Ping Hoofer Golf Bag

[DaveP043]

I think the Newport Cup group has reviewed almost everything about the trip, including all of the gear we received, but I haven't seen a specific review of the Ping Hoofer golf bags. I've been using the Hoofer ever since September, and I'm very pleased with it.

I went to Phoenix with my old Sun Mountain Three5, which was showing its age, so I was very pleasantly surprised when we were shown into the room with our brand new bags. I had been happy with the SM bag, and would probably have bought another, but Ping's generosity made that unnecessary. Much of my review will be phrased as a bit of a comparison between my old bag and the new one.

First, the weights of the two bags are similar, the Ping may be just a little heavier. I carry my bag a lot of the time, so weight and comfort are important to me. The Ping has a double-strap system, with a slider where the straps cross. I had used a Hoofer at one time, probably 15 years ago, and the current strap system is a big improvement over the old Hoofer, and is at least as comfortable and convenient as the SM. The leg mechanism is different from the SM bag, which used a lever at the base to push the legs out. With the Ping, the entire base pivots relative to the length of the bag. I hadn't really liked this aspect of my old Hoofer, but it works really well in my new bag. A benefit of the Ping system is that when you put the bag onto a cart, the bag sits securely, where the lever on the SM could be difficult to fit into the bag well.

This will also be the bag I travel with, so a certain amount of storage is important. The Ping is set up pretty similar to the older SM, with a couple of additions. On the right side (away from my back as I carry) is the standard long pocket for rain gear and other bulky items, as well as two smaller pockets near the top of the bag. On the Ping, one of the smaller pockets is now water-resistant, so my money won't get TOO wet when I'm playing in an Irish shower. Along the spine, where the SM has two pockets that I used for balls and tees and divot tools, Ping also has a smaller pocket for a range finder, and another for sunglasses. Also, the water-bottle holder is unlined, so its sides are the heavy-duty fabric. In the SM, the water bottle pocket was lined with very lightweight nylon, and condensation from the bottle could make it difficult to extract. With the Ping, no such problem. For my umbrella, the Ping has a sleeve for the lower end, rather than the small loop on the SM, which feels like an improvement to me. Last, the rain hood on the Ping is permanently attached, and folds into a small pocket on the left of the bag. When not in use, this functions as a cushion between the bag and my back. Its a little more difficult to put on and off than the detachable hood of the SM, but its impossible to misplace unless I specifically cut the attaching cords. The space for clubs is similar, the SM had 6 divisions, the Ping has 5, and both have a handle built into the top frame. The last little nit to pick is the pen pocket. The Ping has a spot for a couple of golf pencils, but a full-size Sharpie won't fit. This is probably the only place where I preferred the SM bag.

In summary, I'm very happy with my Ping Hoofer, and again want to extend my thanks for everything Ping did for us during Newport Cup week.

 

[mcanadiens]

I recently bough an older Hoofer bag thru Craigslist last fall and have been happy with it. It's got the old single strap. The bag stand works well and there are more than enough pockets for the stuff I usually carry.  Pretty good when you consider I paid $30 and got a bunch of Hogan irons and a Taylormade Bubble Driver to boot.

 

[Golfingdad]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

I think the Newport Cup group has reviewed almost everything about the trip, including all of the gear we received, but I haven't seen a specific review of the Ping Hoofer golf bags. I've been using the Hoofer ever since September, and I'm very pleased with it.

I went to Phoenix with my old Sun Mountain Three5, which was showing its age, so I was very pleasantly surprised when we were shown into the room with our brand new bags. I had been happy with the SM bag, and would probably have bought another, but Ping's generosity made that unnecessary. Much of my review will be phrased as a bit of a comparison between my old bag and the new one.

First, the weights of the two bags are similar, the Ping may be just a little heavier. I carry my bag a lot of the time, so weight and comfort are important to me. The Ping has a double-strap system, with a slider where the straps cross. I had used a Hoofer at one time, probably 15 years ago, and the current strap system is a big improvement over the old Hoofer, and is at least as comfortable and convenient as the SM. The leg mechanism is different from the SM bag, which used a lever at the base to push the legs out. With the Ping, the entire base pivots relative to the length of the bag. I hadn't really liked this aspect of my old Hoofer, but it works really well in my new bag. A benefit of the Ping system is that when you put the bag onto a cart, the bag sits securely, where the lever on the SM could be difficult to fit into the bag well.

This will also be the bag I travel with, so a certain amount of storage is important. The Ping is set up pretty similar to the older SM, with a couple of additions. On the right side (away from my back as I carry) is the standard long pocket for rain gear and other bulky items, as well as two smaller pockets near the top of the bag. On the Ping, one of the smaller pockets is now water-resistant, so my money won't get TOO wet when I'm playing in an Irish shower. Along the spine, where the SM has two pockets that I used for balls and tees and divot tools, Ping also has a smaller pocket for a range finder, and another for sunglasses. Also, the water-bottle holder is unlined, so its sides are the heavy-duty fabric. In the SM, the water bottle pocket was lined with very lightweight nylon, and condensation from the bottle could make it difficult to extract. With the Ping, no such problem. For my umbrella, the Ping has a sleeve for the lower end, rather than the small loop on the SM, which feels like an improvement to me. Last, the rain hood on the Ping is permanently attached, and folds into a small pocket on the left of the bag. When not in use, this functions as a cushion between the bag and my back. Its a little more difficult to put on and off than the detachable hood of the SM, but its impossible to misplace unless I specifically cut the attaching cords. The space for clubs is similar, the SM had 6 divisions, the Ping has 5, and both have a handle built into the top frame. The last little nit to pick is the pen pocket. The Ping has a spot for a couple of golf pencils, but a full-size Sharpie won't fit. This is probably the only place where I preferred the SM bag.

In summary, I'm very happy with my Ping Hoofer, and again want to extend my thanks for everything Ping did for us during Newport Cup week.

 

Good stuff!  I pretty much agree with this, as I had a Sun Mountain 3-5 before as well.  Mine was fairly new, relative to yours, but I agree that the Ping is an upgrade in almost every way.

I have two nitpicks.  One is also the lack of a pen pocket, although I never even noticed that there were pencil pockets.  (On that note, it was like Christmas for awhile with this bag because I kept discovering pockets I didn't know it had for awhile)  The other nitpick is a bit bigger ... when the bag is resting on the stand, I frequently have trouble sliding clubs in and out.  I believe that is the downside of the style of the leg mechanism, where as you mention, the entire base pivots, but I'm not totally sure.  This isn't really a problem when I'm holding the bag vertically or using a cart.  It could also be exacerbated by the fact that I use midsize grips on my clubs so there is a little less room to go around.

But, again, overall I love it.

[Dave2512]

Same I used the PH ca. 2013 had trouble with grips sticking and having to pull more than one club quite a bit to get them out. I know the goal is light weight but a 14 slot Hoofer would be the bees knees. I use the Datrek Go-Lite 14 as my walking bag now. I don't carry much besides clubs and balls so it's minimalist features work for me, especially for the $59.99 I paid for it.

[DaveP043]

I've had just a bit of the issue with the clubs sticking when the bag is set down and the legs are out, but not much.  More often, I'll pull the club while the bag is standing straight, then lean it onto the legs.

[Golfingdad]

18 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

More often, I'll pull the club while the bag is standing straight, then lean it onto the legs.

Yup, same here, and it's not a problem.  It really only rears its head when I am at the range. 

[DaveP043]

Just this past weekend I was looking at my bag, noticing how faded the 2015 Newport Cup embroidery has become, and realized that my Hoofer is now 5 years old.  I typically play something like 80 rounds of golf most years, so that's 400 or so rounds it has carried my clubs and junk around.  The bag has been to Scotland and Ireland, to Palm Springs, to Kohler, it has been on my back, on a cart, on push and pull-carts, and on my QOD.  Other than the fading of both the black fabric and the embroidery, the bag is still just about perfect.  Every pocket lining is still together, every zipper works, the rain hood is still intact, the "wear strips" around the club openings are still good.  I can't remember a golf bag that I've owned that has shown so little wear after this length of time.

We don't do a lot of long-term reviews, because its more fun to look at something new.  But this level of quality and durability in an old Ping bag may influence someone's decision as to what new golf bag to purchase.  Once again, I send my thanks to Ping for outfitting us all with golf bags for the 2015 Newport Cup.

[jamo]

I'm still using mine, and I can't think of a single thing wrong with it yet. 

I do get asked a lot about what the Newport Cup is, and if I've played Newport Country Club. 

[DaveP043]

3 minutes ago, jamo said:

I'm still using mine, and I can't think of a single thing wrong with it yet. 

I do get asked a lot about what the Newport Cup is, and if I've played Newport Country Club. 

I was in Providence last fall for my niece's wedding, and took a drive past Newport CC.  For some reason (mostly cuz I'm a doofus) I never made the connection, but its a cool part of the world.  I forgot to mention, every one of the zippers pulls is still intact, that's often one of the first things to go.

[Double Mocha Man]

33 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I was in Providence last fall for my niece's wedding, and took a drive past Newport CC.  For some reason (mostly cuz I'm a doofus) I never made the connection, but its a cool part of the world.  I forgot to mention, every one of the zippers pulls is still intact, that's often one of the first things to go.

I generally buy Titleist bags, and it's always a broken zipper that has me buying a new bag.  Built-in obsolescence?  

I lived in Newport once... applied for a job at Newport Country Club with a hand-written letter.  I was soon rejected with a hand-written letter.  At the time I was young and naive and did not know that the first U.S. Open was played there.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

For some reason (mostly cuz I'm a doofus) I never made the connection

Yeah, site of the first U.S. Open, that's where the name came from.

Mine's in great shape, too… but it's mostly been sitting in the basement. I mostly use my Behrend/coaches bag.

[jamo]

On 6/24/2020 at 6:54 PM, jamo said:

I'm still using mine, and I can't think of a single thing wrong with it yet. 

I do get asked a lot about what the Newport Cup is, and if I've played Newport Country Club. 

Coincidentally, I tried to overstuff the main pocket and snapped the zipped pull the very next day. It doesn't seem like there's any good way to put it back on so I ordered some generic brand ones off Amazon.