Need a bag for walking/riding

[orr444]

Old guy now that rides more than walk. But I take a caddy sometimes and like to carry to range. Looking at vessel any reccomendations thx

[bluedot]

Get two bags.  There are a lot of choices for bigger bags with stands for when you go to the range; Sun Mt C130 Hybrid, Titleist Hybrid 14, Callaway Hybrid, and so on.

 

And do your caddie a favor and get something like a Sun Mt 2.5 for those occasions.  The time it takes to switch stuff from one bag to another is pretty minimal, and you can keep a lot of it stowed in both bags; balls, tees, repair tools, gloves, etc.  Your clubs and a rangefinder should be about it in terms of a switch over.  

 

Several years ago, I went to Streamsong for 3 days; one round on each course, all walking, of course, and all with a caddie. I took what I THOUGHT was a good, light Titleist carry bag.  I was going to have the same caddie all three days, and after the first day, he asked me if it would be ok if he switched my stuff to one of their bags.  They store your clubs for the night, so I had no problem with that.  When I showed up for the second day, he had my stuff in a Sun Mt. 2.5.  
 

I figured that if a guy who totes bags for a living wanted to carry that bag, I was a dope to think I should do otherwise; I stopped at Golf Galaxy and bought one on the way home from the airport. So now I have a SM C130 Hybrid for my push cart or riding rounds, and a 2.5 at the ready for rounds that I carry or for golf trips.  The changeover is less than 10 minutes, and well worth it.

[theironhorse]

I bought a Vessel Player IV as I am in the same boat.  I use a cart about 20% of my rounds, and practice quite a bit.  The Player IV is very easy for me to use and not switch back and forth (I also bought a "Sunday" bag about the same time and now it just hangs in my garage) because the shoulder straps clip on/off and take about 15 seconds to add/remove.  When I walk I use a pushcart, so removing straps is a huge plus.  I can then clip them back on when I go to the range/putting green. 

I was a bit hesitant due to the cost, but I have been pretty happy with it so far - now 18-24 months in.

I would likely not walk 18 carrying it myself, but I have done 9 fine - I am now 54 and those days are behind me.  I cannot see any caddie complaining about the weight, unless you have it loaded down with way too much junk, which would make ANY bag too heavy.

 

[Philfil]

@orr444 I’ve used Jones golf bags for years, currently using their Rover line, and never had any issues with caddies carrying it, carrying it myself, or riding in a cart with it. 
 

https://www.jonessportsco.com/collections/stand-bags/products/rover-stand-bag-black-charcoal-wheat

[flubberlange]

I primarily walk and I have bought a lot of bags over the years – Vessel, Jones, McKenzie, Taylor Made, Sun Mountain, Titleist, Ping. The Ping Hoofer Lite is the superior bag for walkers. There are bags that are lighter, better looking, and more expensive, but there is no bag better for walking than the Hoofer Light - it’s not the best looking and it’s not the lightest, but it’s the most balanced and most durable golf bag for walking. Not to mention the stand is superior. 

[KMeloney]

On 7/8/2025 at 7:15 PM, orr444 said:

Old guy now that rides more than walk. But I take a caddy sometimes and like to carry to range. Looking at vessel any reccomendations thx

Some criteria would be helpful. Otherwise, any bag with a carry strap and room for 14 clubs will do.

[mshills]

On 7/10/2025 at 8:04 AM, bluedot said:

Get two bags.  There are a lot of choices for bigger bags with stands for when you go to the range; Sun Mt C130 Hybrid, Titleist Hybrid 14, Callaway Hybrid, and so on.

 

And do your caddie a favor and get something like a Sun Mt 2.5 for those occasions.  The time it takes to switch stuff from one bag to another is pretty minimal, and you can keep a lot of it stowed in both bags; balls, tees, repair tools, gloves, etc.  Your clubs and a rangefinder should be about it in terms of a switch over.  

 

Several years ago, I went to Streamsong for 3 days; one round on each course, all walking, of course, and all with a caddie. I took what I THOUGHT was a good, light Titleist carry bag.  I was going to have the same caddie all three days, and after the first day, he asked me if it would be ok if he switched my stuff to one of their bags.  They store your clubs for the night, so I had no problem with that.  When I showed up for the second day, he had my stuff in a Sun Mt. 2.5.  
 

I figured that if a guy who totes bags for a living wanted to carry that bag, I was a dope to think I should do otherwise; I stopped at Golf Galaxy and bought one on the way home from the airport. So now I have a SM C130 Hybrid for my push cart or riding rounds, and a 2.5 at the ready for rounds that I carry or for golf trips.  The changeover is less than 10 minutes, and well worth it.

The SM 2.5 really is the king of carry bags, no argument there. I use two bags as well. Hoofer Lite for carrying. Sun Mountain Sync for riding or pushing…this really is the best solution. Fighting with a carry bag on a push or riding cart is a pain.
 

However…I’m a retired caddie and unless you showed up with a totally unsuitable cart or staff bag, there is NO WAY I would switch my player to my bag. You had a Titleist carry bag, no problem with that at all. I wouldn’t have made a fuss about it, but the caddie was rude and out of order….typical for that bunch down there. 

[bluedot]

5 minutes ago, mshills said:

The SM 2.5 really is the king of carry bags, no argument there. I use two bags as well. Hoofer Lite for carrying. Sun Mountain Sync for riding or pushing…this really is the best solution. Fighting with a carry bag on a push or riding cart is a pain.
 

However…I’m a retired caddie and unless you showed up with a totally unsuitable cart or staff bag, there is NO WAY I would switch my player to my bag. You had a Titleist carry bag, no problem with that at all. I wouldn’t have made a fuss about it, but the caddie was rude and out of order….typical for that bunch down there. 

I promise you he wasn’t rude at all, and it in no way came across as out of order.  He was double bagging all three days for me and a buddy, and I think he did two loops at least one of the three days.  We got along great, and if I went back to Streamsong, I’d ask for him.  Great caddie, and we had a lot of laughs.

[mshills]

15 minutes ago, bluedot said:

I promise you he wasn’t rude at all, and it in no way came across as out of order.  He was double bagging all three days for me and a buddy, and I think he did two loops at least one of the three days.  We got along great, and if I went back to Streamsong, I’d ask for him.  Great caddie, and we had a lot of laughs.

10-4. 👍🏼

 

I was always reluctant to swap bags unless the player had a beast of a bag. Glad your experience was good, love the Streamsong courses.

[IC3BURGH]

I will say that a number of caddies down there are very quick to swap to a changeout, but also more generally people are completely insensitive about the weight of their bags and then the contents they put in make it worse.

 

With that, I think the best solution depends on how much you stuff in your bag. If you tend to carry a dozen+ balls and countless other items (rangefinder, sunscreen, umbrella, rain hood, 200 ball markers, etc), go with a two bag solution and I'd strongly recommend the 2.5+ people are recommending for the caddie bag. Titleist Carbon 4 tends to be a good option too. Even for your second bag, I would probably still recommend something with a stand, a Vessel could work well. If you run light, I think you can open up towards some more premium looking bags but I would still aim to keep it under 4.5lbs. I think this generally eliminates all (most?) Vessels.

 

I walk/carry/ride about 40/40/20% of the time and am a relatively light packer (two sleeves, rangefinder, tees/markers, small sunscreen, water bottle). I've had caddies give positive marks to my Hudson Sutler bag for its weight.

[mshills]

2 minutes ago, IC3BURGH said:

I will say that a number of caddies down there are very quick to swap to a changeout, but also more generally people are completely insensitive about the weight of their bags and then the contents they put in make it worse.

 

With that, I think the best solution depends on how much you stuff in your bag. If you tend to carry a dozen+ balls and countless other items (rangefinder, sunscreen, umbrella, rain hood, 200 ball markers, etc), go with a two bag solution and I'd strongly recommend the 2.5+ people are recommending for the caddie bag. Titleist Carbon 4 tends to be a good option too. Even for your second bag, I would probably still recommend something with a stand, a Vessel could work well. If you run light, I think you can open up towards some more premium looking bags but I would still aim to keep it under 4.5lbs. I think this generally eliminates all (most?) Vessels.

 

I walk/carry/ride about 40/40/20% of the time and am a relatively light packer (two sleeves, rangefinder, tees/markers, small sunscreen, water bottle). I've had caddies give positive marks to my Hudson Sutler bag for its weight.

True statement! I carry the bare minimum when I walk. Sunscreen gets applied in the locker room, no need to carry that. One ball in play, one sleeve in the bag. Sometimes a second sleeve, but not at my home club since lost balls aren’t really an issue there. I’ve seen guys with 24+ balls in a lightweight carry bag….in which case the bag is no longer light…Come on man! Range finder, greens book. Rain hood and rain gear stay in the locker unless rain is forecasted. Umbrella only on a push cart, I’m not carrying that thing, ever. Couple PB&Js and a small bag of trail mix.
 

Back on topic, I haven’t found a bag that is ideal for riding, pushing, and carrying. Too many compromises with the all-in-one, and it’s worth having a great carry bag and a great cart bag. The Sync really is great for ridding and pushing — it’s not huge and heavy, and the club dividers are well thought out 

[5 O'Clock Charlie]

Been using Ping my whole life. Got a Moonlander earlier this year and it's the best Ping bag I have ever owned. Best walking bag they have made and easy to throw on the cart.

[mikedejong33]

8 minutes ago, 5 O'Clock Charlie said:

Been using Ping my whole life. Got a Moonlander earlier this year and it's the best Ping bag I have ever owned. Best walking bag they have made and easy to throw on the cart.

Same goes for me. I have used Ping bags for 30 years, currently use a Hoofer Lite going on about 5 years, and the Moonlander is going to be my next bag 100%. My wife uses a Craze Lite, and I think the Moonlander is better. Only problem is my Hoofer Lite will likely last another 5 years easy, so I am going to have to wait! Ping bags last forever, I wouldn't even consider anything else.

[ciscojaws]

On 7/16/2025 at 8:15 AM, mshills said:

True statement! I carry the bare minimum when I walk. Sunscreen gets applied in the locker room, no need to carry that. One ball in play, one sleeve in the bag. Sometimes a second sleeve, but not at my home club since lost balls aren’t really an issue there. I’ve seen guys with 24+ balls in a lightweight carry bag….in which case the bag is no longer light…Come on man! Range finder, greens book. Rain hood and rain gear stay in the locker unless rain is forecasted. Umbrella only on a push cart, I’m not carrying that thing, ever. Couple PB&Js and a small bag trail mix.

This is exactly my mentality.  I’ve had the Hoofer Lite, Sun Mountain 2.5 with upgraded straps, Jones Trooper 2.0, Ping Moonlite and Jones Rover Stand.  For my needs, the Jones Rover Stand has the best setup and most comfortable.  Works for me walking, pushing or riding.

[Doyouevenblade]

On 7/13/2025 at 3:21 PM, flubberlange said:

I primarily walk and I have bought a lot of bags over the years – Vessel, Jones, McKenzie, Taylor Made, Sun Mountain, Titleist, Ping. The Ping Hoofer Lite is the superior bag for walkers. There are bags that are lighter, better looking, and more expensive, but there is no bag better for walking than the Hoofer Light - it’s not the best looking and it’s not the lightest, but it’s the most balanced and most durable golf bag for walking. Not to mention the stand is superior. 

I had a CrazeLite before and my

HooferLite is 100x easy to walk with and I load it up way more than the CrazeLite. 
 

The strap padding, the balance… it just works.  Honestly, it’s just the perfect bag. Enough pockets without being excessive. 

[flubberlange]

On 7/17/2025 at 10:53 PM, Doyouevenblade said:

I had a CrazeLite before and my

HooferLite is 100x easy to walk with and I load it up way more than the CrazeLite. 
 

The strap padding, the balance… it just works.  Honestly, it’s just the perfect bag. Enough pockets without being excessive. 

Agree. I had CrazeLite to and it’s well, too light - and a bit flimsy. 

[BYK]

On 7/16/2025 at 8:15 AM, mshills said:

True statement! I carry the bare minimum when I walk. Sunscreen gets applied in the locker room, no need to carry that. One ball in play, one sleeve in the bag. Sometimes a second sleeve, but not at my home club since lost balls aren’t really an issue there. I’ve seen guys with 24+ balls in a lightweight carry bag….in which case the bag is no longer light…Come on man! Range finder, greens book. Rain hood and rain gear stay in the locker unless rain is forecasted. Umbrella only on a push cart, I’m not carrying that thing, ever. Couple PB&Js and a small bag of trail mix.
 

Back on topic, I haven’t found a bag that is ideal for riding, pushing, and carrying. Too many compromises with the all-in-one, and it’s worth having a great carry bag and a great cart bag. The Sync really is great for ridding and pushing — it’s not huge and heavy, and the club dividers are well thought out 

Sorry lol

if you need 24 balls you need lessons and shouldn’t be on the course. Yikes 

[cl001]

I’ve had a Vessel VLS for a couple years now and it’s the best I’ve had. it’s lightweight and the straps are so comfortable it feels even lighter than it is. It’s not the most spacious in terms of storage but there’s enough room to hold the essentials, and it’s substantial enough to strap into a cart no problem too. 
 

also, their customer service seems good. The center disc on the straps broke (trying to jam too many bags in my trunk) and they sent me a new one for free

[shankasaurus rex]

On 7/13/2025 at 4:21 PM, flubberlange said:

I primarily walk and I have bought a lot of bags over the years – Vessel, Jones, McKenzie, Taylor Made, Sun Mountain, Titleist, Ping. The Ping Hoofer Lite is the superior bag for walkers. There are bags that are lighter, better looking, and more expensive, but there is no bag better for walking than the Hoofer Light - it’s not the best looking and it’s not the lightest, but it’s the most balanced and most durable golf bag for walking. Not to mention the stand is superior. 

The Hoofer and Hoofer Lite are both awful for riding, unfortunately. 

[mshills]

On 7/20/2025 at 11:03 AM, BYK said:

Sorry lol

if you need 24 balls you need lessons and shouldn’t be on the course. Yikes 

Exactly. No one needs that many balls, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone with that many, or even more!

[BYK]

1 hour ago, mshills said:

Exactly. No one needs that many balls, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone with that many, or even more!

cmon lol

[clintwilli23]

I love my 8 clubs Sunday bag. I also play the same course all the time so having a limited number of clubs is never an issue as I know what clubs I use the most on the course. It is kind of a fun challenge to only use 8 clubs and having to get creative when I’m in between clubs. 

[ForeGeorgia]

On 7/13/2025 at 2:21 PM, flubberlange said:

I primarily walk and I have bought a lot of bags over the years – Vessel, Jones, McKenzie, Taylor Made, Sun Mountain, Titleist, Ping. The Ping Hoofer Lite is the superior bag for walkers. There are bags that are lighter, better looking, and more expensive, but there is no bag better for walking than the Hoofer Light - it’s not the best looking and it’s not the lightest, but it’s the most balanced and most durable golf bag for walking. Not to mention the stand is superior. 

 

My first and only bag has been a White 2022 Hoofer Lite. It's still white and the legs are still working. I have club tangle from time to time; I can't imagine you can avoid this without 14-way dividers. But that said, I often wonder if the grass is always greener, but I keep finding this sentiment.

 

The new Sun Mountain E-2.5 Stand Bag looks like an amazing competitor for the Hoofer Lite. I'd love to get my hands on this bag to check it out! I never cared for the big "SUN MOUNTAIN" logo on the side, but there branding looks a lot better on this bag.

Edited July 30 by ForeGeorgia

[flubberlange]

21 hours ago, ForeGeorgia said:

 

My first and only bag has been a White 2022 Hoofer Lite. It's still white and the legs are still working. I have club tangle from time to time; I can't imagine you can avoid this without 14-way dividers. But that said, I was wonder if the grass is always greener, but I keep finding this sentiment.

 

The new Sun Mountain E-2.5 Stand Bag looks like an amazing competitor for the Hoofer Lite. I'd love to get my hands on this bag to check it out! I never cared for the big "SUN MOUNTAIN" logo on the side, but there branding looks a lot better on this bag.

I’ve had a few Sun Mountain bags too. Light bags for sure but not a fan of their stand as I think the top of the legs are mounted a bit to close to the top/mouth of the bag which makes it deploy in a way I don’t like (seems awkward and not quite balanced). The Sun Mountain bags logos and colors are not my favorites either - even the ones I had that didn’t have any of the SM logos. If I had to get rid of all but one of my bags, I’d keep the Ping Hoofer Lite.