The 10 Best Golf Bags of 2025

If you’re looking to buy your first golf bag or even replace the one you have, we’ve got good news: There’s never been a better time.

The reason is simple. Golf bags have never been better both in terms of design and technology. They tend to be lighter, stronger, more durable, and more attractive than ever. They’re a little more expensive, of course, but then again, that applies to all goods and services these days.

So when you select a golf bag, there’s a lot to consider. Do you walk or ride during most of your rounds? When you walk, do you carry your golf bag? How much do you like to stuff in your golf bag? Do you use a rangefinder or simply a golf watch? And how do you want your bag to look?

This year, I broke it down into 10 categories, including my best overall pick. That honor went to the Vessel Player V Pro Stand Bag, which is not only the most versatile bag I tested this year, but perhaps the most beautiful. Vessel, which was started just 13 years ago by Ronnie Shaw with a focus on tour bags, had contenders in every category. It’s a premium product with a fairly premium price tag, but the quality of material and design is top-tier across the board.

You’ll also see that the Ping Hoofer is still on my best-of list. The Hoofer has been around for decades and has evolved nicely over the years. It’s still an incredibly solid choice for anyone seeking a highly functional all-around stand bag.

With that said, here are, in my opinion, the 10 best golf bags of 2025.

Pros:

• Luxurious, streamlined appearance
• Lots of pockets, including five magnetic
• Well-balanced and comfortable to carry
• Works really well on push carts and power carts
• Cooler pocket that drains

Cons:

• A tad heavy as a carry bag

Coming up with the best overall bag was tricky. After all, is there really a golf bag that’s superior for every application?

The short answer is no, but the Vessel Player V Pro Stand Bag is as close as it gets. Of all the golf bags I’ve tested through the years, this one is my favorite.

It’s an outstanding stand bag that works incredibly well on a pushcart, is a great bag for powered carts due to all its features and storage capacity, and is more than adequate as a carry bag.

While the Vessel Player V Pro is a little heavier than the best carry bags, it really depends on how much you load into it. On the days I carried this bag, I just wouldn’t put more than a half dozen balls or so, and I certainly wouldn’t carry multiple beverages (just a water bottle). Plus, its Equilibrium 2.0 Double strap system is superior to anything I’ve tested when it comes to comfort and balancing the load.

Where this bag excels (it would have won best hybrid bag on this list had we not deemed it best overall) are its myriad features, quality, look, and status. That’s right, nothing says quality like having your clubs in a Vessel, which quickly became the top bag on the professional tours.

My favorite trait of the Player V Pro is that it has five magnetic pockets. For me, having one for the rangefinder is non-negotiable in most cases, but there is also a velour-lined magnetic pocket on the upper right side, and an accessories pocket lower left, where I typically keep sunscreen, tees, etc. 

The other two magnetic pockets are insulated and expandable for beverage bottles, which is really handy if you’re using a push cart on a hot day. 

Speaking of hot days, the Player V Pro also has a frosty beverage pocket that drains, which means you can pack it with ice and keep drinks cold throughout your round. 

The features hardly end there. It comes with two top options, a 14-way or seven-way, each with a putter well. There are three grab handles on top, which make it easy to maneuver in and out of the car. The lined valuables pouch comes with a key hook, the apparel pocket is very generous, and there’s a cart strap pass-through so your pockets aren’t impeded when using this bag with a cart. (My favorite way to use the Player V Pro is with an electric push cart).

It also has a patented rotator stand, carbon fiber legs that easily expand and retract, an internal base divider that reduces club jamming when legs are fully extended, and beautiful textured faux pebble-grained leather and genuine leather accents on the outside of the bag, all without any rivets.

Vessel Golf Bag Comparison

Pros:

• Well-balanced, classic design
• Plenty of storage, including a magnetic rangefinder pocket
• Good value, considering quality and features

Cons:

• Some customers still report difficulty getting clubs in and out

For decades now, the Ping Hoofer has been the gold standard of stand bags – and carry bags, for that matter. I’d bet it’s the most popular bag in college and high school competitions in the last 40 years, but who’s counting?

Over the years, the Ping Hoofer has continued to evolve and remain relevant. Some tweaks here and there still make the Hoofer a wise choice. It’s fairly light, the strap system is very comfortable and adjustable, and there’s lots of storage space (22 liters) with its 16 well-thought-out pockets. It’s also available in new colorways.

The new Hoofer also comes with a reconfigured bottom to help improve club removal and replacement, although some users are still reporting that to be difficult. I use oversized grips, and while testing the Ping Hoofer I’ve definitely had a club snag here or there, but I think if you use standard grips, it shouldn’t be much of an issue, especially with the new design that tends to separate club groups from the five-way divider.

Finally, the Ping Hoofer has both a pass-through for the cart strap and a magnetic rangefinder pocket, both of which are becoming more standard on the best bags. 

Pros:

• Super light and comfortable to carry
• Magnetic rangefinder pocket
• Pass-through for cart strap

Cons:

• Lots of pockets, but storage space is limited

Living up to its name, the Vessel Lux Air is both lightweight and luxurious. It’s just 4.3 pounds empty. The lightweight build coupled with its strap system and the way it's balanced, make the Lux Air the champ of carry comfort. 

I’ve put this bag through its paces, and can confirm that it’s very functional, starting with its magnetic rangefinder pocket. Plus, there are nine other pockets, six exterior and three interior. You won’t be able to store a ton of extra stuff, but if you walk and carry, you won’t want to add a lot of weight to this bag anyway.

With that said, the Lux Air works surprisingly well on a powered cart with a cart strap pass-through and protector sleeve to minimize wear on this beautiful bag. It sits up nice, and whether riding or carrying, the four-way cushioned divider for clubs and internal base divider work well to avoid clubs from getting stuck.

What makes this bag so comfortable to carry is the self-adjusting Equilibrium 2.0 Double Strap for balance and motion. (It can also be used with a single strap, ideal for caddies who double bag.) An effortless stand system with strong carbon fiber legs adds to the ease of use. There’s also a lined bottle sleeve, velour-lined valuables pocket with key hook, and ball pocket with internal organization, just to name a few of the other features.

Pros:

• Great looking player’s bag
• Super lightweight
• Lots of pockets

Cons:

• Not fully waterproof

At 2.9 pounds, the Titleist Players 4 Carbon Stand Bag is among the lightest of all carry bags on the market. And it’s one of the coolest, too, which is why it’s our favorite lightweight bag. After all, it’s a Titleist bag, and nothing says you’re a player like having the iconic logo on your bag.

Beyond the looks, the Carbon 4 Players bag is highly functional and comfortable to carry. It has carbon fiber legs, an ultra-light four-way top with full-length dividers, comfortable double strap, and rip-resistant exterior material. There are six pockets in this bag, so there’s plenty of space for everything, including raingear if you need it, as well as a dedicated water bottle pocket.

Pros:

• Lots of storage space
• Ventilated cooler pocket
• Unique cart strap system

Cons:

• No magnetic rangefinder pocket

This is the most popular cart bag in the United States, and for good reason. It looks good, has a ton of storage space, and is a good value, considering the quality and all its great features.

Named for the huge military cargo plane, it comes with a full-length 14-way divider top. The C-130 has lots of cool colorway options, is fairly light at just under seven pounds, and it’s easy to maneuver with its ergonomic handles and balance. 

This bag also features something called the Smart Strap System, which attaches the bag to a riding cart with two velcro straps that stop it from twisting on the cart and keep the cart’s strap from impeding access to the pockets.

One of the other features I really like is a ventilated cooler pocket, which means you can store some cool drinks and ice during your round. 

The C-130 doesn’t have any magnetic pockets, not even the rangefinder pocket. But because we're recommending this for powered carts, it gets a pass. When you ride, you take your rangefinder out and put it somewhere in the golf cart until you finish the round, so having a magnetic rangefinder pocket really isn't necessary.

Pros:

• Loads of storage space
• Extra large Frosty Pocket that drains
• Pass-through for cart strap

Cons:

• 14-way divider is the only top option

The Sunday Golf Big Rig works well on both a powered cart and a push cart, but in my firsthand experience with this bag, I really love it on a push cart. 

It’s well balanced, doesn’t move around much when mounted on a push cart, and has an enormous amount of storage space throughout its 12 pockets.

My favorite feature on this bag, however, is the Frosty Pocket because it can easily hold a six-pack of whatever, plus ice. That means you can load this up before you get to the first tee and have enough cold beverages to last the whole round. On hot days, that feature alone is worth it. In fact, as far as I know, it’s the largest beverage and ice compartment of any bag on the market.

It hardly stops there, though. The magnetic rangefinder pocket is essential for a push cart bag, and that same pocket lifts up for the cart strap and can be secured by velcro. The Big Rig also has generous apparel pockets, and a lined valuables pocket that is probably one of the deepest I’ve ever used. I can easily put my keys, wallet, and cell phone in there without worrying that anything would fall out if I forgot to zip it up.

It also has a 14-way top, including a separate putter well, which means those clubs aren’t going to bang around. 

Sunday Golf Bag Comparison

Pros:

• Appealing appearance
• Loads of storage space
• Velvet-wrapped dividers to protect clubs

Cons:

• A little on the heavier side for carrying

Ghost Golf bags have a substantial, quality, premium look, but they are also extremely functional, which is the case for the Ghost Golf Anyday golf bags. User reviews on these bags are pretty much five-star across the board, and everyone I’ve ever met who has one, swears by them.

With that said, where do we start? This bag comes with either a 14-way or seven-way top, but in both cases, there’s a separate putter well. There’s also a magnetic rangefinder pocket, water bottle sleeves, and velcro glove keeper.

The dual strap system makes it plenty comfortable to carry, but this is a bag that really works well in all applications, including power and push carts. It doesn’t have a cart strap pass-through because all of the pockets are located under the line where the strap goes, which is similar to another high-quality hybrid bag, the Stitch SL2.

Some other nice touches include its stable stand base, carbon fiber legs, pen holder, and golf ball marking alignment tool that comes with each bag.

Pros:

• Material is super waterproof
• Simple design makes it easy to navigate in bad weather
• Cart-strap pass-through

Cons:

• No magnetic rangefinder pocket

When you’re playing in the rain, not only do you need apparel that’s somewhat waterproof, but a waterproof bag is also very helpful.

In this case, the TaylorMade FlexTech, with its five-way top, is a perfect choice, not only because of its material, but also because it’s a simple bag to navigate. When it’s raining you don’t want to have to fumble around looking for things, and with just six pockets, you can easily get to what you need with this bag.

The most important attribute, however, is that it’s constructed from a lightweight waterproof fabric with a PSI level of 2,500, which translates into no water is going to get in there to ruin your valuables. Five of the pockets also have welded seams to help keep moisture out so everything stays dry. It also has a functional umbrella sleeve and rain hood.

I don’t love that this bag doesn’t have a magnetic pocket for a rangefinder, but I suspect it wouldn’t be as waterproof if it did. In this case, I recommend a magnetic case for your rangefinder, which you can attach to the bag if you’re walking.

Finally, this bag, though lightweight and very adept for walkers who carry, also works well on carts with its cart-strap pass-through. 

Pros:

• Classic Titleist look
• Not as bulky as typical staff bags
• Magnetic pocket
• Customizable

Cons:

• Only comes in one colorway

First of all, staff bags are huge. So, unless you’ve got a large SUV or pickup truck, hauling one around to play golf can be a bit tricky. But they do have a certain look, and you can pack just about anything you want into a staff bag.

With that said, anyone who’s looking for that tour bag look but doesn’t want a ridiculously heavy and bulky bag should consider a downsized version, and the Titleist Mid Size fits the bill. Not only does it look incredible with the large Titleist logo, quilted highlights, black and white colorway, and a removable belly panel for customization, but it’s also very functional. 

It has 11 pockets, including a magnetic pocket, which is perfect for a rangefinder. You can probably carry six dozen balls, waterproofs, extra jackets and sweaters, a small launch monitor, a training aid or two, extra shoes, and lunch for everyone. It also has a velour-lined top cuff and valuables pocket.

And it’s not even that heavy at 8.9 pounds, but I still wouldn’t recommend carrying it on the course. It has a single strap, which is great for carrying to and from the car but not around 18 holes. It would work well, however, with an electric caddie. 

Pros:

• Incredibly lightweight
• Lots of great features
• Carry handle and functional lightweight stand system

Cons:

• No dual strap

Until I find a better one, the bag that Sunday Golf was founded on is still king of the Sunday bags. I have thoroughly tested this stand bag, and it’s perfect for playing par-3 courses, or grabbing a few clubs for the driving range or short-game area. 

It comes with a handle and a padded single strap, plus a two-way divider that can carry up to six clubs. Other features include a pencil holder, velcro golf glove attachment, mesh pocket and a nonmagnetic rangefinder pocket. 

There’s also an insulated two-can cooler pocket, perfect for that hour-long nine-hole par-3 experience. Best of all, The Loma weighs just under 2 pounds, so it doesn’t get any easier to transport. 

Finally, I’ve observed a lot of players who use this bag on cart path-only days. If they are riding, they simply hang it on their larger golf bag and throw a few clubs in it when they have to walk across the fairway to hit a shot or bring a couple of wedges and the putter to the area around the green. 

Choosing a golf bag really depends on the type of golf you play, and how you think of yourself as a golfer. Skill level really isn’t much of a factor. 

• Use Multiple Bags: If you play a lot of different kinds of courses and conditions, then you might want to consider more than one bag. The bag you use for a riding round in dicey weather at a long course won’t work for walking rounds on hot days.
• Carry & Stand Bags: If you prefer to walk and carry, you’ll definitely want something lightweight and comfortable. Carry & stand bags are designed with walking golfers in mind, with features like sturdy legs, lightweight build, and efficient pockets.
• Hybrid Bags: If you ride most of the time, a hybrid bag is a great choice. They offer the flexibility to function as a carry bag but with some considerations for riding rounds that make them more functional on a powered or push cart.
• Cart Bags: If you ride or use a push cart for every round, a cart bag might be your best selection.