Fair weather golfers. Every golf club has them. They disappear for 6 months of the year, obviously finding something better to do whilst the rest of us trudge around freezing and soaking winter golf courses, dreaming of the warm summer days where a t-shirt and shorts is all that's needed.
How do we get these people enjoying their golf all year round?
Perhaps something like Titleist's StaDry Cart Bag could be the answer. You can stick it onto your trolley which means it saves your back, and energy, over the course of the round (which is a great bonus on a cold day) and it should have all the pockets and features needed to ensure that you're prepared for the adverse weather conditions which us Brits seem to experience on a regular basis.
The best part of this bag in my opinion though, is the StaDry technology. This means that you get all the usual features of a good trolley bag, whilst keeping all of your spare gear and belongings nice and dry on the wet days.
As a relative newcomer to using anything other than a lightweight stand bag, I was intrigued to see just how easy a bag like this could make a golfer's life. Earlier this year I tried out Titleist's Hybrid 5 Stand Bag, which was supposed to be as adept on a trolley as on your shoulders, and was disappointed. Now was their chance to make amends...
What's It All About?
The main idea behind the StaDry is that it is a 'year-round' cart bag which can be used every day of the year, no matter what the weather conditions are like. It fits snugly onto any type of trolley and is constructed from 100% waterproof materials.
If you're lucky enough to benefit from a caddy whilst you play, there's also a generous shoulder-strap on the back which makes the bag easy to carry despite its size, and is handy for transporting to and from the golf course.
Two grab handles either side of the top-divider are also useful in lifting the bag on and off a buggy if you play your golf that way, whilst the cart strap-through pocket, which is common in most trolley bags these days, holds everything in place and achieves a tidy look.
The bag comes with 7 pockets, including valuables pouches and full-length apparel pockets for storing extra clothes, and plenty of space for spare balls, gloves and tees.
There's a 14-way graphite friendly top cuff which features full-length dividers to make it easy to take clubs in and out, and an integrated putter well for the most-used club in your bag.
Titleist Say...
The StaDry cart bag, featuring Titleist’s patented StaDry waterproof technology, delivers easy access and maximum storage with advanced waterproof protection.
The Test
Whilst the main testing for this bag was done at Bramall Park Golf Club on a sunny Friday afternoon, I have actually been using this bag on my trolley for a couple of weeks as I wanted to give it chance to perform under a number of different conditions and scenarios.
I stocked up the bag with my clubs, balls, gloves, umbrella, spare clothes, snacks and everything else you might expect to see inside a golfer's bag, before giving it a thorough run-out.
Titleist StaDry Cart Bag Review
First Impressions
Moving the bag around from house to car, and then car to trolley, I found that it perhaps could've done with a couple of extra handles. The two side handles at the top are perfect for if the bag is on a buggy, but for lifting out of the car boot and off the trolley, handles in the middle at the top and bottom would've been much more useful.
Having said that, Titleist has managed to shave a little bit of weight off compared to last year so that it comes in at about 2.7kg, which is pretty respectable for something of it's size. Obviously the total weight will depend on how many water bottles, jumpers and bananas you want to cram in, but I was pleasantly surprised that it felt relatively light.
The bag I was given to test came in a black and red colourway which was very smart. Though I am not usually the biggest fan of the shiny finish on some bags, this still gave the look of a premium product and I knew that it was like this because it was waterproof, so no complaints there.
On The Course
The idea with these bags is that they make your life easier, and I have to say that during my rounds with the bag on a trolley, the usability is great. I found the pockets to be large, well-placed and very accessible, making it easy to dip in and out and grab what I needed without causing any hold-ups.
As expected, the 100% waterproof promise was true and the sealed zips gave me full confidence that all of my gear was safe inside. Once it started raining during the second time I played with the bag, I took my phone out of my pocket and put it into the bag, where I knew that it would not be affected regardless of how heavy the downpour was.
In terms of the overall quality of the bag, I was extremely satisfied. With an RRP of £245 (online searches show that you should be able to get it for much less than this now) you'd expect a premium look and solid build, and I was not disappointed.
Sometimes it's the little touches with a product like this which seem to add up and leave you feeling that little bit more impressed. With the StaDry, I really liked the way that Titleist had designed the umbrella pouch for example, something which you wouldn't really think about usually but the sleeve design was much better than the loop and toggle system used by other brands.
Similarly the clips on the end of each zip were great for holding everything in place, whilst the design of the top meant that there was very little club-rattling going on, even whilst navigating slopes.
Having said this, there were a couple of small drawbacks, which in an ideal world I would've liked to be slightly different. Firstly, I am a big proponent of a hinged towel-holder so that you don't have to have your own clip to fasten the towel on. It's a small thing, I know, but it makes life much easier and allows you to interchange more easily.
I also found that the towel tended to drag along the ground whilst using the trolley. Luckily most of my testing has taken place during dry weather, on a wet winter's day you'd end up with the bottom of your towel being covered in mud or soaking wet.
I ended up having to drape the towel over the top of the bag which ruined its look slightly. It's a small issue but easily avoidable.
As I mentioned earlier, another handle at the top near the cart-strap slot would've made it much easier to move the bag around before and after your round, whilst a specific cool pocket for a water bottle would be much appreciated on warm days.
Would I Use It?
If you're looking for a bag which is exclusively for use on a trolley and suitable for use in all conditions, then you will not get any better than the StaDry.
I would more than happy to use this bag every time I didn't feel like carrying, and would be confident that it would perform exactly how I wanted it to. Titleist bags have a good reputation and this only reinforces that, and I think it has an uncomplicated look which will appeal to all golfers. It's sensible and functional, and you can tell that some real effort has gone in to the development of the product.
Even when compared to last year's models, a couple of design tweaks have improved the overall usability, including two neater valuabes pockets on either side, bigger side pocket for easy storage of extra gear, and a couple of smarter colour options.
The only thing I would have kept is that handle on the front of the bag at the top, but on the whole, it's an improvement.
All of this adds up to make this my go-to trolley/buggy bag for the foreseeable future.
Titleist StaDry Cart Bag Verdict
As someone who is only occasionally a trolley user I was extremely impressed by the StaDry Cart Bag, because it did exactly what it should do - make life easier for you on the golf course.
It looked smart, was versatile on both a trolley and buggy, had all the room you could ever need for spare gear, and was easy to use. When you're playing golf the last thing you want to be doing is wasting time fiddling with your bag and trying to keep your stuff dry.
Yes, the price is a little on the high side but you know with a Titleist product its going to be great quality, and if it makes your life easier and your scores better then it could be well worth the investment.
Pros
- Smart design
- Solid construction
- Waterproof protection
- Great quality of materials
- Good range of pockets
Cons
- Top layout could've been better
- Towel hangs too low
- Putter well not as effective for bigger putter head
- Could do with a grab handle
- Water bottle holder/cooler pocket would've been nice
