Equipment

The great bag debate, Part 2: Single or double strap?

Published

4 years ago

May 1, 2020

This was never intended to be a series, but after the first bag debate over top divider systems got rather interesting, I figured it was worth a deeper dive into the culture surrounding carry bags and what people are really looking for when they carry their clubs.

A quick detour: You can see the tight “number of dividers” race results below.

Now it’s time to settle the next debate. Are you a single or double-strap golfer?

Thanks to the recently revitalized modern minimalist approach to the game, and a number of brands offering updated designs, many golfers have reverted to carrying their clubs with a single-strap bag.

The single-strap design has been popular for as long as golfers carried their clubs and never totally went away, but when Wilson introduced the first Levitator bag in 1992, many people thought it was just a matter of time before the single strap would be gone for good.

It could be argued that Ping and its Hoofer stand bags at the collegiate level lead to a trickle-down effect once the bag adopted the original Ping dual-strap system. This brought the idea to the forefront of more golfers’ minds because of its ergonomic design, and because at one point, you couldn’t turn your head on a golf course without seeing one.

First Hoofer Bag – Single Strap

When it comes to this subject, I’m a neutral party. I walk with both a dual strap and single strap bags depending on the day. My dual strap bags are generally used when I have to carry rain gear or any other extras I may need under uncertain circumstances or during travel, while my single strap bags are generally used for nine-hole loops or rounds with fewer than 10 clubs to keep weight to an absolute minimum.

Whatever your favorite method of carrying your clubs is, I’m willing to listen to both sides of the table.

So, GolfWRXers, are you single-strap or double-strap golfers?

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Ryan Barath

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

12 Comments

Jack Nash

May 4, 2020 at 12:17 pm

I much prefer the single strap because the double is too much of a pain to set up properly on the back of my Cart.

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- D. McMann
  
  May 4, 2020 at 6:04 pm
  
  Bingo, the only time a single strap makes sense is when you’re using a cart and for that you might as well have no strap. IMO
  
  Reply Report comment
Pelling

May 4, 2020 at 11:09 am

Single strap Jones bag. Carry with the bottom of the bag in front. Easiest way to go.

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ChipNRun

May 2, 2020 at 10:06 pm

As a high school caddie, I carried double and often carried both bags on my right shoulder.

When I enlisted in the Marine Corps, the tailors had to specially sew my dress coats to hide a slight slump in my right shoulder.

Years later I became an officer. My embrace of weightlifting in between (plus no time to caddie) evened out my shoulders, and I no longer needed special tailoring.

So, the double strap is a question of balance, and minimizing skeletal strain.

(That said, I have an old bag with 70s era clubs in it, and I can’t find a replacement single strap for it!!)

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- Pelling
  
  May 4, 2020 at 10:58 am
  
  Why would you carry both bags on one shoulder? You must have been a “B” caddy…
  
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DD

May 2, 2020 at 9:37 am

Full set-up I’m going 2, but haven’t done that in over a year, 10 club minimalist set-up is my go to and small Sunday bag with 1 strap.

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gwelfgulfer

May 2, 2020 at 12:11 am

Double strap. Better to balance the weight as evenly as possible, will reduce fatigue and better on the back and shoulder. I have 3 Sunday style bags along with a number of others, and all 3 are double strap (2 Ping Moonlites and 2 SM 2.5).

Also not sure on how people have issues with getting in and out of them when you are the one to adjust the straps, it’s as easy as putting on a backpack…

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Acemandrake

May 1, 2020 at 4:54 pm

I grew up using a single strap, switched to double & have returned to single.

Double is good with a full set; single is fine with less than a full set (I now carry 7 clubs).

Double straps need to be easier to enter & exit from. I hate wrestling with the second strap all day.

The single strap is a quick grab & go experience & can either be carried normally with your dominant shoulder or it can be reverse carried on your non-dominant shoulder.

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15th Club

May 1, 2020 at 4:43 pm

Single.

Of course, I have more than one golf bag. A Burton staff-sized bag (plain black, no logo, no name) for riding on a cart, is where my clubs live most of the time. But I have a walking bag and it has just one strap. It has just one strap because it is so small. And that’s the whole idea.

If you need two straps, your bag is not really a walking bag. At least not for me. Simplicity.

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bob

May 1, 2020 at 3:46 pm

that isnt the first hoofer. thats the l8

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Richard Douglas

May 1, 2020 at 2:10 pm

The great debate: one tied shoe or two.

C’mon….

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Nack Jicklaus

May 1, 2020 at 1:02 pm

For people who have had back injuries, a double strap makes a big difference.

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Whats in the Bag

Sam Burns WITB 2024 (April)

Published

14 hours ago

Apr 22, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Sam Burns’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 TX

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond T (15 degrees @16)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Check out more in-hand photos of Sam Burns’ WITB in the forums.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (4-AW)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (4-PW), True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue (AW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F @55), WedgeWorks Proto (60-T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue (56, 60)

Check out more in-hand photos of Sam Burns’ WITB in the forums.

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One #7S

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X

Check out more in-hand photos of Sam Burns’ WITB in the forums.

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Whats in the Bag

Will Zalatoris WITB 2024 (April)

Published

14 hours ago

Apr 22, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Will Zalatoris’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.

Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X (44.5 inches)

3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X

See more photos of Will Zalatoris’ WITB in the forums.

Irons: Titleist T350 (3), Titleist T150 (4-PW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Prototype G.O.S.T. 10 ST X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-08F, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

See more photos of Will Zalatoris’ WITB in the forums.

Putter: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max

Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord

See more photos of Will Zalatoris’ WITB in the forums.

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Equipment

New Level launches new 480-DB irons, blending performance and forgiveness

Published

17 hours ago

Apr 22, 2024

Brian Knudson

New Level has been making some really good golf equipment since the company started up in 2018. Offering irons that are more geared towards the better player, precision has been a fundamental philosophy for New Level in creating irons and wedges.

The 480 line of irons has been the flagship of the brand, and the newest member of that team is the 480-DB iron that is now open to pre-orders. A new cavity design is what the whole 480 line is about, and the 480-DB takes advantage of that with added ball speed and a larger sweet spot.

For players who require their irons to offer the best feel, rest assured the DB is a fully forged (from 1020 carbon steel) one-piece golf club. No multi-piece, hollow design with this iron.

While the 480-DB is the next generation of the popular 902-OS, New Level didn’t follow the current trend in golf by chasing distance with the new iron. They actually weakened the lofts on the 480-DB with the spec sheet showing a 33-degree 7-iron and 45-degree pitching wedge. These lofts allow the DB to have less offset while still offering consistent distance off the face.

A traditional design was also at the forefront of the new irons to make sure that golfers with an eye for detail can look down at them with confidence that they will perform under any condition.

A weight low in the back cavity will allow their master club builders to dial in the perfect weight for the golfer, no matter the length or shaft being used. New Level believes that the new 480-DB is one of the most forgiving one-piece forged irons on the market today. A pre-worn leading edge on the sole should get through the turf quickly and with reduced digging for better turf interaction.

You can pre-order the New Level 480-DB right now on the New Level website.