4-Way vs 14-Way Stand Bags

[hstrass]

I'm looking for a new stand bag and I'm currently using an old crappy cart bag. While searching I found the Sun Mountain 4.5LS range of bags and I fell in love. However, I'm stuck between the 14 and 4 Way dividers. Anyone with 14 Way or 4 Way dividers got any feedback or advice? I'd greatly appreciate it.

[Gsea]

Check out the Titelist players 4 or the players plus 4. They also have a nice 14 way stand also just not my thing.

[hstrass]

I remember going through most big golf brands looking for features and I did check out Titelist. I just wasn't really loving the way their bags looked. In my opinion, for the 200-240 dollar price range, they just weren't as nice as the sun mountains, ping hoofers, and callaways. 

[hstrass]

But I do admit I haven't really looked at the 2021 Titelist models so I wouldn't really know much about all of the bags.

[Gsea]

Ck out c golfland for Titleist sale and non logo bags from Titleist. 

[YMark]

I've used both a 14 way and 4 way stand bag. I much prefer the 4 way. I get tired of arguing with clubs in a 14 way. Even with full length dividers. Cart bag, 14 way. Stand bag, 4 way.

[monkeyboy]

I waivered between 14 way and 4 ways before...owned both.

 

Personally, I prefer the 14 way - just me...I like orderly, neat.   

 

With 4 way, stuff was clanging around all the time.

 

4 way in general will be lighter than 14 way.

14 way divider systems are not perfect (as in a continuous blocked off section per club), but honestly, this never frustrated me.  Sometimes a club may not go down all the way and you have to jiggle it a bit.

 

I prefer the Titleist bags in general (better fit and finish than SunMountain IMO, solid strap system)

Currently have a 2020 Titleist hybrid 14 way (cart/carry).

 

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

2 minutes ago, YMark said:

I've used both a 14 way and 4 way stand bag. I much prefer the 4 way. I get tired of arguing with clubs in a 14 way. Even with full length dividers. Cart bag, 14 way. Stand bag, 4 way.

This, but the size of the top is important, too. A narrow 4 or 5 way bag is as much of a pain as the eternal tangling mess a 14 way brings with it.

I bought a Sun Mountain H2NO Pro 14 way stand bag, and even with this quality and full length dividers, clubs get stuck. It’s worse with stand bags due to them being angled 45 degrees. 
 

If I had to to it again, I’d get a high quality 4 or 5 way bag, full length dividers and a putter well, if that exists. 

[Goon Golf]

Ping hoofer bags (never the 14way slots) 

 

Best bags since forever- especially if you carry or are playing with other "players"- a ping hoofer will always be class.

 

Personally hate 14way bags- Unless you are not serious about the game then I could care less.

 

I worked in a backshop for years and guys with 14 slots would jam 2 irons into 1 slot or have their woods in the dumbest slots and putter in the direct middle of the bag. Just annoying as hell re-organizing dudes bags when you are cleaning their clubs only for them to complain later that we messed up their bag order.

[Hawkeye77]

Walking or riding, don't get the 14 way bag notion - just adds weight.

 

I now have 14 clubs, 6 with headcovers in a Sun Mountain 2.5 - never have any issues getting my clubs in or out when walking or riding, and pretty easy to put in the back of the Jeep when I'm done with my round or, more recently, carry down to the basement for winter, lol. 

[hstrass]

@monkeyboy I do like the Hybrid line of bags. Would you recommend purchasing one? Also, do they have full length dividers? It's not one of my main concerns, but it would be preferable.

[monkeyboy]

55 minutes ago, hstrass said:

@monkeyboy I do like the Hybrid line of bags. Would you recommend purchasing one? Also, do they have full length dividers? It's not one of my main concerns, but it would be preferable.

I really like mine - again Titleist had the best fit/finish/choice of colors, all other things being equal.  It is relatively heavy - but I only carry my clubs to the range...I ride 99% of the time.  If I had to walk with it more than 10% of my rounds - I definitely go lighter or get a 2nd carry bag.   

The dividers are not true full length - I don't think that is actually possible or practical...instead it is a rigid collar of 14 way then nylon fabric that goes down about 75% of the way or so for each slot.  You'll find most of the 14 ways are like this...some work better than others.    Bonus is a larger putter slot and pass thru for cart strap so you don't block access to any zippers.

[bellken]

If I were to walk and carry, I prefer a 4 way - I can clean a club, walking with the bag on my back, and, easily, put the club back into the bag. This isn't as easy with a 14 way bag, as, the slot for the club is smaller.

 

For riding and push carts, I like my 14 way bag, lots of room. If you are torn between a 4 and 14 way bag, one deciding factor could be how you want to arrange your clubs in a 14 way bag. You might decide, it is too much trouble to mess around with, and, you would be better off with the 4 way bag. 

[B.W.]

I much prefer 4 way. I use a Ping Hoofer Lite bag and really like it. I’ve had different versions of a Hoofer since high school. I walk/carry most of the time I play. I’m 100% Titleist club-wise but haven’t been impressed by their bags vs Hoofers. I like some of the Sun Mountain options as well. 

[brew4eagle]

4 way by far for me.  14 is overkill and there's no good way to arrange them imo.

[Greenie]

I have always liked a 14 way bag. I liked to keep things organized in my bag. It also helps if I leave a club behind because you see an empty spot right away. I feel it also speeds up play. My friend always seems to be looking in his 4way bag for a particular iron where I know right where my are.

 

I have three Sun Mountain Four5 14 way bags and two 14 way cart bags. 

Edited December 11, 2020 by Greenie

[swagee]

11 hours ago, hstrass said:

I'm looking for a new stand bag and I'm currently using an old crappy cart bag. While searching I found the Sun Mountain 4.5LS range of bags and I fell in love. However, I'm stuck between the 14 and 4 Way dividers. Anyone with 14 Way or 4 Way dividers got any feedback or advice? I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

1 tried both, and found that 4 way is perfect for me: 1 for woods + putter, 1 for short irons, 1 for long irons, 1 for wedges.

I feel like it’s a hassle to find a particular spot for each club (14 way) comparing to a group of clubs. 

I currently use a Stitch SL2 with a 4 way divider. 
I hope it helps.
Cheers

 

[ALTSean]

14-way all the way.  Things are clean, organized and you never forget a club because you see the empty spot.  Modern 14-way stand bags are super light.  The Sun Mountain 2.5+ 14-way bag is under 4 lbs.  I walk 99% of the time and use a push cart ~75% of the time with a Sun Mountain 4.5 14-way bag and have no complaints. 

 

4-way vs. 14-way is a lot of personal preference, but weight is not a deciding factor anymore with the modern 14-way bags being so light.

  

[NativeTxn]

I have a 14-way Sun Mountain Phantom cart bag, that I like, but I want to get a new stand bag. The SM has full length dividers for all the slots, which definitely reduces the club tangle.

 

I tried the Mizuno BR-D4 6-way, but it doesn't have dividers between all the slots, and I could tell after loading it, that club tangle was going to annoy me. I just bought the Titleist Hybrid 5, as I like the idea of a little more flexibility from the 5 versus 14 slots, but it also claims to have full length dividers. The ones I saw previously in the store appeared to have them, so I'm hoping that that will reduce the potential tangle between compartments, if that makes sense.

 

I had to order it, so not sure when it will be here, but if I like everything about it other than the 5 slots versus 14, I could always exchange it for the Hybrid 14-way.

 

Time will tell.

[YMark]

8 minutes ago, NativeTxn said:

I have a 14-way Sun Mountain Phantom cart bag, that I like, but I want to get a new stand bag. The SM has full length dividers for all the slots, which definitely reduces the club tangle.

 

 

I have a 14-way Sun Mountain 3.5 stand bag and the clubs tangle like a 6 year old girl's curly hair. 

[Abh159]

4 way all day. Woods + putter in the top, 3-5 irons and 6-8 irons in the middle two, and then 9 iron + wedges in the bottom. A 14 way bag is just adding weight unnecessarily. 

 

Some people mentioned it's easier to get clubs in and out with a 14 way, but I've always found that to be the opposite. With a 14 way you have to move clubs out of the way and carefully drop the club into that tiny slot. With a 4 way the opening is huge and you can just drop in in there as you're picking up your bag.

 

One person mentioned his friend can never find the club he's looking for in a 4 way bag?? I'm not really sure what this is about. Maybe he hasn't realized the clubs have the number right there on the sole 🤣

[NativeTxn]

5 hours ago, YMark said:

 

I have a 14-way Sun Mountain 3.5 stand bag and the clubs tangle like a 6 year old girl's curly hair. 

Interesting. I haven't had that issue. Wonder if the dividers in the 14-way are different in the car versus the stand bag?

[mizuno]

On 12/8/2020 at 10:47 AM, hstrass said:

I'm looking for a new stand bag and I'm currently using an old crappy cart bag. While searching I found the Sun Mountain 4.5LS range of bags and I fell in love. However, I'm stuck between the 14 and 4 Way dividers. Anyone with 14 Way or 4 Way dividers got any feedback or advice? I'd greatly appreciate it.

I recently decided the time had come to replace my 15 year old Sun Mountain stand bag; I have no idea of the model, but it had 5 dividers plus a dedicated putter slot (6 dividers total) and in my opinion it was perfect.  At the very top (spine) of the bag was a putter slot, below that a single slot the width of the bag for driver, fairway and hybrid and below that were four dividers arranged 2 x 2  that held my 4-6, 7-9, PW-GW and SW-LW.  I thought that organization was perfect, the putter was separate and protected and the rest of the clubs were grouped in an orderly manner that made it easy to locate and pull a specific club and a quick glance to verify that all clubs were accounted for before moving on to the next hole with minimal tangling.  When I decided to replace it I was really bummed that I couldn't find a similar design, my choices were either 4 or 14 way dividers.  The 4 way divider just seemed way too crowded and jumbled.  Although I wasn't positive it was the right decision, I went with the 4.5 LS 14 way divider and I couldn't be happier.  It took me a few tries to optimize the placement of clubs, but I have had no problems putting clubs in or taking them out.  I am also amazed in 15 years how much lighter the new bag is despite being slightly larger than the old bag.  

Edited December 10, 2020 by mizuno

[Greenie]

On 12/9/2020 at 4:59 PM, Abh159 said:

One person mentioned his friend can never find the club he's looking for in a 4 way bag?? I'm not really sure what this is about. Maybe he hasn't realized the clubs have the number right there on the sole 🤣

I guess my friend isn't as organized as you. His returning a club anywhere in his bag and then sorting through the NUMBERS on his clubs to find the number he is looking for next time well I get a laugh out of it. 

 

I don't know how many times a yr. I hear oh I might have left my club some where on the course. Never mind I found it. 

 

I'll admit it's probably has to do more with him then the 4 way bag..

[Greenie]

On 12/9/2020 at 10:08 PM, NativeTxn said:

On 12/9/2020 at 4:42 PM, YMark said:

 

I have a 14-way Sun Mountain 3.5 stand bag and the clubs tangle like a 6 year old girl's curly hair. 

Interesting. I haven't had that issue. Wonder if the dividers in the 14-way are different in the car versus the stand bag?

I have three SM Four5 bags with 14 way dividers and I don't see what all the club tangle is about. Occasionally I might have one stick. When I do I think it is when I try to put the club back in when the bag is resting on it legs at at angle. Since my method is to be lifting the bag straight up as I am returning the club I thinks this helps out a lot. When any club sticks trying to put it back in I don't fight it. By the time I've moved the bag to put the carry strap over my shoulder that stuck club has fallen into place. I never had an issue pulling a club out. Again this might be because I lift up on the bag and pull the club I want.

 

With any type of bag if your bag is on an angle all the clubs are going to want to settle together unless you have full length dividers. I don't have an issue carrying my bag. I can't say I have an issue when I use my push cart either. To be fair though my push cart is the Upright caddy so my bag is straight up when sitting in the push cart. 

[Abh159]

3 hours ago, Greenie said:

I guess my friend isn't as organized as you. His returning a club anywhere in his bag and then sorting through the NUMBERS on his clubs to find the number he is looking for next time well I get a laugh out of it. 

 

I don't know how many times a yr. I hear oh I might have left my club some where on the course. Never mind I found it. 

 

I'll admit it's probably has to do more with him then the 4 way bag..

 

You're a very patient man. My group would have had to had an intervention with him by now. Putting your clubs anywhere in the bag without any sort of organization CANNOT and WILL NOT be tolerated!!!!!!!

[brew4eagle]

1 hour ago, Abh159 said:

 

You're a very patient man. My group would have had to had an intervention with him by now. Putting your clubs anywhere in the bag without any sort of organization CANNOT and WILL NOT be tolerated!!!!!!!

Agreed.  It's actually easier/faster with a 4 way vs a 14 way if both are organized.  Without organization either would be a debacle.

[Golfrnut]

Prefer a 14 way personally, but also prefer a putter well (which I don't have on mine).  Don't like the fact my putter is held up by the head cover due to the depth of the bag.  Too cheap (to this point) to buy a whole new bag for one though.

[jah7838]

I've used the 14 way dividers before, and I'm now using a 4 way divider.  I prefer the 4 way after using the 14 way for a majority of the past 10 years.  If I'm taking my speedsticks to the course with me or any extra shafts or clubs with me to the course, it's easier for me to put them in the 4 way dividers.  I also like the slightly lighter weight of the 4 way dividers.  

 

My current bag is the Mizuno BR-D3 with the 4 way.  It's got plenty of pockets and space for my clubs.  I was going to get a Sun Mountain 3.5 or 4.5 with the 4 way divider before I saw this Mizuno bag.  

[Munich77]

I like my Sun Mountain 14 way.  Just a couple of downsides - the 14 way divider is not all the way down so some of the clubs get tangled some time. I also found the velvet lined valuables pocket on the side fragile - mine has ripped from taking my cell phone out during the round to keep score.