Equipment
Caddies change out staff bags for something lighter
It’s a grind for PGA Tour caddies to carry around a fully loaded staff bag for four days straight of competition — especially in the hot Arizona sun.
Caddies for TaylorMade staff players will have an easier time this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. They’ll be carrying TaylorMade’s new Supreme Hybrid carry bag instead of their usual TMag staff bags.
The new Supreme Hybrid bag weighs just 5.3 pounds and has a four-point adjustable shoulder strap, 10 pockets for storage and a 14-way top with two slots, which fit any oversized putter grip.
Good thing the PGA Tour banned caddy races a few years back. If it hadn’t, losing caddies would claim that TaylorMade caddies had a competitive advantage due to their lighter bags.
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
What’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
Memorial Tournament Tour Report: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young switch up drivers, and more
Cadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
J.T. Poston’s winning WITB: 2026 Memorial Tournament
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
Best irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Hannah Green WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana RB 53 S 3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees,...
Asterisk Talley WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 S 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (16.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Brianna Do WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 3-wood: Callaway Elyte Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 5-wood:...
-
Equipment6 days agoMemorial Tournament Tour Report: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young switch up drivers, and more
-
News1 week agoRussell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
-
Whats in the Bag3 days agoJ.T. Poston’s winning WITB: 2026 Memorial Tournament
-
Equipment3 days agoBest irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
-
Equipment1 week agoDetails on Jason Day’s latest prototype Avoda iron setup
-
Equipment3 weeks agoCJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
-
News2 weeks agoCharles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
-
Equipment2 weeks agoDetails on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
Pingback: Caddies sue PGA Tour over bibs - Trendingnewsz.com
Bert
Feb 3, 2015 at 10:34 am
Played at an over-the-top course this summer and my assigned caddie immediately wanted to transfer my equipment and other items in my Sun Mountain Sync to his lightweight carry bag. What? A Sync Bag isn’t lightweight enough? No it’s plenty light; he wanted to double bag. What a joke and a scam on the player. Next time I’ll carry my own bag.
This topic seems to be an “advertisement” in disguise.
Sargio_Gercia
Feb 1, 2015 at 2:03 am
Old Skool staff bags the way forward… They beat out the haters and have room for all my shizzle for the 36-hole club championship. Red White and Blue Hogan staff. It’s the boss. Why so serious, Golfers? Grip it and rip it, when the stand bag philistines are soaking wet and don’t have extra gloves, towels, rain gear and hot coffee, them who looks like the chumperoo now?!! The Haters Gonna Hate: Taylor Swift. I want to play a round with her.
Connor
Feb 13, 2015 at 3:05 am
(Happy Gilmore voice) …….Psycho.
Drew
Jan 30, 2015 at 11:52 am
That Taylor Made bag looks really close to Sun Mountain Four Five.
Tom
Feb 1, 2015 at 1:31 pm
I am Fairly sure Sun Mountain makes most of the carry bags for almost all manufacturers except Ping.
Paul
Feb 1, 2015 at 2:53 pm
I don’t believe they make bags forTitleist either anymore for 2015…
Bill
Jan 29, 2015 at 10:23 pm
Once you pick up a light carry bag with 14 clubs, 6 balls, and 12 tees you’ll never go back
bradford
Jan 29, 2015 at 11:38 am
using collective “your” here…this is not a personal attack
Shawn K
Jan 28, 2015 at 10:37 pm
I think it is ridiculous they still carry those heavy staff bags.
Good for the caddies!
Jeff
Jan 28, 2015 at 10:37 pm
I love the staff bag, not this carry bag. And if it’s too tough to carry then I’ll carry it for 10% of $500,000 for four days. Us regular guys can’t pull the staff bag off because it looks ostentatious, but it’s almost a rite of passage for the Tour. You make the Tour and you get a sweet staff bag. If I want to see stand bags with names on the ball pouch I’ll go watch the high school match down the road.
Joshua
Jan 29, 2015 at 10:23 am
I don’t think staff bags are great for caddies backs, a lot of weight on one shoulder.
Double Mocha Man
Jan 29, 2015 at 10:39 am
I say let ’em have push carts!
Why does anyone care?
Jan 28, 2015 at 9:54 pm
It is just flat ridiculous that anyone thinks an amateur shouldn’t/doesn’t deserve to/isn’t good enough to use a staff bag. I’m so tired of hearing that nonsense on this forum. I played professional baseball for 9 years and never cared one bit if some beer league softball player sported the exact glove I used, or the exact cleats, let alone a bag. I didn’t pay for any of my stuff, they did… It’s their money.
For someone who rides every round, I think it’s silly not to have a staff bag if you can afford it. They offer so many benefits over a stand bag or cart bag. The biggest being that they will actually stand up without falling over, unlike a cart bag. They also carry everything I could possibly need in a round, including room for an umbrella, a jacket, rain gear or anything else, unlike a stand bag
Using a staff bag doesn’t mean you are calling yourself a pro golfer anymore than using “tour issue” clubs, like so many here do. People who are solid golfers and say things like “I’m a X handicap and have no business carrying a staff bag” aren’t giving respect to pro golfers, they are insulting people who decided to spend their money on a piece of equipment that is sold AT RETAIL!
I’d be willing to bet a lot that if you polled the PGA field about this, the vast majority wouldn’t care in any way shape or form. A staff bag isn’t something you earn, it’s something you buy, and if you are good enough to be a pro golfer, it’s something they give you.
Camryn
Jan 29, 2015 at 12:57 am
Good note. Can’t stand pretentious Golfers. That’s exactly why the rate of players is declining. “Elitism?” Golf in some aspects is, in Rodney Dangerfield’s best voice, “A crummy Snobatorium.”
Jafar
Jan 29, 2015 at 9:50 am
That is an awesome way to put it.
bradford
Jan 29, 2015 at 11:36 am
Sure, everyone has a “right” to play with one, but what’s the point? Perhaps I’m a purist, but I can’t see the need to carry 3 outfits, 2 umbrella’s, 4 types of rangefinders, 36 golf balls, a twelve pack, and 200 golf tees. I can’t see the need for any non-professional to have one. Staff bags are designed to be carried by a caddie, and the size is based on the need to carry everything one might need in a tournament. The average player never sees a caddie, and is never disqualified if he needs to buy a sleeve at the turn.
So, sure, buy one and throw it on your golf cart with your 30 pack. You have every right, but it looks ridiculous.
Matt
Feb 1, 2015 at 9:14 am
I have a staff bag and love it. I only use it on the cart and as the article suggests, it’d be a pain to lug it around 18 holes. But the looks are better, it seems more durable and I’ve got more than enough storage than I’ll ever need. I don’t care if people think I’m pretentious – it’s my game and I’ll play with whatever I please.
Just an opinion on bags....
Jan 28, 2015 at 8:00 pm
I wish I could have the room of a staff bag, but without all of the logos….I don’t wanna be that guy, I only play to an 8 and have no business carrying a staff bag. I do like those new titleist stand/staff bags, and TMAG’s TMX bag. I thought the more slots the more organized, I find everything gets tangled, prefer the 6 way top, and allow my clubs to be faster outta the bag. May sound silly, but I find myself wasting time untangling sticks in bags that are supposed to keep everything in it’s own slot. Better off sucking it up, letting them bang around and deal with some chatter marks.
gvogel
Jan 28, 2015 at 7:54 pm
I like it. Maybe more guys buy smaller bags, take some of the clubs out, and walk more often.
Most of us are way too obese.
8thehardway
Jan 28, 2015 at 7:06 pm
Great marketing move, sure to generate looks and comments. Was Vapor-ish green accent a coincidence?
Ben
Jan 28, 2015 at 8:58 pm
It’s green because of the Waste Management tournament. Their corporate colors are green. But I think the staffers will be carrying more black and white or red and black ones. Still a cool concept.
gerald
Jan 29, 2015 at 1:14 am
Taylormades corporate colors have never been green. For the longest time its been black/red/white
Graeme
Jan 29, 2015 at 5:02 am
That’s not what he said. The Waste Management tournament corporate colours are green, not TM’s.
Teaj
Jan 29, 2015 at 8:19 am
Blue?
Double Mocha Man
Jan 29, 2015 at 10:38 am
That would be “Seahawk neon green”. Came before Vapor.