Equipment

The great bag debate, Part 3: Stand or no stand

Published

6 years ago

May 6, 2020

Welcome to the third and final installment of the great bag debate: stand or no stand.

We kicked off the series with top divider systems, and it became an interesting topic to follow since every golfer has his/her own preference for organizing clubs and the accessories.

As far as divider systems go, the market is littered with options—from minimalist all the way up to a full 14. We narrowed it down to the most popular four and the poll results can be found below.

This led me down a path into the culture surrounding carry bags and what people are really looking for when they carry their clubs. In a way, it’s kind of like shopping for a car: you pick the style you are looking for, analyze the available brands, price points, and options, test for fit, comfort, and cargo area, then scrutinize the details of every button, clasp, and handle until to choose your winner.

Just like with picking a set of new clubs, you should take the time to make sure you are getting exactly what you want.

Part two: Single or double-strap?

The subject of straps is easier to tackle because there are only two options: one strap or two, and the bags they are attached to often mirror their approach with single straps more akin to being minimal, and dual straps for larger designs—although there are plenty of smaller bags with a dual strap option too.

You may assume the easy way to settle this would be to purchase a dual strap bag and only use the one strap but just like Channing Tatum in “21 Jump Street,” “two strapping” isn’t for everyone.

Some companies do offer both strap options interchangeably on the same bag, and they are some of the most popular designs. So, if you are on the fence keep an eye out for those next time you are shopping for a bag.

I remain a neutral party since I walk with both a dual strap and single strap bags depending on the day, but GolfWRXers certainly had their voices heard and dual strap won in a landslide 3-1 vote.

After dividers and straps, there is only one more place to go when it comes to figuring out what you want in a bag and that is the stand.

Part 3: Stand or no stand

This could be the most polarizing of the three debates, especially considering the growing popularity of golfer playing less than 14 clubs (long live the half set). Using fewer clubs doesn’t automatically mean you shouldn’t use a stand bag, but considering one of the main goals is to reduce weight when carrying, the stand is usually the first thing to go.

Now, if weight management and a stand are still a priority, there are very lightweight stand bags already available under three pounds—and more to come—like the Ping Craz-E-Lite (below). But for those seeking the most minimalistic option, a stand is still something many won’t even consider.

On the other hand, the biggest pro-stand argument is from those who play early mornings when dew is at its peak: having a stand can be a necessity to assist keeping clubs dry and off the ground. The counterpoint is many of today’s modern stand-less bags are fully waterproof or have a waterproof belly to keep grips and anything else in the bag nice and dry regardless of the ground conditions.

Just like with the previous single vs. dual strap debate, I am lucky to own both styles and use them equally depending on where, when, and how I plan on playing. To me, fewer clubs late in the day means I’ll be going stand-less to minimize weight, while early morning for a more competitive round I prefer a stand to keep things off the ground and carry a few extra pieces of gear just in case.

Whatever side of the debate you “stand” on, we want to hear from you!

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Ryan Barath

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

22 Comments

Looey

May 7, 2020 at 9:16 am

Sun mountain 2.5 is almost perfect. Plenty of room. Plenty of pockets. And as long as you don’t fill up the pockets, the bag is very light. It has a double strap which in my opinion should be more easily convertible to a single strap.
However, the original Joannes bag with just three pockets and adequate room for a full or almost full set is perfect even though it has no stand. The single strap is well padded and can easily be carried for nine or 18 holes. Score is a 10 on the coolness scale!

Reply Report comment
15th Club

May 6, 2020 at 11:16 pm

I can understand some North American golfers’ failure to understand why a carry bag would not have a built-in stand.

They have never played in Scotland when the wind is really up.

My last trip to Scotland; my old Ogio Reilly got blown over in heavy East Lothian wind and both legs were broken. It’s not s stand bag anymore.

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ChipNRun

May 6, 2020 at 8:07 pm

In the pre-stand days, I used to hate:
* Laying bag down on ground on muddy days.
* Seeing trace fertilizer on my bag and golf shirt after a round on spreading day.
* Picking the bag up and down 10 times to switch clubs when hitting a bucket of range balls.

These days, I’m more likely to carry my bag on a par 3 course or a gently rolling nine-hole layout because I have stand bag. With the stand bag, raising and lowering onto shoulders takes half the energy as picking a bag up off the ground.

Yes, I like stand bags.

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Fergie

May 6, 2020 at 2:10 pm

My problem with stand bags is that they tend to have smaller diameters. I use +1/8 oversize grips and like 14 way dividers, so I’ve never found a stand bag that allows me to pull a club without it getting stuck. I also use a trolly, and the hinge that holds the stand legs gets in the way of securing the bag at the top.

Reply Report comment
- ChipNRun
  
  May 6, 2020 at 7:55 pm
  
  Understand your point. My brother has jumbo grips on his clubs. He is searching for ANY carry bag that will allow the thicker grips to go in and out of the bat without hanging up.
  
  Reply Report comment
Greg V

May 6, 2020 at 12:27 pm

The Sun Moutain 3.5 Plus is a lovely, light walking stand bag. I use that most often, but I also mix it up with a Ping Moonlite.

Reply Report comment
Pelling

May 6, 2020 at 12:21 pm

Single strap, single divider. No stand. Jones makes a great bag. MacKenzie, too, if you have money to blow. Have a great Mizuno Sunday bag, Ping are great, Titleist, too. Try walking, take 7-8 clubs. Get some exercise. Bending over is working the core.

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BadaBing

May 6, 2020 at 11:46 am

I’m not a golfer, I’m an athlete. Bending to pick up my bag doesn’t bother me, carrying a stand bag doesn’t bother me. I prefer one strap bag with no stand. My moon-lite keeps the grips dry and allows me to add or remove a strap.

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rob

May 6, 2020 at 11:08 am

Walking without a stand bag is nuts. i dont care how light the standless bag is, the additional weight of a stand is easily offset by not having to bend all the way to the ground after every shot.

Stand bag all the way if you are walking

Reply Report comment
- stanley
  
  May 6, 2020 at 11:14 am
  
  yea i agree with this guy
  
  Reply Report comment
- Jarlaxle
  
  May 6, 2020 at 12:06 pm
  
  If that were the case, wouldn’t you expect to see stands on the bags carried on Tour? I mean, a stand would be even less of a weight factor since those bags are already so heavy. And because they are so heavy, not having to lift them off the ground would be an even bigger advantage.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - rfo
    
    May 6, 2020 at 12:22 pm
    
    Its a completely different story when you aren’t the one thats carrying the bag.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - ChipNRun
    
    May 7, 2020 at 12:41 am
    
    I worked as a course marshal at the 2013 PGA Senior Championship at Bellerive CC in St. Louis, won by Koki Idiki of Japan. At least half the players had medium-weight stand bags, not huge staff bags.
    
    In 2017, I caddied in the Decatur/Forsyth (IL) tournament on the LPGA developmental Symetra Tour. In this event, well over half the women had lighter carry stand bags. (In some events, they may end up without a caddie).
    
    My player had a lightweight Ping stand bag. Problem was, she traveled so light that the bag’s stand legs wouldn’t deploy unless I pressed down on the bag to engage the base plate. My own bag deploys easily because it’s 10 pounds (?) heavier.
    
    Reply Report comment
Nick

May 6, 2020 at 10:16 am

Love my PING Moonlite, I can see myself gaming this model for years to come. I like the Jones Carry Bag look too though so either would do it for me. Plus they fit on carts (walking and riding) just fine. Lastly with a 12 club set up, minimal tangle among grips, I am with Jordan, less is more!

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SV

May 6, 2020 at 9:53 am

At this point in my life I can no longer carry. Prior to this my body told me that 2 straps and a stand are the way to go. Spread the weight and don’t bend over so much.

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Tee Lassar

May 6, 2020 at 9:42 am

I voted for stand overall but I am fortunate enough to have both options stand and no stand. No question stand bags are the favorite for early morning dew-sweeping rounds or rain days. Weight is not the issue as there are several stand bags under 3 lbs .
Best of both worlds: Beeyootiful Mackenzie single strap bag with no stand—acccesorized with a simple inexpensive “x” shaped lightweight wood “trestle” for those times when a stand is needed. Simply the best

Reply Report comment
- Jarlaxle
  
  May 6, 2020 at 12:14 pm
  
  Agree, think the author missed the mark by ignoring trestle sticks. Best of both worlds IMO. Toss them in the bag if its wet or leave them at home if its dry.
  
  I would also argue that, in general, non-stand bags tend to be made of more durable materials that will hold up better over time because they aren’t trying to save every little gram of weight. I looked long and hard at the Craz-E and the Mizuno K1-LO but what put me off was the fact that they were so lightly built it seemed highly unlikely to me that they would still be in good shape after a few years. There are better built bags that could last a long time (like a Ping Hoofer light for example) but they are 5 lbs or more.
  
  I am making the switch because I like to carry and I want bag that will get better with age, not deteriorate.
  
  Reply Report comment
Funkaholic

May 6, 2020 at 9:40 am

Here in north Georgia, it is too hilly to walk, cart bag is a must and 14 way divider is the only way to go. I rarely ever tote my whole bag to the range unless I drive it there before a round. I just grab a couple of irons when I am working on fundamentals and spend the majority of my practice time chipping and putting.

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Eric

May 6, 2020 at 9:27 am

I love the look of the sunday/no stand bag- particularly the jones player series. Just have a hard time telling my back we’ll be walking 18 holes and bending over between 75-85 times!

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golfraven

May 6, 2020 at 9:26 am

Tried pencil bag but just did not work for me so ditched it (can’t be bothered that my clubs get soaked) and got a traditional standbag (stadry) – 5-6 dividers. Otherwise I have a smaller staff bag which I use with a pushcart.

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- tee l
  
  May 6, 2020 at 1:03 pm
  
  Can’t imagine why you would need a staff bag unless you are on a staff or on tour. Why not just drive an SUV onto the course if you need that big a bag!
  
  Reply Report comment
Jordan

May 6, 2020 at 9:15 am

Less is more. 14 divider stand bags are nuts. There is a simple beauty to the Jones carry bags. I’m slowly beginning to use my Hoofer only to go the range and my Jones bag is my playing bag.

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Equipment

Then and now: Comparing Rory McIlroy’s current setup to his record-breaking 2019 Canadian Open victory

Published

1 hour ago

Jun 11, 2026

Alistair Cameron

In Rory McIlroy’s first appearance at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, he crushed the record books to earn his 16th PGA Tour title in dominating fashion, winning by seven shots over Shane Lowry and Webb Simpson.

McIlroy’s score of 22-under-par 258 is the lowest 72-hole score to date at the Canadian Open, and his closing 61 is also the best final-round score in the history of one of golf’s oldest tournaments. Finally, with his win in 2019, McIlroy became only the sixth player to win the career Triple Crown, adding to his victories at the U.S. Open in 2011 and The Open Championship in 2014, joining Tommy Armour, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods in a coveted list.

So, with that, why not compare his current setup to the clubs he used to break all the records?

Driver

2019: TaylorMade M5 (9 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees @8), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7X (45 5/8 inches)

McIroy led the Tour in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in 2019; he’s doing the same in 2026. Between now and then, McIlroy has switched from the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX (a shaft with slightly more feeling in the tip) to the original Fujikura Ventus Black 7X, having just made the change to the heavier version from playing the 60X.

What’s interesting about McIlroy’s 2019 setup is that the weighting on his driver is actually set in the high-draw setting, using the T-Track weighting system, whereas in the Qi4D, he’s currently using a heavily rear-weighted setup. (Two 13-gram weights in the rear and only two 4-gram front weights.)

The TaylorMade M5 driver he played in during his Canadian Open win was the company’s first head that they claimed to design to initially exceed the USGA’s COR limit, and then injected with tuning resin to bring it back in bounds.

Fairway woods

2019: TaylorMade M6 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX; TaylorMade M5 5-wood (19 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 90 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8X; TaylorMade Qi4D 5-wood (18 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9X

The TaylorMade M6 fairway wood that McIlroy was using during the 2019 season is still in the bag of some of the best golfers on Tour in 2026. Just check out Justin Rose’s winning setup from the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year. This year, though, McIlroy has still been searching for his top-end-of-the-bag setup, having played both the new Qi4D and the Qi10, which he won the Masters with.

The same shaft swap can be seen in the fairway woods as the driver, along with slightly less loft on the 5-wood.

Irons

2019: TaylorMade P750 (4) Buy here, TaylorMade P730 (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0
2026: TaylorMade P760 (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0

The biggest difference between McIlroy’s custom set and the stock P730s is the groove design. While the P730s were constructed with 14 MX-9 grooves on their milled faces, McIlroy’s proto heads instead use the higher-spinning, 16-groove layout of the TW2 grooves. Other big differences between the sets are that McIlroy’s 7- and 8-irons have thinner toplines, are 1 degree stronger in loft, and are 1/4 inch longer than the original P730 builds.

With McIlroy’s 4-iron, the switch from P750 to P760 sees a transition to a two-piece construction with Speed Foam in it, which allows McIlroy to launch the ball slightly higher, with more workability.

Wedges

2019: TaylorMade Milled Grind (48-09SB), TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09SB, 56-09SB, 60-LB09), Shafts: Project X Rifle 6.5
2026: TaylorMade MG5 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB, 60-08LB @61), Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)

Between 2019 and 2026, McIlroy’s focus on his short game has been much more apparent. It was the reason why he switched back to the TP5 golf ball, to help with launch, spin and control with his wedges leading up to his career Grand Slam victory in 2025. The most apparent changes to McIlroy’s wedge setup are his lofts and bounce. He’s slowly delofted his pitching to a sand wedge, but has increased the loft on the lob wedge, bending his current 60-degree to 61. With that, adding more loft to his lob wedge also slightly increases the bounce and leading-edge sit point, so, as a result, he plays a lower-bounce lob wedge compared to 2019. The MG5 wedges are also softer than the first Milled Grind option from 2019. McIlroy also no longer plays the full-face grooves found on the Hi-Toe.

Putter

2019: TaylorMade Spider X
2026: TaylorMade Spider Tour X

Notice anything similar. Yes, the copper finish on Rory McIlroy’s Spider X putter in 2019 is a slightly more reflective finish than the recently released torched PVD finish. McIlroy was using the True Path alignment system, but now uses only a single white sightline.

Ball

2019: 2019 TaylorMade TP5 (#22)
2026: 2025 TaylorMade TP5 (RORS)

As mentioned above, McIlroy had transitioned from the TP5 to TP5x golf ball since his victory in Canada in 2019, but now is black with the same style of golf ball as his victory at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

Grips

2019: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
2026: Golf Pride MCC

Interesting, McIlroy actually used Golf Pride’s Tour Velvet Cord grips during his victory in 2019 (it was during a 2+ year switch to the corded TV) as opposed to his usual MCC grips, which he has played for most of his career.

Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Titleist Vokey Proto Wedges 54M, 60T

Published

4 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Will Schube

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @Putt4Dough is selling some prototype wedges from Vokey Wedgeworks. These include a 54 degree wedge with the M grind and a 60 degree wedge with a T grind.

From the listing:

(1) Titleist Vokey Proto Wedge 54M with a Tour Issue DGS400 shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet (logo down). Standard length, lie, and loft. BB&F ferrule. Raw wedge in good condition. No initials. Price is $200 shipped. Buy both wedges for $380 shipped.

(2) Titleist Vokey Proto Wedge 60T with a KBS Tour 130X shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet. Standard length, lie, and loft. Raw wedge in good condition. No initials. Price is $200 shipped. Buy both wedges for $380 shipped.

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules.