TODAY GOLF
The Best Golf Bags to Upgrade Your Golf Game
The best reasonable golf bags we’ve seen this year, including carry bags, stand bags and more .
As a golfer, you might spend so much time thinking about the golf equepment in your bag that you overlook the bag itself. But your golf bag is a critical piece of golfing gear. If your golf bag is, dare we say, subpar, then it may very well lack the adequate storage and functionality that let you bring your favorite golf clubs along, safely stash your personal belongings and keep your water bottle cool. Insulated pockets, anyone?
Luckily, whether you prefer to walk the course or zip around the range in a cart, there are golf bags for just about everyone, no matter your personal preferences. And as we’ve already hinted at, golf bags have evolved over the years to include an assortment of different features beyond just the number and size of compartments and pockets. That means it’s just a matter of deciding which of those features are best suited to your style of play and personal comforts.
To help you upgrade your golf bag swag, we’ve put together our top picks for the best golf bags on the market. Our selections range from ultralight walking bags to heavy-duty golf cart bags, so there’s something here for every golfer, regardless of how they like to take their golfing gear around the course.
The Best two reasonable Golf Bags of the Year:
Best Overall Golf Bag: Izzo Ultra Lite Cart Bag
Best Overall Golf Bag: PowerBilt Powerbilt TPS Dunes 14-Way
What are the Different Types of Golf Bags?
A cart bag is designed to hold a lot of gear. They do tend to be bulkier and weigh more than carry bags, so if you consider walking your way to each of the 18 holes to be part of the golfing experience, then a cart bag may not be your ideal choice. However, if you love having plenty of room and compartments to store stuff in, and you’re determined to walk, you can still rely on a push cart to wheel your bag along with you. Otherwise, you’ll need to rent and drive a golf cart. And because cart bags can stand upright, most of them don’t have legs that extend to support them.
Also known as walking bags, carry bags are all about minimizing weight and bulk. This means carry bags lack the space and compartments you’ll find in a cart bag, but the tradeoff is you can realistically walk the entire course without a push cart. If you ever decide to use a golf cart, you’ll just need to make sure your bag is secured nice and tight; golf cart straps are designed for bulkier cart bags, so your carry bag is more likely to tumble around if not properly latched in. Carry bags usually have a single shoulder strap and many of them hold fewer than 14 clubs. But if getting in some quality walking while playing a round and enjoying the scenery is important to you, a carry bag may be the right pick for you.
Often considered to be a type of Sunday bag, the pencil bag is a slim, ultralight golf bag with a top that measures around six inches in diameter. It comes with enough storage to hold the bare basic golf gear, making it ideal for going to the driving range, playing nine holes, or hitting around a par three course. Many pencil bags can even hold 14 clubs despite their trim physique.
Stand bags tend to split the difference in size and space between what you’ll find in a cart bag and carry bag. They’re called stand bags because they have legs designed to prop them up on the green, whereas cart bags stay put on a cart and carry bags are laid flat on the ground. Stand bags are not as compact and minimalist as carry bags, but many stand bags come with dual strap systems so you can walk the green comfortably and with proper support.
Like their name suggests, tour bags are what the pros use on the PGA tour. These are larger (and heavier) than most cart bags, but they offer the compartments and capacity that professional athletes need. They’re also likely to be made of high-quality materials for added durability. Tour bags may be overkill for the casual player. But if you plan to hit the pro circuit, a tour bag may be the way to go.