Why Is Weight So Important in a Golf Stand Bag?

You’ve probably noticed by now that manufacturers of golf stand bags, and sellers of them, invest a lot of time and energy into broadcasting their claims about how light the bags are. It seems at this point like it’s only a matter of time until Titleist or Sun Mountain comes out with a golf stand bag with a negative weight rating. It’s one of the most hotly pushed features.

The reason for this emphasis might not be so apparent for golfers that traverse the course in the cushy seats of a golf cart, with their bag and all of their equipment in tow. The sport takes on a different facet when you walk the course, and so does the golf gear you need to bring along with you.

The reason for the mad dash to lighten stand bags has to do with how they are used, which can be plumbed further by a short investigation into the differences between stand bags and cart bags.

Golf Stand Bags vs. Golf Cart Bags

For players that golf within convenient reach of a golf cart, the weight of their gear is not the most important thing on their minds. It might not even register. Cart bags are rarely engineered for weight. Rather, they're engineered for convenience, which, in this instance, has to do with room and accessibility.

It seems as though manufacturers have put their efforts into designing cart bags that are as large as possible while remaining ergonomically designed to fit into the back of a golf cart. If it fits in the back of the cart, then the first item has been met.

After that, an important feature of a cart bag is in how much space it offers. It’s not uncommon to see gold cart bags that can accommodate quite a number of clubs and have upwards of ten pockets that offer up quite a lot of storage space.

It’s also not too outlandish to see cart bags that have a number of specialized pockets as well, such as those intended for the storage of valuables or range finders. Some cart bags even have cooler pockets, although these specialized features are not exclusive to them. Some stang bags have specialized pockets too; cart bags just have more of them.

Finally, a cart bag is typically designed so that all of the pockets face up when the bag is set in the back of a cart. This makes it easier for the golfer to access his gear without having to shift, roll, or otherwise manipulate the cart bag. It’s a nearly perfect system - but sometimes cart bags are heavy - nearly ten pounds.

For golfers that walk the course, this means also carrying their golf bag and their equipment. A heavy, bulky cart bag just won’t cut it in a situation like this. What these golfers need is a good stand bag - and to cut back on fatigue, a lightweight golf bag design is one of the most important features.

Many stand bags sacrifice a small measure of space in the name of weight. If a few pockets can be shed, so be it - the golfer can make use of all those golf clubs and golf equipment if he or she is too tired to finish the course, anyway.

In short, because golfers must carry their stand bags, they’re typically very lightweight. Some models come in at under 3 pounds unloaded.

It’s Not Entirely About Weight!

While the central feature of most golf stand bags is how light they are, there are some other features that define them.

In addition to being light, a great stand bag must also be easy to carry. Many stand bags accomplish this via the aid of special, padded, breathable shoulder strap systems and hip supports. These help to distribute the weight so that players can carry bags with less fatigue.

A quality stand bag must also have sturdy legs in addition to being lightweight. The reason for this should be obvious. They’re called stand bags for a reason - without a caddy or a cart, the player needs to be able to place that stand bag somewhere. Many stand bags have lightweight, folding carbon fiber legs that are strong, but fold up and out of the way when not in use.

Come Visit Us

You can dive much deeper into the design of some golf stand bags, but this pretty much covers the major points of why they need to be light and what other features they should offer. Of course, you can learn more about the features of stand bags in the collection on our website.

That said, we’d love to see you in our store in Dallas, Texas. If you’re really interested in learning more about stand bags, picking out the right model, or just getting familiar with one before you put money into it, come visit us in our retail location!