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Ping Hoofer 14 vs Sun Mountain 4.5 14 way golf bags?


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Currently have the SM 4.5 14 way and it's a pretty great bag. But I've noticed that the internal dividers are starting to tear apart and fray causing problems with my putter grip being pulled apart a little (it's a superstroke grip). Before I go ahead and order a new SM bag I was wondering how others feel about both bags and the pros and cons of each. The nice thing about the 14 way bags is every club goes in a certain slot and you never worry about losing a club, but he down side is the internal dividers durability and occasional club binding. Thoughts?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Seems like the Ping bag has a narrow top while the SM bag is wider. I've read a few reviews stating that getting clubs in and out of the Ping is more difficult with some club tangling occurring too. I like the construction, and features, of the Ping bag better but am not sure if I'd like the narrow top - and lack of full length dividers. I've had good luck with the SM bag and might just stay with that model for now - but that decision could change. I have found that after having several Ogio bags in the past (I really liked them for their innovation) the SM bag is much more durable.

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I recently was also looking at these types of 14-divider stand bags. I compared SM 4.5 14-way, Ping hoofer 14, Taylormade flextech crossover, and Callaway fusion 14.

 

SM 4.5 14-way - 4.5 lbs (lightest), 14 full-length dividers, probably the best option if having the lightest bag is your priority.

 

Ping Hoofer 14 - 5.5 lbs, 14 dividers, though "NOT" full length for all of them. 2 of the openings are a little bigger than others, giving you the options of carrying more than 14 clubs to the driving range if desired.

 

Taylormade Flextech Crossover - 5.5 lbs - 14 dividers, also "NOT" full length for all of them. Seems to be a durable looking bag.

 

Callaway Fusion 14 - 5.4 lbs - 14 full length dividers, 2 of the openings also bigger similar to the Ping Hoofer 14.

 

I ended up with the Callaway Fusion 14. I wanted the SM 4.5 before checking out all the bags in person, but I like the options of being able to carry extra clubs when going to the driving range, or sometime carrying my ball retriever. I was also not really able to tell the 1 lbs difference between the Callaway and the SM.

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I just bought a Hoofer 14-way and I love everything about the bag EXCEPT the f****** club tangle.

 

I can't believe it's this bad, after all the glowing reviews about Ping Hoofers I read before making my purchase. Getting clubs in and out can be a huge pain in the arse, sometimes they don't sit right unless I shove and shove, and getting them in when the bag is strapped to a cart is even worse. I'm undecided on what to do as the bag is light, functional, really nice style-wise, basically everything I want in a bag except for probably the most important aspect. Ugh.

 

Anyone know if Golf Galaxy would take this bag back after it's been used? I have the receipt and all that jazz. I'm going to give it another week or so and make a decision then. My girlfriend has a Titleist 14-way and it's not nearly this bad, and neither was my Nike Air Hybrid II bag. :(

Titleist TSR2 // Autoflex SF505

Titleist TSR2 16.5 // Vista Pro 60s

Ping G25 20, 23 // Tour AD True Spec

Titleist T200/T150 5-GW // Steelfiber i80PR

Titleist SM9 54.10, 58.12 // Steelfiber i80r

L.A.B. Golf DF3 // L.A.B. x TPT

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I just bought a Hoofer 14-way and I love everything about the bag EXCEPT the f****** club tangle.

 

I can't believe it's this bad, after all the glowing reviews about Ping Hoofers I read before making my purchase. Getting clubs in and out can be a huge pain in the arse, sometimes they don't sit right unless I shove and shove, and getting them in when the bag is strapped to a cart is even worse. I'm undecided on what to do as the bag is light, functional, really nice style-wise, basically everything I want in a bag except for probably the most important aspect. Ugh.

 

Anyone know if Golf Galaxy would take this bag back after it's been used? I have the receipt and all that jazz. I'm going to give it another week or so and make a decision then. My girlfriend has a Titleist 14-way and it's not nearly this bad, and neither was my Nike Air Hybrid II bag. :(

 

I've never been able to imagine why people are so in love with those bags. The tilting-floor mechanism is absolutely perfectly designed to scramble the grip ends of the clubs together.

 

Other than that, they're roomy with plenty of pockets and have super comfy straps. But none of that matters if you have to carefully stand the bag up on end and untangle clubs each and every time you pull and replace a club. It's just nuts.

 

And now even Titleist have adopted that same mechanism across their entire stand bag range. I give up.

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I just bought a Hoofer 14-way and I love everything about the bag EXCEPT the f****** club tangle.

 

I can't believe it's this bad, after all the glowing reviews about Ping Hoofers I read before making my purchase. Getting clubs in and out can be a huge pain in the arse, sometimes they don't sit right unless I shove and shove, and getting them in when the bag is strapped to a cart is even worse. I'm undecided on what to do as the bag is light, functional, really nice style-wise, basically everything I want in a bag except for probably the most important aspect. Ugh.

 

Anyone know if Golf Galaxy would take this bag back after it's been used? I have the receipt and all that jazz. I'm going to give it another week or so and make a decision then. My girlfriend has a Titleist 14-way and it's not nearly this bad, and neither was my Nike Air Hybrid II bag. :(

 

I've never been able to imagine why people are so in love with those bags. The tilting-floor mechanism is absolutely perfectly designed to scramble the grip ends of the clubs together.

 

Other than that, they're roomy with plenty of pockets and have super comfy straps. But none of that matters if you have to carefully stand the bag up on end and untangle clubs each and every time you pull and replace a club. It's just nuts.

 

And now even Titleist have adopted that same mechanism across their entire stand bag range. I give up.

 

I'm dumbfounded how this bag consistently tops the "best of" bag lists and pretty much everyone seems to love it. Believe me, no one wanted to love this bag more than me. The color is exactly what I wanted. The style is great, and it's the perfect successor to my volt Nike Air Hybrid II bag. But the club tangle is bad enough to make me consider dumping it.

 

I have little patience for un jigsaw-ing my clubs before and after every shot, but I'm not sure what to do about it yet.

 

Is the 5-way Hoofer any better?

Titleist TSR2 // Autoflex SF505

Titleist TSR2 16.5 // Vista Pro 60s

Ping G25 20, 23 // Tour AD True Spec

Titleist T200/T150 5-GW // Steelfiber i80PR

Titleist SM9 54.10, 58.12 // Steelfiber i80r

L.A.B. Golf DF3 // L.A.B. x TPT

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I just bought a Hoofer 14-way and I love everything about the bag EXCEPT the f****** club tangle.

 

I can't believe it's this bad, after all the glowing reviews about Ping Hoofers I read before making my purchase. Getting clubs in and out can be a huge pain in the arse, sometimes they don't sit right unless I shove and shove, and getting them in when the bag is strapped to a cart is even worse. I'm undecided on what to do as the bag is light, functional, really nice style-wise, basically everything I want in a bag except for probably the most important aspect. Ugh.

 

Anyone know if Golf Galaxy would take this bag back after it's been used? I have the receipt and all that jazz. I'm going to give it another week or so and make a decision then. My girlfriend has a Titleist 14-way and it's not nearly this bad, and neither was my Nike Air Hybrid II bag. :(

 

I've never been able to imagine why people are so in love with those bags. The tilting-floor mechanism is absolutely perfectly designed to scramble the grip ends of the clubs together.

 

Other than that, they're roomy with plenty of pockets and have super comfy straps. But none of that matters if you have to carefully stand the bag up on end and untangle clubs each and every time you pull and replace a club. It's just nuts.

 

And now even Titleist have adopted that same mechanism across their entire stand bag range. I give up.

 

I'm dumbfounded how this bag consistently tops the "best of" bag lists and pretty much everyone seems to love it. Believe me, no one wanted to love this bag more than me. The color is exactly what I wanted. The style is great, and it's the perfect successor to my volt Nike Air Hybrid II bag. But the club tangle is bad enough to make me consider dumping it.

 

I have little patience for un jigsaw-ing my clubs before and after every shot, but I'm not sure what to do about it yet.

 

Is the 5-way Hoofer any better?

 

Yes the 5-way is considerably better on tangle. I tried a 14 way Hoofer ONCE....

 

 

 

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Curious if anyone has tried the Ogio Ozone with woode style management? It looks ideal. Also, how does it fit on a Clicgear? i always push or ride but it would be nice to have a stand for the range and par 3 course.

Cobra F8 10.5* UST Attas Coool 7S
Cobra F8 5-6 17* Evenflow Blue 75
Cobra F8 Hybrid 19* Smacwrap
Cobra King Utility 22.5* C-Taper Lite
Ping I210 5-UW PX LZ 6.0
Bridgestone XW-1 56* 60* DG Spinner
Odyssey Strokelab Seven S
Chrome Soft
Clicgear 3.5/Cobra King Ultradry

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  • 4 months later...

I have a Hoofer 14 and an Ozone. I walk 75-80% of my rounds and I have tried almost all of the walking bags and these 2 are my favorites. I had an older Ozone with full length Woode dividers but the stand mechanism broke. They replaced it with the latest model and its not nearly as well built but it is lighter and I like the straps better. That being said, the Hoofer is just the best all around bag, The reason so many like them is the ergonomics and the balance. The Hoofer straps support the weight of the bag so much better than anything out. Much better than the SM in this area although the newest SM has gotten better. After the straps, there is the balance of the bag, I have yet to find a bag that when loaded has better balance on your back than the Hoofer. None of the SM compete here.I tried a Flextech and it was terrible in the area. It actually was the only bag that rivaled the Hoofer in build quality but was just so bad on the balance side. Other small touches like Velcro for your gloves at the strap and at near the bottom of the bag make it so easy to keep a couple of gloves handy while walking.

 

The tangle issue is there with the Hoofer for sure. It does get annoying sometimes. The tangle issue is there with all other bags too except the SM. Still I will deal with the tangle issue over having my shoulders and upper back hurt and be more fatigued near the end of a round.

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Interesting topic. I have a SM Four 5 14-way top from 2016, so it's actually not 4.5#. My understanding is the 2017 model IS. I put my SM on a Clicgear cart, but I'm thinking of trying carrying, again. I carried for years, but stopped a few years ago. OK, my comments on the SM 4.5:

 

THE GOOD:

-The 14-way full-length dividers have been GREAT. No tangling and have held up well for over 1.5 years. On a Clicgear cart the bag is always at an angle, so it's not possible to stand the bag upright to ease club tangling. That would mean the same thing if you carry...no need to pull or replace a club with the top of the bag pointing at the sky, so this has been a strength of this bag.

-The pockets are all great, the look is great. This is just a great bag, except for the couple things listed below, which is possibly a deal-breaker for carrying. Oh, wait...this IS a carry bag.

 

THE BAD:

-I HATE THE STRAPS and keep in mind I rarely ever put the straps on both shoulders, but that's because I HATE THE STRAPS. They attached two medium length pillows to make it more comfortable and they are, BUT they didn't sew the short, nylon straps that attach the pillows to the EZFIT thing in the back at the end of the pillow. The connection point is on top and about 1" from the end, so when you go to put your second arm in the strap, the pillow wants to roll and will often flip upside down. If they had just sewn the connecting strap at the end of the pillow, it would have been OK. Keep in mind, this is the 2016 model, but I just looked at the current model on the SM website and the straps look identical. I could have returned my 2016 to Roger Dunn under their 90-day playability guarantee and got the 2017, but I didn't like the colors as much. Bottom line is I just find it difficult to get this bag on my shoulders.

-The bad about the 14-way top and dividers. The SM does a GREAT job of separating your clubs and my i200's seem to have received no wear from being in the bag. This is just a minor annoyance and why I don't want to carry THIS bag...the irons swing very freely so the clacking as you walk is NON-STOP and much louder than clubs that sit together in a carry bag. Because of that, I'm thinking the bag chatter damage on the clubs could actually be worse. On the pushcart this is GREAT, but on your back do you want to listen to 3-4 hours of that? I guess the fix for this is to use iron covers. I know guys that use iron covers on forged clubs, but that's just one more thing to mess with before and after each and every shot. I'm diligent about headcovers on woods and hybrids, but I'd rather not have 13 clubs with covers on them. This carry bag is great on either a pushcart or a riding cart, but I don't like it for carrying. Ironic...huh?

 

I've been looking at the 2018 Hoofers and like everything about the design, including the magnetic closure on the rangefinder pocket. THAT is cool, but I've had Hoofers in the past and they seem to work best when you pull and replace clubs with the bag straight up and I'm not sure PING has done anything to improve that. I probably would NOT buy a 14-way Hoofer, as the top would exacerbate the club tangling tendency of the hinged bottom mechanism. Plus, I have a feeling that a Hoofer wouldn't work as well on a Pushcart, since the bag is alway at an angle and the Hoofer does NOT have full length dividers. So, I may buy a Hoofer with a 5-way top and treat it like women do with purses swap bags depending on my intended use. I'd use the Hoofer to carry and the SM on the Clicgear. or riding cart (which I rarely do). Fortunately, Roger Dunn Golf Shops still has the 90-day return policy and if I buy one and hate it, I can exchange it for something else in the shop like maybe new Glide wedges, shoes and the next thing guaranteed to make me a great golfer. LOL

 

I hope someone finds my long-winded comments useful. For ME, there is just no such thing as the perfect golf bag. It just hasn't been invented, YET.

[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img][color=#800080] G400 10.5* @ 44.5" D3 Alta CB stiff[/color]
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img][color=#800080] G400 14.5 3 wood Alta [/color][color=#800080]CB stiff[/color]
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img][color=#800080] [/color][color=#800080]G400 [/color][color=#800080]18.5 5 wood Alta [/color][color=#800080]CB stiff[/color]
[color=#800080][img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] [/color][color=#800080]G400 [/color][color=#800080]#4 22* hybrid Alta [/color][color=#800080]CB stiff[/color]
[color=#800080][img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] i200 5-W XP95 R300 Power Spec [img]http://www.sympato.ch/smileys/Love.gif[/img]
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] Glide 2.0 50º SS CFS wedge flex
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] Glide 2.0 54º WS CFS wedge flex
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] Glide 2.0 58º TS CFS wedge flex[/color]
[color=#800080][img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/taylormade-small.jpg[/img] Putter- TaylorMade Jason Day Itsy Bitsy Spider 35"
Ball - Chromesoft Truvis or Bridgestone B300RX
Bag - Sun Mountain 2016 Four 5[/color]

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Interesting topic. I have a SM Four 5 14-way top from 2016, so it's actually not 4.5#. My understanding is the 2017 model IS. I put my SM on a Clicgear cart, but I'm thinking of trying carrying, again. I carried for years, but stopped a few years ago. OK, my comments on the SM 4.5:

 

THE GOOD:

-The 14-way full-length dividers have been GREAT. No tangling and have held up well for over 1.5 years. On a Clicgear cart the bag is always at an angle, so it's not possible to stand the bag upright to ease club tangling. That would mean the same thing if you carry...no need to pull or replace a club with the top of the bag pointing at the sky, so this has been a strength of this bag.

-The pockets are all great, the look is great. This is just a great bag, except for the couple things listed below, which is possibly a deal-breaker for carrying. Oh, wait...this IS a carry bag.

 

THE BAD:

-I HATE THE STRAPS and keep in mind I rarely ever put the straps on both shoulders, but that's because I HATE THE STRAPS. They attached two medium length pillows to make it more comfortable and they are, BUT they didn't sew the short, nylon straps that attach the pillows to the EZFIT thing in the back at the end of the pillow. The connection point is on top and about 1" from the end, so when you go to put your second arm in the strap, the pillow wants to roll and will often flip upside down. If they had just sewn the connecting strap at the end of the pillow, it would have been OK. Keep in mind, this is the 2016 model, but I just looked at the current model on the SM website and the straps look identical. I could have returned my 2016 to Roger Dunn under their 90-day playability guarantee and got the 2017, but I didn't like the colors as much. Bottom line is I just find it difficult to get this bag on my shoulders.

-The bad about the 14-way top and dividers. The SM does a GREAT job of separating your clubs and my i200's seem to have received no wear from being in the bag. This is just a minor annoyance and why I don't want to carry THIS bag...the irons swing very freely so the clacking as you walk is NON-STOP and much louder than clubs that sit together in a carry bag. Because of that, I'm thinking the bag chatter damage on the clubs could actually be worse. On the pushcart this is GREAT, but on your back do you want to listen to 3-4 hours of that? I guess the fix for this is to use iron covers. I know guys that use iron covers on forged clubs, but that's just one more thing to mess with before and after each and every shot. I'm diligent about headcovers on woods and hybrids, but I'd rather not have 13 clubs with covers on them. This carry bag is great on either a pushcart or a riding cart, but I don't like it for carrying. Ironic...huh?

 

I've been looking at the 2018 Hoofers and like everything about the design, including the magnetic closure on the rangefinder pocket. THAT is cool, but I've had Hoofers in the past and they seem to work best when you pull and replace clubs with the bag straight up and I'm not sure PING has done anything to improve that. I probably would NOT buy a 14-way Hoofer, as the top would exacerbate the club tangling tendency of the hinged bottom mechanism. Plus, I have a feeling that a Hoofer wouldn't work as well on a Pushcart, since the bag is alway at an angle and the Hoofer does NOT have full length dividers. So, I may buy a Hoofer with a 5-way top and treat it like women do with purses swap bags depending on my intended use. I'd use the Hoofer to carry and the SM on the Clicgear. or riding cart (which I rarely do). Fortunately, Roger Dunn Golf Shops still has the 90-day return policy and if I buy one and hate it, I can exchange it for something else in the shop like maybe new Glide wedges, shoes and the next thing guaranteed to make me a great golfer. LOL

 

I hope someone finds my long-winded comments useful. For ME, there is just no such thing as the perfect golf bag. It just hasn't been invented, YET.

 

Definitely agree there is no perfect bag. The closest I could get IMO would be to put the 2010-2012 Ogio Woode top on a 2016-2017 Ping Hoofer. Those older Ogios had full length dividers on the Woode portion and they also had the small ridges in the iron sections to keep them a little more separated. I am not sure about the new 2018 Hoofer line as I haven't tried the straps yet. I am sure they will be great but I have heard some negatives about them and making it harder to carry as a single strap.

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I tried a Sun Mountain 4.5 14-way stand bag in a golf shop once. I put in a driver and 3W and some wedges. The thing felt like I was carrying a suitcase, and I couldn't get it to ride comfortably in the small of my back.

 

I prefer my current Three5 - it has a 4-way divider and will actually hold 16 clubs (check before you tee off). Much more comfortable to carry.

What's In The Bag (As of April 2023, post-MAX change + new putter)

 

Driver:  Tour Edge EXS 10.5° (base loft); weights neutral   ||  FWs:  Calla Rogue 4W + 7W

Hybrid:  Calla Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  Calla Mavrik MAX 5i-PW

Wedges*:  Calla MD3: 48°... MD4: 54°, 58° ||  PutterΨSeeMore FGP + SuperStroke 1.0PT, 33" shaft

Ball: 1. Srixon Q-Star Tour / 2. Calla SuperHot (Orange preferred)  ||  Bag: Sun Mountain Three 5 stand bag

    * MD4 54°/10 S-Grind replaced MD3 54°/12 W-Grind.

     Ψ  Backups:

  • Ping Sigma G Tyne (face-balanced) + Evnroll Gravity Grip |
  • Slotline Inertial SL-583F w/ SuperStroke 2.MidSlim (50 gr. weight removed) |
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OK, so not apples to apples, but I bought the 2018 PING Hoofer with the 5-way top. The short analysis...I like EVERYTHING better about the Hoofer over the SM 14-way, EXCEPT club binding. The SM 14-way is a superstar at keeping clubs from feeling like there is an angry octopus in the bottom of your bag.

 

Hoofer pros:

-Overall design - GREAT

-Straps - SOOO much more comfortable than the SM AND easy on/off

-Balance - sits perfectly on your lower back

-Pockets - VERY well designed and I love the rangefinder pocket with the magnetic closure

-Styling - I bought the black/white/copper and it looks really classy

-Legs - stands up very securely and they tuck nicely against the bottom of the bag (at least for now). The SM legs tend to slide and spread on smooth surfaces (not an issue outside)

 

Hoofer cons:

-Club binding is pretty bad and, from what I've read, the 14-way is worse. The key is as it always has been, which is to pull/replace clubs with the bag upright and THEN lean it over on the legs. Binding seems to happen primarily due to the material folding when the hoof hinges up, so standing it up for insertion/removal alleviates that problem. I know, that's a bit of a PITA.

-Haven't used it on a push or riding cart, but, I tested it at home and it doesn't seem to bind much on Clicgear 3.5+. Maybe I'll try in on the cart this week.

-I'm sure the white on the bag is going to get dirty pretty quickly, especially the lid to the rangefinder pocket, as that will get touched numerous times every round. The fix? Don't buy the one with white on it or be prepared to try to clean it.

 

PUSH CART ISSUES:

If you haven't tried it, having an umbrella to provide shade seems reduce the temperature by 8-10 degrees. I used to think an umbrella was for women and old men, until I stood under a buddy's umbrella and felt what it's like to get out of the direct sunlight. You don't get that sun and heat protection when you carry, so if sun exposure and heat are a concern, pushing is WAY better than carrying. I DO like being able to walk straight to the ball on greens, instead of having to push the cart around it. I watched a golf etiquette video and they said you shouldn't walk on the greens with your bag on, to avoid extra damage from the weight of the bag. Well, I weigh 175# and my bag is 22#, and one of my golf buddies weighs over 250#, so should HE not be allowed to walk on the green since he's over 50# heavier than me WITH my bag on my back? THAT one is just stupid. People who step too close to the hole do more damage than THAT.

[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img][color=#800080] G400 10.5* @ 44.5" D3 Alta CB stiff[/color]
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img][color=#800080] G400 14.5 3 wood Alta [/color][color=#800080]CB stiff[/color]
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img][color=#800080] [/color][color=#800080]G400 [/color][color=#800080]18.5 5 wood Alta [/color][color=#800080]CB stiff[/color]
[color=#800080][img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] [/color][color=#800080]G400 [/color][color=#800080]#4 22* hybrid Alta [/color][color=#800080]CB stiff[/color]
[color=#800080][img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] i200 5-W XP95 R300 Power Spec [img]http://www.sympato.ch/smileys/Love.gif[/img]
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] Glide 2.0 50º SS CFS wedge flex
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] Glide 2.0 54º WS CFS wedge flex
[img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/ping-small.jpg[/img] Glide 2.0 58º TS CFS wedge flex[/color]
[color=#800080][img]https://forum.mygolfspy.com/public/style_emoticons/default/taylormade-small.jpg[/img] Putter- TaylorMade Jason Day Itsy Bitsy Spider 35"
Ball - Chromesoft Truvis or Bridgestone B300RX
Bag - Sun Mountain 2016 Four 5[/color]

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  • 1 month later...

 

The tangle issue is there with the Hoofer for sure. It does get annoying sometimes. The tangle issue is there with all other bags too except the SM. Still I will deal with the tangle issue over having my shoulders and upper back hurt and be more fatigued near the end of a round.

 

Is the Hoofer (non-14) with the 5-way divider any better in this regard (tangling)? I assume these bags are virtually the same other than the divider strategy?

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  • 1 month later...

I narrowed my choices down to these two bags as well and have done my research but I still can€™t pull the trigger. Beyond this post, I also read a guide on MGS. https://Not allowed because of spam.com/best-golf-stand-bags-in-2018/

 

It seems like Ping Hoofer has the club tangle issue while Sun Mountain isn€™t as comfortable as the Hoofer. Does the comfort level of the Hoofer eliminate the fact that it€™s about a pound heavier than the SM 4.5?

 

Im basically a 50/50 Walk/Ride so the club tangle issue would only affect me half the time but from these posts it sounds brutal to the point it should be considered.

Taylormade SIM2 Max | Srixon Z-Star | Cleveland Launcher DST | Mizuno JPX-825 Pro | Titleist Vokey SM5 (54S, 58K) | SC Studio Select Newport 2

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I just wanted to toss in my .02:

 

I've had 2 sun mountain bags now, a TM and now a Cobra. Each had their pro's and cons but I'd say the SM bags have been the best. I really do like my Cobra bag right now... but the 5 way dividers tangle the crap out of my clubs, to the point where after maybe 4 rounds with it, I am ready to sell it for a loss. My SM 2Five never did that, even with 1 less divider... And obviously my 14 way SM never did, but I'm selling it due to limited use and trying to consolidate bags.

 

I'm probably at this point going back to SM with a full 14 way top, even if it's a little heavier to walk with. Heck, I still have a push cart so I can still try to toss the stand bag on that if it's that tough. So.. odds are I'll be buying the 4.5 pretty soon, and selling the Cobra. The Ping Hoofer 14 would probably suffer from the same issue...If the dividers aren't shaped properly and/pr full length, you get tangle. My 14 way TM bag didn't have full length and they tangled alllll the time. Can't stand it.

 

 

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It seems like Ping Hoofer has the club tangle issue while Sun Mountain isn€™t as comfortable as the Hoofer. Does the comfort level of the Hoofer eliminate the fact that it€™s about a pound heavier than the SM 4.5?

 

Its actually more like a .5 pound. I've had them both on the scale. I will guarantee you would think the Hoofer is lighter though due to the straps and weight distribution on your shoulders when each bag is full. If you are 50/50 though, the SM will tangle less in a cart for sure.

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Its actually more like a .5 pound. I've had them both on the scale. I will guarantee you would think the Hoofer is lighter though due to the straps and weight distribution on your shoulders when each bag is full. If you are 50/50 though, the SM will tangle less in a cart for sure.

 

Thanks for this feedback. I did not notice the difference in the weight. I preferred the straps on the Ping but did not hate SM straps. I thought they were both comfortable. The full length dividers and no tangle on the SM officially made it the winner for me. Two great looking bags though. Never been more of a toss up for me.

Taylormade SIM2 Max | Srixon Z-Star | Cleveland Launcher DST | Mizuno JPX-825 Pro | Titleist Vokey SM5 (54S, 58K) | SC Studio Select Newport 2

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  • 4 weeks later...

I ended up pulling the trigger after much deliberation on the SM 4.5 14 way. The weight difference between them was very minimal. It came down to the full length dividers and club tangle which I did notice when I was at my local PGASS and put 14 clubs in both of them. The tangle won’t be resolved unless Ping changes their mechanism at the bottom of the bag. I looked at the Cirrus but noticed it’s heavier weight and the straps were less comfortable for me.

 

Of course, once I bought the SM I saw TGW had a random 2016 Hoofer 14 on clearance that I could have gotten for $120 vs. the $200 I spent on the SM lol. That was my only buyers remorse.

Taylormade SIM2 Max | Srixon Z-Star | Cleveland Launcher DST | Mizuno JPX-825 Pro | Titleist Vokey SM5 (54S, 58K) | SC Studio Select Newport 2

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  • 3 months later...

There's so many negative reviews of the Ping stand bag for the club tangle that I cannot believe they haven't scrapped the Hoofer mechanism and increased the top opening diameter to alleviate the problem. Just ordered a new SM 4.5 14 way bag but am questioning whether the new Under Armour bag would be a more durable choice as the material seems better and they are both made by SM afterall (I have another post with similar questions). Had very good luck with my older SM bag though.

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  • 1 year later...
@chocolate_rehab, I'm dying to know how this ended for you. I have the 2019 Hoofer 14 and feel every word you said. I only wish I had seen this and understood it prior. TO make matters worse, I have tacky midsize grips!
What did you do in the end?
I love everything else about that bag and want to make it work. As a last gasp, I might insert 12 of those plastic tubes but cut them down to half-length. I carry 90% of the time so don't want any more weight that that. Anybody else try something like that?
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I returned the Hoofer. I just couldn't deal with the constant tangle. I loved everything about the bag except for that, but that's a BIG caveat. It's like the one thing the bag is supposed to do correctly.

After that, I moved to an Under Armour Sunbrella Speedround (here: https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/mens-ua-storm-speedround-sunbrella-golf-bag/pcid1317081) and it's much, much better. Unfortunately, I'd never look at a Ping bag again until they resolve the tangle issue. And I'm still annoyed at how little it got mentioned in all the glowing reviews when I was researching before purchasing. When I posted here, a bunch of people were like "yeah, that's a thing" and I was like wtf. Why is that issue so glossed over, it's kind of important. Anyway, I hope you resolve your bag issue!

Titleist TSR2 // Autoflex SF505

Titleist TSR2 16.5 // Vista Pro 60s

Ping G25 20, 23 // Tour AD True Spec

Titleist T200/T150 5-GW // Steelfiber i80PR

Titleist SM9 54.10, 58.12 // Steelfiber i80r

L.A.B. Golf DF3 // L.A.B. x TPT

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