Golf bags come in many varieties but there are 3 main sizes of golf bags depending on how you plan to use them.
Sunday Bags – these are small bags that are usually meant to carry around 7 clubs (so 1/2 of a full set). These are great for travel, par 3 courses, and even full golf courses if you don’t want to carry your full set of clubs.
Stand Bags – these are the most popular type of golf bag and they are usually relatively light and include legs so that the bag will stand on it’s own. They are generally meant to be carried so many times they have dual straps so you can carry them on your back like a backpack.
Cart Bags / Staff Bags – these are the largest bags and usually the most fancy and expensive. These are the single strap bags that you often see on TV with the PGA pros. They are big and heavy since usually they are on golf carts or a caddie will carry it for you.
In addition, golf bags come with multiple types of openings
14/15 way bags – these have individual slots for each club. Most are 14 way bags since you are only legally allowed to carry 14 clubs. But there are some 15 way bags since you may want to carry an umbrella in one of the slots (or alignment sticks, etc.). All of these slots does increase the weight of the bag.
4/5 way bags – these bags have bigger slots since there are fewer of them.
Overall, if you are going to buy a single bag, my recommendation is that you purchase a 4/5 way stand bag. This is the most versatile bag since you can carry the bag, put it on a cart, etc. and the 4/5 way opening will reduce club snag (which is just really annoying). I have a few 14/15 way bags and I regret purchasing them. After buying 2 bags like that I only buy 4/5 way opening bags now because the clubs just snag way too much on the 14/15 way bags.
Brand…
Well, there are high end golf bags from brands such as Vessel, Stitch, G-Fore, etc. Personally, Vessel is my favorite brand of golf bag and I own 2 vessel bags and my wife owns a Vessel bag as well. And for some brands, it’s sometimes just a Vessel bag that is re-branded as a G-Fore or Malbon bag, etc. Some of these manufacturers also make bags with the logos of your favorite University or sports team.
For the mid range golf bags, you have the type from the major manufacturers such as Ping (Hoofer is a great bag), Titleist, Mizuno, Honma, etc. as well as golf bag brands such as Sun Mountain. If you like a certain brand of golf clubs, golf balls, putters, etc. then this is a way to show your loyalty by getting a bag from Vice Golf, Scotty Cameron, Bettinardi, etc. Personally, I think it’s a little tacky when bags are so loud but that’s just my personal preference.
For lower end golf bags, I don’t know.
There are also some potential collectors items such as bags from Scotty Cameron, etc. I don’t really follow this market so I don’t know much about it though.
I will mention a few cool golf bag manufacturers. Sunday bags is a pretty cool niche bag maker. They focus on…Sunday bags but they also have the Ryder which is their first full sized back.
Jones Bags is also a pretty cool bag in that they focus more on the old school original golf bag. It’s a sunday bag since it’s small but it looks really retro and cool. I have one of those as well as the Jones Trouper which is a full sized stand bag.
If you purchase a bag online, sometimes there will be an option to embroider on the bag. I usually will get my name embroidered on the bag. I just like the look. I have seen some people with bags that have someone else’s name on it (such as a PGA or LPGA golfer’s name). I find that kind of tacky so I don’t think I would ever do that. I suppose if I had a good story (like I was gifted a bag by Bryson DeChambeau or Rory McIlroy or something like that) or I won a bag like that in a raffle, etc. then I might consider it but still probably not. I was in the US (Trump National in Palos Verdes, CA) and once saw a Korean guy with a bag that had the name of a Korean LPGA player on it…since I can read Korea I thought it was a little odd. For the westerners out there, they probably thought it was his name.
So there you have it…if you are only going to buy 1 bag, just go out and get a 4/5 way opening stand bag. Just get a Ping Hoofer and you’ll be happy. Or get a Sun Mountain and you’ll be happy. If you want a bag that’s a little more exciting and you’re ok with paying a little more money, get the Vessel Player IV Pro or the Stitch SL2.
If you already have and stand bag and need one for a quick round on a par 3 course or to take to the range where you may not want to take all of your clubs, get a Sunday bag. Get one from Sunday Bags such as the Loma. Or get the original Jones bag.
If you already have a stand bag and a Sunday bag and you use carts a lot and you’re a good golfer, get a nice cart bag and get your name embroidered on the bag so you’ll look like a pro. Vessel Prime Staff Bag is my favorite.
And if you have all 3 type of golf bag, then you’re like me and you just collect bags even though it’s ridiculous. You can get a den caddy bag and throw your golf balls in there. I personally have 2 sunday bags, 3 stand bags, 2 cart bags….and counting.