Are Staff bags pretentious??

[RockingCPA]

I just submitted quite a few pics of my Titleist Midsize Staff Bag, which is pending approval by the moderators.  Since I'm new to this forum, I guess they have to look at the post to make sure I'm not posting porn.  LOL

The pics will show the bag by itself AND on my Sun Mountain Micro Cart.  I was afraid it would look ridiculously big, like a circus elephant on a tricycle, but it actually is a perfect size.  Also, the mounting brackets on the Micro Cart seem to have been designed to work with a bag like this.  There is a padded area on the bottom side just below the top collar that fits perfectly on the top bracket.  Unlike my stand bags (both a Titleist 14-way and my old Ping Hoffer Lite I gave my oldest son), the staff bag is held in place firmly by the mounting bracket and doesn't seem to shift around.  Both of the stand bags sat on the Micro Cart on the plastic hinge for the legs and the bags want to twist in the bracket.  I carry a small bungie cord that I used to help secure the stand bags.  That will not be necessary with the staff bag.

I have pics of the 14-way stand bag on the cart, too, but I didn't want to post too many pics at once.

Stay tuned for the pics if they approve the post.

Bob

[tristanhilton85]

I've got a Ben Hogan staff bag that I really like but find to be a little large to haul around. For me, I like stand bags. That being said, all my clubs just went back into my staff bag... I'm gonna give it a go for a bit.

BTW, this is the bag that I have...  Probably will sell it at some point if I can get enough for it.

[Lefty2007]

I use both a Titleist midsize staff bag and a Titleist carry bag with 14 dividers. The majority of the time I walk, and use the carry bag, and the staff bag sits in the office/living room with extra clubs, putters, etc. If I know I am going to be riding for a few rounds I will often switch bags, and take advantage of the switching process to clean out all of the extra pencils, scorecards, smashed powerbars, etc. Then I'll switch back after a while. The midsize bag i smaller than the usual behemoths, and sits nicely in carts (and pushcarts, for that matter). I am very happy with both, although I think that the staff bag is probably going to last many years, while the carry bag will wear out by next season.

[WUTiger]

Funny staff bag story from the 2004 Senior Open at Bellerive Country Club here in St. Louis. I met an amateur from California who had qualified, and walked a practice round and Round #2 with him.

He normally had a stand bag which he often carried himself. His junior high son had agreed to caddie for him. Then, the guy's home club pro lent him a rather hefty staff bag for the Open, so he "looked like a real golfer."

Father and son was used to the dry California air as opposed to a humid St. Louis summer, and the staff bag really challenged the kid's stamina. The kid seemed somewhat relieved when dad didn't make the cut.

[tristanhilton85]

Originally Posted by WUTiger

Funny staff bag story from the 2004 Senior Open at Bellerive Country Club here in St. Louis. I met an amateur from California who had qualified, and walked a practice round and Round #2 with him.

He normally had a stand bag which he often carried himself. His junior high son had agreed to caddie for him. Then, the guy's home club pro lent him a rather hefty staff bag for the Open, so he "looked like a real golfer."

Father and son was used to the dry California air as opposed to a humid St. Louis summer, and the staff bag really challenged the kid's stamina. The kid seemed somewhat relieved when dad didn't make the cut.

Good story.  I went to the range today and remembered why I had moved all my clubs to a stand bag over my staff bag... that thing is HEAVY!  On the other hand I really do like the room though, next bag is gonna be a larger stand bag more than likely.

[n8dogg2669]

I have the Titleist Midsize Staff bag and I love it. I see alot of posts that say they are just for billboards, well my old ping stand bag is sitting right next to my staff bag and I think it has one less logo on it. At the end of the day who cares, it's your bag do whatever you like. I love the looks of a staff bag, and I always ride when I play golf so I said screw it, after years of wanting one I finally went and got one. I have my shoes, rain gear, sky caddie, balls, tees, towels, sunglass case, and a couple other puches with miscellaneous stuff it in and it fits perfect.

[Bigtank]

I have several staff bags.....*gasp* with my name on them...the horror!  The newest versions are no longer made of leather and are much lighter.  I stuck my 2010 Mizuno 10.5" Tour staff bag on scale it was right at 10 lbs.

Everyone says how inconvenient they are, yet you see someone with a stand bag having to carry several items, all of which are contained in my staff bag.  I can carry rain gear, extra towel, pair of shoes, extra socks, all the knick-knacks i want, and a few energy bars.  There is a valuables dry pocket, and thermal insulated cold pocket for bottled water.

Then there is the fact that my clubs don’t get hung up when putting them in the bag.  It also protects my clubs very well, and I bought a off the rack travel cover.

The billboard argument doesn’t hold water…these are the same guys in their Taylor made hat, with their Taylor Made head covers, and Adidas Shoes…it is what it is.

So in closing the bags are not so bad….that being said, I still use my ping hoofer from college…again *gasp* it has my name on it too...the humanity!

[NM Golf]

I don't think they are pretentious. I have 3 staff bags actually. I use my Titleist midsize staff bag most of the time, my Nike VR staff bag sits in the corner of my living room with extra clubs in it, and my gigantic old full size Titleist staff bag is in the garage with even more clubs in it. I will never walk and carry ever again so I have no use for a carry bag. 75% of the time I walk and push my Sun Mountain cart and my staff bags sit real nice on it. I just like all the room I have, I keep a lot of stuff in my bag.

I don't have my name on any of my bags though, I do find that somewhat pretentious, unless you are a pro.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by iacas

For regular golfers, staff bags are simply impractical.

Pretentious, yes. Also, totally impractical. They take huge space in a trunk. And aren't the easiest things to lug around. Callaway gave me an X22 Cart bag. Its not nearly as bulky as a staff bag but has more pockets and storage than I know what to do with. Plenty of room for clubs to get in and out of the bag as well...

[inthehole]

Nothing worse than seeing a high handicapper sporting a staff bag.     You gotta have game to rock a staff bag IMO (which is exactly why I don't have one )...

[TourSpoon]

Here is an internet picture of my staff bag.  Yes it has my name on it too. A guy on Ebay is trying to sell this one for $449. They don't make them like this anymore but that is a lot of moola. Needless to say, if it sells, mine is going on next.

[newtogolf]

If the guy likes a bag, who am I to say he's pretentious for buying it.  I personally prefer cart and stand bags.  In fact I use a Sunday bag for the range and only take the bigger bags out to play a round.  IMO some of the larger cart bags look almost identical to staff bags so I don't see how one can be acceptable and another is considered pretentious.  I would agree that a high handicapper with a staff bag that has his name on it would appear to be a bit of a poser.

[NM Golf]

Originally Posted by Ben

Pretentious, yes. Also, totally impractical. They take huge space in a trunk. And aren't the easiest things to lug around. Callaway gave me an X22 Cart bag. Its not nearly as bulky as a staff bag but has more pockets and storage than I know what to do with. Plenty of room for clubs to get in and out of the bag as well...

Impracticality I would think would be up to the user, wouldn't you agree? To me it is impractical to have a bag like yours. I have had one very similar and they do not sit on push carts well at all and they are no bargain on a cart either. But to each their own, there are still people out there that use iron covers .

[TourSpoon]

They are impractical if space or weight is an issue. You are going to have a hard time getting it into the back of a Mini-Cooper. But they are very practical because you can fit the kitchen sink. That and the clubs don't get stuck. Practicality is in the eye of the beholder.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by NM Golf

Impracticality I would think would be up to the user, wouldn't you agree? To me it is impractical to have a bag like yours. I have had one very similar and they do not sit on push carts well at all and they are no bargain on a cart either. But to each their own, there are still people out there that use iron covers .

I actually don't even use that X22 bag :) Still far too big. I just don't need all it has to offer. A pocket for my balls, one for tees, the side pocket for misc items and I'm good. It fits on a cart nicely, and if I decide to walk its not heavy at all. I use the Callaway Mini Looper which is pretty much trashed by now. Gonna go with a Hyperlite 3.0 next.

But I digress, practicality was not the question as hand, but pretentiousness was. I still think a staff bag is pretentious. I play with professional golfers, who have serious game, and are sponsored by a manufacturer, yet I still get weirded out by their staff bag.

[Arsenal8807]

What is your take on them? Only pros, scratch golfers, amateurs, or shouldn't be used at all?

Since I ride all the time and I like having a lot of space for stuff like rain gear, sandals, gloves, balls, 910 wrench, tees, etc I finally got one and I only paid $99 for it! I think anyone can use these just like anyone can go out and buy all brand new TMAG or Nike gear or use 30 year old clubs but dress like Ricky Fowler.

Anyways if you have one post a pic and why you bought it!

[Gioguy21]

I have a nike staff bag (the silver/black one) that was given to me by my golf mentor, my grandfather...i use it since it's one of the few things golf related he's ever given me aside from lessons, homage of sorts. it'll be replaced by a taylormade staff bag shortly...my gf didn't consult me and bought one on ebay and had embroidery done on the front panel. I'll be using that sometime after my birthday in august...i really wouldn't use the staff bags if i didn't have a pushcart...they're definitely a beast to lug around...that and people always assume you're either a) incredibly good b) are a pro or something somewhere or c) have more than enough money for betting games.  I'm none of the 3 lol

[Deep Fin]

I figure like this. If you can afford a Staff Bag and you like the way that it looks, then do so without shame. As one of the others said in here in a earlier post, you have the same people wearing Titlest, Nike, Callaway, and other products on there body to the range and no one blinks a eye. So why would it be a problem for others to see someone with a Staff Bag with there name on it. Game or no Game. I guess the next comment will be that you should not be driving a Mercedes if you do not live in a 700,000 dollar home or above that has 6000 sqft in a plush new neighborhood. LOL.. Purchase what you can afford and buy what you like. What others think is just jealously or envy.

I say again, what is a poser? If he can afford to purchase one then why not. I personally have a Nike Stand Bag that I absolutely adore but my sister knowing that I really like the game of golf and she saw one of the pros on TV having a Staff Bag and ordered me one and now I just got it. Yes she even put my name on it, but does not make me a poser if I use a present? No.. I will use it because it came from my sister and she spent her hard money on it plus she was smart enough to get a Nike Staff Bag for me because I have Nike Clubs. Now I would have still used it even if it did not match my clubs because it came from her. So I guess everyone at the range or at the golf club will be looking at my new bag as I destroy them on the course because I do go low on my scores but it really means nothing to me.