The Realization

If there’s one thing I’ve realized over the past handful of years, it’s that I’m very aware of how people put together their golf bag.  I suppose it comes with the territory of existing in the internet-golf-writer world.  Interestingly enough, though not surprising, I’m not the only one.  A common theme that comes up in the golf forums I frequent is “judging people by their bag setup” and I find myself being frighteningly aware of the same things as my fellow nerds/weirdos.

While some of this judgement is me just being a golf snob, I also frequently see people that bought all of their gear based on hype and not what’s best for them and their game.  Finally, after watching DRH’s own Thomas O’Connell make one weird/obnoxious hype decision after another with the make up of his golf bags, I decided it was time to provide some insight around putting together a good golf bag for you.

The Clubs

There are a lot of hot takes when it comes to putting the right clubs in the bag.  Many will tell you that there isn’t much that’s more intimidating than seeing some ratty old Mizuno MP-33s with worn out quarters on the face in your playing partner’s bag.  Then there’s the guy that shows up with the “sponsor” bag.  He has all the latest and greatest, top-end gear from a single brand, including all of the matching headcovers…and the bag.  Let me be clear, there’s nothing wrong with this, but more often than not, that’s the inner hype beast coming out.

The major point is you should have the right clubs in the bag that make you play the best golf you can.  Don’t be so vain that you HAVE to have tiny blades and Tour X-flex shafts “just like the real golfers play.”  Around here, we’re big proponents of testing and getting fit to achieve optimal performance with your gear.  This should be true for every single club in your bag putter through driver.  I’m not saying don’t have the latest and greatest clubs, just make sure you have the right clubs for you.

Let’s go back to the point of “matching clubs.”  Don’t be afraid to mix your brands!  While you may love a driver from one brand, maybe you hit another brand’s fairway woods better.  That’s fine, do it.  Same goes for your irons and wedges.  Unless you’re paid to play the gear or get a SICK deal on it, don’t be afraid to be brand agnostic with your clubs.

The Golf Bag

Golf bags are quietly an odd make-or-break area in equipment selection.  There are a handful of things to consider when deciding on what golf bag to pick up.  Get a bag that’s made well and will hold up to being thrown in a trunk, the garage, back of a cart, etc.  If you don’t plan on frequently replacing your bag, consider it an investment and be willing to spend a few extra dollars to guarantee you get high quality.  Also, what kind of golfer are you?  Do you almost exclusively ride or are you a loyal walker?  If you’re a walker, you need to get something with adequate storage, but still light enough to comfortably carry over 18 holes.

This next point, though, is my most important bag consideration.  Like the clubs, I am a huge proponent of carrying a brand agnostic golf bag.  Just because you have a bag full of the same brand of clubs doesn’t mean you need to carry their bag.  Don’t be an unpaid advertiser for the brand, but rather worry more about carrying a good golf bag.  If you’re like some of the guys on this site, chances are you’ll soon find yourself carrying a different brand of clubs anyway.  The good news is that there are some great non-club-brand bag companies out there and you won’t have to worry about looking like an actual driving range hero hype beast on the course.  Leave that to the professionals and the hacks.

Accessories

Though a much less significant subject to cover, the accessories not only make a statement, but quickly add up in extra weight/things to lose.  Let’s start with the stock headcovers.  Ditch these headcovers immediately.  First, see the point in the bags section.  You just paid $600 for that new driver.  Your job in advertising for the brand is done.  Second, those cool looking OEM covers just say, “hey, this club is under me, come and take it.”  You know what the easiest way to get a Scotty Cameron putter stolen is?  Put a Scotty Cameron cover on it.

In this day and age, there are a ton of replacement headcover options.  You can buy something fun off the shelf at your local store, support your club, or just go generic.  You can even get real nuts and have all sorts of different headcovers made that express your style in a truly unique way.  Headcovers are one of the first things to be noticed and often create great conversations.  For this reason alone, I often rotate in my Arby’s curly fries cover as well as my giant turtle driver cover.

Let’s not forget towels.  Get yourself a good durable towel that you won’t be afraid to get nice and dirty and will hold up to abuse.  In fact, you don’t even need to get a fancy high-tech golf towel.  The best golf towels are old bath or gym towels in my opinion.  Of course, this is another good area to express your personality, but a good towel or two is important so be smart about it.  Pro tip: carry a towel for your clubs and another towel just for your face and hands.

Conclusion

Should you take plenty of the things I said above with a grain of salt?  Absolutely, but honestly, I feel like a lot of the points I made about putting together your best golf bag are actually legitimately good advice.  Are there exceptions to the rules?  Certainly, and I fully acknowledge and accept that.  I also accept that none of this is really that big of a deal and to each their own.

So often I run into people more worried about their equipment brands matching or buying a certain shaft because it matches the color of their driver head.  I can’t tell you how often I hear, “well, I need to buy [brand x] wedges because I play [brand x] woods and irons” or something along those lines.  “I have [brand x] clubs so I need to carry a [brand x] bag.”  If you’re a paid or sponsored player, I 100% agree.  If you’re not, no you don’t.  Play the equipment that makes you play your best game and is the most comfortable to survive a long day of golf.