Best Golf Stand Bags: Buyer's Guide and things you need to know

Choosing the right golf stand bag is a key part of optimising how you get around the golf course. Ergonomic design will make the walk more comfortable, while the right selection and size of pockets can ensure you have everything you need, easily accessible during your round.

Looks, functionality and durability are all key factors to consider when buying a new golf stand bag, with all of the biggest brands in the game offering a selection of different options.

But how do you pick the best golf stand bag for you? That's where we come in. Here at GolfMagic, we are dedicated to providing you with all the necessary information you need to make an informed decision about which golf bag suits you best. Whether you need an easy grab-and-go golf stand bag, or a feature-packed waterproof golf bag, we have searched far and wide to pick a selection of models to cover all the bases.

With a wide variety of designs from premium brands including TaylorMade, Cobra, PING and Motocaddy, we have picked out something for everyone.

All of the golf stand bags we tested in recent days and weeks were put through their paces by our team of experienced testers.

Find out more about how we test equipment here

Let's get into it.

Key Features:

Pros

Cons

Price: £179

The TaylorMade FlexTech golf stand bag is a sleek and lightweight bag with a great variety of pockets for all your valuables and extra accessories. Available in four different colourways, the bag features a five-way club divider making it easy to group your clubs in the bag without any congestion. The large water bottle holder is a welcome addition, with a small side pocket on the other side being the ideal spot for the best golf rangefinder.

The easy-to-use Strap Slider System makes adjusting the bag to your ideal height an incredibly simple process, and the clever Strap Pass system means the bag can easily be placed on a trolley or cart with the strap passing seamlessly under the main pocket and out of the way. Spanning the entire length of the side of the bag, the main pocket is nice and large, making it ideal for storing any extra clothing you may need.

The only negative we could pick from this bag was that it wasn't waterproof. An ideal bag for summer months, you may want to look for something that can offer your clubs and valuables a little extra protection from the elements come the winter months.

Key Features:

Pros

Cons

Price: £190

Constructed from a lightweight and durable high-denier polyester material, the new PING Hoofer Lite is a sleek design that continues the brand's rich history of making some of the best bags on the market. Lightweight, comfortable and compact, the Hoofer Lite is an ideal stand bag for the summer, thanks to its unbeatable comfort even after walking 36 holes.

The nine pockets include a convenient zippered range finder pocket and a large apparel pocket big enough to fit an extra jumper or even a set of waterproofs. The ball pocket has a variety of different inner sections that are ideal for separating out your ball, tees and pitch mark repairers, and the range finder pocket is the perfect size to easily slide your device in and out with ease.

The Adjustable shoulder pads proved very comfortable during testing, and the added option of being able to switch over seamlessly to a single-strap carry was a nice touch. A cushioned hip pad adds to the enjoyable carry experience, and all in all, we couldn't fault the Hoofer for comfort.

Not fully waterproof, the Hoofer is perhaps not the best choice for all-year-round golf if you live in the UK, but it makes for an ideal summer bag thanks to its practicality and comfort.

Key Features:

Pros

Cons

Price: £109

Weighing in at just 1.7kg, the Cobra Ultralight Sunday stand bag might just be the lightest stand bag we've ever tested. Incredibly easy to pick up and transport, the bag is an ideal choice for someone who's clocking up a lot of miles on the course. We really loved the grey urban camouflage design but appreciate it may not be to everyone's taste. Thankfully the bag comes in five more traditional block colour designs, including black, blue and grey.

Featuring five pockets to store your belongings, the full-length apparel pocket offers plenty of space to carry an additional garment, while the water bottle holder and customisable ball pocket provide storage for all of your golfing accessories. While perhaps not boasting the same level of storage as other bags on this list, the Ultralight Sunday more than makes up for that with how easy and light it is to carry.

One of the more compact bags we tested, the Ultralight Sunday, only has three club dividers; we would ideally like perhaps one or two more, but that is just our personal preference.

Key Features:

Pros

Cons

Price: £179.99

The ultimate all weather golf stand bag, the Motocaddy HydroFlex was clearly designed by someone who plays a lot of golf. Remarkably light for a fully waterproof bag, there is also ample space for anything you could need out on the course. A large umbrella pocket is a nice added detail, leaving plenty of space between the 5-way club divider to section off your clubs without any obstruction. A large main pocket and generous accessory pockets provide plenty of space for additional clothing, balls and tees, and the large insulated water bottle holder fitted our two-litre bottle with ease.

Motocaddy's EASILOCK system makes transitioning to a trolley a seamless process, and the one-click strap removal is a fantastic addition for when you want to put your bag on the back of a golf buggy. Not only easy to remove but also easy to adjust, the shoulder straps are very comfy, and we encountered no discomfort at all when testing out on the course.

While perhaps not the most eye-catching design on the market, the HydroFlex delivers best-in-class results for all aspects that you need to consider when purchasing a new golf bag.

Key Features:

Pros

Cons

Price: £269

It should come as no surprise that the brand that created the first fully waterproof golf bag has left no stone unturned in its design of the Sun Mountain H2NO Lite. The premium construction of this bag easily warrants the higher price tag, and you really get a feel for how well the bag is made as soon as you lay eyes on it. Constructed from a TPU-coated waterproof fabric taped and sealed seamed, you can trust with absolute certainty that your belongings will be kept dry and safe during your round.

Six pockets offer a wide variety of different storage solutions for your belongings, with a generous-sized hydration pouch and velour-lined valuables pocket being our favourite of the finer details on offer. The four-way divider is the ideal amount of separation for us allowing you to easily divide up your clubs without and congestion when taking them out or putting them back in.

The comfortable and easily adjustable EZfit dual strap makes carrying a breeze, while the sturdy legs smoothly release whenever the bag is put down without any issues of the legs catching or failing to deploy. Available in five different colourways, the H2NO Lite is certainly on the more expensive side, but if you want a bag that provides unrivalled functionality and quality for all conditions, look no further.

Key Features:

Pros

Cons

Price: £149

The big brother to the Cobra Ultralight Sunday stand bag, the Ultralight Pro is a slightly larger bag with additional space and features. A four-way club divider and seven pockets provide abundant space for your clubs and accessories, while the double-padded carry straps give you an added level of comfort while carrying.

The legs pop out nicely when placed on the ground, and the bag feels very solid and secure when set down, even on bumpy or uneven terrain. Our favourite feature on the Ultralight Pro is the magnetic range finder pocket. The small pocket snaps open and closed easily, allowing you to reach in and grab your range finder without the need to keep unzipping pockets. Although a small detail, it makes the process that much easier, and the magnetised opening feels very secure, so you don't have to worry about the device slipping out.

All in all, a very solid bag that will serve you well, available in seven different colours, the Ultralight Pro is packed full of features that are designed to make your life on the course as easy as possible. The only downside we noted was that Cobra's offering doesn't offer waterproof protection, so it may be better suited for golfers in drier climates.

Key Features:

Pros

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Price: £219

Callaway offers one of the widest selections of stand bags on the market, and the Fairway C HD '23 might just be the best of the bunch.

Boasting a fully waterproof construction at a weight of only 2kg, Callaway has outdone itself in making every gram count with this bag. Five pockets offer plenty of storage for all your valuables and apparel, and thanks to the seam-sealed waterproof construction, you can be sure everything is making it back to the clubhouse intact.

A deep fleece-lined valuables pocket was probably our favourite compartment, but we did feel that the bag was slightly let down by the narrow drinks pouch, which we struggled to slide our water bottle in and out of.

A four-way divider provides plenty of space for 14 clubs without any congestion, and the EVA moulded straps and hip cushion provided one of the most comfortable carrying experiences we had during testing.

All in all, the C HD '23 stand bag is an excellent performer that will happily stand up to even the toughest conditions. at £219, it also offers excellent value for a bag with such a wide variety of excellent features.

Key Features:

Pros

Cons

Price: £239

Callaway's headlining stand bag for 2023, the Fairway 14 HD is lightweight (2.7kg) and fully waterproof, making it an ideal companion for all-weather golf. With seven seam-sealed pockets on offer, you will have an abundance of space to store everything you need, from waterproofs to a selection of mid-round snacks.

The stable legs pop out and back with ease, forming a sturdy base on even the most demanding terrain, and thanks to the intuitive cart strap pass-through and quick clips, the bag also transitions effortlessly for use on a cart or buggy.

We really enjoyed using the 14-way full-length club dividers, as they removed any faffing around when it came to taking out or putting your clubs away. Each club has its own slot, which will also appeal to golfers who like to keep their bags neatly organised in numerical order.

The straps provide plenty of padding for a comfortable ride, while the reinforced hip pad also sits well when carried with either a single or double strap. All in all, it's difficult to fault this bag. It offers an abundance of features designed to make any walk enjoyable, and it does so in a sleek black design that we think will appeal to a lot of golfers.

Key Features:

Pros

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Price: £69.95

An ideal bag to just grab and go, the MacGregor MAC 4.0 offers functionality and style at an incredibly affordable price. With comfortable straps and a solid base that feels stable upon pick up and put down, the MAC 4.0 is very easy to carry over 18 holes. The four-way divider with air mesh cushioned fabric makes getting your clubs in and out a seamless task, while the four pockets offer suitable storage options for all of your valuables and apparel.

We really liked the simple two-tone design that's also available in a sleek black/grey combo that gives the bag a more stealth-like look. While other bags on this list boast a wider variety of features and pockets, the MacGregor MAC 4.0 is an excellent choice for its price and could be suited to a wide range of golfers.

Key Features:

Pros

Cons

Price: £89.99

The Wilson Lite III golf bag is an excellent lightweight option that offers convenience and functionality. With four-way dividers, your clubs will stay organised, and the six pockets ensure the safety of your belongings during your round. The bag's automatic stand makes it easy to pick up and put down, while the four-point shoulder straps provide a comfortable fit for golfers of any size.

The Lite III's lightweight construction makes it a great choice for golfers who want a bag that's easy to grab and go at any time of the year. It also includes features like an umbrella holder and a spacious apparel pocket for waterproofs, ensuring protection from rain showers. With a price of only £89.99, the Wilson Lite III offers excellent value for its features and functionality.

1. Storage

One of the key things to think about when purchasing a golf stand bag is how much storage it has. If you're the type of golfer who carries a wide variety of accessories and apparel, then making sure you have adequate space for them is of paramount importance. Ranging from five pockets to upwards of nine, making sure you have enough space to keep everything safe and easily accessible should be high on your priority list.

2. Weight

The lighter the bag, the easier it is to carry for long periods of time. If you like to get out and play 36 holes every weekend, then making sure that your bag is light and easy to carry should certainly be high on your priority list. Equally, if you like to use a trolley or buggy, then something on the heavier side with additional storage could be the way to go.

3. Is it waterproof?

If you like to have one bag that can be used all year round, then making sure it is waterproof is vital. We aren't typically blessed with dry winters in the UK, so rain-interrupted golf is, unfortunately, an occupational hazard. Ensuring your bag is fully waterproof is the easiest way to make sure you have a more enjoyable round and all of your valuable electronics and accessories make it back to the clubhouse in working order.

4. Comfort

An uncomfortable golf bag is the quickest way to ruin a round of golf. Whether it be a lack of padding or awkward straps, there is a whole host of reasons a golf bag may not be the ideal fit for your body shape. When the focus should be on shooting lower scores, you don't want to be distracted by the simple act of carrying. With that in mind, we highly recommend popping into your local pro shop to try a bag on before handing over your hard-earned cash.

5. Durability

Golf bags aren't cheap, so making sure that you have one that will last for at least a few seasons should be high on your tick list. Zips, legs and straps tend to bear the most stress during a round of golf so be sure to pick a bag that offers high build quality in those particular areas. Thin pockets can also be prone to tearing so if you often find yourself searching for balls in dense bushes or woodland, perhaps choose a bag constructed from a slightly thicker and more robust material.

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