The Best Golf Bags In 2022 For Every Type Of Golfer

Why Trust Us

While I've spent my whole life being rather terrible at golfing, my father is an excellent golfer who has been playing for decades. So when in doubt, ask your dad, right? This guide was crafted with expert advice from Mr.Kahl himself over a series of potentially annoying phone calls where I insisted he bestow all his golf bag knowledge and thoughts upon me, so that I could craft something for you dear reader. With the combination of my understanding of product reviews and bags, and my father's understanding of golf, I believe we have crafted you a stupendous guide to the best golf bags.

Who This Is For

This guide is for the intermediate to advanced golfer who is searching for some new golf gear. If you're a pro golfer, you likely have a tried and true favorite or are sponsored. If you already have a favorite bag, this guide can help you find a new carry bags, cart bags, or sunday bags.

How We Picked

Selecting the best golf bags started with creating an assortment of stand bags, sunday bags, carry bags, cart bags and more. We wanted to ensure we covered all the bases for every need. From there, I let my dad weigh in on the best available models and then researched all of our items and looked at their ratings and read plenty of Amazon reviews.

Features To Look For In Golf Bags

Divider system - You have a nice set of clubs, and you don’t want them clanging together in the middle of your golf trip or getting scratched. A divider system can be simple, only having two or three compartments, or you can have up to fourteen individual slots for each and every club you own. Organized folks usually prefer more dividers. The more dividers, the more expensive the bag, and often times it attributes up to 1.2lbs to the overall weight.

Weight - Your equipment can get mighty heavy; going with a lightweight bag helps reduce your load overall, so you spend less time applying icy hot patches and more time doing what you love - golfing.

Size - This comes down to your clubs; you should know the dimensions of your set and apply that knowledge to the dimensions of the bag you choose. As with anything, the larger the size, the more fabric is used, and the more it will end up costing you and weighing.

Pockets/compartments - Simple enough; you want to hold extra golf balls, tees, perhaps an additional glove or even a sports bottle. Some bags even feature a cooler compartment for keeping those drinks cold under the hot summer sun. Multiple accessory pockets can be a huge blessing depending on what all you want to carry. Pockets and compartments are nice, just don’t get a bag with more than you need.

Towel rings - You pay good money, you work your rump off to purchase one of the best golf bags, so you would reasonably want it to remain nice and clean. A towel ring gives you quick access to a rag to wipe of dirt or mud before it can stain or embed itself into the fabrics of your fancy golf equipment.

Rain covers -Rain covers are your saving grace when it comes to protecting your equipment during that afternoon shower. Rookie golfers make the mistake of brushing this feature off, but it really is a lifesaver.

Umbrella holder - These are pockets that are specifically designed to accommodate your umbrella. They’re awkward items, but these pockets make it simple to store and retrieve. If you’re deep enough into your game that you don’t want to hit the road when it rains, you need full preparation (especially if you’re acting as your own caddy).

Waterproofing -A spill or a light rain storm shouldn't be enough to ruin your bag. If there's even a sliver of a chance of rain while you play, you should ensure your bag is waterproofed so that rain can't ruin your gear and your day.

Durability -If you ask us, durability is a must for any piece of gear, especially one that will be outdoors. Shelling out tons of money for something that falls apart immediately is one of life's sadder experiences, especially if you don't have a warranty.

Looks - Some folks will care more about this than others. I live by the motto, when you look good, you feel good and play even better. There's no harm in finding a golf bag with a look you love, in fact you'll likely benefit!

Types Of Golf Bags

Carry bags - Designed for lightweight travel, these make your game a little quicker, and don’t require you to hire a caddy. In some cases, you can even avoid using a cart and get a workout in. These are the ultimate weekender golfing bag; recreational use, lightweight travel, easy to pack. These don’t often come with extra pockets or features on average.

Cart bags - If you’re taking the cart with you everywhere you go, you can leave your bag attached to it. Golf cart bags usually come with as many additional pockets as possible for rain covers, umbrellas (ideal golf gift), and extra slots for golf balls and spare tees. These bag feature ample storage and also have a single strap or system to attach to the golf cart. We aren't worried about weight here because the cart is doing the work.

Staff/tour bags - A tour bag is recommended for professional use only; don’t be a hero and go for this type unless you know what you’re doing. These can weight up to ten pounds on their own without a single item in them. Imagine the weight of your clubs and additional items on top of that. You don't want to haul these around.

Stand bags - Stand bags with retractable legs are a totally viable option for the golfer who wants to carry his own clubs. You won’t have a caddy dropping your bag on the dirty ground; you can stand this up on its own, and access everything you need without it getting dirty. These are rather common place and a must-have for every golfer.

Q: What is a golf bag?

A: Golf bags are for carrying your clubs from hole to hole, even if you’re using a golf cart. Depending on your frequency of use, whether you're a recreational golfer or a professional, you may encounter times where you wish you had all the little details that turn your golf bag into a mobile golfing headquarters. Golf bags can include stand bags, cart bags or tour bag.

Q: How should you organize your golf bag?

A: There’s a very quick way to go about this. Start by emptying out your bag, and get ready to organize.

• Plan out what you need throughout the course and prepare appropriately; items you need more often should be more accessible, while others can be tucked away.
• For most golfers, you’re going to start by putting your shorter clubs in the bottom of your three compartments (usually your 7, 8, and 9 iron clubs).
• Medium-sized and longer clubs should go in the center compartment.
• Put your woods into the top of the bag, and find a spot for your putter here (so it doesn’t clang around and cause a racket).
• Load up the extra pockets with golf balls, tees, whatever you need.

Q: How do you clean your golf bag?

A: While you’re not going to improve your score, nobody wants to have dusty, run-down clubs. It all starts with a clean bag. Keeping your clubs and gear clean can help them last longer.

1. Clear out your clubs - Now might be a good time to take a good look at your clubs. Return some of that luster with some quality polish. Set those aside for later though, because there’s a lot more to clean than you’d expect. You’ll also want to check any rangefinder pockets or compartments for valuables.

2. Flip it - Let gravity do some of the work for you. Prop it up against something and just let all the turf you brought home with you slide right out. As a fair warning, you might be surprised at how much debris falls out.

3. Makeshift brush- Your clubs fit in the pockets. Well, at least the handles do. You’ll want to wrap a dry microfiber cloth around the handle of one of your clubs, and slide it to the bottom of each divider sleeve. Give it a little twist and remove it, and you’ll see all sorts of dust, debris and dirt coming up.

4. Use a brush- Start with a bristle brush; plastic bristles will work fine, ensure that they’re durable enough to get the job done. Bristle brushes with soft to medium bristles will help clear out most of the stuck-in dirt within the nylon and mesh of your bag. You want to tilt your bag upside down and begin gently brushing the entire exterior of the bag. The vibrations from the brush and gravity of the bag being upside-down will allow small clumps of dirt/pockets of sand to fall out on their own. You’ll have to be a bit gentle, but some dry scrubbing on the exterior of your bag is going to reveal that shine that’s sitting underneath.

5. Use a damp rag - Use a damp (not soaked; you shouldn’t be able to squeeze water out of it at all) rag or cloth, and wrap it around your hand. Use it to get in the corners of your additional pockets, your dividers, and anywhere else that’s open to the elements when you’re out on the course.

If dirt persists, use that bristle brush with a vinegar solutions (one part white distilled vinegar, two parts water) and give it another go.

Next, keep items out of your bag, and keep it in a cool, ventilated area for any remaining bits to dry out before stashing it away.

Q: How do you carry your golf bag?

A: If you’re not a cart guy (or you don’t want to pay the ridiculous rental fees), you’re going to be lugging it across the course. Y0u can practice carrying it at home to get the feel for it.

The correct way to do this is all over one shoulder. Find the broadest part of the strap, and place it at the tip of your shoulder. You have two ways to do this, so if you’re a powerlifter or just know how much your shoulders can take, you can either keep your bag inline with your side. Basically, it’s hanging underneath your arm like a messenger bag, while your arm rests along the top. Some bags will have a specific armrest area.

The other way to do it is sling it over your shoulder, so it’s going at a forty-five from your shoulder blade, across your upper thigh. This one is going to impede on how you walk if you’re not used to it, so move with confidence. If you'd like to even out the weight, you can find a double strap stand bag and other weight distribution features.

We’re just going to take a minute to remind you that it’s very easy to pull your shoulder if you’re not careful. Cart bags in particular can be heavy, but stand bags should be respected as well. Don’t be mister macho out on the course, because it’s only going to screw you over in the morning, or it could even wreck your game. After enough time in pain, your body sends endorphins to cancel it out, and you no longer understand how much damage you’re doing. There are plenty of golfers with torn rotator cups, all because they didn’t listen to their body.

Q: How many golf clubs can you carry?

A: This isn’t a question of capacity; it’s a question of how many you’re allowed to have. Golf has a crazy amount of rules and stipulations, and one of them, as defined by the USGA, is that you can only have a maximum of fourteen different clubs at one time. You can’t just throw fourteen of any type in, mind you; there’s even more stipulations for that. This is what you’re allowed to bring along:

• 3 Wood Drivers
• 8 Irons
• 1 Putter

Yes, that’s only twelve. The stipulations that surround this state that you can fit those empty two slots with whatever you’d like. If you wanted three putters (we’re not sure why you would, but it’s an option), you could do that. If you showed up with four putters, you’d be screwed, though. We recommend putting a good sand wedge and a pitching wedge in those other slots.

Sources:

1. Clubs - USGA
2. Should Golfers Push, Pull Or Carry Their Clubs? - TPI
3. How To Organize Your Golf Club Bag - SportsRec