Best Golf Stand Bags 2024
We take a look at the best golf stand bags currently available on the market
Best Golf Stand Bags: Quick Menu
1. The list in brief
2. Best overall
3. Best looking
4. Best value
5. Best premium
6. Best lightweight
7. Best unique style
8. Best waterproof
9. Best strap design
10. Best hybrid bag
11. Best storage
12. Best summer bag
13. Most eye catching design
14. How we test
15. How to choose
16. FAQs
When it comes to organizing and planning your game choosing the right golf bag is going to make all the difference. Unless you are lucky enough to have a caddy who is willing to lug around a big tour bag, then you're going to want to travel light and with the freedom to move around the golf course so you can walk straight up to your ball wherever it’s sitting. Convenience is important too, as not having a big heavy bag and a cart means it’s much quicker and easier to deal with pre- and post-round. It will also help to keep you fit as walking the course has lots of health benefits.
WATCH: Dan Parker gives his verdict on what he thinks is the best stand bag of 2023
So if you're a golfer who enjoys carrying their clubs, you'll need something lightweight that sits comfortably on your back. This is vital because a bag that isn't comfortable is going to negatively impact your performance, particularly when you get to the back nine and weariness starts to kick in.
Depending on the conditions you normally play in, you might need a waterproof bag. You will also want to consider the quality of the stand and the amount of storage available. Easy access will always be a consideration too as you don't want your clubs sticking as you try to take them out. You need a bag that’s robust, stable, and will protect your equipment, including against the elements. You also want a stand bag that delivers the best possible ergonomic fit for you.
We’ve reviewed and tested a wide range of bags from the leading brands as well as from some lessee know ones, and we have selected our favorites below. Additionally you should take a look at some of our other golf bag guides too - such as the best golf bags, best golf trolley bags, or the best waterproof golf bags. So without further ado, what are the best golf stand bags?
The Quick List
Best overall
The Ping Hoofer is an exceptional all-rounder, delivering supreme comfort and stability. In addition, there is extra storage in the latest edition.
Best looking
The Players 5 StaDry is a premium, stylish, versatile and robust stand bag that offers practical features, excellent protection and looks great too.
Best value
A well designed and lightweight bag that can carry everything a golfer needs. The magnetic rangefinder pocket and sturdy legs are standout features.
Best premium
Everything about the VLX 2.0 is a nice surprise, right down to how the logos are immaculately stitched into the body. The clean look is compelling and it is a premium model.
Best lightweight
This is an all-round stylish stand bag that is extremely light while providing plenty of protection from the elements. It offers a good amount of storage space for clubs and accessories.
Best unique style
This premium bag combines everything that’s great about G/FORE’S bold and unique styling, with Vessel’s high quality craftsmanship and fine attention to detail.
Load the next 6 models
Best waterproof
A supremely lightweight and comfortable golf bag, this is a great option if you're looking for a carrying option that will keep all your gear dry in inclement weather.
Best strap design
There is a lot to like about the Cobra Ultradry Pro stand bag, with its waterproof protection keeping your necessities dry in the harshest conditions.
Best hybrid bag
The Dri Lite Hybrid Plus from Big Max is waterproof, versatile for use on push or powered carts and well suited for all kinds of golfers. There's plenty of storage too.
Best storage
The wealth of pockets is great for organization and the removable straps and FlexTech base make this a highly versatile bag between carrying and using a cart.
Best summer bag
This is extremely lightweight and comfortable while also offering good storage space. It’s best suited to the summer when there’s less chance of heavy rain.
Best Golf Stand Bags - Best Golf Carry Bags
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Best overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
This is such a favorite of ours that we also included it in our best Ping golf bags guides. The Hoofer is a standard setter and has become an iconic moniker within the stand bag market.
It is definitely one of the more classic looking bags in our list and we think it looks best in neutral colors, as that means all of your headcovers, towels and other accessories will match nicely with this bag. Some of the brighter colors might look cool, but finding accessories to match can be tricky.
Storage is great as the new Hoofer stand bag comes with a whopping 22 litres of volume from an impressive variety of 11 pockets that will meet all of your needs. There's a velour lined valuables pocket, a magnetic rangefinder pocket and a top-access magnetic slip pocket. We found these to be the most useful and everything feels very well made.
The large apparel pockets come with a full-length zip for easy access, while the cart strap channel makes it easy to put this bag onto a trolley. The cool thing is that all 11 pockets are still fully accessible with the carry strap still on the bag.
- Read our full Ping Hoofer Stand Bag Review
Best looking
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Titleist Players 5 StaDry Stand Bag is a stylish, classic looking bag that really strikes the right chord with us. One of the best Titleist golf bags on the market, the design remains faithful to the DNA that made it resonate with so many golfers worldwide.
As well as the appealing aesthetics, the bag has tons of practical features too, including two external lined cooler pouches to store your beverages, a Sharpie holder and a spacious golf ball pocket.
Titleist have also added a new 5-way top divider to aid with both club organisation and accessibility. This bag oozes class and simplicity and comes in four color options that will appeal to a wide range of tastes.
The stand-out feature in our testing was the straps, which didn't twist or tangle throughout the 10 rounds we used the bag for. Overall the 5 StaDry produced a carrying experience that was close to faultless.
- Read our full Titleist Players 5 StaDry Stand Bag Review
Best value
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
This is one of the best lightweight golf bags on the market, weighing just 3.5lbs. Don't mistake that for a lack of sturdiness though. In testing, we had no problems with the legs not kicking out when placed on the ground and, on a windy day, there will be peace of mind knowing it won't topple over.
There is a lot to like about the Exo Lite Stand Bag, with the stand-out feature for us being the magnetic rangefinder pocket. Not only is it convenient, it also feels super-premium. If you don't want to use your rangefinder in this pocket then there are plenty of other pockets that will do it, or there's even an accessory clip that you can utilize as an alternative.
Although we have tested better straps they are comfortable enough and easy to adjust, while the comprehensive hip pad makes for an altogether comfortable experience over the shoulders and back.
It is not fully waterproof but it is certainly showerproof and can handle light rain. There is a fully waterproof, fleece-lined valuables' pocket to keep your phone or other valuables dry even in monsoon conditions.
- Read our full Wilson Exo Lite Stand Bag Review
Best premium
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Southern California brand, Vessel, is known for their luxury travel bags and if you're after an up market, trendy golf bag then this designer offering could be for you. The VLX 2.0 stand bag oozes quality and has a premium feel, right down to the logos that are stitched onto the body rather than just printed.
There's also an interior lock pocket with a three-digit combination lock, an antimicrobial-lined pocket with internal divider and magnetic closure as well as premium waterproof zippers. Additionally, you have a pen/tee slot, lightweight and strong carbon fiber stand legs, two insulated bottle sleeves that close magnetically and a patented base.
The main body material on the bag is a Tour-grade synthetic leather that the brand describes as durable and weather-resistant. Resistant is the key word there, as it is not totally waterproof, coming only with waterproof zips on its pockets. Nevertheless, the bag delivers great performance around the course, boasting a lightweight frame and comfortable shoulder straps.
While it is a fantastic option, if you play in wet conditions a lot then you'll need something a little more weatherproof, so check out our guide to the best waterproof golf bags.
- Read our full Vessel VLX 2.0 Stand Bag Review
Best lightweight
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Another top-notch lightweight model is the Big Max Feather model, which, as the name suggests, is as light as a feather at just 1.4kg. We really like this bag when we tested it; it looks good and offers a degree of simplicity with the five-way divider.
The stand is solid and is easy to deploy on grounding, and thankfully the legs don’t droop down while walking, which is a major pet peeve of ours. The strap can be a little difficult to adjust but this is a minor complaint really. The storage and pockets available really make this a good bag to consider, particularly given how lightweight it is. The integrated cooler pocket in particular was a nice touch too.
- Read our full Big Max Dri Lite Feather Stand Bag Review
Best unique style
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
According to G/FORE, this is the brand’s best-selling carry bag, and it’s easy to see why, as it offers standout looks, tons of features and great versatility. Put simply, this bag oozes style and attitude. We've been long time admirers of the brand's style and we love the design of this bag.
There are an adequate number of pockets available, but the attention to detail is where this bag stands out. There's a small loop for putting your towel and/or bag tags on, and also a really good fixture for your umbrella. The little things make a difference. Overall, the style is fantastic, with tone stitching and quilted panels giving it a premium feel. Again, this might not be everyone's taste, but we're big fans of the brand's funky, attitude-packed styling.
The clever strap system ensures it feels superb when on the back and a cool feature we really enjoyed was the way you can make it a single strap if you want to by clipping the straps on and off. It’s remarkably sturdy, too, with the chrome plated fiberglass legs and feet ensuring it’s never in danger of toppling over.
- Read our full G/FORE Daytona Plus Carry Bag Review
Best waterproof
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
A terrific offering from Callaway. At just 2kg (4.4lbs) this is one of the most lightweight bags you can get that is still capable of holding all 14 golf clubs plus everything else a golfer needs.
There are five pockets in total, with the valuables pockets the stand out for us because it is fleece-lined to protect your phone from scratching. It's pretty deep too, meaning you can comfortably store a phone, wallet, keys etc in there. The cooler pocket was a slight let down because the opening is on the small side making it too tight to easily slip a water bottle in and out of when you're on the move.
The Fairway C has an all-new strap and hip pad system that uses EVA molding for added comfort around the shoulders and back. This really stood out in testing and we thought that the EVA within the straps and on the hip pad added a level of softness that you don't get with many other of the other options on the market. All in all, the Fairway C provided one of the best carrying experiences we've had with a golf bag.
- Read our full Callaway 2023 Fairway C HD Stand Bag Review
Best strap design
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The main selling point of this back is its waterproofness. We tested this back at Essendon Country Club in what at times was near course closure type rain, and the Ultradry Pro kept all clubs personal items bone-dry. Very impressive. The protection comes from seam sealed zippered pockets and Cobra have also included a waterproof rain hood that diverts water away from your club heads and shafts.
Another aspect of the Ultradry Pro that really impressed us was the straps. Not only were they well-padded but the Swivel Strap worked superbly throughout the round.
The Swivel Strap has a well-positioned shoulder clip that allows the bag to swivel and move whilst you're walking the course. So as you put the bag on it will move to the adjusted height, which worked really well on sidehill and undulating lies and walks.
- Read our full Cobra Ultradry Pro 2023 Stand Bag review
Best hybrid bag
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
A versatile golf bag from Big Max that is waterproof and can be either carried or attached to a cart or trolley. This is useful because it means you don't need to have more than one golf bag, as the Big Max is versatile enough for any situation.
The Dri Lite Hybrid Plus is excellent for golfers who are not put off by bad weather as it is designed to keep all water out. The material and zippers will hold firm against a rainstorm that produces the equivalent of 78 inches of precipitation a day.
It isn't the most lightweight bag on this list but considering it doubles up as a cart bag it is surprisingly lightweight and comes in at around 2kg. A lovely dual padded strap system makes it very easy and comfortable to carry and we had no issues with the legs which unfolded nicely when setting it down to play our ball.
The Dri Lite Hybrid Plus comes with a 14-way divider system for your clubs, which is a big bonus that we don't often see on golf stand bags. It will also easily attach to any of the best push carts or electric trolleys thanks to its flat bottom. Storage options are not an issue here either as this bag comes with eight large pockets that provide ample storage space for all your golf equipment.
- Read our full Big Max Dri Lite Hybrid Plus Stand Bag Review
Best storage
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The FlexTech stand bag offers much of the same great storage as the FlexTech Crossover despite having a slightly smaller overall footprint. The pocket space is similar but the FlexTech has a more common 5-way top rather than the 14-way top of the Crossover model.
There are nine pockets in total which include a full-length apparel pocket, water bottle pocket, magnetic cooler pocket and a fleece-lined, fully waterproof valuables pocket. We can confidently say it's the most varied and well-proportioned amount of pockets we've ever tested on a stand bag.
The FlexTech is more than just a stand bag so much like the Big Max Dri Lite hybrid mentioned above, if you like to carry and use a push cart or electric trolley from time to time then this bag will suit you to a tee. It boasts a cart strap passthrough area as well as removable straps, which allows it to be used as a cart bag with ease. The straps are excellent; nicely padded on the shoulders and the self-adjusting strap system allows you to quickly find the most comfortable position.
The only downside to this bag is that it is not fully waterproof and as such you will want to bare this in mind if you play frequently in the wet.
- Read our full TaylorMade FlexTech 2023 Stand Bag Review
Best summer bag
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Mizuno K1-LO is a versatile, lightweight stand bag designed to help you get around the course in some of the harshest weather conditions while staying bone dry. While being suited to summer months it can withstand heavy rain so is ideal for those summer downpours.
Visually, this bag is excellent, as you'd expect from a Mizuno. We tested it in the classic Mizuno blue and white colorway and it offers up a premium look that many golfers will enjoy.
There is plenty of storage space on offer as the bag boasts nine pockets, including a full-length apparel pocket and fur-lined valuables pocket that we found very useful. The bag also has a velcro glove patch which is great for any one who takes their glove off to putt as it saves you from having to put the glove in your pocket and potentially dropping it.
The legs are lightweight and sturdy and helped this bag stand up on a pretty windy testing day on the golf course.
As well as the blue and white, it also comes in four other colorways so it will appeal to many different kinds of golfers. We thoroughly testing this bag, with the high-density foam shoulder straps making it a joy to carry.
- Read our full Mizuno K1-LO Stand Bag Review
Most eye catching design
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
We begin with the performance, with the bag constructed of various solid sections, such as the top rim, bottom of the bag and the stand, and delicate sections like a soft padded back rest or the soft inner lining of the valuables pocket. In all, we felt that a lot of thought and care has been put into the design of this bag.
The main standout, though, is the design, which includes eye-catching colorways. We tested the 'Aloha Oe' model and, if that look isn't to your tastes, then OGIO have other models available, some equally as bright, and others a touch more subdued.
Out on the course, the six spacious pockets provided ample storage, whilst the sturdy construction and comfortable carry experience make it a superb performing bag in all areas. What's more, there are other features, such as an umbrella holder, as well as OGIO’s very clever Fit Disc self balancing strap system.
- Read our full OGIO 2024 Fuse Stand Bag Review
How we test the best golf stand bags
When it comes to our process of testing golf stand bags, we take it very seriously. Whether we are sent a product or buy it ourselves, we put each bag to the test out on the golf course to ensure we can provide thorough and reliable advice. Most importantly though, manufacturers cannot pay for a good review because we tell it how we see it. Every member of the Golf Monthly team is an avid golfer and as such, knows what does and doesn't make for a good stand bag.
As far as our methodology goes, if we say we have reviewed a product, that means we have done so properly. We also endeavor to use all the features on the golf bag. That means, for example, if the valuables pocket claims to be waterproof, we will pour water on it to find out.
Specifically to stand bags, we put the stand itself to the test on different lies, angles and ground conditions because there is nothing more annoying than a stand bag with a poor stand. This comprehensive testing style is not just exclusive to golf bags either, we test using the same ethos and methodology across all gear categories.
How to choose a stand bag
So what are some of the factors to consider when you are purchasing a stand bag? Well below we have listed some that we think are the most important and most of the bags above will satisfy all our criteria.
Weight
If it is going to be on your back and shoulders during the round, then it has to be light and it is important to realize that some models are lighter than others. That being said if you want heavier models or ones you can use on carts too, there are models designed for that.
Comfort
On that same kind of note, comfort is also vitally important. It has to fit properly on your body whilst also having comfortable straps. Some also have padded areas around the hips and back as well which helps.
Strength
Whilst a good stand bag will be light and comfortable, it should also be strong whether it be the core bag section, the strap, or the stand itself. Preferably the sturdier the better because it has to protect your golf clubs properly.
Storage
If storage for all your gear is important, then some bags have more, and larger, pockets. The top models will have specifically designed pockets for your apparel, balls, accessories, perhaps a beverage pocket and definitely one to house valuables.
Waterproof
If you see yourself playing in the rain a lot then waterproofing will be a factor to consider. Some models above are better than others in this regard because they have been designed as such.
Looks
Importantly many brands have started to realize that we want our golf bags to look good as well as be functional. As such there are loads of unique designs and colors to choose from so it is a case of finding something you like the look of.
Budget
The final factor to consider is of course price. When choosing a golf bag you have to be aware of what you can afford because there are good models at every single price point. If you want to spend more, or less, then there is a bag for everyone.
FAQs
How do I choose a golf bag?
Well the first thing is to decide if you want a stand or cart bag. If you want the former, then check out the factors and models above to narrow down your choice. If you want a cart bag then check out our best golf trolley bags guide in which we give lots of information on which models are best, factors you should look out for and lots of other advice.
What is a stand bag?
A stand bag is a very convenient way of transporting your golf clubs because they sit on your shoulders and are therefore lightweight and comfortable. Importantly, as the name suggests, the bags have two built-in legs that allow them to sit at an angle when you're taking your shot. This makes it easy for you to pick your next club, and stops the bag getting wet and muddy on the ground on those bad weather days on the golf course.
Can stand bags be used on golf carts?
Yes, more and more brands are starting to design stand bags that can easily be used on golf carts. Some come with specifically designed lock systems on the base of the bag and some have specific straps so you can securely put the bag on your cart.
Why don't professionals use stand bags?
Well we have seen some professionals occasionally put stand bags into play but this is rare because the top players in the world need as much storage as possible for their golf gear. This means tour bags are what we usually see on our televisions because they can house lots of clubs, apparel, golf balls, gloves, food, drinks and all the other golfing paraphernalia professionals need to carry.
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Dan has been with Golf Monthly team since 2021. He graduated with a Masters degree in International Journalism from the University of Sussex and looks after equipment reviews and buyer's guides, specializing in golf shoe, golf bag and golf cart reviews. Dan has now tested and reviewed over 30 pairs of golf shoes and is an expert in the field. A left-handed golfer, his handicap index is currently 6.5 and he plays at Fulford Heath Golf Club in the West Midlands.
Dan is currently playing:
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2
Fairway: TaylorMade Stealth 2 15°, Ping G425 Max 21°
Hybrid: Ping G425
Irons: Cobra King Tec Utility, Ping i230 (5-PW)
Wedges: Ping Glide Forged Pro
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
- Matt CradockStaff Writer
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