Having to carry equipment around the greens each match day can be a real drawback to an otherwise incredible sport, so it’s essential every player has the best golf bag at their disposal. This means that choosing the right bag needs to be taken seriously, with all the relevant boxes being ticked before making a decision.
For the most part, choosing a golf bag comes down to personal preference, albeit it brand, design, price point etc. However, there’s a whole lot more which needs to be considered, and this buying guide will offer advice and tips in choosing the correct bag for your individual game and offer examples of some of the best new golf bags to hit the market in 2016.
Widely considered the most popular golf bag on the market, stand bags (also referred to as carry bags) are used by most casual golfers due to their slightness of weight and ability to carry a full set of clubs.
Stand bags are larger than pencil bags and have added features to offer a little more to the player while on the golf course. Stand bags gain points for having a stand to hold the bag upright when left unattended, meaning it will sit safely at your side during a round. This keeps the bag from getting dirty and also makes it easier to remove clubs from the divider.
When choosing a stand bag it is important to check the stability of the stand along with the base of the bag. Premium quality stand bags, such as the BIG MAX Heaven 6 Stand Bag, Callaway Golf Hyper-Lite 3 Double Stand Bag, Sun Mountain 2016 H2NO Lite Stand Bag and BIG MAX Aqua 8 Stand Bag will not fall over in wind too easily and will ensure a far longer lifespan as well.
It might be a good idea to purchase a carry bag which calls out waterproof properties such as the Sun Mountain H2NO Lite Stand Bag, Titleist StaDry Waterproof Stand Bag and Sun Mountain 2016 H2NO Lite Stand Bag, as this will ensure golf clubs and the interior of the bag will not become wet and damaged when playing a round in adverse weather conditions.
View our full range of golf carry bags now, or shop for carry bags by brand, including Nike, TaylorMade, Callaway, Mizuno, Sun Mountain, Cobra, BIG MAX, Titleist, Bridgestone, Cleveland, Srixon, MacGregor.
Cart or trolley bags are designed specifically to be carried on a golf cart or buggy, and is aimed towards older golfers or female players who aren’t looking to carry their clubs manually.
Cart bags are large but they will fit snugly onto most electric or manual trolleys. Different brands will offer various features and benefits; many utilising the bags size for a plethora of storage options, including the Callaway Golf X Series Cart Bag 2017, Nike Golf Performance IV Cart Bag and Callaway Golf Org 14 Cart Bag 2016. This gives players the ability to bring to the course with them waterproof clothing, valuables, rain hoods, golf balls etc. Cart bags are a lot more rigid than carry bags.
Cart bags have a very tough inner lining which makes them hard-wearing fairly water-resistant. Premium cart bags, such as the Sun Mountain H2NO Lite 2016 Waterproof Cart Bag, TaylorMade Monaco Cart Bag, Titleist Deluxe Cart Bag and Nike Golf Retro III Cart Bag will last longer and give you a better chance of keeping golf clubs safe, dry and undamaged.
View our full range of golf trolley bags now, or shop for cart bags by brand, including Callaway, Nike, TaylorMade, Titleist, Mizuno, PING, Motocaddy, Powakaddy, Sun Mountain, Cobra, BIG MAX, Clicgear, Cleveland, Wilson Staff, Fazer, Stewart.
Tour bags are the largest golf bag type available. Usually around 10inches in diameter and sometimes weighting as much as 45lbs, tour bags are so called due to being used by Tour professionals.
Tour bags are not recommended for players who want to carry their own bags. The reason for their large size (approximately 9inches or more) is to accommodate everything Tour players need while on the greens, including extra clothing (often waterproofs), gloves, refreshments, golf balls, tees etc.
Tour bags are premium quality and should be used only with a trolley due to their weight. Some of the best tour bags available now include the PING Tour Bag and Stewart Golf T5 Tour Bag.
Pencil bags are thinner and lighter than regular golf bags. These nifty little bags have soared in popularity to the point where they are seen as frequently on the greens as a carry or cart bag.
But despite their slight size, pencil bags still offer a good deal of storage options with a 6 inch diameter top and able to hold up to 14 golf clubs with ease.
A selling point of the pencil bag is the fact it can be packed into a car boot of clubhouse locker. And despite offering very little protection in adverse weather conditions, pencil bags are ideal for warm days when carrying a bulk around isn’t recommended.
Some of the most popular golf pencil bags available today includes the Titleist Carry Pencil Bag.
You can view our full range of golf bags available today at American Golf online and in-store.
Golf watches were introduced for players who like having stats at their fingertips. Available in several brands, golf watches are close to overtaking handheld GPS devices due to their wearability, wealth of technologies and sleek styles.
