Equipment

Bagging the right bag

Published

14 years ago

Feb 7, 2012

GolfWRX Staff

By Shane Downey

GolfWRX Contributor

Every year the major OEMs usually come out with new staff bags and a couple even make special release bags just for the majors. I have to be honest, the bags that coincide with the Masters are, in my opinion, the best. It could be due to the fact that I have lived in Augusta and walked the pristine fairways in April, there is truly something special about living there leading up to the Masters. Another reason could be due to the fact my son was born in Augusta. The first time he was at Augusta National, he was still in the womb. I have such fond memories of the place I once called home. With these memories in mind, either way, the Master release staff bags are a personal favorite.

While the majority of the GolfWRX community, including myself, are admitted club and shaft aficionados, it would be extremely difficult to tote these weapons of madness around without the benefit of our bags. I must admit that I have a bag addiction. At least I have taken the first step in admitting it (only eleven more to go)!

The golf bag has been around as long as the game itself. During this time they mainly consisted of a leather or canvas bag with a leather strap and quite possibly a pocket or two. They have evolved with time and technology into three main categories; cart bags, stand bags and staff bags. All three come in a variety of sizes, colors and configurations.

The cart bag is just that, a bag that is designed to either fit on a golf (or pull) cart and yet possesses all the advantages of the larger staff bags. Pockets are plentiful for a variety of necessities you may need while enjoying your round. Sun Mountain and Ogio are two brands that quickly come to mind when mentioning cart bags. Although they have usually one strap, they come in a myriad of colors, styles, and construction materials. So if you are one that consistently uses a cart of some sort, then definitely look into getting a cart bag.

A bit before my time when caddies were the norm, they carried the bag dutifully following the player no matter wherever he may have hit his ball. Caddies soon lost out to electric carts, which is a shame. Quite a few golfers still enjoyed walking and carrying their own bags, which created a niche for bags that eventually evolved into the stand bag. The stand bag is usually a very lightweight bag that when set down and pushed forward, two legs are propelled out to create a tripod of sorts. Most also have dual shoulder straps such that the weight can be distributed evenly on both shoulders, much like a backpack. Most major OEM’s make dual strap stands bags, which are adjustable to your height with regard to the shoulder straps. These also come in many sizes, types and colors. If you abhor the idea of any type of cart, the stand bag is perfect for you.

The last major type of bag, and my personal favorite, is the staff bag. The staff bag is a large, multi-pocketed, usually logoed bag that you see inside the ropes on the PGA Tour. I have owned many staff bags in the short twelve years of playing this game and seem to never tire of having one. They are usually 9.5 – 10.5 inches wide and have five or six large pockets. The staff bag can carry just about everything you may or may not need while playing your round. I have personally put two-dozen balls, six gloves, laser range finder, a complete rain suit, an extra pair of shoes, tees, Band-Aids, Motrin, sunscreen and snacks into one staff bag. This may seem like overkill, but I love the staff bag for this purpose.

There are quite a few individuals who play “tour equipment” on the forum, from drivers to irons with x-flex shafts and “tour only” shafts and heads that I could only dream of hitting. However, with my slow swing speed, a tour staff bag is about as close as I will ever get to use tour equipment.

Click here for more discussion in the forums.

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6 Comments

Dustin

Mar 17, 2012 at 2:41 pm

I currently use the 2008 Callaway Masters bag…and it is Beautiufl!

Reply Report comment
Bill

Feb 24, 2012 at 3:07 pm

Get the midsize Tour Bag, they are more practical and still look nice.

Reply Report comment
Angel

Feb 14, 2012 at 1:44 pm

I really want one, but for some reason i think they are way too bulky for a riding cart. I like to ride, and i’m not sure my partner will appreciate his bag mashed into the back of the cart. Any opinions?

Reply Report comment
Rj

Feb 13, 2012 at 10:40 pm

Love a staff bag… New seem to not have what you need when you need it. Ahhhhh pockets galore!

Reply Report comment
1mizunofan

Feb 13, 2012 at 3:41 pm

I have to admit, I’ve been a tour bag junkie for more than 30 years! The first ever staff bag I bought was the old Wison Staff bag(red & white) from the 80s. Just watch the 86 Masters with Tom Kite, I have that same bag. It’s now retired & sitting in my basement(don’t really know what to do with it). I also have the old Macgregor staff bag like Nicklaus had when he won the 86 Masters. That bag is doing the exact same thing as my Wilson bag.
Now I used to feel silly carrying around these big bags in my hay day, but I’ve always liked them. I finally switched to stand bags but never really warned up to them. So with “my addiction” I switched back to a staff bag in 08 with the purchased of a Mizuno staff bag, which is still my current bag. I don’t carry anymore but use my Clicgear cart or power cart.
You cant knock the space or ease of getting your clubs in & out of your bag.
Like Shane has mentioned this is as close you will get to “pro equipment”. 30 years ago it was much harder to get your hands on what the pro play. Now in every pro sports genre that has become a big market. “Play what &’wear what the Pros play”. How many times have you heard that sales pitch? Obviously it works!

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Greg

Feb 10, 2012 at 6:25 pm

O so with you! Srixon staff bag. Love it. Keep it my office as conversation starter when not playing.

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Equipment

Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Arguably, the best perk of being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is the ability to request or even just be handed pretty much any club you could think of. It happens more often than you think, usually with putters around the practice green from one event to the next. Come Wednesday, the Tour bags lining the edge of the putting surface become resting places for fallen flatsticks that never made the cut.

So let’s take a look at some of the best we’ve seen out on Tour this year that never made it to the competition. (You may notice none of Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Scotty Cameron putters made this list. There are too many.)

Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.

Everyone wants to be Cameron Young right now. We’ve had Justin Thomas and Tom Hoge both game the Scotty Cameron 9.5R prototype. Well, for the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka nearly joined that list after requesting the same style of putter, with the full-length alignment line. But the Scotty Cameron reps took the request a step further and made one specially for Koepka with a Teryllium insert, similar to one in his previous Newport 2 gamers. The reason why this one didn’t go into play, though? Because it was too heavy.

Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.

Honestly, this one doesn’t need a description. It’s Kieth Mitchell’s custom Scotty Cameron Napa. One Scotty Cameron face stamp, two Scotty Dogs, two Scotty Cameron 7-Point Crowns and one Circle T. That is all. Oh, except for the Cashmere Cameron headcover.

Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.

Whats in the Bag

Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X

7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

See more photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs here.

Equipment

Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been discussing their favorite major winning irons used by Tiger Woods. WRXer ‘golferdude54’ kicks off the thread saying:

“Mizuno MP 14/29. Titleist 681T. Nike Forged Blades. TaylorMade P7TW.

Among these irons that helped Tiger win 15 majors, which is your favorite in terms of looks?”

And our members have been naming their favorites and why in response.

Here are a couple of posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

SwingBlade: “I prefer the early blades he played and the more recent TM TW’s especially because after Tiger had his major behavioral setbacks, part of Nikes support payback was making Tiger play a Nike putter and cease using his beloved uniquely customized Scotty putter.”
ProjectX: “This (Nike Forged Blades) and there’s not even a close second.”

Entire Thread: “Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss”