Is There a Difference Between a Golf Bag and Staff Bag?

Golfing would surely be a hassle and not fun to play if you don’t have a bag where you can store different golf clubs and other items. Because the bag is so important for golfers nowadays, it is regarded to be one of the most important pieces of golfing equipment needed before they go on a course.

There are many different types of golf bags out there, and your choice would often depend on your personal preference or your budget. Two of the most popular types of golf bags are the carry bag and the staff bag, and both of these serve the same purpose, although they differ in terms of storage size or capacity and their carrying convenience. To help you know the difference between these two bags, let us take a look at each of the bags’ features.

Carry Bag

The carry bag is arguably the most popular type of golf bag out there, and its popularity is mainly caused by its relatively low price, its ease of use, and its stylish look. In addition, the carry bag is also a classic, so if you really want to look like a veteran golfer, you might want to get a carry bag. Carry bags are smaller than any other types of golf bags, thus making them quite easy to carry around or store in an empty compartment of your car.

Since they are small, carry bags are also very light, so you can walk around the golf course for minutes without even noticing that you are carrying the bag and the items inside it. Of course, as time goes on, you will feel the weight of the carry bag a little bit, but you actually have the option to buy a cart that is made specifically to accommodate carry bags. Another con that carry bags have is that they tend to have less storage space than staff bags, but you will still be able to bring all of the golf clubs you need. However, if you are looking for a bag that has extra compartments for other items, like shoes, phones, or tablets, then a carry bag might not be the one for you.

You can choose from many brands of carry bags in golfing stores, but in order to know which golf brands are considered to be the best of the best, you may want to consult expert golfers or reviews that will tell a good carry bag to buy.

Staff Bag

The staff bag is built for professionals, as it features a nicer compartment for golf clubs that allows them to fit comfortably in the bag, and also several extra pockets and compartments made to store other items. As its name suggests, the staff bag is usually carried by the golfer’s staff or caddie (a person assigned to carry golf clubs and other items for the golfer), although the bag can also be carried by the golfer. As opposed to the inexpensiveness of the carry bag, the staff bag tends to be pricey, as they are made with better quality materials and are quite bigger than a carry bag.

a golfer pulling a cart used to carry a golf bag

If you are carrying this bag, most golfers on the course will automatically assume that you are a professional, so you would need to keep that in mind when buying this bag as a beginner. Of course, if you have a staff bag and you don’t have expert golfing skills, then people might discriminate or make fun of you while assuming that you spent plenty of money without even touching a golf club. Another drawback that a staff bag has is that they are actually heavier than carry bags, but that drawback is just the consequence of having more compartments.

Much like carry bags, there are dozens of different brands of staff bags, but you would need to choose wisely since you would need to spend a lot of cash on buying one. To help you decide, the best staff bag 2018 winners are the TaylorMade Tour 2018 and the Cobra Staff Golf Bag, and you can still buy these two in secondhand markets or in golf stores that still have them in stock. But, it would be better if you can buy new staff bags released in the same year you are going to buy a bag so that its materials would feel brand new.

Those are the key differences between a carry bag and a staff bag, and by reading the guide, you have seen that each type of golf bag has its own pros and cons. If you are just a beginner, the carry bag would be enough for you to bring most of your items on the golf course, but if you are an experienced golfer, you might want to upgrade to a staff bag for heavier duty materials and more compartments.