Since the Ryder Cup, there’s been a lot of discourse on the state of golf, what it means to be a golfer, and how players— weekend warriors all the way to the professionals should carry themselves. It’s important to remember that golf is and should be a gentleman’s game. Sure, over the years the game has definitely evolved, but at its core, golf remains a symbol of all that we strive to be— a constant pursuit of better.
I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face, but I genuinely believe that the way we dress and the pride we take in our gear truly leads to better performance on and off the course. It’s simple psychology, when we feel better about ourselves, we have a strong tendency to, as the kids say, move a little different. So, for better or worse, I’m the type of golfer who is always looking for unique quality golf gear to help me look and feel my best, and when Vessel released the Lux Stand LE Croc, I immediately said to myself “this bag gets it.”
Subtlety, Precision, and Elegance
I constantly find myself inspired by guys like Keith Mitchell and Adam Scott, because their style, in my opinion, is representative of what golf should be all about: subtlety, precision, and elegance. When I picture Keith, I picture him looking *slightly* disheveled with a slight wrinkle to his polo and every button undone, all held together by a beautiful crocodile belt. but that combination is actually what makes it look so good— it’s subtle but so intentional. The Lux Stand LE Croc is the bag equivalent of Keith Mitchell and his belt, and it’s not because they’re both “crocodile skin,” but because they’re unapologetically luxurious and downright cool. Looking at this bag, even though it’s all black, you’re drawn to it because of the details; the crocodile texture draws you in, and you find yourself, in the words of Antonio Salieri from the 1984 film, Amadeus, “staring through the cage of those meticulous ink-strokes at an absolute beauty.”
Every detail on this bag is right. To stay in-line with the Mozart-Salieri allusions, it hits every note because despite how good it looks, it’s still fully-functional. With all the functionality of Vessel’s original Lux Stand, this one stands taller simply because of how it looks and what it represents.There are so many bags on the market right now that look good but at the same time don’t perform either due to club tangle, are too light or heavy, or simply look so good that you’re afraid to take them out for fear of ruining them. I’ll be honest, I’m typically not the biggest fan of black golf bags— I’m more of a brown leather guy. However, this bag has changed everything for me, and that’s because in it, I see that it’s okay to evolve and it’s okay to aspire for better even though you don’t know it’s out there until you come face-to-face with it.
You may think I sound a bit contrived, but as someone constantly thinking about what golf means and why we’re drawn to it even though a lot of the time it’s cruel to us, sometimes epiphanies come in the most random of places. This bag has shattered my idea of what a golf bag could and should be. Within that, it also made me realize that in a game (and life) of constant evolution, we should all be eager to embrace the challenges and uncertainties that face us all, and within them, rediscover, refine, and redefine ourselves.
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