Equipment

Are staff bags becoming obsolete?

Published

3 years ago

Dec 5, 2020

Earlier this year at GolfWRX, we had some very interesting debates about golf bags and the features and styles that you – the golfer prefer. Opinions were strong and few were swayed but nonetheless, some very interesting discussions were had:

Stand-bags on tour?

The one topic that we never quite got into was a discussion on staff bags. Sure, we see pros use them all the time on TV because they are big, bold and are great for promoting sponsors. But what about regular golfers, do we really need them for day to day use? We don’t get paid to use clubs so why carry around a giant billboard?

This brings us to the PGA Tour, where many trends are born, whether it be clubs, balls, or in this case bags, because a few weeks ago at Sea Island and the RSM Classic, we saw an uptick in caddies and players using what are known as “tour” carry bags—larger “staff-like” stand bags with the full branding of a tour bag, except in a smaller stand bag package.

Both Dylan Frittelli (Callaway – title image) and Nick Watney (Mizuno) are using versions of their companies stand bags this week and we have seen other players using them more frequently, like Camilo Villegas, although under a different set of circumstances since he doesn’t have a current bag sponsorship deal in place. Camilo’s situation is interesting because generally, even sponsorless players use a staff bag, even if it just features their name.

Tour stand bags at the consumer level

There must be something about these tour-like bags that golfers love because many golfers can’t get enough. Ping recently released a Tour Staff bag (above) to serious fanfare with it selling out quickly across most channels and actually being resold online for over MSRP—which is a pretty unusual thing to happen in the golf bag market beyond very limited release items. Other companies also offer larger staff like stand bags including Wilson, Titleist, and Srixon, to name a few.

The only drawback to these larger stand bags is their extra size brings with it extra weight, and for golfers who prefer walking over riding, any extra weight is generally avoided at all costs. This makes tour stand bags a great option for occasional walkers, or for those who use a pushcart, or ride but still enjoy the convenience of a stand bag when going to the range or practice area.

What do you think, GolfWRXers? Do you like the convenience of a larger stand bag or would you still rather use what most tour players use? I mean if you don’t have to carry it—why not?

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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.

8 Comments

Gary

May 3, 2021 at 5:51 am

Just sold traditional staff tour bag because on the back of shared motorised cart it is just a monster and eats cart sharers space.

14 slot cart bag is best and fitted with strap. Some of the real lightweights no good because wind can blow them over in car park when arriving at course.

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Frank Crowe

Dec 8, 2020 at 5:57 am

I have a PING staff bag at home filled with clubs but like to go out for 9 holes with a single strap pencil bag and 7 clubs Driver, 4 wood, 4, 6, 8, PW & putter. The sand is so hard at Portobello near Edinburgh in Scotland a sand wedge is no good. Learn to fiddle shots. I hate double straps. Bring back the PING rigid strap bag which was easy to pick up. I wish I had bought that leather pencil bag I saw one evening in San Gimignano. Why should I give free advertising to a firm whose clubs I have to buy? Mind you I would like a big Tour bag with “Psycho” written on the sides!

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Imafitter

Dec 7, 2020 at 5:50 pm

I prefer the cart bag, as I no longer walk, with 15 dividers and enough pockets to carry my complete winter outerwear closet! I use the Ping Pioneer, and see no issues with Pro’s and caddies using Tour Carry Bags with legs. Much lighter, easier on the body to carry, and most have enough pockets for everything the pro needs.

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Milo

Dec 6, 2020 at 2:31 pm

I want to get a staff bag, I usually ride nowadays, if I get a clearish course I can play in under 2.5 hours.

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Jordan

Dec 6, 2020 at 9:23 am

It helps people who want the quality of a staff bag, but not the pretentiousness of carrying one.

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Michael

Dec 6, 2020 at 1:56 am

look, i’m pretty bad at golf…i’ve been playing for about 30 years, was playing about twice a week for several years before we started having kiddos…i love playing and now have started introducing our kiddos to the game (13,11,7)…the very first thing i learned about golf was etiquette…i’ve passed that on to my kids…so even though i’m horrible, i keep pace of play and i follow the rules, no mulligans for me…as lousy as i am, i still like to look good on the course and that includes my bag…after my first beginner back 30 years ago, i’ve always had a staff bag, including my current Nike staff bag…i absolutely love staff bags!…and i would hate to see them disappear!

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Gene

Dec 6, 2020 at 12:40 am

I don’t walk anymore, but I would be interested in this type of bag, for the reasons you stated.

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Jeff

Dec 5, 2020 at 10:05 pm

I never understood the decision for a company that is so profit driven to miss such a massive opportunity to advertise a product that people actually buy. I know a staff bag offers more “space” to advertise but not really and few people actually buy them anyways.
Also, poor Fluff being forced to carry such a heavy bad. lol

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

1 hour ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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