My New McKennon Bag

[rlheiman]

Retro Cool

Mckennon Leather Golf Bag

Guaranteed to be Retro Cool

Any golfer over age 30 can remember back to the days of persimmon, blades, balata balls and the single strap carry bag. Those were different days in the game of golf. There weren’t so many choices, options, or technology; it was just simpler back then. Sometimes it is fun to get out some of that old gear sitting around in the basement or the garage to look at and reminisce about the olden days. But quite honestly, when it comes to equipment, I don’t have any plans of going back; hitting some of those clubs was just too difficult. But I do enjoy the looks of the old carry bag. So if you do too, Mike McKennon guarantees to make you the retro bag you want. His guarantee is on everything, from when you get it and for the life of the bag, it is all covered.



So after my initial contact we settled on a color scheme for my bag. I love the look of a mostly white bag, so I convinced Mike to track down some good white leather for my bag. To really make the bag pop we added some accenting red and black leathers. With the number of bags he has posted on his website you can get all the details figured out right over the emails back and forth. Over the course of the 2 months in production he kept me informed of how the bag was coming and sent some pictures off as samples and to top it all off I learned that he does all the riveting and final approval on each bag himself.



I had been looking forward to the arrival of this bag for weeks, and when it showed up I was even more impressed with it than I thought I might be. It is simply stunning. The white leather looks amazing and the red leather straps and head covers look fantastic. The black bottom and trim pieces just make for a perfect combo.





So off to the course I went with a few questions. It had been years since I carried a bag like this, how would it hold up, how would I hold up and how would I adjust to setting my bag down and picking it up all the time? For my first round I decided to just do 9 holes at the local course. After sticking all 14 of my clubs in the 7.5” bag with a single divider I realized they all fit just fine. I loaded up the 2 pockets with a couple of essentials. Balls and tees in the main ball pocket and a couple of extra gloves and accessories in the other pocket. The zippers work great and have nice long leather tassels to make it easy to zip and unzip the pockets. The leather shoulder strap has a nice padded sueded area to grip on the shoulder. The buckle adjusts the length of the strap for just the right balance point. I also found a clever way to hold my rangefinder on the strap.



At first it was a little distracting to pick up the bag put it on my shoulder then set it down each time and get out my clubs, but most of that is just because I wasn’t used to it. I have used a Clicgear pushcart for years. While the clubs to tend do bind a little bit when removing them from the bag, it wasn’t too difficult, even modern multi-slot bags have binding issues too. I was a little concerned if the rivets that were sticking out of the divider would scratch up my clubs, but after 5 rounds I couldn’t find a mark on any of my clubs. I also found very little bag chatter because there was no space for the clubs to move around, they were just stacked on each other.



The second round was better and worse at the same time. I was much more comfortable carrying my bag. I got used to how it worked and my shoulder and back were fine with the weight, but it happened to be 90* that day and crazy humid. Even pushing a cart would have been brutal, so by the time I was done with 18 holes, I was wiped out. The good news is that with all that sweat, there was no color bleed or issues with the leather. The next morning it was dry and still looked like new.

Three more rounds, the bag is still clean and fresh. I’m getting more and more comfortable going back to carrying a single strap bag like I used too. It weighs in at 4.5 pounds so it is not a featherweight, but by no means heavy. The strap padding is extra thick and the balance point seems very good too.




The matching head covers are the barrel style that covers down far enough to protect some of the shaft. They are lined with a very soft felt and have an elastic cinch in middle keep them securely attached to the club.

This bag has received numerous comments and compliments. While it is not for everyone, I know many golfers that can’t carry their bag, or don’t have the resources to afford a custom leather bag, but if you miss and long for the bags of the past, Mike McKennon offers an excellent warranty and unbelievable customer service. He not only emails you to check up, but also gives a follow up phone call to make sure everything is OK. You’re guaranteed to get it on time or it is free. Your bag is guaranteed for life, and it is simply guaranteed to be retro cool.

[bgbull]

Good for you and what a great looking bag! After years of a pullcart, I to have gone back to the simple pleasure of a light carry bag and finding the joy in golf again. Enjoy your bag for many more years to come.

Bernie

[rjklein4470]

very nice bag. Watch the back of those rivits, it looks like they could scratch your shafts...

[rlheiman]

[quote name='rjklein4470' timestamp='1282861707' post='2663996']
very nice bag. Watch the back of those rivits, it looks like they could scratch your shafts...
[/quote]

This is a concern of mine too. I have 5 rounds in so far and no scratches, but I think I might wrap them or cover them just to be on the safe side.

[carlspakler]

I was thinking about this, and they have a "dip" to regrip tools that comes in a can. You might be able to use this to cover the rivits

[o_man]

Very sharp! Brings back memories of my first bag -- no legs, setting it on the ground for each shot. Any issues with moisture on the bag or clubs.

[i]"At first it was a little distracting to pick up the bag put it on my shoulder then set it down each time and get out my clubs, but most of that is just because I wasn't used to it. "[/i]
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[rlheiman]

[quote name='o_man' timestamp='1283127279' post='2667592']
Very sharp! Brings back memories of my first bag -- no legs, setting it on the ground for each shot. Any issues with moisture on the bag or clubs.

[i]"At first it was a little distracting to pick up the bag put it on my shoulder then set it down each time and get out my clubs, but most of that is just because I wasn't used to it. "[/i]
[center]

[/center]
[/quote]

I haven't noticed any moisture problems. I've only played a round or two when it was damp and didn't seem stick to the bag at all. The leather seems very repelant to dirt and water. I'm sure on a rainy day or really heavy dew it might soak in some. I've got a couple of other bags around, so if it was going to be one of those days, I'd probably just throw the clubs in the other bag.

[Pepperturbo]

Takes all types to make the world go around.

[rlheiman]

I just read that McKennon Bag Company is working with the caddies at Bandon Dunes to create a new line of bags designed by the caddies and for the caddies. It sounds really cool. Sounds like they won't be leather bags, but rather a tough functional carry bag from the guys who carry the most.

[Villadsen]

[quote name='rlheiman' timestamp='1282862298' post='2664007']
[quote name='rjklein4470' timestamp='1282861707' post='2663996']
very nice bag. Watch the back of those rivits, it looks like they could scratch your shafts...
[/quote]

This is a concern of mine too. I have 5 rounds in so far and no scratches, but I think I might wrap them or cover them just to be on the safe side.
[/quote]

Maybe McKennon should take another good hard "inspirational" look at MacKenzies bags and learn how its done properly...

[blades1960]

That's funny because as I write I am trying to decide between a MacKenzie or McKennon bag.

[rlheiman]

[quote name='blades1960' timestamp='1289480559' post='2785224']
That's funny because as I write I am trying to decide between a MacKenzie or McKennon bag.
[/quote]

I don't think you would be disappointed with either one. That said McKennon is a little cheaper, lifetime guarantee and very good to work with. I think both companies use rivets on their divider.

[EastPhillyReppin]

I dont know about you guys but isnt it funny how similar this bag is to the Mackenzie bag? Even the logo is quite similar....This is a little shady if you ask me

[blades1960]

Tough call. I'm in the tire business so competition for the exact same product sold on the same block for less money is commonplace. In this case you have two distinctly different sets of hands/minds putting together a bag the way they see fit. Its up to the consumer to do their homework and decide which bag/company is right for them. Maybe its years in business or reputation. For others it might be weight or perceived leather quality.

If the product is good and consumers buy it competition is inevitable. Why would someone buy a Michelin from Costco for $10 less than a local tire retailer, MONEY! But do they know that the kid installing the tire at Costco was selling womens bras last month. (that's actually true, they rotate dept. to stay fresh). To some customers money is all that matters for others its a more involved process. I tend to dig deeper than most and do some research. For better or worse I eventually find one thing that finalizes my decision. With these bags I'm not there yet. I did send out two emails to MacKenzie and got and error message both times from his server (or mine). Hey that happens. Next I'll give a call and see where that takes me. In the end competition is good it just makes the consumer and seller work harder, not a bad thing.

Mahalo

[ballcards23]

Cool bag. Bet its expensive

[Bobcat 2]

I had the same bag and have a similar type leaher bag from Iliac Golf. I never use them they are just way too heavy to me to use. Plus over 18 holes I prefer the double strap system in the lightest Sun Mountain line.

[SpinMill75]

Awesome looking bag.

 

Just a question though......do you only use it on nice days? I wouldn't want it to get wet/dirty by laying it on the ground.

 

Thanks for the pics!

[dan360]

[quote name='TiGaTigaWoodsYall' timestamp='1289484646' post='2785286']
I dont know about you guys but isnt it funny how similar this bag is to the Mackenzie bag? Even the logo is quite similar....This is a little shady if you ask me
[/quote]

I don't know about you but isn't it funny how similar the MacKenzie bag is to every other single strap leather carry bag from about 1902-1980....particularly the Jones bags, which McKennon owns for the record....This is a little ridiculous to keep dragging up if you ask me.

[rlheiman]

Awesome looking bag.

 

Just a question though......do you only use it on nice days? I wouldn't want it to get wet/dirty by laying it on the ground.

 

Thanks for the pics!

 

I don't use it in bad weather. It might be fine, but I just don't see the point in possibly messing it up.

[KDMullins]

I just don't understand the allure of these bags. They're small, but with the leather, they've got to be heavy relative to their size (so it kind of defeats the purpose of the minimalistic nature of the bag). They appear to have very few pockets (I know these bags historically probably just had a single pocket, but why anybody would chose that nowadays is beyond me). With respect to this particular bag, the rivet issue seems to be a design defect (meaning it just wasn't very well thought out). These days, a lot of guys (including myself) have $500-$1000 of graphite in their bag...not a chance I'd put my sticks in there with what appears to be exposed metal.

I don't know. Maybe I'm being too hard on it, but for me...

retro headcovers = cool
retro bag = not that cool

[dan360]

[quote name='KDMullins' timestamp='1289517356' post='2786144']
I just don't understand the allure of these bags. They're small, but with the leather, they've got to be heavy relative to their size (so it kind of defeats the purpose of the minimalistic nature of the bag). They appear to have very few pockets (I know these bags historically probably just had a single pocket, but why anybody would chose that nowadays is beyond me). With respect to this particular bag, the rivet issue seems to be a design defect (meaning it just wasn't very well thought out). These days, a lot of guys (including myself) have $500-$1000 of graphite in their bag...not a chance I'd put my sticks in there with what appears to be exposed metal.

I don't know. Maybe I'm being too hard on it, but for me...

retro headcovers = cool
retro bag = not that cool
[/quote]


..that style of exposed rivet does bug me as well. My bag is an older version of the MacKenzie and uses a different style of rivet that doesn't protrude like that. Not sure what MacKenzie or Iliac are using at this point.

They weigh around the 6 pound mark, and aren't as small as they look. The standard size has two pockets; the smaller pocket can hold a dozen balls, tees, gloves, spare pieces & parts, and the larger pocket can easily hold rain gear, rangefinder, spare towel....basically everything you would need can be put in one. The total weight of course will go up.

For a lot of people--myself included--it is a way to go back to what we started with. When I first began playing golf in 1987, this style of carry bag was pretty much all that was available. Until the Pings redefined the carry bag, it seemed like everyone had a Jones single strap bag like these.

Is it simpler? Is it 'better'? Hard to say. I had a Mizuno Scratch Sac as well that I just replaced with an Aerolite Micro to get the advantage of a stand in the winter. I really like it, but using the retro bag is pretty cool, too.

To each their own I suppose.

[tigerfan23]

im not a retro guy at all but that bag looks pretty sweet!

[TMBob]

Cool, but I want to know more about your rangefinder.....is that thw GX-3 with the Red lighting?

[BC7]

Could you post more pic's of your bag after a summers use? I'm interested in getting a white leather walker, but am concerned it'll get really dirty.

Thanks