler uses a TaylorMade TP5 Pix ball and a Scotty Cameron putter, 13 of his 14 clubs are made by Cobra, and he will use a Cobra bag at Seminole. The company sent him two models last week from which to choose.
Cobra’s Ultralite Sunday bag (left) and Ultralite Stand bag (Cobra Golf)
The Ultralite Sunday bag ($129) tips the scales at just 3.8 pounds and has three large openings at the top to help divide clubs. It has an oversized apparel pocket, fleece-lined valuables pocket and a mesh pocket designed to hold a water bottle.
The Ultralite Stand bag ($189) weighs 4.5 pounds but has eight pockets along with extra padding on one side to help make the bag feel more comfortable on your back as you walk.
According to Cobra, Fowler’s choice in bags may be a game-time decision.
