Best Golf Stand Bags for Walking in 2024
Your equipment sets the standard for your game. While the gear doesn’t make the player, the right equipment makes a difference. Do you want to walk in with an old, ratty stand bag weighing you down? Or would you rather look competent and prepared with a brand new, professional stand bag?
Not all stand bags are suitable for walking the course. But at STITCH, our lightweight bags make it easy whether you’re walking 9 holes or 18.
Get everything ready for your game, whether it’s your first or your 100th! Find the best stand bags for walking in 2024.
What’s the Best Golf Bag for Walking?
Walking bags should be lightweight and easy to carry, with comfortable straps. Find the best golf stand bags for walking below!
Stitch SL2 Golf Bag
At 4lbs, 10oz, the SL2 is incredibly light, portable, and durable. Made with STITCH® Touring Fabric, it’s more robust and more durable than leather, more lightweight than leather, and water-resistant. It provides generous storage with a full-length apparel pocket, a felt-lined pocket for delicate items like your phone or sunglasses, and even an insulated pocket for your drinks.
It has a 4-way divider and the option of 1 or 2 shoulder straps for maximum carrying comfortability. This bag is best for someone on the go, who plays hard and fast, and prefers to walk.
Stitch SL1 Golf Bag
Even lighter than the SL2 bag, the SL1 clocks in at 57oz—it’s less than 4lbs! This bag is perfect for someone who is no-nonsense: no games, just golf. Made of STITCH® Touring Fabric, it’s tougher than leather but more lightweight. Did we mention it’s water-resistant too?
The SL1 offers our signature single divider, which fits 14 clubs. It has plenty of space with two saddle bags on either side, which allows you to carry the bag on your right or left shoulder. With two top vent pockets for phones and beverages, there’s enough space for anything you might need throughout your day.
This minimalist, lightweight bag features a single strap for those who prefer to walk and move between holes quickly. This sleek bag has a vintage feel, contributing nicely to your golfing attire.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Golf Stand Bag?
There are many different golf bags to choose from, and the stand bag appeals to golfers who want easy access to their clubs. This type of bag has numerous benefits.
Ease of Access
The stand bag is effortlessly efficient, with the stand legs kicking out and back within seconds. It means less time fumbling with your bag and more time doing what you love.
The angle of the stand bag allows you easy access to your clubs. And with a sleek silhouette and non-cumbersome profile, you can store this bag in the trunk of your car for a quick, impromptu game!
It has enough room for all the clubs and items you may need for an entire game without excessive heaviness. You’ll be thankful for this lightweight bag if you have to chase your golf ball in less forgiving terrain.
Comfort
The stand bag is an excellent choice for pros and amateurs due to its versatility and lightness. Because stand bags are so lightweight, you’re essentially only carrying the weight of the clubs and accessories you choose to bring. Every extra ounce counts in the heat and rain, so the stand bag is a perfect choice for a quick game with only the essentials.
The straps are specifically engineered and padded for shoulder carrying, so you can be sure that you’re walking around with the maximum comfort that golf bags offer.
Just because they are lightweight doesn’t mean they’re flimsy; SL1 and SL2 have been engineered with premium fabric to be durable and weather-resistant. You get all the perks of a heavier bag without the tension on your back.
Exercise
Golf is a prime sport to strengthen your heart and keep you healthy. If you like to maximize every opportunity to get your heart rate up, carrying a stand bag is a great way to amplify what is already an excellent cardio exercise.
Walking between holes is a sure way to increase leg and cardiovascular strength. It’s a great low-impact, full-body exercise, and weighted walking only adds to that benefit. Walking with the weight of your golf clubs will increase the force your body has to exert to move forward, which increases your calorie count even more! A stand bag is a great way to maximize the downtime between holes for exercising.
As long as you’re using good posture, carrying the stand bag between holes will strengthen your shoulders, back, core, arms, and legs. The added strengthening benefit from carrying the extra weight between holes will also benefit your golfing game.
What to Consider When Choosing a Golf Stand Bag
Different needs will lead to different considerations when looking at new stand bags. Don't grab the first bag you see; make sure you take the time to compare specs and think about what you need before making a decision.
Weight
The weight will be the primary consideration if you're walking a course. You don’t want your equipment to weigh you down and cause discomfort or injury.
Some stand bags are only suitable for standing and carrying in carts. Others are lightweight enough that you can carry them on your back.
Most stand and carry bags weigh anywhere from 3-6 pounds when empty. At just 4 pounds, the STITCH SL1 and SL2 are on the lower end of the weight range.
Straps
The straps are likely the most important component of your bag after the weight. The straps will allow you to carry your bag on your back for hours. If your straps aren't comfortable, your back will begin to pinch. It will make your muscles tighten, eventually spreading to your arms and negatively impacting your game. Comfort is not only preferred but essential.
Although carrying a single strap looks cool, it can be terrible on your back if done improperly. Consistently carrying on only one side of your body can lead to scoliosis, misaligned or bulging disks, and asymmetric posture.
Look for two sturdy, adequately padded, comfortable straps. The dual-strap system will evenly redistribute the weight of your bag and allow you to carry more weight for a longer duration. It should feel like a well-fitted backpack rather than a messenger bag.
Leg Type
As the name implies, a stand bag should stand on its own, which it can do with the help of retractable legs.
The legs will either extend from the bottom or the back. One isn’t necessarily better than the other; it’s a personal preference.
Almost every aspect of the stand bag can be chosen to your liking. If you play in rougher terrain, you can select legs with adjustable lengths. On windy days, legs that stake into the ground will be helpful. Most modern legs will have a durable yet lightweight material such as aluminum.
Vintage bags may have wooden legs, which can look appealing but lend themselves to damage when chronically exposed to the elements.
Dividers
Depending on how many clubs you have, you'll want sufficient dividers to keep them from clanging against each other and getting damaged. Over time, as the clubs hit each other, they can leave tiny scratches and become dull.
Having adequate dividers will also make it easier to pull the right club out in a pinch! You can find a decent carrier that can hold a complete set of 14; however, the more clubs the bag holds, the more expensive it will be.
Extra Space
You can choose a bag with less or more extra space, depending on how much equipment you think you'll need. Keep in mind that the larger the bag is (and the more pockets it has), it will be slightly heavier, especially if you fill each pocket to the brim.
The SL1 and SL2 bags are extra light, so extra pockets won't add much more weight. Consider that larger bags are typically more expensive as well.
Think about everything you might need for a day on the course: phone, sunglasses, pencil, water bottle, towel? You'll also need to plan for food, drinks, extra balls, etc. Choose a bag that can accommodate everything you need for a full 18 holes.
Appearance
Golf is just as much about style as it is about skill. Have you ever seen a golfer who doesn't look impeccably stylish, coordinated, and put together? Your golfing gear is an extension of your personality and should reflect that on the golf course.
There are many different styles of club carriers; do your research and choose something that will properly complement your style.
A proper golf bag will embrace elegance and functionality.
Price
Golf is already an expensive sport, primarily due to the equipment required. Golfing bags can be pricey, depending on what you need.
If you’re a more serious golfer, you’ll probably want to invest more in a nicer bag that will offer longevity and durability.
Conversely, if you choose a cheaper bag, you run the risk of it falling apart quickly with regular use. If you play regularly or are looking to get into the sport seriously, it’s worth investing a little more for a bag that will last you more than a season.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Should I Adjust My Golf Bag for Walking?
The biggest key to adjusting your bag for walking is to ensure even distribution of the weight in the bag. If you pack one side full with all your gear and leave the other side empty, the bag will fall heavier to one side, pulling your shoulder and back along with it.
The imbalance will lead to misalignment in your back and shoulders. Long-term carrying like this can cause muscle and joint problems.
Make sure that you evenly divide all your accessories between the available pockets of the bag, so no pocket is heavier than the other.
Firmly adjust the strap(s) to your shoulder and back. If the straps are too loose, they will swing around while you're walking, causing you to exert more energy to straighten out. Too tight, and they may cut off blood flow to your arms.
You'll also want to ensure the weight isn't too low on your back: adjust your straps, so most of the weight sits as high on your back as possible. The upper part of your back is stronger than the lower part and can bear more weight.
How Do You Carry a Golf Stand Bag?
How you carry your bag will vary slightly based on whether you have a single or double-strap carrier.
If you have a single strap carrier, you can let the bag hang over your shoulder like a messenger bag (not recommended for long-term carrying). Alternatively, you can swing it across your shoulder to rest at a 20-40 degree diagonal angle across your back. It should rest lightly on your lower back and bottom.
You can wear the bag like a backpack if you have two straps. Ensure the straps are adjusted, so the bag sits as high on your back as possible and takes the weight off your lower back. Ensure the straps are not too tight to cause numbing in your arms.
Conclusion
There are many things to consider when choosing a new (or first!) golf bag. A stand bag is the choice for someone who prefers easy access to their clubs. It's also the choice for someone who prefers a more lightweight, minimalist, efficient frame. Consider big points such as: what's your budget, what kind of legs you want, and how many pockets do you want?
With the lightweight options offered at STITCH, you can easily find stand bags for golfers interested in being on the move. Shop our golf bag collection now to find a bag that suits all your needs!
