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If you’ve given up walking the course for any reason (injury, course design/distance between holes, etc.), a cart bag may be the answer. Unlike their two-legged kin, the stand bag, cart bags are designed to be strapped onto a riding, pull or push cart. For those of you who strap a stand bag into a cart, how many times a round do you find yourself readjusting it? Maybe it’s time to consider adding a cart bag.
First and foremost, golf cart bags carry and protect your clubs during a round and are also designed with other utilitarian functions. These can include carrying extra clothing/raingear, drinks/snacks, tees, golf balls, GPS, rangefinders and other creature comforts/necessities to make your round more enjoyable.
Whether you want organization, storage, luxury or a budget-friendly pick, we have you covered. Here are the best golf cart bags of 2025.
We’ve tested and analyzed golf cart bags for years to find the best of the best. There’s bound to be a cart bag that fits your needs, personality and budget.
Cart bags vary in their layout and features. What’s right for you is not necessarily be a good fit for another. Even so, the best golf cart bags balance storage, dividers, weight, and various features into one complete package. You can cut corners in one category but it will affect the functionality of another.
In your selection process, you need to prioritize what’s most important to you and your game. Choose accordingly. Just like golf stand bags, there is no right or wrong. Just what is right for you.
Best Overall: PING Pioneer
Review Score
9.6
Price
$315.00
Buy This If
You prioritize streamlined and orderly storage.
The PING Pioneer's pocket layout lends an ease of accessibility to all your golfing needs. There is even a pocket for the tethered rain hood so that it's not taking up valuable space.
You're alignment sticks never felt at home in your bag.
The Pioneer feature two alignment rod sleeves on each side. Now there is no reason to leave them at home on in your vehicle. Time to practice with a purpose.
Don't Buy This If
A lightweight cart bag is in your sights.
While not overly heavy at eight pounds, it was the eighth-heaviest of the bags tested. If you're riding, however, you'll never notice once the Pioneer is strapped in. You'll long forget the weight as you appreciate the bag's organization and function.
The new PING Pioneer takes your cart bag organization to the next level and is the best golf stand bag for 2025.
Tester Feedback
Testers noted its “non-bulky” appearance and light weight. Simply put, “Stuff is where it’s supposed to be.” Additionally, testers loved the easy-access pockets. One stated, “the rain hood pocket in ingenious.”
Expert Take
Just about everyone has heard the expression “dynamite comes in small packages.” The PING Pioneer is one of those dynamic packages. For instance, the PING Pioneer boosts 16 pockets, redesigned 15-way top and larger putter well. PING has put more detail into the Pioneer that has to be seen and felt, in person, to appreciate.
Runner-up: OGIO Silencer
Review Score
9.3
Price
$329.00
Buy This If
Looking for little flair on the golf course.
In the movie Office Space, there was a scene concerning the amount of flair one of the servers was wearing and it was noted that "… Fifteen is the minimum …" to express yourself. With the OGIO Silencer's bold colorway availability and unique top, you'll be well on your way to expressing yourself on the course.
Want added protection for your phone and/or rangefinder.
The OGIO Silencer cart bag has a uniquely molded, hard-shell pocket on the side that is sure to offer increased protection.
Don't Buy This If
You can't depart from the status quo.
While the OGIO Silencer's 15-way molded top isn't going to appeal to everyone, rest assured it does exactly what it was designed to do. Furthermore, the "Silencer Club Protection System" will deliver a level of protection you can't get from a traditional 14- and 15-way tops.
The OGIO Silencer is the runner-up for best cart bag of 2025. Its “game-changing Silencer Club Protection System” locks down your clubs and eliminates that annoying rattle and bag chatter. Say goodbye to your plastic and neoprene iron head covers. The OGIO Silencer has you covered.
Tester Feedback
To sum it up, a tester declared, “You’re either going to love it or hate it.” This was in reference to the divider top. Apart from the top, however, testers raved about the bold colorway on the bag tested and really appreciated the Velcro cart bag straps to assist with securing your bag.
Expert Take
Regardless of the OGIO Silencer’s unique club storage, the system does exactly what it is supposed to do: silence and protect your clubs. Furthermore, the amount of storage and pocket distribution exceeded our expectation. Looking for bold and exciting? The OGIO Silencer colorway options won’t let you down.
Staff Pick: Callaway CARGO
Buy This If
You need storage for every contingency.
The Callaway CARGO is their largest cart bag to date. With 45 liters of storage capacity, this thing has room for all your apparel and equipment.
Need space for your libation of choice.
With an oversized, lined cooler pocket, the CARGO will carry enough drinks for you and the members of your foursome, if you're willing to share that is.
Don't Buy This If
You're playing oversized and/or offset putter grips.
While removing some putter grip styles for the molded putter well, the grip would catch or hang up on the underside edge.
The Callaway CARGO was this year’s staff pick. With its roomy storage, the CARGO will hold “everything but the kitchen sink” for you on the golf course.
Tester Feedback
At first glance, one tester noted the Callaway CARGO “has more storage than you need in a lightweight package” and “can hold more than enough beverage of choice.” Testers also applauded the four handles around the top and the molded club dividers, reporting “they look like they’ll wear like iron.”
Expert Take
Going on a trip of a lifetime and need to plan for every contingency? The Callaway CARGO’s cavernous storage has you covered. Without doing some complex math for volume, the CARGO seems have the most storage of the lot. Furthermore, the “14-Way Shaft Shield Arena Top” is as sturdy as they get and the front-facing magnetic GPS or rangefinder pocket allows for rapid access.
Best Premium: Ghost GT 14 Maverick
Review Score
9
Price
$475.00
Buy This If
The members of your foursome says you lack style.
The black and grey colorway is bound to make people take a second look and ask you, "What bag is that?" Now with all this charisma, you better pipe that first drive down the center of the fairway.
Want durability and looks.
The Maverick's abrasion-resistant premium PU leather is weather-resistant and easy to clean. Specifically, "PU (polyurethane) leather is a more affordable, vegan alternative to genuine leather, boasting benefits like water resistance and easier maintenance."
Don't Buy This If
You're on a tight budget or waiting for a sale.
Alongside the fact that the Ghost GT-14 Maverick will set you back nearly five Benjamins, these "limited-edition golf bags with no available discounts" tend to sell out quickly.
The Ghost GT-14 Maverick is the best premium golf carry bag of 2025. While the black and gray bag may turn heads, its functional storage is more than adequate.
Tester Feedback
Testers love the black and gray colorway with “a little bit of flair.” One said “the details pop.” Many appreciated the swag that came with it: a bag tag, ball marker and ball-marking template. Some questioned whether the velour-lined top would last a season of heavy play but noted that it complemented the overall look of the bag.
Expert Take
The Ghost GT-14 Maverick will put a dent in your wallet but you’ll gain a cart bag that upgrades your style on the course. Not only do you acquire a little head-turning style but a bag that has a bevy of pockets for all your on course needs. Furthermore, the “magnetic upper pocket lifts for seamless cart-strap attachment without blocking side-pocket access.” Interested in the Ghost GT-14 Maverick, you better act quick when they’re available as they sell out quickly.
Best for Riding: Sun Mountain C-130
Review Score
9.1
Price
$299.99
Buy This If
Don't want to research a cart bag, but looking for something solid.
The Sun Mountain C-130 franchise continues to evolve. With "durable materials, extensive storage options and an ergonomic design", the C-130 is there for the golfer who takes their game and equipment seriously.
You're looking for a dedicated cart bag for riding.
Sun Mountain says the C-130 is "optimized for use with a golf cart" and features their Smart Strap System designed to secure the bag to the cart without hindering pocket access and help it stay put on uneven terrain.
Don't Buy This If
Your clubs are shorter than standard.
Depending upon the arrangement and length of your clubs ,the tall handles around the top may interfere with your clubs sitting all the way to bottom of the bag.
The Sun Mountain C-130 is the best bag for riding for 2025. The C-130 franchise continues to impress year after year. It is at home in the back of a riding cart or mounted to a push cart.
Tester Feedback
One tester summed up the bag well in saying, “it is a solid, functional, classic C-130 series bag that just gets it done. Why mess with greatness?” Testers loved the large molded putter well and appreciated the four molded handle around the top, noting it would be easily to lift out of any cart.
Expert Take
The abundance of pockets will meet the needs of the most avid golfer. The pocket spacing on the lower spine of the bag is a bit crowded. However, the magnetic closure for the cooler and ball pockets are fully accessible and perform admirably.
Best Value: Datrrek DG Lite III
Review Score
8.5
Price
$179.95
Buy This If
New to the game and not sure what you like or dislike.
The Datrek DG Lite III has more than enough storage and functionality to get you through your round. Plus it's not near as expensive as other bags in this category allowing you to save a little money, too.
Looking for a cart bag that marries with a push cart seamlessly.
We've all been frustrated with cart bags shifting on push carts. However, the Datrek DG Lite III with its "TOP-LOK Technology, a patented bag-to-cart attachment system" will pair seamlessly with compatible BagBoy carts.
Don't Buy This If
Need more bells and whistles.
While not bare-bones, the Datrek DG Lite III lacks some of the luxuries of its counterparts. However, this bag is not going to leave you stranded. Use this bag to take the time to learn what is important to you as you grow in the game.
The Datrek DG Lite III is the best value stand bag for 2025. While it may not have all the flash of other bags, the Lite III covers all the basics well. Storage and function are more than adequate.
Tester Feedback
If weight is a concern, one tester stated, “this thing is as light as you know what.” We assume they were referring to a feather.
Expert Take
The Datrek DG Lite III is a entry-level, value-based bag without a lot of bells and whistles. However, it checks all the boxes for a “good” cart bag. While it does not top any particular category, the features and functionality it has yield a well-balanced cart bag.
Other top performer
If one of the best golf stand bags above is not a good fit for you, here are some outside of our top picks worth considering.
Buying a golf cart bag can be difficult because of the innumerable options, colorways, features, etc. We’ve narrowed it down to the most important features to make your decision as easy as it can be.
Not only do we want to make it easy but we want you to get what you pay for and to find the bag that matches the way you play.
Here are the essentials you should look for when you’re exploring your golf cart bag options.
Storage
One of the top considerations when purchasing a golf cart bag is the storage and capacity. There is more to storage than just an abundance of pockets. Any given cart bag may have lots of pockets but not adequate, functional storage.
A poorly designed cart bag has pockets that intrude on other pockets. If this occurs due to the lack of a liner or just the contents pressing into the other pockets, it makes adjacent pockets all but useless.
Furthermore, top-performing bags have stitching and design that allow pockets to open fully for ease of access and full utilization. Other bags feature a variety of pockets to keep valuables dry and secure for extra apparel and/or rain gear, balls and tees, water bottles and even a cooler pocket with drainage.
If you need maximum storage, look no further than the Callaway CARGO. If you’re looking for a little more refinement, the PING Pioneer and OGIO Silencer are just the ticket.
Dividers
The cart bags tested had anywhere from six to 15 dividers and many had dedicated putter wells. While the number of spaces does not make or break a cart bag, their arrangement and design can aid in club organization or affect a club’s tendency to grab when retrieving or storing clubs.
Lastly, dividers run the gamut from velour-lined to rubber-coated with most featuring full-length dividers designed to protect and organize your clubs. Looking for maximum organization with little to no bag chatter? Consider the Ogio Silencer or the Ask Echo T Lock 2.0.
Weight
When it comes to walking a course with a push cart, weight is a serious consideration. On the other hand, you may only ride but you should still consider the fact that you have to load and unload the cart bag from you vehicle. The cart bags tested range from around just under five pounds to 10 pounds.
The median weight for the tested golf cart bags was around 7 1/4 pounds. If you’re looking for the lightest cart bag, consider the Mizuno BR-D3C and Datrek DG Lite III.
Features
While the following are some of the features you should consider before purchasing a cart bag, they are not a comprehensive list.
Handles
While an overloaded cart bag can be an effort to load and unload, properly designed and positioned handles can help manage the load. Furthermore, they can aid in getting your bag in place on a cart. No wrestling required.
Cart-strap pass-through/cart-strap systems
Cart-strap pass-throughs have become an almost requisite feature on stand and cart bags. However, just having a pass-through is not the end-all as some poorly designed ones make some pockets nearly inaccessible with the cart strap in place. Furthermore, many bag manufacturers are adding cart-strap systems to aid in stabilizing the cart bag. Looking to keep your bag in place? The following bags feature a cart-strap pass-through/strap system: Sun Mountain C-130, Ask Echo T Lock 2.0, Callaway ORG 14, and Vessel Lux Pro Cart.
Velcro tabs
Although the Velcro tabs for quick glove storage are almost obligatory, some companies chose to forgo this simple yet functional feature.
Accessory hooks
Whether rangefinder, GPS, towel, club brush, etc., accessory hooks can add to your golfing enjoyment and provide quick access to items you may use on every hole. Not all hooks are the same. Some are plastic, others metal and yet other simple straps. Consider your needs and what you’ll be looking to hang from your bag.
Zippers
You need to look for zippers that are easily opened/closed with one hand. Furthermore, consider how you’ll use various pockets as some zippers/pockets are waterproof giving your electronics valuable protection. Lastly, don’t overlook zipper pulls as some lack the durability to make it through a season.
Pocket types, numbers, functions
While scoring a bag’s pockets, the types are scrutinized to include but are not limited to rangefinder, insulated, storage, rain hood, ball and valuables pockets. Furthermore, the total number is closely evaluated for not only numbers but functionality. Pockets are tested head to head. For example, one-finger magnetic/easy-access pockets are a benchmark by which similar pockets are scored. Unique pockets outside the norm are thoroughly investigated for their functionality and usefulness.
Materials
The best golf gear is made with high-quality materials. While golfers love to focus on features and functionality, if you need a bag for regular use, check the fabric as well. If you need a waterproof fabric the Motocaddy Dry Series is your best bet.
How we test golf cart bags
Each golf bag is tested/scrutinized by our expert staff. They undergo rigorous tests using strict protocols. As original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) strive to improve their products, our protocols continue to evolve to ensure each product meets our standard before receiving a final score.
Golf stand bags are scored based on the following criteria:
Storage: The total number of pockets matters but so does the amount of useable storage. Do the pockets open wide or do they take up too much space? Finding the right balance of pockets and ample storage is key to a solid cart bag.
Features: This takes into account extra features like the stand, magnets, glove holders and more. The more features that are well executed, the better a bag will score.
Dividers: Dividers are rated on how smooth they are during club retrieval/return. A divider that catches or pulls on a club grip is scored lower than one that allows for a smooth retrieval/return of a club. A divider’s shape, overall design and organizational functionality are taken into account, too.
Weight: All bags are weighed and scored from lowest weight to heaviest.
Golf cart bag tips and tricks
Dedicate one large, storage pocket to apparel and/or raingear only: no tees, extra balls, snacks, etc. Nothing like finding a rotten banana in there a month later.
Organize your clubs in descending order from longest to shortest and in descending lofts. This way you can easily see all the clubs in your bag. This tip may help improve your pace of play and keep your buddies from putting you “on the clock” or labeling you with some unwanted nickname.
When organizing your cart bag, empty it and reorganize your gear into categories you will understand. Now, only put items back into the bag that are absolutely needed for a round of golf and items for appropriate contingencies. No need for a lot of extraneous stuff.
Best golf stand bags of 2025 – Four key findings
1. Pockets, pockets, pockets.
While it’s been said over and over, it bears repeating that not all pockets are created equally. The storage potential and usefulness of a pocket should be your primary consideration in a cart bag. When choosing a bag, focus on your needs and ease of access pockets for things like valuables, tees, rangefinder and balls. No need to fumble around in a poorly designed bag.
2. Weight
If you’re riding or using a remote cart, weight is probably not a consideration. However, if you’re pushing, you may want to take weight into consideration. Also, a bag with more pockets than you need may invite you to fill them unnecessarily, adding to your weight dilemma. If you are looking for the best lightweight golf cart bags we have you covered. (Best Lightweight Cart Bags of 2025)
3. Your foursome still making fun of your iron headcovers.
Trying to keep your irons looking pristine often involves plastic or synthetic iron headcovers to keep them from banging into each other. If you’re willing to step outside your shell, consider checking out the Ask Echo T Lock 2.0 or OGIO Silencer and get rid of those iron headcovers altogether.
4. Love the idea of a push cart but find them a pain to keep your bag in place.
Consider one of the proprietary bag-to-cart combinations for the Bag Boy Chiller Pro, Datrek DG Lite III, and Motocaddy Dry Series. These bags feature bases or systems designed to integrate seamlessly with their appropriate push carts.
Best golf cart bags: FAQs,
What should I look for in a cart bag?
Given a cart bag’s purpose, we would put storage at the top of the list. The highest-performing bags feature pockets that are accessible when the bag is mounted on a cart.
I’ve only got 14 clubs, but I have 15 slots. What’s the extra slot for?
The extra slot can be used for things like alignment rods, ball retriever, training aids, etc.
How do I organize a cart bag?
There is no right or wrong here, just a few basic suggestions. Clubs should be arranged highest to lowest according to length and loft so not to hide clubs. Furthermore, lay out everything you “need” and separate the useable from unusable gear. You don’t need a dozen or more water balls weighing down your bag or old crusty gloves taking up valuable space.
What’s the difference between a cart bag and a stand bag?
Cart bags are intended to be used on a push, pull or riding cart and tend to be heavier, have more storage and lack a stand system. A stand bag is intended to be carried, has less storage and a two-legged stand to support the bag when set down.
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I have the ask echo t-lock. Best bag I’ve ever owned. Holds each club stil and in its own unique slot. I’ll never go back to clubs bouncing around. The Ogio silence bag is similar but the club locks in the bottom too. I find his clubs a little difficult to get in and out. The echo also has tons of pockets and space. And it’s only $200.
That is just a generic mass produced Chinese design. Whether it is Echo or Founders Club, the bags are just branded based on who wants to sell them. You can probably find the newer versions out there on Amazon.
I had a Ping Pioneer for 4 years and it was awesome. I replaced it with a Vessel bag from Pins and Aces. Great bag but way less space. Really that was good for me. I was carrying way to much crap.
I think the Sun Mountain C-130 stand bag should be mentioned, it is big but can stand upright at the range, probably not one most people would carry but great for holding all your crap.
It would be nice to see some durability testing and basic functionality testing on bags. Some bags that get ranked pretty highly some years fall over very easily when you (try to) stand them up on flat ground, use fabric or stitching that is easily torn, etc.
That Sun Mountain can not be the best for push carts. Look at the slant on the top of that bag. How are you going to put your clubs in with the pockets accessible. If you put your woods where they normally go then your irons will flop the wrong way.
No bags built for riding carts work well on a push cart. The old fashion small staff bags were perfect.
Durability seems to be an overlooked element in these articles. Case in point, I live in a very dusty environment that REALLY takes a toll on bags, and their zippers particularly. I got around 4 years out of a Ping Pioneer until it suffered zipper failure.
The C-130 I bought a year ago has all small gauge zippers, a real problem with the big main side pockets, and sure enough, it already has two zippers that routinely come apart with virtually nothing in the pockets. Weight saving or cost cutting? Disappointing either way..
Jon
2 months ago
Any timeline on the Maxfli Modern Classic release date?