Time for a new bag...

[rebby]

I have mixed feelings about this one. I have a 1 year old PING Hoover Vantage that I love (for the most part). It has all the pockets that I want in the exact places that I like them. A nice high quality bag as well. I was planning on keeping it for many years to come but the other day I noticed that the plug came out of one of the stand legs. This wouldn't have been that big of a deal, it's easy enough to find a new rubber plug, but to make matters worse the leg cracked and split in two spots.

A phone call to PING resulted in pretty good customer service. They told me to take the bag to my nearest retailer for a replacement since they no longer do bag repairs. Here is were the story gets interesting. First the replacement procedure is a joke. They needed to take pictures of my bag and email them to PING for authorization. They claim a 48 hour turn around for authorization, come 11am Monday (today) we'll be on business day 3, 72 hours. Sigh... To make matters worse, they will not be replacing my Vantage with another Vantage. Instead they've offered me one of their new models, a C-1. I guess that I shouldn't complain about getting a new model but I really don't like the C-1. Come to think of it, I don't like any of the new PING stand bags.

Fortunately, if PING ever authorizes the replacement, my retailer (local Golf Galaxy) has offered to let me exchange the new C-1 for any bag that I'd like, including a special order. Any suggestions? Right now I'm leaning toward the 2011 model of the Titleist 14-way bag but I'm not sure if I'll like the 14-way dividers (I've always carried a PING Hoofer, I'm very accustomed to 4 or 5 way dividers). I carry a pretty "traditional" set (ie: only 2 woods, no hybrids) so I want something with dividers with that in mind. I hate many of the new bags that have dedicated slots for 4-5 woods/hybrids, I'm also not a fan of dedicated putter slots. This would be a lot easier if I could just get another Vantage...

[Gerald]

Based on many recommendations at this forum, I bought a Sun Mountain Four 5, couldn't be happier......

[delav]

I am surprised that Ping did not have parts for a 1-year old bag. I recently bought a 4-under (not as comfy as my old hoofer by a long shot), and had a few components break when I carelessly laid (jammed) it in a full trunk. They've taken care of me 100%, although I would have been stoked on a new bag too.

[rebby]

I am surprised that Ping did not have parts for a 1-year old bag. I recently bought a 4-under (not as comfy as my old hoofer by a long shot), and had a few components break when I carelessly laid (jammed) it in a full trunk. They've taken care of me 100%, although I would have been stoked on a new bag too.

So was I. Looking at the bag though the leg in question is not removable like they used to be on the old Hoofers. Everything is riveted in place now so it's not an easy "pull a pin & replace" type of fix.

It would be wrong of me to complain about the resolution, a new bag, assuming that PING authorizes it here shortly but in the end, I'd really prefer that mine get fixed since they no longer make this one. What happened to your 4-Under? Sounds like PING fixed it rather than replacing it? When did it happen? According to the manager at GG, PING just changed their bag fix/replacement policy a month or two ago...

[jamo]

The Titleist Lightweight Stand bag and the Premium Stand bad are very similar to the Hoofer. I have the Lightweight and it's worked great. The only gripe I have is that the legs constantly get tangled, but apparently I am in the minority on that one.

[enis750]

I had a Hoofer Vantage and like it for the same reasons you did
perfect amount of pockets and in the right spots
my biggest gripe w the Hoofer was the size...its the size of a ladies or junior bag
so much exposed shaft etc..

also, i hated the legs on it and the fact that you had to jam in the clubs was such a pain for me
also, i have no idea how, but the bag was damaging the shafts on my driver and fwy woods (3 different situations)
so it was out

i picked up a Titleist bag...no idea which one, but its pretty much identical to the Sun Mountain 3.5 superlight
here it is:




for the most part, i really like this bag
its light, fits all my clubs and i like the dividers
my olny gripw w this bag (and its really stupid)...i dont play any Titleist clubs anymore.....uugghhh...i know stupid
has me looking at the Sun Mountain SLX or the 3.5 Superlight

[rebby]

I had a Hoofer Vantage and like it for the same reasons you did

No problem with the size for me. Do you mean the overall length? It's not bad but I suppose it could be a little longer for my driver, perhaps an inch or so.

also, i hated the legs on it

In what way? PING's stand mechanism is my favorite of all of them. The integrated stand is the way that they should all be done IMHO. Probably why PING has a patent on the design.

and the fact that you had to jam in the clubs was such a pain for me

I only have that issue with my woods. I think that the retractable straps interfere with that top slot. I find the retractable straps as more of a gimmick than anything else. Makes adjusting the straps a bit of a PITA if you ask me.

The retractable straps are one of the biggest things that annoy me about the Vantage. The full length dividers being my other major gripe. The velcro attachment sucks and I've had them fall to the bottom of the bag more than once. You know, the more that I think about it, the less that I think I'll miss my Vantage.

also, i have no idea how, but the bag was damaging the shafts on my driver and fwy woods (3 different situations) so it was out

Where on the shaft? I've noticed some additional wear myself. Again, I think that it has to do with the retractable straps.

i picked up a Titleist bag...no idea which one, but its pretty much identical to the Sun Mountain 3.5 superlight here it is: for the most part, i really like this bag its light, fits all my clubs and i like the dividers

That's one that I've been considering as well. Quite honestly, I think that I'm going to end up with two different bags. Likely the 14-way Titleist and something more along the lines of your bag. I have two complete bags anyway, might as well get my Tournament Blades out of my 1996 Hoofer, that bag is shot anyway (although it still has a ton of life in it).

my olny gripw w this bag (and its really stupid)...i dont play any Titleist clubs anymore.....uugghhh...i know stupid has me looking at the Sun Mountain SLX or the 3.5 Superlight

No problem. Send me your Titleist bag and I'll contribute $20 toward your next Sun Mountain. That Canada logo would have to go though...

[Elvisliveson]

The Titleist Lightweight Stand bag and the Premium Stand bad are very similar to the Hoofer. I have the Lightweight and it's worked great. The only gripe I have is that the legs constantly get tangled, but apparently I am in the minority on that one.

The Titleist Lightweight is awesome and prior year models can be had cheap on EBAY. Like it better than my Sun Mountain which was twice the price. If the legs on yours constantly get tangled you either have a flaw specific to yours or it got damaged somehow, as I haven't had that problem.

[sean_miller]

The Titleist Lightweight is awesome and prior year models can be had cheap on EBAY. Like it better than my Sun Mountain which was twice the price. If the legs on yours constantly get tangled you either have a flaw specific to yours or it got damaged somehow, as I haven't had that problem.

That's the only thing I didn't like about the SM - the price. If the Ogio bags had stronger legs and the Clevelands weren't so gaudy, I might have gone another direction. Well, it's paid for now, so it's all good.

[enis750]

No problem with the size for me. Do you mean the overall length? It's not bad but I suppose it could be a little longer for my driver, perhaps an inch or so.

yes the overall length

In what way? PING's stand mechanism is my favorite of all of them. The integrated stand is the way that they should all be done IMHO. Probably why PING has a patent on the design.

seems like a struggle to get them to come out and stay retracted

I only have that issue with my woods. I think that the retractable straps interfere with that top slot. I find the retractable straps as more of a gimmick than anything else. Makes adjusting the straps a bit of a PITA if you ask me.

for me all clubs were tough to get in and out

The retractable straps are one of the biggest things that annoy me about the Vantage. The full length dividers being my other major gripe. The velcro attachment sucks and I've had them fall to the bottom of the bag more than once.

i didnt mind them that much, but yes i beleive the srtaps were damaging the shafts

No problem. Send me your Titleist bag and I'll contribute $20 toward your next Sun Mountain. That Canada logo would have to go though...

i thought the logo would be nice and a way to support our Canadian Golf Team

now everyone asks if i was on the team or if i won the bag somewhere.....i feel like its a STAFF bag...kinda annoying im no pro and dont want to come off like i am

[jamo]

The Titleist Lightweight is awesome and prior year models can be had cheap on EBAY. Like it better than my Sun Mountain which was twice the price. If the legs on yours constantly get tangled you either have a flaw specific to yours or it got damaged somehow, as I haven't had that problem.

I've told my problem to a bunch of people, both on here and in real life. No one else has had the leg-crossing problem. I'll probably get a new bag in a year or two, so I'll just tough it out until then. But it really is annoying.

Sun Mountains are great (and they make the Titleist bags), but there is no perfect match to the Titleist Lightweight. All of the Sun Mountain models are slightly different, and, for some reason, they are often pricier then their (close) Titleist counterparts. Also the only problems I have with grips sticking is are my putter (because I have a jumbo grip on it) and my wedges get stuck occasionally, presumably because they are in the bottom slot.

[tristanhilton85]

Personally, I love my OGIO bag.... and I would recommend it to you however it has a Woode top and therefore is really set up for 4 woods/hybrids which you said you aren't looking for. I'm not sure if OGIO makes a stand bag with a different style top, but if they do, that may be the way to go. Also, I've heard really good things about the Sun Mountain bags, so I think you should consider them... Having a 14 way divider I think would be nice.

[mcgriff]

Nike SQ Tour stand bag looks nice.

[delav]

So was I. Looking at the bag though the leg in question is not removable like they used to be on the old Hoofers. Everything is riveted in place now so it's not an easy "pull a pin & replace" type of fix.

Apparently Ping is sensing me a new leg, cap and hardware. As of right now a golf tee is doing the work of their pin/rivet and the bag still 'works.'

[rebby]

Apparently Ping is sensing me a new leg, cap and hardware. As of right now a golf tee is doing the work of their pin/rivet and the bag still 'works.'

GG just called and let me know that they heard back from PING. I guess now PING is saying that they're going to do the same thing for me as they're doing for you. I'm not sure how this is going to work though. I gave it a pretty close look and everything is riveted in place. It doesn't appear to be an overly difficult repair if you have the right parts/tools but from what the manager at GG told me, they are not equipped to do such a repair. Let me know how yours turns out. I have a feeling I'm not going to be to happy with mine in the end since I highly doubt that a repair will be possible without it being very obvious in appearance even if you did have the right tools.

[M2R]

I've told my problem to a bunch of people, both on here and in real life. No one else has had the leg-crossing problem. I'll probably get a new bag in a year or two, so I'll just tough it out until then. But it really is annoying.

You mean when you go to sit the bag down the legs are crossed and the rubber plugs at the end hang up on each other and won't let the legs extend? I've had that problem with my current bag and the MPB before it.

I think it might be the combination of two things: 1. the plastic seperator/spacer on the leg springs rides up and/or gets twisted in a way so that one leg is being pulled more than the other and 2. over time the legs just get more floppy as the hinge wears and they naturally get pulled closer together. In any case I just grab the spacer and push it down and twist it until the legs don't cross any more and they seem to work for another day or so after that.