Golf equipment seems to be ever-changing and evolving. With companies making use of golfs latest technology. Lost somewhere in all this shuffle was the clean and classic look of the best old school golf bags.
Yes, an extra insulated cooler pocket might come in handy every once in a while. But if you’re going to be carrying this thing around a few times a week there is no harm in it looking good. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best old school golf bags of 2021. Hopefully, we will show you exactly what you’re looking for.
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Pros- High-Quality Build
- Vintage Leather
- Lots Of Storage Capacity
- Rain Hood Included
- Handcrafted In U.S.A
If you are looking for a vintage golf bag and you want quality there is no other place you should other than Belding. This company based in California creates each of these vintage golf bags by hand. they are far away the highest quality retro golf bags on the market.
3 full-length divider system
The three-length divider system installed in this leather golf bag ensure your clubs stay separated and are easily pulled in and out of the bag throughout your round.
Two-point strap connection
The two-point strap connection gives you the feel and looks of a truly vintage golf bag. This also allows this bag to be used when walking the course or whilst playing with a caddie.
The two-point strap can be summarized as the classic strap you would imagine when you think of a single strap golf bag.
Oversized gusseted front ball pocket with zippered valuable pocket
The large front pocket on this golf bag gives it much more storage room than most old school golf bags. This gives golfers the old school look while still retaining the functionality that newer golf bags offer.
Integrated umbrella sleeve
The integrated umbrella sleeve and rain hood made sure that this golf is playable under all conditions. Having an umbrella sleeve to use throughout your round will ensure you’ll get a little more use out of your bag throughout the season.
For golfers looking to find high quality and realistic golf bags should look no further than these Belding models as they are truly one of a kind.
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Pros- High Quality Canvas And Leather
- Easily Transportable & Lightweight
- Retro Aesthetic
This canvas carry bag from Tourbon is our number one choice for the best retro golf bags of 2021. As you can seem from the image above this bag is designed with the retro canvas one-strap style. Though it is small this model has larger styles that come with a similar visual design.
High-quality Canvas And Leather Build
The quality build and materials of this retro golf bag is the main reason we’ve chosen this product as one of the first on our list. The quality of the leather is exactly what you would expect from a true vintage golf bag thought it carries a much lower price point.
Padded Single Shoulder Strap
The single padded shoulder strap fits well with the retro feel that this golf bag offers. Carrying this bag over a single shoulder is not an issue due to its lightweight and design as a Sunday golf bag.
Weighing only 1.2 kilograms makes this a very easy bag to carry around. Though keep in mind that this bag packed with your clubs will be a much heavier weight.
Pockets for all golf necessities
The bag also has pockets that can carry all the necessities you will need throughout a round of golf. It will certainly have less storage than a traditional bag. But it does have enough room for balls, tees, wallet, keys and divot markers.
All in all, we found this Tourbon bag to an incredible option for golfers looking for an old school golf bag. With a high-quality build and a great retro look we’ll sure you’ll be happy with this product. You can check out their other colour options and sizes here.
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Pros- Lightweight
- Belding Brand Name
- Handcrafted In U.S.A
Next, our list is another great option from Belding. Though this model is considerably smaller. Handcrafted in California this bag is much closer to a Sunday bag than these previous Belding model we had on our list. This vintage golf bag is designed with the intention of walking the course.
Single front zipper pocket for golf ball and accessory storage
The single front zipper is the lone pocket on this golf bag. That being said you shouldn’t be too worried about storage. The pocket is quite large and should have room for all the golf necessities.
Umbrella loop and fixture
The umbrella loop and fixture ensures easy storage of your rain gear. This is helpful in case you get caught out while walking the course. This, as we mentioned, earlier is a handy feature, especially on old school golf bags.
The lack of pockets on old school and retro golf bags makes it difficult to pack away rain gear. Having the umbrella loop and fixture ensures that this isn’t a hassle you’ll have to deal with.
Two-point connection strap
The two-point connection strap is built to create the classic one strap carry method used with retro golf bags.
In conclusion, this Belding carry bag is a great option for golfers looking for a high-quality bag that can easily be carried while walking to course. The price point isn’t as low as other Sunday golf bags but the quality this bag offers will not be matched by other brands.
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Pros- Lightweight
- Perfect For Walking The Course
- Vintage Look
- Canvas And Leather Build
Cons- Small Carrying Capacity
- No Pockets
This canvas club carrier has been added to our list because of this interesting build they have designed. As you can see from the picture above you will not be able to fit a club set into this bag. Though, it’s lightweight and reduced size is awesome for golfers looking for a simple Sunday bag or a quick trip to the driving range.
High-quality canvas and leather
The high-quality leather and canvas materials are the same used in their full-sized models. This offers users a sturdy build they can trust. These close to the quality of the Belding models though the price point is much lower.
Leather handle holder
The leather handle holder gives golfers an alternative way of holding the clubs. This is handy if you prefer not to strap them over your shoulder.
2-5 golf Club Capacity
The 2-5 club carrying capacity is perfect for golfers looking for a simple club carrier that can be used when walking the course. This, is of course, significantly smaller than all other bags on their last but can be quite handy in many situations.
Some golfers that prefer to walk the course find the carrying of their clubs to result in a strain on their back over time. This, of course, is not the case with this carrying bag as the weight on your shoulders and back is greatly reduced.
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Pros- Name Brand
- Large Pockets
- Modern Functionality
This model is quite different than our other options. It offers a much more modern take on the canvas and leather golf bags. This model combines both the old school materials and look into a modern style bag. In short, what it lacks in old school visuals it makes up for in convenience.
High-quality Yak Leather
The leather used in the build of this bag is incredibly sturdy and high quality. This not only ensures a great visual look to the bag. But also confidence that you will have this bag for years to come.
Multiple Pockets
The multiple pockets built in this retro golf bag are don’t seem like much of a feature. But when shopping for old school golf bags it certainly is.
As you may have been able to tell many items on our list so far have few or even no pockets at all. The multiple pockets in this bag will make it much more convenient when bringing all your golf accessories with you on the course.
Lightweight Design
Though it can fit a full set of clubs this bag has been built with an incredibly lightweight design. For a leather golf bag, it is quite impressive that the total weight only comes out to 4.4 pounds. This weight on your shoulders should not be a concern when walking the course.
Manufactured In The USA
Finally being manufactured in the United States is another noticeable feature of this bag. Golfers can rest assured that this bag that is hand made in Montana will be the quality of old school bag their looking for.
For golfers looking for a high-quality old school golf bag with some modern functionality, we found this bag to be a great choice.
Frequently Asked Questions – Best Old School Golf Bags
What are the different styles of golf bags?
Carry Bags: This style of bag is typically built to be easy to transport and the lightest of all golf bag builds. These are of course traditionally used to carry when walking the course. Often times carry bags will have double shoulder straps making them even easier to carry.
Tour bags: Tour bags are the larger of the bag styles are typically used with golf carts. These bags are heavy and are loaded with pockets for all your golf accessories. Walking the course with a tour bag is not ideal and would be quite a tiring round of golf.
Tour bags are given there name do their intended purpose which is being used on the tour. If you want an idea of what tour bags look like just check out the golf channel. Tour bags are what the pros use during their rounds.
Stand bags: Standbags are somewhat of a hybrid between carrying and tour bags. They fit in between the two models in terms of weight and storage. This style can be used on the back of or cart or be carried throughout the round. Newer models of stand bags will typically come with two straps making them easy to carry. Though they are typically large enough to carry everything you will need for a day out on the course.
How many Dividers are in retro golf bags?
The number of dividers you will find in golf bags will vary based on the model. They are usually anywhere from 0 to 15. Larger tour styles bags will tend to have more dividers making it easy for you to separate all your clubs.
Carry bags will often have 4-6 dividers as golfers that are carrying tend to bring fewer clubs. Stand bags will have typically have 6 -10 dividers built into the bag. This ensures that you can fit all your clubs comfortably into your bag.
Tour bags usually have 10 -15 dividers. This makes each club easyily able to fit into its own compartment in your bag.
Single Strap Vs Backpack Strap Old School Golf Bags
Backpack straps have recently become much more popular in the golfing world and are more or less commonplace with carry bags and stand bags.
Having backpack straps on your golf bag makes things much easier when looking to carry your bag for the round. The second strap takes a ton of pressure off your shoulders and results in a very easy carrying process.
The single strap is the more traditional method of carrying your golf bag. This aligns much more with retro and vintage golf bags and has been the way to carry your bag for years. You will find that nearly all tour bags only feature the single strap though the majority of the time they on the back of a golf cart so carrying isn’t much of an issue.
Can Using These Golf Bags Improve Your game?
In short the answer is no. There aren’t any particular factors that golfers will find improve their game via the bag itself.
That being said there are still benefits to using one of these old school bags throughout your round.
First off, is your time spent walking the course. If you previously used a power cart and are deciding to try walking with one of these retro bags. You will find you see the course much better on foot.
Secondly, the look of the bag you carry may be just enough to get you feeling good for your round. As they say “you look good, you feel good, you play good”.
Where Can I Buy Vintage Golf Bags
If you head over to your local store you may be able to find a golf bag or two that resemble the classic style golf bags you’ve seen on this list. Though more than likely there won’t be many to choose from.
You may also be able to get lucky and find one at a garage sale but your best bet on finding a high-quality vintage golf bag is to shop online.
Large online stores are going to give you the largest variety to choose from and will likely offer you the highest quality vintage golf bags on the market.
What will I have to sacrifice if I switch to A vintage golf bag?
The two main factors you must take into account when deciding to purchase an old school golf bag is the weight and lack of storage. These features will be especially important to those golfers that prefer to walk the course.
The added weight of these older golf bags tends to be due to the leather used in most of these golf bags. Today’s bags are made with the purpose of being as light as possible.
The difference in material is going to be fairly noticeable if you are planning to carry your bag. And of course, if you are in a cart this will not be an issue at all.
The second factor you are going to want to look out for in retro golf bags is their storage capacity. Today’s bags make great use of space and have just about as many pockets as the bag can hold.
When looking at old school bags you’ll notice that they typically will not have many pockets making it a little more difficult to store your golf belongings.
That being said you may find that when you have a smaller capacity in your bag you will end up only filling it with your essentials and will get rid of a lot of the useless pieces of equipment you will tend to carry around in your bag.
Concluding Thoughts
We hope that throughout our list of the best old school golf bags you have been able to find exactly what you were looking for.
We confidently believe in all the golf bags we have shown on our list and we think you will too.
If you enjoyed this list check out another one of our guide on illegal golf balls.