Stand bag advice/comparison (Ping, Sun Mountain, Vessel)

[rpgolf]

Hi all, looking for some help on selecting a stand bag and would love to hear others experiences.  I mostly ride cart nowadays but still looking for a stand bag.  I have only had 2 ping hoofers in the past and my most recent one was a Hoofer 14 that had a stand leg broken on a flight.  I've narrowed it down to a few options and would love input if there's a slam dunk in the mix.

 

Ping Hoofer - Its what I know.  I think my past biggest issue is the lack of full length dividers with club tangle that I've lived with out of necessity.  Not sure if I shouldn't settle for this anymore.  Also would love to hear if the 5 way vs 14 way makes a huge difference regarding experience.

Sun Mountain 4.5 or C-130 - Love that they have full-length dividers.  Never used one before, seems like people online like them.  I've always steered away from bags with an external stand mechanism in the past, but I'm not sure thats really important.

Vessel Player V Pro - I've never seen one in person (no stores carry them) but they seem nice.  I don't care so much about the price, as long as I'm not a sucker for spending the extra money on something not worth it.  I've read recent complaints about quality control and durability online, but I never know how valid those are.  Are they too heavy?  Do clubs still have tangle issues?  Anybody seen or used the new V Pro yet?

 

I know that there's a ton of posts out there, but I really appreciate your opinions and/or comparisons.  Thanks!

[j0nesy]

I have a Sun Mountain 4.5, which is a 14 way, and it gets the job done. I like the magnetic pocket, which is where I can keep my range finder within reach. The full length dividers mean that the clubs never tangle. It's a decent bag and Sun Mountain is a good company.

Like you, I rarely carry my bag and have been in the market for a cart bag...read on.

I had a Vessel Lux Cart 14 and it was a POS (just being honest). After a month of e-cart use, it showed serious wear on the backside of the bag where it lays on the cart - thankfully it was easy to return to DSG.  To be fair, I have seen the Lux Pro and it seems to be made of a better pleather material. I assume that the Play V Pro would be made of the higher quality pleather. 

If you like bags that are understated, then consider the Sunday Golf Big Rig. Seems to check all the boxes for a quality bag. 
 

[BlkNGld]

C130 hybrid (new) looks good and I have the Titleist hybrid 14 that's worth a look.

 

The Titleist's dividers are not completely full length, but are full enough that I've not experienced tangling.   Reason for it is that inside the garment pocket is a zipper that gives access to the bottom.   Should you drop something (like keys) that falls to the bottom you can get to it without having to do the detach/remove clubs/flip/shake thing.   

[j0nesy]

C130 is honestly my favorite of the bags you can find in a retail golf store. My biggest gripe, is that they are too loud. If they were more subtle in branding, similar to their beautiful stripe series, then it would be perfect.

Edited November 14, 2024 by j0nesy

[shankasaurus rex]

I have a Hoofer, and the club tangle is ridiculous. I love everything else about the bag, but the tangle makes it unusable. I've been told the newer versions are better, but my experience has been bad enough that I'll never buy another Ping bag.

[Pepperturbo]

I have been using a Ping Hoofer 201 Stand bag, @5.5lbs since 9/2022.  It's light enough to carry over little courses, works nicely in my push cart yet, has a cart strap sleeve to secure it to the cart well.   However, no full-length dividers, a reality we must bear. 

 

Yes, my club grips get tangled.  To fix it, I need to go to smaller grips or a bigger heavier bag with dividers, which I don't want.  This bag is large enough to carry what I need, yet light enough to not be a carry burden.

[corky]

I have a Vessel players IV that I’ve owned for 18 months or so, I play 2 or 3 times a week, walking whatever the weather.

 

it hasn’t faired well to be honest, the rubber feet get pierced by the legs and have had to be replaced. The red carbon legs have faded. The foam pad has had the cover peel back from rubbing on my back, the piping has cracked and peeled in numerous places and some of the covering has faded.
 

so although these issues are all cosmetic, it does make it look shabby. My only functional complaint is the umbrella retention system makes insertion and retrieval v.awkward.

 

functionally the bag works works well though.
 

I won’t be replacing it with another Vessel when I finally retire it as I feel the additional

cost doesn’t warrant it. 

[Ripken08]

19 hours ago, j0nesy said:

C130 is honestly my favorite of the bags you can find in a retail golf store. My biggest gripe, is that they are too loud. If they were more subtle in branding, similar to their beautiful stripe series, then it would be perfect.

Didn't know the C130 was a stand bag lol

[Boricua Golf]

26 minutes ago, Ripken08 said:

Didn't know the C130 was a stand bag lol

I have the C130S which is a stand bag, had it for two seasons and it is an amazing bag, currently I have a Callaway Fairway 14, love the wat the legs are lower and it fits my electric golf cart and the how it fits on a regular golf cart, and it is light weight...back to the Sun Mountain it has plenty pockets and it is a 15 way top... 

[j0nesy]

1 hour ago, Ripken08 said:

Didn't know the C130 was a stand bag lol

You are correct, I was thinking of the cart bag!  🙂

Edited November 14, 2024 by j0nesy

[cfmgolf]

There are a few other options not on your list that you might want to look into.  Ghost golf has a really nice ANYDAY bag which is $100 off right now.  I picked one up a few months ago and really like it.  It doesn't have the holding power of some of the others for your stuff, but very nice materials and workmanship.  Kradul is another brand that can be found online as well as at retailers.  It's a little less money than the Ghost or Vessel, and I think it is a very good value bag.  I also have a C130S and for storage you can't beat it.  Has everything you need, and decent quality.  Just doesn't have the curb appeal of the others.  I also have a Ping Hoofer Tour - this is their higher end materials and design and I think it only comes in white with black lettering.  Isn't a 14 way, but has held up really well with intermittent use both on a cart and a walking cart.  It's not one you would want to carry for 9 or 18 though.  

 

ModernGolf does some really good bag reviews - check out his Youtube page.  I don't have any affiliation, just think he does a nice job with reviews of the less mainstream brands.

[Ripken08]

On 11/14/2024 at 3:43 PM, Boricua Golf said:

I have the C130S which is a stand bag, had it for two seasons and it is an amazing bag, currently I have a Callaway Fairway 14, love the wat the legs are lower and it fits my electric golf cart and the how it fits on a regular golf cart, and it is light weight...back to the Sun Mountain it has plenty pockets and it is a 15 way top... 

Yep difference is an "S"....