Golf Bags Buying Guide
Apart from professional players, most golfers don't have the luxury of a caddie for every round of golf, and so will need to transport their own clubs around the golf course. Selecting a golf bag suited to your needs is therefore essential for maximum enjoyment of the game. But with the huge range of golf bags sold at American Golf, with a range of different features, styles, and storage capacities, you're sure to find the right bag for you. Combining great functionality with storage not only for your clubs, accessories and golfing apparel, but for jewellery, mobile phones, food and drink too, our bags are practical yet stylish with many hi-tech features and weatherproof dimensions.
There are two main categories of golf bag: trolley or tour bags (sometimes known as cart bags), and carry or stand bags. Golf carry, or stand bags are lighter and come with shoulder straps and weight-load dispersal systems. When set down on the ground they remain upright on extendable legs or flat bottoms, so the clubs are always on display for ease of selection. Golf trolley bags tend to be larger and heavier than the stand bags as they're designed to fit onto a stand with wheels, either push, pull, or electrically controlled. They're often made of leather and are rather durable, heavy-duty bags.
Carry Bags
The carry bag is the most basic golf bag that is carried around the course. Carry bags are relatively lightweight due to their slimline design, but can still hold a full set of 14 clubs with relative ease. Most carry bags come with a dual, padded strap to divide the weight of the bag over both shoulders for more comfort, and a grab handle for quick carrying.
Stand Bags
A stand bag is small and lightweight, much like the average carry bag, but has a stand which keeps the bag off the ground when not being carried. When the bag is put down, legs spring out from the side, making it stand and slope to the side for easy access to clubs while keeping the bag from being dirtied. This makes it easy to see all the clubs in the bag for maximum accessibility. Stand bags are usually made of synthetic material such as nylon or polyester and most come with a dual-shoulder strap as described above.
The quality of stands on the stand bags varies, and some cheaper models may be prone to falling over in the wind. A stand bag is slightly more expensive than a carry bag but is more convenient and easy to use
Pencil Bags
Pencil bags are a smaller variation of the carry bag and are designed to carry only a few clubs for when you are not playing a full round. A pencil bag is lightweight and slimline, with little to no extra pockets other than places to store extra balls and tees.
Trolley Bags
A trolley (or cart) bag is larger and heavier than a carry bag and is aimed at senior or lady golfers who use a golf trolley, rather than carrying their clubs manually around the course. Although these days more and more golfers are choosing trolleys to transport their clubs to cut down on shoulder and back strain which can affect the quality of their game. The cart bag is usually made of heavy, durable leather and is often manufactured with a rigid inner lining that makes the bag water resistant. Additional compartments can hold extra supplies since the weight of the bag is not an issue as it isn't carried. Cart bags also usually have graphite-friendly dividers at the top of the cart which makes it easier to access the clubs.
Tour/Staff Bags
Tour bags are the largest types of bags available and are usually used by professionals who have caddies to carry their clubs. Tour bags are heavy and can accommodate a large amount of extra equipment. Because of their added weight, they are not recommended for a player who carries his own clubs round the course.
We stock all varieties of golf bag from the big names in golf, including Ben Sayers, Callaway, Cobra, Mizuno, Jack Nicklaus, Ping, Ram and many, many more. Please browse our website to find what you need.