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So, you’ve bought your golf clubs and balls, your golfing outfit and GPS. Whilst that is sufficient to play the sport, you won’t truly be able to enjoy and indulge in the game until you get your hands on the perfect golf bag. The best golf bags are tough, light, and affordable, allowing you to focus on what counts most: defeating your opponents in fewer strokes.
Golf bags come in a variety of sizes, styles, and prices to suit all ages, abilities, and budgets. We’re here to cut through the hype and provide you with the facts on the best pioneer cart bags that money can buy.
Why choose a cart bag?
Cart bags are full-size bags that fit on the back of a powered golf cart or a push cart and provide plenty of storage space for all your needs on the course. Cart bags, which weigh between 5 and 9 pounds, have a larger footprint than stand and carry bags.
Because they are not designed for carrying on the course, golf cart bags often have only one strap and no built-in stand mechanism. To keep the strap secure and out of the way on a cart, it includes either a tie down or a sleeve. When a cart bag is strapped into a cart, the pockets are forward facing and built in such a way that all of the zippers are accessible. They frequently have full-length club separators for convenient access and to help you organize your clubs.
Is a cart bag or a stand bag better for you?
Cart bags and stand bags are aimed at two different types of golf players. Cart bags are usually larger and heavier because of features such as velour-lined valuables pockets, 14 full-length dividers, a separate putter well and many others. They are optimized for players who want to be well equipped and are likely to use a trolley or a cart on the golf course (hence its name). Both golf bag types are great at different things, but here is a quick comparison:
- A cart bag is a golf bag that must be carried around the course on a hand cart or power cart. Despite the fact that this sort of bag has a strap that allows you to sling it over your shoulder, it is unable to stand on uneven surfaces. You must purchase or rent a hand cart or attach the bag to the back of a power cart to use a cart bag. Cart bags are usually larger and feature additional compartments for greater organization.
- A stand bag looks similar to a cart bag but it includes two built-in legs that allow it to sit at an angle while you’re shooting. Despite the fact that stand bags can typically fit in a cart, most golfers choose to carry them during their round. To make carrying the bag easier, it incorporates a carrying strap or a backpack-style harness. These bags are smaller and more compact than cart bags so there is limited space for additional equipment and supplies.
Do you actually need a stand golf bag? Don’t worry, GolfTamers has you covered with a review of our best golf stand bags!
Cart bag features that matter
Cart bags have bases that can be attached to a golf cart. They have a lot of pockets and a lot of storage space, and many of them have very convenient features, such as an insulated beverage pocket, rangefinder pockets or even a cell phone sleeve. Because they offer plenty of space, golf cart bags are heavier than golf bags made for walkers. Professional, competitive, and serious golfers all use cart golf bags. These golf bags are specifically meant to be attached to a golf cart.
The best golf cart bags include a cart strap loop for securing the bag to the rear of the golf cart, as well as adequate space for golf equipment and multiple helpful compartments.
The best cart bags of 2021
TaylorMade Cart 8.0 Bag
The TaylorMade Pro Cart bag has a 10″ top with a 14-way divider that offers better protection for your club heads, giving each individual club its work divider. Three grab handles make it simple to transport to and from the golf course. This bag will keep firmly on your trolley when on uneven ground thanks to its lightweight stay rod structure and key lock base.
Features:
- For easy carrying, there is a padded shoulder strap
- For convenient access, all pockets face forward
- Towel holder
- Umbrella stand
- Holder for pens
- Hooded raincoat
- There are 8 pockets
- For trolley users, there is an integrated grab grip
- There are multiple colors to choose from
- Weighs only 2.5 kg
Titleist Cart 15
With a 15-way top cuff inspired by the tour and 11 forward-facing pockets for maximum functionality and organization, the Titleist Cart 15 offers ample storage for the well-equipped player. Ideal for push carts as well as carts, its forward facing pockets gives you easy access to your golf gloves, accessory pockets and golf balls.
Features:
- Top Cuff with 15 full-length dividers (with dedicated putter well)
- Tour-Inspired Handles include
- Removable ball pocket for customization
- 11 zippered pockets
- 2 velour lined valuables pockets, one hard shell for extra protection
- Soft touch, multi-material top cuff with Tour-inspired integrated handles
- Weighs 9 pounds
Callaway Golf 2021 Chev 14 Cart Bag
Callaway’s Chev 14 Dry cart bag helps you keep track of your clubs. With a spacious 9.5-inch top and 14-way top dividers, this waterproof cart bag keeps everything in order and organized. The use of lightweight and durable ripstop fabric makes it surprisingly light for the amount of features it offers golf players.Two molded handles make it simple to hoist the bag into and out of the car, while five pockets keep all of your belongings safe and secure.
Features:
- TPR strap biting
- 14-way arched top with full-length dividers
- Integrated putter well
- 5 front-facing, easy to access pockets
- Velour lined valuables pocket and two large apparel pockets
- Lightweight at only 4.13 pounds
Cobra Golf 2020 Ultralight Cart Bag
The passthrough cart strap on the Ultralight Cart Bag allows access to all pockets while keeping the bag secure on the cart. Perhaps the greatest aspect of this cart bag is its storage which boasts an insulated cooler compartment as well as a twin fleece lined valuables pocket.
Features:
- All full-length club dividers and twin top grab grips are included in the 14-way top
- Dual fleece lined valuables pockets and two enlarged apparel pockets with key clip
- Range finder pocket with fleece lining
- Insulated cooler compartment
- Highly effective passthrough cart strap
- Matching rain hood is included
- A single shoulder strap is included
- Ball pocket that can be customized
Cleveland Golf Cart Bag
This cart bag is very useful, robust, and elegant, with excellent all-around performance on the course. This bag feels stable and safe on the trolley, thanks to a 14-way divider for easy club organization and retrieval, as well as a molded trolley base. It can be conveniently transferred from car to locker thanks to a single strap. There are a total of 8 zipped pockets for accessories, as well as a rain hood included for complete club protection.
Features:
- 14-way Splitter
- There are eight zipper pockets
- 3 top grips for easy maneuverability
- Single strap
- Front pocket that can be detached
Izzo Ultra Lite Cart Bag
The Ultra-Lite Cart Bag is exactly what you’ve been looking for! This Ultra-Lite Bag is easy to carry and travel, weighing only 3.8 pounds. The Ultra Lite IZZO cart bag boasts features that include a 14-way top with full-length dividers, 6 pockets with an additional waterproof valuables pocket, and an integrated SmartGRIP handle.
Turn your bag into a one-of-a-kind piece with accessible personalization on the front ball pocket. With four distinct color themes to choose from, you’ll be able to pick the perfect bag to match your style and golf demands.
Features:
- 14-way top for organization
- Weighs 1.7 kg
- Ball pocket that can be customized
- Rain hood, umbrella holder, smartGRIP handle, glove holder and towel clip
- Fabric with a high tensile strength of 4200 polyester
Founders Club Premium Cart Bag
The Founders Club Premium Cart Bag offers the utmost in club protection. Each club has a protected rubberized slot that keeps each grip apart from the other thanks to the 14-Way divider system. The Founders Club Deluxe Cart Bag also has all of the additional features you’d expect from a high-end Cart Bag at an affordable price. This is the golf bag for you if you use a motorized golf cart on a daily basis.
Features:
- Protective slot technology
- Anchor at the base is heavily reinforced
- For lifting, there’s a tuckaway carry strap and two handles
- More than a quart of cold liquids can be stored in the insulated fridge pocket
- Valuables pocket with velour lining
- Brushes or other accessories are held in place by a glove holder and a string nylon loop holder
- 6 side pockets for additional clothes and wet weather gear storage
- Each iron and wood have their own protective slots on this 14-way divider
- Drawstring and umbrella slot
- Weighs 3.9 kg
How to pick the best golf cart bag
Storage
Although some cart bags have several pockets, many of them may encroach on other pockets so it’s important to keep that in mind. Golfers require storage for rain gear, sweaters, refreshments, and other items. Look for cart bags that offer safe zippered pockets, insulated cooler pockets or velour-lined pockets, and keep in mind that GPS pockets are required to have magnetic closures! They make it easier to access your smartphone while also removing the need to add another item to your luggage.
Dividers
Cart bags usually have 14 to 16 distinct slots. There are even a couple of putter wells on several of the courses. While few of us carry two putters, the extra space can be used to store your driver or a ball retriever. Consider a bag with individual full-length liners with no surplus material if your clubs are snagging. Be careful to choose a cart bag offering lots of space if you are using oversized grips!
Passthrough Strap
The cart strap passthrough is a must for frequent riders and many pushcart users. A pass-through channel, assuming a good bag design, ensures full access to all your pockets when the bag is on a cart. Bags without passthroughs compel the straps to hug the pocket, limiting access and making some compartments nearly impossible to reach.
Size
The ideal-sized cart golf bag is the one that is most appropriate for your game. If you own a golf cart and keep your bag strapped to your body at all times, you’ll need a lot of compartments for golf storage. A lighter weight, smaller scale cart bag can suffice if you only play golf every other weekend and don’t want to haul around a lot of gear. Consider what you’ll need to bring with you and whether it will fit in the bag you select.
Extra Features
The next step is to consider the qualities that are most important to you. Do you like 14-way dividers, a lot of storage, or small extras like valuables pockets in your bag? Because different models offer different types of features, it’s important to consider what you value when golfing. There is always more to consider than we think! Items such as rain covers and a separate putter well can be very handy on the course.
Ease of Use
How simple is it to use the bag? One of the most important factors to consider is how easy it is to move from the car boot to the trolley and vice versa. Thankfully, most of the cart bags listed above have been built to be extremely light and maneuverable. You should also consider how easy it is to lock onto the trolley and how easy it is to get to the storage pockets.
Waterproof
Given how much golf we all play, there’s a good possibility we’ll get caught in the rain at some point, so waterproofing is essential. Some models have been developed expressly for this, and some models are better than others, so keep that in mind before you buy. Don’t forget to look for rain covers and insulated materials, but also for waterproof zippers!
Price
Last but not least, pricing. There are variants available if you want an ultra-premium design, but there are also models available if you want a bag at a lower price point.