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Full length dividers, 5-way, 14 dividers, insulated pockets, tons of storage – whatever your poison, this year’s cart bag buyer’s guide covers everything you need to make an informed decision on what bag is best for your new season.
For 2016 we introduced more testers, more metrics and more refinements to overall score weighting from last year’s guide – we’ve picked out the best options for your cart bag lust. So, are you a push cart user, or a rider?
The 2016 Cart Bags:
 BagBoyChiller |
 BurtonPremier Pro |
 CallawayOrg 14 |
 CobraTech F6 |
 CobraKing |
 CobraUltralite |
 DatrekLite Rider |
 MizunoTour Cart |
 MizunoElite Tour Saff |
 Nevr LoozNL Pro Clip |
 NikePerformance IV |
 NikeSport IV |
 PingPioneer |
 PingRhapsody |
 PingTraverse |
 SrixonZ |
 Sun MountainC130 |
 TaylorMadeCatalina |
 TaylorMadeSan Clemente |
 TaylorMade Kalea |
 WilsonNexus II |
The Metrics:
We’re always fine tuning the process to make sure we’re collecting the best data possible – continuing that trend we’ve updated and refined this year’s analysis to bring you the best buying advice possible.
We utilized more testers than ever before, put in more hours of testing over multiple days with more metrics, creating more data.
We tested with two brands of push carts (Bag Boy Quad and Clicgear 3.5+).
Each bag was loaded with 14 clubs, 1 rain jacket, rain pants, 1 dozen golf balls, 20 tees, a laser, 6 pack of beer (if 6 fit), ball markers, two extra gloves, phone, keys, eyeglass wipes, Burt’s Bees Wax lip balm, and a Ken Kershaw pocket knife.
Testers abused clubs and bags: inserting and removing clubs repeatedly, pockets stuffed, zippers were torn back and forth, bags were loaded and unloaded from push carts.
Pockets were counted and recounted, full length dividers were counted and noted, and any special features were given consideration.
- Club Binding – Regardless of the number of dividers, this metric evaluates how much grip grab/binding occurred when inserting and removing clubs from a bag. (10 possible points)
- Storage – The number and usefulness of pockets. Types of storage, eg: external tee holder, insulated drink pocket, ball pocket. Ultimately, how functional is the available storage as a whole. (10 possible points)
- Durability – Testers examined each bag’s stitching, sturdiness, build quality and overall construction to determine the likely durability of a bag. (10 possible points)
- Features – How feature-rich is a given bag. Do each of those features function as intended? Pockets, velcro glove patches, towel loops, strap pass-through, velour pocket, cooler storage, grab handles and any extra goodies. (10 possible points)
- Stability – With the bag free-standing and fully-loaded, how resistant is the bag to tipping. (5 possible points)
- Zippers – How easily do zippers open and close. (10 possible points)
- Push Cart Mounting – Bags were mounted on both a Bag Boy Quad and Clicgear 3.5+ and tested for ease of mounting and secure fit without twisting. (10 possible points)
- Recommended – Testers were asked to provide a score of 1-10 based on likelihood they would recommend a bag to a friend. (10 possible points)
Final grades were awarded based on total scores.
Best Overall and Runner-up are our two highest overall scoring bags.
Best Push Cart was selected from the three bags taking perfect scores in push cart scoring. Of those bags, the highest total scoring bag wins. (In this year’s case, the highest scoring bag already took best overall, so the second best overall score was awarded best Cart Bag)
Golf’s Most Wanted Cart Bags
Good: Every feature you need. The lack of club binding you demand. 15-way divider with individual putter well. Tons of storage and a pass-through loop.
Bad: Bad? Nothing about this bag is “bad”… but we’d take an extra towel loop if we had to be picky.
Notes: This bag was built for the cart bag connoisseur. If you like your golf bag to be thoroughly thought-out and to include everything along with loads of storage (am I the only guy who loses two sleeves of balls a round?), the Cobra Tech F6 is just the cart bag for you.
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Good: A pass-through strap you wouldn’t notice if you didn’t look twice. Ample storage. 14 dividers.
Bad: While it sits REALLY well on both our ClicGear and BagBoy test push carts, this bag could find itself sitting a little more snuggly with some work on the base.
Notes: After taking top honors last year, it’s no surprise to still see the Ping Pioneer II topping our charts. You wouldn’t go wrong putting your clubs and gear into this workhorse.
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Good: Enough storage to get the job done, but not so much that you’ll break your back loading her onto a push cart for a round of 36.
Bad: A separate putter well from the main club dividers would be great.
Notes: If you haven’t noticed Cobra lately, they have been working hard. Not only are they knocking it out of the park with their drivers, but they have taken their golf bags to another level at the same time. The King bag lines up with the rest of Cobra’s 2016 gear – it just plain works.
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Blake Roman
5 years agoI solved the problem of supposedly full length dividers in golf bags. I purchased 14 oversize (diameter) plastic tubes,($2.00ea) cut them down to size so they fit just under the top lip of each divider, this keeps them in place when pulling out a club along with a tight fit once all 14 are in the bag. Works Great!!! Two outside putter pockets work extremely well, left, when your the driver, & right, when you are passenger, or that extra wedge your trying out!
Blake Roman
5 years agoI like to see someone design a bag that’s slim side to side, but wide(deep) front to back!
Everyone knows are hard it is to fit two big bags in that tight space on the back of the cart.
One side of the bag can have a long (top to bottom) flat pocket for your folded rain suit, gloves , towel or what ever? a full length integrated umbrella sleeve.
The back side can have a series of pockets sticking out (a foot or two) towards the rear, also should have two outside putter sleeve pockets(large diameter) for those Big grip putters. The clubs cover should be of Good Quality, (waterproof) a Good Zipper, & made Taller for those long drivers. Add a couple of towel rings on each side, a handle on the bottom & your done.
Peter
6 years agoHi, Can anyone confirm that the 2016 Ping Traverse really has 14 full length dividers? I’ve thought about this bag in the past and it wasn’t 14 all the way down. Every retailer I look at in the UK only has 14 way top traverse bags and on Pings US Website it states only 14-way top.
RollTheRock
6 years agoWhat’s the lightest bag you tested? I get that’s not the point of a cart bag, but I’m curious.
Gil Bloomer
6 years agoI bought a new Titleist bag 10 years ago and it is, by far, the best bag I ever bought. Spacious and durable, you can’t beat it.
Mark
6 years agoOnce you experience the ingenuity of the Bennington Quiet Organizer series bags, nothing else can even come close. 14-way divider bags pale in comparison.
Darrell
6 years agoYou are right! Bennington’s Quiet Organizer system is ingenious. No more searching for clubs or leaving one behind. They also make a rain-proof version.
drew gardner
5 years agoBennington Quiet Organizer 14 is the best golf bag most golfers have never heard of. I am on my second QO (first the QO-9 and now the QO14).
Johnny Randolph
6 years agoAll I care about is some sort of clip system that keeps your clubs locked in place and doesn’t let them rattle and get bag chatter, like the Bag Boy Revolver.
Chad Anglewicz
6 years agoOgio camber bag
Bob
5 years agoLook above, at the Bennington Quiet 14. Best bag (and last bag) I have ever purchased. Nothing compares, really.
PJ
6 years agoI’m often surprised at how many bag DON’T have all of the following:
1. Full length dividers for all 14 slots (never understood 15, it’s more than allowed by USGA/R&A rules)
2. Velcro Glove attachment
3. Velour pocket for valuables
4. Key holder inside the bag (TM used to, Ping Pioneer still does)
5. Wide putter well for larger grips
**Also a huge fan of the Magnetic Pocket clasp, not a deal breaker, but bonus points!
Is this so much to ask? Apparently so, I only know of one bag (Ping Pioneer II) that has all those. Go figure….
Anyone else know of another bag that has all those?
Chris C.
6 years agoI am curious as to why the issue of weight was not taken into consideration.
Dave S
6 years agoI thought MGS was past allowing manufacturers to “decline to participate?” No Titleist or Ogio? Get the bags and review them anyway! Like you did for drivers.
MyGolfSpy
6 years agoAny manufacturer has the right to decline to participate in our unbiased testing. For those that do decide not to participate we consider procuring that item for our tests. If consumer demand is high enough for a product we will always make sure to include it in the test by any means possible. We put you first and for that reason it is the most important part of our decision making process.
In regards to Titleist we decided not to for a reason that has already been brought up in the comment section. Regarding OGIO, this is one we struggled with especially since they have won a #MostWanted bag test in the past. Although with all the effort we put in (multiple attempts to procure bags) at the end of the day their bag was not able to be included in this years test.
That being said, we see how many readers want it to be included and we will do our best to not allow that to happen again.
For those interested we always recommend contacting OGIO to let them know how you feel:
[email protected]
Bruce Moessen
6 years agoPicked up a Nike Performance bag (retail $229) at Ross Stores for $48.
Comment
6 years agoIt would have been nice to include the size of the bag as well as the weight. A cart bag may spend most of its life on a push cart or power cart but it still has to be moved around. Also, for those who travel, it might be an important consideration if they wish to only have a single bag for multiple uses. After originally looking at a SM C130 years ago, I opted for another SM cart bag that was slightly smaller but offered enough storage. It’s held up beautifully and I’m sure it will last for many more years.
Par None
6 years agoI didn’t see Clic-gear bags? How come?
GolfSpy Tim
6 years agosadly, they declined to participate
Gregory
6 years agoStill love my 1972 all leather Burton bag that I received for Christmas. Not certain if leather is an option any more.
Larry Bremner
6 years agoLiving in the Pacific Northwest with all our rain it would have been nice to include some waterproof bags.
Tinker Golf Man
6 years agoWow! The Mizuno Elite priced at $500!
Peter Ciambrone
6 years agoThanks! I’m a walker so I’m hoping the MGS most wanted stand bags is soon to follow, looking for something lighter and newer
GolfSpy Tim
6 years agocoming shortly!
Bullwinkle Moose
6 years agoI’m among the many here who fail to understand the lack of OGIO bags, to me they have the two most unique bags available. The other quality is they hold up, they don’t fade as much as some of the other listed bags, and they offer club protection others do not. My experience with bags, being an old golfer, is that the branded bags produced by the few real manufacturers are never quite as good as the bags produced by those Manufacturers under their own name. Apparently you place way more importance on a bags performance out of the store than months and years down the road. While I appreciate the rating, I do not agree with your conclusions or your rating since we apparently rate bags on different qualities.
Alex
6 years agoTypically the way these tests work is that they will contact the companies to send them a sample bag to include in the testing. They don’t test bags made by companies that have not agreed to be included in the testing. The fact they aren’t included doesn’t necessarily mean that MGS thinks its not a good option.
GolfSpy Tim
6 years agoBullwinkle Moose – thanks for the input. We wish more than anything that we could take 20+ bags and put them through 50+ rounds each to give you some long-term data. Unfortunately at that point, next year’s bags wold be released and our results would have no current application.
Based on your conclusions, what would be your top rated bags?
Joe Thompson
6 years agoI have a stewart golf cart. The bag lays to low so I have trouble getting the clubs in and out. Is there some thing out there that would sit higher on the cradle of my cart. I have the sun mountain C130. Its ok but am looking for something better.
Kenny B
6 years agoMost any of the top bags offer similar features and I would likely be happy with any of them. I have two main issues about cart bags: grips get caught on the dividers or other club grips, and bag twisting on a push cart. When on a push cart, the first issue is more of a problem than when the bag is standing up on a power cart. I will look at these Most Wanted bags in the store on a push cart and put my clubs in the bag. I usually spend about an hour in a store trying out clubs, so I will also spend the same amount of time pulling/putting clubs out of the bag; why should I be any different with bags?
GolfSpy Tim
6 years agoLove it! This is exactly what we’ve tested in the “Club Binding” and “Push Cart” categories (so no need to spend an hour with a bag in the store)
Kenny B
6 years agoYes, I do. You probably didn’t use the Pure DTX grips. They grab on everything. Except for that, I love the grips. It also makes a difference if the cart is tilted. If I remember Haggis Oaks, it is mostly flat. My course has lots on mounds so unless I am in the middle of the fairway, I’m on a slope one direction or another. Now if I can just recreate that in a store!!
Kenny B
6 years agoI bet you didn’t test using Pure DTX grips with the bag on a cart on an incline. My course has a lot of mounds (not like Haggin Oaks), and while I shouldn’t be in them, I’m there more than I want to be. The DTX grips are nice but they grab on everything. The incline puts the bag at an angle that can make it difficult to pull a club. I’ll still test in the store.
Kenny B
6 years agoThis is my third time trying to comment. I’m giving up after this one.
I’m betting that you didn’t test with my grips (Pure DTX); they tend to grab onto everything. If I remember Haggin Oaks, it was fairly flat; my course has lots of mounds and the cart doesn’t always sit level. Pulling clubs on an incline is different than when the cart is on flat ground. I’ll set up a cart and bag in the store and use my clubs and see what happens.
Jamie
6 years agoNice review. But, can we get something on fairway woods? I’ve emailed out asking this at least twice, left a message on facebook and have never gotten a response….
hckymeyer
6 years agoI know it’s not included in the test and the test is based on the OEM’s that choose to participate and what they send you.
However I would love to see a Best Cart Bag with club silencing technology. I refuse to buy another bag that lets my clubs rattle around. I’d love to see a round up of the bags that lock in the clubs.
Alex
6 years agoOne that I’ve seen that does a fantastic job is the bag boy Revolver.
http://bagboycompany.com/revolver-ltd-golf-bag-revolver-cart-bag.html
Individual clips for each club that hold them in place and the top rotates for easy access.
hckymeyer
6 years agoI agree, I’ve had one for 3 seasons. Just recently switched to the Ogio Silencer due to getting a fantastic deal and so far I also like that one. I know there are a few more out there though and I’d love to see a roundup and comparison of them.
Steve
6 years agoI agree with hckymeyer. I am really fussy about cart bags and I will only consider buying bags with club silencing technology. Personally, I found the Bennington Quiet Organizer the best cart bag on the market for my needs.
McaseyM
6 years agoLove me some Ogio. I know MGS has decided to buy some items for most wanted testing but maybe they’re just sticking to doing that with drivers since that’s always the big thing each year.
Don
6 years agoYay!!! The 2016 Most Wanted has started! Let the countdown begin to the best driver of 2016!
Pete S
6 years agoTitleist and Ogio never agree to participate for some reason. In the case of Titleist that seems to be their MOI for all the studies you do here.
Alex
6 years agoI believe that Titleist and Sun Mountain bags are made by the same manufacturer. In my experience of owning both brands they are very similar if not identical in terms of features and build quality. would be nice to see Ogio participate though.
Johan
6 years agoWhat about Ogio with full dividers?
GolfSpy Tim
6 years agounfortunately Ogio never responded to participate
jw
6 years agoNo Titleist bags in the Test?
GolfSpy Tim
6 years agounfortunately Titleist declined to participate
Kely
6 years agoSun Mountain makes the Titleist bags, and I’ve had both recently. Really not much difference between the two, but the Sun Mountain bags seem to have one more zippered compartment. Also, you’re not advertising the Titleist brand, if that matters, when your clubs are Ping or Callaway, etc.
Kanoito
6 years agoNo waterproof bags? 🙁
GolfSpy Tim
6 years agowe asked manufacturers to submit all bags they were marketing for 2016.