Staff Bags

[Midnightexpress]

who should use them?

Just wondering, where is it written that you have to be a tour player or a scratch player to use staff bags? For me, it has nothing to do with skill. its about how serious you take your game, how often you play and what are you looking for out of your bag. They do have their draw backs but so does every other bag out there. I am a 5 HC, i play about 30-40 rounds a year and i am registering for the 6 day lvl III C.T.G.F teachers course this summer. i have had people tell me its stupid or rediculous to play with a staff bag "you plan on joining the tour?" with sarcasm coments like that piss me off and i sense some jelousy from people when they make those comments. other people also comment on other high quality equipment like balls, drivers, irons ect. Going back to my point. No. im not a tour player, nore am i near good enough ( 5HC isnt all that bad though!) but what i look for from a staff bag is a chance to really showcase and show how proud you are of your gear and your brand. I also look for durabillity, playing 30-40 rounds plus a large amount of practice time wears out bags! They are also not just about looks, they very functional for what you may need. yes, the rules say you can only have 14 sticks when you play. what about practice? i have more than 14 clubs that i bring to the range as well as line up sticks, note books, a digital cam corder, extra used balls for chipping on the short game facitilty. i am not knocking stand bags or cart bags at all. i just dont see what the big deal is when a regular (but serious) weekend warrior brings his fully loaded staff bag to the range and the course. At the end of the day.. if you like it, play it! dont feel like you cannot or shouldnt have this or that because you are not a tour player or becuase you dont shoot in the 60's.

just my 2 cents.

[jim2722]

Just wondering, where is it written that you have to be a tour player or a scratch player to use staff bags? For me, it has nothing to do with skill. its about how serious you take your game, how often you play and what are you looking for out of your bag. They do have their draw backs but so does every other bag out there. I am a 5 HC, i play about 30-40 rounds a year and i am registering for the 6 day lvl III C.T.G.F teachers course this summer. i have had people tell me its stupid or rediculous to play with a staff bag "you plan on joining the tour?" with sarcasm coments like that piss me off and i sense some jelousy from people when they make those comments. other people also comment on other high quality equipment like balls, drivers, irons ect. Going back to my point. No. im not a tour player, nore am i near good enough ( 5HC isnt all that bad though!) but what i look for from a staff bag is a chance to really showcase and show how proud you are of your gear and your brand. I also look for durabillity, playing 30-40 rounds plus a large amount of practice time wears out bags! They are also not just about looks, they very functional for what you may need. yes, the rules say you can only have 14 sticks when you play. what about practice? i have more than 14 clubs that i bring to the range as well as line up sticks, note books, a digital cam corder, extra used balls for chipping on the short game facitilty. i am not knocking stand bags or cart bags at all. i just dont see what the big deal is when a regular (but serious) weekend warrior brings his fully loaded staff bag to the range and the course. At the end of the day.. if you like it, play it! dont feel like you cannot or shouldnt have this or that because you are not a tour player or becuase you dont shoot in the 60's.

 

just my 2 cents.

 

Totally agree with you. I was thinking about one just for the room really and they do look good. But after reading some forums on here got a little gun shy on getting one with so many people saying how it's ridiculous to get one unless your a pro. I got over that quickly cause I really don't care what people think. And I'm a 20+ handicap(thats getting better!) You at least have a game to back it up more though..LOL. I wound up getting Callys new FT ORG. 14 cart bag. It's a little smaller then the staff bag, but looks alot like it. It's a pretty sweet bag. Maybe I'll get my name on it to piss people off!!!

 

 

[DoNDoN]

I use my staff bag during the winter time because I am able to store more things in it like weather gear, rain gear, and so on. Nothing beats a good staff bag when you need storage.

[Dizz]

It sounds to me like you are trying to justify your own use of a staff bag. I don't buy any of the stuff about showing how proud you are of a brand or the wear and tear that bags go through. You should play the 14 clubs that give you the best opportunity to score well if you have to pay for them. I play 150+ rounds a year and never put any crazy strain on a stand bag. 30-40 rounds of golf isn't very much and you can easily put all those things in any bag if you needed to. The last part of your post makes the most sense, if you like the staff bag then play it. Who cares what anyone else says about your bag?

[almost famous]

i play a little bit on the mini tours here in ca (golden state, pepsi, and some gateway later this year) 90% of the time im riding. i have a titleist s82 and i show up with that thing and dont care what anyone else says or thinks. i also have a ping hoofer vantage when i need to walk. but from an everyday standpoint, i like my staff bag. buy and use what makes YOU happy. the guy with the sarcastic comments is just suffering from insecurity about his own game so dont worry about him.

[aussieb]

I have a S74 bag and had a friend put my name on it since a few other guys have the same bag. Keeps all my crap in there and it's like a fine piece of luggage that shows you have some class and dignity about yourself. The cart bag didn't make me as happy and the Ping stand bag works well when I walk. If someone wants to be childish about your gear, tell them rack off! You don't have to live your life according to others desires or feel intimidated by anybody. When I stand on the tee with a guy who's going to beat the snot out of me on the course, I still have a good day no matter what he or any of the hecklers say. BTW I've gotten into a few Tour guys pockets before. Your confidence is the only gear you really need to be sure to pack!

[dan360]

Who should use a staff bag?

Anybody who wants to.


It's just a bag.

[Judge440]

People should use whatever bag they want. No justification needed.

[TheHusky]

[quote name='TitleistBaller' date='12 February 2010 - 11:14 PM' timestamp='1266034472' post='2248028']
People should use whatever bag they want. No justification needed.
[/quote]


I agree, but also find staff bags to be unpractical unless someone else is carrying the bag and needs to easily grab a club. They are huge, heavy, and the pockets aren't usually that great. I think cart bags are what amateurs should really go for if you want to ride with a lot of your gear. If you want to carry a staff for 18 holes be my guest, I do my workouts in the gym personally.

[profsmitty]

Isn't it funny? Some of the same people who will buy clubs that they can't possibly hit well, because they want to look like a "playah", are the first to criticize others for the kind of golf bag they use. "Funny" maybe isn't the right word but it will have to do, I guess

[TheHusky]

I think "Ironic" by Alanis is playing somwhere

[bridgeman09]

to all the people posting junk about staff bags. I am a plus 1 index and have a sumo nike staff bag and a victory red staff bag the sumo gets old clubs or clubs that I'm just not hitting and the victory red is the gamer. Both have my name plastered on them along with a friends putter company. The fact of the matter if your a 20 or plus 2 if you like the staff bag buy it and do what you want with it. To those of you putting these guys down maybe if you worried less about your image and more about your game you wouldn't be so concerned with judging people. It's the game that matters not the bag.

[Mizuno57]

[quote name='TitleistBaller' date='12 February 2010 - 10:14 PM' timestamp='1266034472' post='2248028']
People should use whatever bag they want. No justification needed.
[/quote]


I agree. My pal who is also my usual playing partner recently had surgery on his neck. He'll be riding 99% of the time, so anyone who needs one should use one. Personally, I prefer the options that a carry bag offers. To each there own I say.

[Socrates]

I have no problem with people using staff bags, but there is a place to use them and places not to use them. Playing at your home course where everyone knows you is one thing or playing in a tournament where the weather might be iffy and you need a lot of space for all the clothing etc..., I have no problem with that. It is nice to have a bag like that. For me the best place for a staff bag is in the basement holding the clubs that are in the "Sin Bin".

However I think that bringing a staff bag to a resort course or another member friends course is the wrong place for it. I think it sends the wrong message to those you are playing with and those that have to service you (right from the pro-shop to the caddies). A good carry bag or a decent cart bag is all that is needed. Heck even the Tour Pro's use their small carry bags when they are out and about playing a casual game.

[Mr_Wolfe]

[quote name='socrates' date='15 February 2010 - 10:49 AM' timestamp='1266248971' post='2252800']
I have no problem with people using staff bags, but there is a place to use them and places not to use them. Playing at your home course where everyone knows you is one thing or playing in a tournament where the weather might be iffy and you need a lot of space for all the clothing etc..., I have no problem with that. It is nice to have a bag like that. For me the best place for a staff bag is in the basement holding the clubs that are in the "Sin Bin".

However I think that bringing a staff bag to a resort course or another member friends course is the wrong place for it. I think it sends the wrong message to those you are playing with and those that have to service you (right from the pro-shop to the caddies). A good carry bag or a decent cart bag is all that is needed. Heck even the Tour Pro's use their small carry bags when they are out and about playing a casual game.
[/quote]

But that person with the staff bag may not be trying to send a message. He is just there to golf. The problem is the people trying to receive a message that isn't being sent.

Mr. Wolfe

[Socrates]

[quote name='Mr. Wolfe' date='15 February 2010 - 10:22 AM' timestamp='1266250976' post='2252890']
[quote name='socrates' date='15 February 2010 - 10:49 AM' timestamp='1266248971' post='2252800']
I have no problem with people using staff bags, but there is a place to use them and places not to use them. Playing at your home course where everyone knows you is one thing or playing in a tournament where the weather might be iffy and you need a lot of space for all the clothing etc..., I have no problem with that. It is nice to have a bag like that. For me the best place for a staff bag is in the basement holding the clubs that are in the "Sin Bin".

However I think that bringing a staff bag to a resort course or another member friends course is the wrong place for it. I think it sends the wrong message to those you are playing with and those that have to service you (right from the pro-shop to the caddies). A good carry bag or a decent cart bag is all that is needed. Heck even the Tour Pro's use their small carry bags when they are out and about playing a casual game.
[/quote]

But that person with the staff bag may not be trying to send a message. He is just there to golf. The problem is the people trying to receive a message that isn't being sent.

Mr. Wolfe
[/quote]

But everything we do sends a message whether we want to or not. What clothes we wear, our hair style, how we carry ourselves, how we talk and what possessions we have on display - in this case - our golf equipment. It is in our nature to judge people (right or wrong) by their appearance more often than not that is the opinion we have of them until you get to know them on a personal level. There is a fine line between being seen as a person who is confident and approachable and one who is seen as arrogant and ostentatious.

[JofZ]

If you carry your bag or have a caddy carry your bag then a staff bag makes you and your caddy feel like you are a major ****** bag.
I laugh at everyone but MJ for carrying one, and MJ only rides the course and who would make fun out of MJ?
Everyone I know goes the complete opposite direction, walking bags under 4 lbs with as little as you can get away with.

Why in the world would you need one? If your game is that great then it should speak for itself, or maybe it's time for a pink belt and pant combo

[mat562]

I own several staff bags, and whilst they do make you feel a bit self-conscious when you use one, even if you're a decent player, there are many reasons why they are practical and useful in certain circumstances. If you use a trolley, motorised or otherwise, or typically play from a cart, they make perfect sense. The extra space is useful for carrying cold weather or waterproof gear, and I occasionally break a big bag out in the winter or when I'm visiting the practice ground. I welcome the extra carrying capacity, particularly in inclement weather or when it's hot and you're able to carry drinks for the entire group. To my eyes, cart bags look awful, and I'd much rather use a staff bag than some misshapen thing with an awkward divider system as seems to be the case with most cart bags.

Putting a name on a bag, staff or otherwise, is a definite no go area for me though. There's no reason for an amateur golfer to need his name emblazoned on a bag in my opinion, and it's traditionally been frowned upon by the governing bodies in my part of the world, even for top level amateur play or team competition. A monickered bag is something that invariably draws negative comment where I play, and most people shy away from the things to avoid the negative connotations. Even though a staff bag always looks 'wrong' without a name on it, I'll have to put up with it as I'm never going to be putting my name on any of mine.

[Mr_Wolfe]

[quote name='socrates' date='15 February 2010 - 12:25 PM' timestamp='1266254750' post='2253028']
[quote name='Mr. Wolfe' date='15 February 2010 - 10:22 AM' timestamp='1266250976' post='2252890']
[quote name='socrates' date='15 February 2010 - 10:49 AM' timestamp='1266248971' post='2252800']
I have no problem with people using staff bags, but there is a place to use them and places not to use them. Playing at your home course where everyone knows you is one thing or playing in a tournament where the weather might be iffy and you need a lot of space for all the clothing etc..., I have no problem with that. It is nice to have a bag like that. For me the best place for a staff bag is in the basement holding the clubs that are in the "Sin Bin".

However I think that bringing a staff bag to a resort course or another member friends course is the wrong place for it. I think it sends the wrong message to those you are playing with and those that have to service you (right from the pro-shop to the caddies). A good carry bag or a decent cart bag is all that is needed. Heck even the Tour Pro's use their small carry bags when they are out and about playing a casual game.
[/quote]

But that person with the staff bag may not be trying to send a message. He is just there to golf. The problem is the people trying to receive a message that isn't being sent.

Mr. Wolfe
[/quote]

But everything we do sends a message whether we want to or not. What clothes we wear, our hair style, how we carry ourselves, how we talk and what possessions we have on display - in this case - our golf equipment. It is in our nature to judge people (right or wrong) by their appearance more often than not that is the opinion we have of them until you get to know them on a personal level. There is a fine line between being seen as a person who is confident and approachable and one who is seen as arrogant and ostentatious.



[/quote]

I hear what you are saying, I honestly do. But I know people (mostly older gentlemen) who use staff bags and don't even follow golf. They love playing golf and have no idea they are being judged by their bags; let alone they probably don't even know they are tour bags. They are just big bags that carry all of their necessities, etc. (Bengay or what have you) But seriously, these are the nicest guys you know and you have people judging them and saying, "oh they think they are so great." That is not their thoughts AT ALL. They just want a big bag to carry all of their stuff. That is all the thought they put into selecting their bag. I see no problem with it though I use a stand bag. Just my 2 cents.

Mr. Wolfe

[amerza18]

[quote name='DL5treez' date='12 February 2010 - 11:12 PM' timestamp='1266034321' post='2248021']
Who should use a staff bag?

Anybody who wants to.


It's just a bag.
[/quote]
+1, but I probably wouldn't get one. Just don't want the added pressure on my game.

[Hateto3Putt]

Again this topic is getting beat to death?

 

Does anybody really care what someone else carries their clubs in?

 

Really?

 

As long as you don't ask me to lug the thing around for you, it makes no difference to me what you do with your clubs.

 

 

 

[Midnightexpress]

some very good points here on both sides... unfortunatly i feel it would bring unwanted attention to my game other than someone saying thats a cool looking bag. for one i am a Titleist loyalist and i like a larger bag. the standard cart bag for 2009 that i currently own just looks blah... but the look of the S82 and S83 Staff bags look awesome. i would go with the 9.5 inch version based on looks and space i would have in that bag. Theres nothing really in the middle between the two bags. i for one would not put my name on it or anything crazy like that and i wouldnt bring it to a course to make a statement about my game other than im pretty proud of my Titleist gear.

[DEGOINS]

What the he!! does a bag have to do with your game?! Does that mean I can only buy a sports car if I'm a proffessional racer? Some people need to get off of their high horses and mind their own business. Buy what you like and can afford, who gives a crap what some pompous a$$hole thinks!

[JLTES]

[quote]But that person with the staff bag may not be trying to send a message. He is just there to golf. The problem is the people trying to receive a message that isn't being sent.

Mr. Wolfe
[/quote]

+1,000,000 .......otherwise companies shouldn't be allowed to make a staff bag unless they want to sponsor you and put your name on it for you......in the end who gives a ....

[DaBouge]

I said this a few times before.

Who can use a staff bag? is just like saying who can drive a Mercedes.. Anybody who wants to.

[The Hawkeye]

I have a staff bag for when I go on golf trips with my buddies. Just put everything in there...I mean everything. I got rain stuff, balls galore, food & even beverages for the day (we play double rounds), video camera, towels, dry socks/shirt/shorts, shoes for second round, first aid, GPS, laser, carry other guy's stuff even. And on just about every trip at some point I will use all that stuff. I have been caught in a downpour in Myrtle and just changed in the bathroom between nines. I love it.

Now, at home, I have a cart bag that use for a riding cart or my push cart. I quit carrying my bag 10 years ago when I was playing an MGA tournament and the guy who won (who is now on the PGA tour) was using a push cart (allowed) with a massive faux leather Ping staff bag. I thought, if that dude can push, I can push.


My favorite way to play golf is to walk though...so if Myrtle didn't require riding carts on most courses I wouldn't own the staff bag (and it doesn't really fit on my Sun Mountain push cart).

[NikeNutt]

FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, for the past few years I have bought, tried, tested, sold, re-bought, used, and given away too many bags to count. What I have found, that works for me and me alone, is a staff bag. This is neither an endorsement for, nor harsh critique of, any fellow golfers particular bag or lifestyle choice.

Stand bags are great for carrying back forth to the range, but for actually using on the course and transporting clubs for 3 to 5 miles, are just a pain in the back, shoulders, etc. I'm just getting too old to go on forced marches as a pack mule.

Cart bags...hmmmm. I really never found myself gravitating to any of these. Most seemed to be poorly made or poorly designed. If I had one set up to work on my speed mountain it then didn't work quite right on a riding cart. Then carrying it back and forth to the range just turned out to be a an exercise in frustration.

I have finally settled on a Mizuno Staff Bag 9.5 inch top. It will hold practically anything I want to put in it. My clubs don't get tangled going in or out. Because of the wide single strap it is easy to transport to the range. I can either stand it up or lay it down. When it gets dirty it's easy to clean with soap and water. It fits just fine on my Speed Cart and works like a champ on a riding cart. I don't have to place it sideways or keep adjusting it because of it slipping and sliding as the round progresses. It also offers great protection when traveling.

Now, I realize that by using a staff bag I will invite harsh criticism, whispered comments of "Poser", and probably a two stroke penalty. To the haters I say, "Pfffft!" I ask, who are the real posers in the golfing community? I believe it's the guys/gals who carry. Elite college players and top amateurs carry their clubs (usually in a Ping Hoofer) so it is you, you club carriers who are posing. If you don't have the game of these elite players then why do carry? For your health? Posh, I say! If you added another 50lbs to your bag and ran 18 holes then maybe. Do you carry so as to enjoy the great outdoors? Ha, I laugh at you!

If you really want to enjoy the great outdoors strap a big ol' staff bag loaded with snacks, sandwiches, drinks, 10lbs of ice, eleventy umpteen clubs, 6 dozen balls, 8 gloves, three hats, 152 tees, two extra pairs of shoes, rain gear, umbrella, sunscreen, bug repellent, rangefinder, gps unit, extra batteries, ball retriever, iron covers, divot repair tool and spares, 7 ball markers of all different colors, two pens, a few dozen pencils with erasers of course, un-used rule book, an extra change of clothes, 9 lighters, a humidor, and 27 circus clowns, to the back of a cart. Then light up a stogie, step on the pedal and race your friends to the next tee.

All of the above is stated with tongue firmly planted in cheek. FWIW, IMHO, YMMV.

[Greenie]

[quote name='NikeNutt' date='14 March 2010 - 02:13 PM' timestamp='1268590384' post='2315173']
FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, for the past few years I have bought, tried, tested, sold, re-bought, used, and given away too many bags to count. What I have found, that works for me and me alone, is a staff bag. This is neither an endorsement for, nor harsh critique of, any fellow golfers particular bag or lifestyle choice.

Stand bags are great for carrying back forth to the range, but for actually using on the course and transporting clubs for 3 to 5 miles, are just a pain in the back, shoulders, etc. I'm just getting too old to go on forced marches as a pack mule.

Cart bags...hmmmm. I really never found myself gravitating to any of these. Most seemed to be poorly made or poorly designed. If I had one set up to work on my speed mountain it then didn't work quite right on a riding cart. Then carrying it back and forth to the range just turned out to be a an exercise in frustration.

I have finally settled on a Mizuno Staff Bag 9.5 inch top. It will hold practically anything I want to put in it. My clubs don't get tangled going in or out. Because of the wide single strap it is easy to transport to the range. I can either stand it up or lay it down. When it gets dirty it's easy to clean with soap and water. It fits just fine on my Speed Cart and works like a champ on a riding cart. I don't have to place it sideways or keep adjusting it because of it slipping and sliding as the round progresses. It also offers great protection when traveling.

Now, I realize that by using a staff bag I will invite harsh criticism, whispered comments of "Poser", and probably a two stroke penalty. To the haters I say, "Pfffft!" I ask, who are the real posers in the golfing community? I believe it's the guys/gals who carry. Elite college players and top amateurs carry their clubs (usually in a Ping Hoofer) so it is you, you club carriers who are posing. If you don't have the game of these elite players then why do carry? For your health? Posh, I say! If you added another 50lbs to your bag and ran 18 holes then maybe. Do you carry so as to enjoy the great outdoors? Ha, I laugh at you!

If you really want to enjoy the great outdoors strap a big ol' staff bag loaded with snacks, sandwiches, drinks, 10lbs of ice, eleventy umpteen clubs, 6 dozen balls, 8 gloves, three hats, 152 tees, two extra pairs of shoes, rain gear, umbrella, sunscreen, bug repellent, rangefinder, gps unit, extra batteries, ball retriever, iron covers, divot repair tool and spares, 7 ball markers of all different colors, two pens, a few dozen pencils with erasers of course, un-used rule book, an extra change of clothes, 9 lighters, a humidor, and 27 circus clowns, to the back of a cart. Then light up a stogie, step on the pedal and race your friends to the next tee.

All of the above is stated with tongue firmly planted in cheek. FWIW, IMHO, YMMV.
[/quote]


We Sir , it appears that you either carry the same things I do in my staff bag or you have seen mine..LOL....The message I want to send is that I am always prepared for anything..If someone wants to think I am a poser then let them think I am a 36 hole poser.

[9ccat9]

If you are the only one going to handle the bag then use what you want. I work summers at a CC and the staff bags and even the huge cart bags that have 3 dz golf balls in them are just the worst. Pulling them off the top racks and taking them to the carts....painful. If someone shows at the club with a large bag and wants a caddie we will attempt to trade the bag out. The pros at the club just use staff bags as a for sale bag holder in the shop. That seems like the best use for them!

[joecollege]

[quote name='NikeNutt' date='14 March 2010 - 02:13 PM' timestamp='1268590384' post='2315173']
FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, for the past few years I have bought, tried, tested, sold, re-bought, used, and given away too many bags to count. What I have found, that works for me and me alone, is a staff bag. This is neither an endorsement for, nor harsh critique of, any fellow golfers particular bag or lifestyle choice.

Stand bags are great for carrying back forth to the range, but for actually using on the course and transporting clubs for 3 to 5 miles, are just a pain in the back, shoulders, etc. I'm just getting too old to go on forced marches as a pack mule.

Cart bags...hmmmm. I really never found myself gravitating to any of these. Most seemed to be poorly made or poorly designed. If I had one set up to work on my speed mountain it then didn't work quite right on a riding cart. Then carrying it back and forth to the range just turned out to be a an exercise in frustration.

I have finally settled on a Mizuno Staff Bag 9.5 inch top. It will hold practically anything I want to put in it. My clubs don't get tangled going in or out. Because of the wide single strap it is easy to transport to the range. I can either stand it up or lay it down. When it gets dirty it's easy to clean with soap and water. It fits just fine on my Speed Cart and works like a champ on a riding cart. I don't have to place it sideways or keep adjusting it because of it slipping and sliding as the round progresses. It also offers great protection when traveling.

Now, I realize that by using a staff bag I will invite harsh criticism, whispered comments of "Poser", and probably a two stroke penalty. To the haters I say, "Pfffft!" I ask, who are the real posers in the golfing community? I believe it's the guys/gals who carry. Elite college players and top amateurs carry their clubs (usually in a Ping Hoofer) so it is you, you club carriers who are posing. If you don't have the game of these elite players then why do carry? For your health? Posh, I say! If you added another 50lbs to your bag and ran 18 holes then maybe. Do you carry so as to enjoy the great outdoors? Ha, I laugh at you!

If you really want to enjoy the great outdoors strap a big ol' staff bag loaded with snacks, sandwiches, drinks, 10lbs of ice, eleventy umpteen clubs, 6 dozen balls, 8 gloves, three hats, 152 tees, two extra pairs of shoes, rain gear, umbrella, sunscreen, bug repellent, rangefinder, gps unit, extra batteries, ball retriever, iron covers, divot repair tool and spares, 7 ball markers of all different colors, two pens, a few dozen pencils with erasers of course, un-used rule book, an extra change of clothes, 9 lighters, a humidor, and 27 circus clowns, to the back of a cart. Then light up a stogie, step on the pedal and race your friends to the next tee.

All of the above is stated with tongue firmly planted in cheek. FWIW, IMHO, YMMV.
[/quote]

Well said Sir!