PeterHenric

So I have an update on the pockets. I went and did a little comparative research on some other stand bags. In particular, the valuables pocket on the SL2 is very comparable to the valuables pocket on a Titleist stand bag. Not very big, not easy to get anything of size into or out of. Not to be used on the course repeatedly. Put your valuables in there and don't touch them again until the round is over or you see the cart lady and need your wallet. The water bottle pocket could be used for a phone or a rangefinder but then you can't carry a water bottle unless it has a tether to attach to the top rail of the bag. Best to just use the water bottle pocket for a water bottle. The other 2 pockets are okay in size depending on how much you are going to carry. The bag is not designed or inteded to carry all of your stuff you normally would. It could be a good travel bag... The zippers feel high quality but are quite "firm" in the zipping and unzipping. Not easy to quickly open and close. The pockets don't have any expandability to them. On the water bottle side, anything you put in the adjoining "ball" pocket just makes it harder to get the water bottle in/out. If you have a water bottle in there, it can be hard to get anything in/out of the "ball" pocket. The bigger pocket on the other side doesn't have any competing pockets so it's a little easier to use assuming you don't have the rain hood in there. Rain isn't a concern out here in Vegas so we always just take it out and pretty much forget about it. If you need to keep the rain hood with you, there isn't much room left in that pocket. IMO, That would probably be the pocket to put a rangefinder in.

Went out for another round today and it was better… Took all but 6 balls out of the one pocket so there was more room and the bag was lighter to carry. I do love how this bag feels while using it. The legs are sturdy and the shoulder straps are comfy. A playing partner of mine was oohing and aahing over my bag. The blue color really stands out and the build quality and materials are top notch. Back to the function of the bag. There isn’t an easy in/out pocket for either a phone or a rangefinder. There is a soft lined valuables pocket but it isn’t very big and it’s a tight fit. I previously had issues with the bag bumping my phone in my back pocket so I moved the phone to the Rokform Golf Shooter that sticks out of the top of my bag. That’s where I usually put my magnetic towel. This solved my phone problem but others with a rangefinder won’t be so lucky. Moving my wet magnetic towel off of the Rokform Golf Shooter forced me to just stick it on top of my irons. Not ideal but not a big deal. The rest of the round went fine. Just take a minimalist approach to what you bring on the golf course and you’ll be good to go. I know that this is a light weight weekend warrior bag but I wonder why they wouldn’t add a pocket or two in this area right here. There is enough room for an exterior pocket for a rangefinder right there.

Date 08/22/2023 Course Name Eagle Crest Gross Score 77 Course Handicap 16 Gross Strokes over/under par 17 Net Score to Par 1 Net Score 61 Net Birdies or better 5 Longest Drive 283

I’m not giving up on the bag, it just doesn’t fit the way I normally use a bag. I appreciate the input on how you use it and will take some of those tips. I am playing on Tuesday at a Muni style course and plan to give the bag another run. I’m taking more stuff out of the bag so there is more room to rummage around. I’ll return and report.

So I got to take the bag out for a round with full intentions of walking 18 and putting it through its paces to see how it performed. Here are a couple of photos of my bag on the first hole tee box. As you can see, the water bottle/beverage pocket is really small. The Kirkland Signature water bottle is tall but the pocket is so small that it sticks out really far. Far to the point that when I put the bag on my back, it is right next to my hip and would actually bump my body while walking. The pocket itself is secure, I never felt like the bottle was at risk of falling out but it's definitely not very deep. I am almost ashamed to admit it but this is my bag at the end of the second hole. I absolutely hated walking with this bag. To the point where it was actually upsetting me and ruining my mindset. I'll give a few positives and negatives about the bag below. First, the positives: 1. The bag looks really pretty and is of high quality build and materials. 2. The bag and shoulder harnesses are comfortable while walking. The clubs were mostly quiet while walking. I don't particularly care for the sound of clubs rattling while strolling down the course. 3. The stand mechanism works well and the bag feels sturdy while the legs are out. That's all. Now, the negatives: 1. I really dislike having only a 4 divider bag. You have to group your clubs together and that allows them to rub up against each other and rattle. The rattling wasn't bad but it's the principle of it. Along with having to put all the clubs into only 4 spots, it makes it hard(ish) to find the club you're looking for. Without having a dedicated putter spot, I found myself having to pull the other clubs out of the bag a little bit so that I could get my putter in and out of the bag. 2. The pockets are pretty much terrible. I don't know any other way to put it. There aren't any easy ways to access any of them. The zippers and pockets are tight so it's hard to get anything in or out of them. Because the pockets are so small, it's hard to see inside for what you are looking for. I had to pull things out of the pocket in an attempt to find what I was actually looking for. I was mindful to not jam these pockets full of stuff even though I really wanted to put more things in there. While walking, there isn't a spot to easily put a range finder or phone. Because of this, I put my phone in my back pocket and I kept feeling it interfere with the bag when trying to take it off of my shoulders. One of the other testers uses a range finder and had to dangle the carrying case off of the bag. That is not ideal. 3. In the pockets department but a slightly different complaint, there isn't any good place to put loose balls or tees while on the course. If there were a dedicated, loose fitting, pocket on the outside it could have been so much better. I'm assuming that I'm like most people where you break open a fresh sleeve of balls at the beginning of the round. You toss the sleeve in the trash, put a ball or 2 in your pocket, and then the 3rd ball should go into the bag or into the golf cart. I couldn't find any good spot for this. I found it annoying. 4. Did I mention my beefs with the pockets? I feel like this was a complete fashion over function design. None of the pockets are well thought out or user friendly. This bums me out. I will be very curious to hear what my fellow testers think about the layout of this bag.

Date 08/19/2023 Course Name Angel Park Mountain Gross Score 92 Course Handicap 19 Gross Strokes over/under par 21 Net Score to Par 2 Net Score 73 Net Birdies or better 3 Longest Drive 260 Considering I only missed my handicap by 2 strokes, the round felt worse than the scorecard indicated. Having (3) holes with more than 2 putts doesn't help either. Getting a GiR and then 4 putting on hole 5 definitely stung. Back 9 came together pretty good though.

CMO, I read your first impressions and you and I are on the same page. Beautiful bag, high quality, not enough storage, don't dig the 4 divider layout. Putters are usually not very long and don't stick out from the top of the bag very far. They are usually about as long as a wedge (or so) but you wouldn't want to stick it in the same divider as the wedges. Putter heads are big enough that they end up taking up a lot of space in the divider so it's hard to get other clubs in/out. That's why I VERY MUCH prefer to have a dedicated spot for my putter. If this had a dedicated putter spot it would actually bump the bag up at least a full grade. They have a 5 way divider on their Cart Bag that would have been perfect. Right now I feel like I have to be too selective on what I have in the bag and it's annoying. This is definitely more of a Sunday Carry type of bag. You will not be carying anything other than stuff for the round that day. What's kind of funny/crazy is they actually have a smaller bag called called the SL Sunday and it has even less storage space.

So I believe that most of us received our bags in the last few days and I have a few first impressions. First, the bag is pretty and definitely feels like it is well made. It is cool getting to have a small amount of customization and have your initials on your bag. I dig it. This is my old bag. I went through the process of taking EVERYTHING out of my Taylormade Supreme 15 Cart bag and taking inventory of it. I will admit that there were things in there that I didn't actually remember I had put in there. Once I saw them, I realized WHY they were in there but they don't do you any good if you have it, need it, and don't realize you have it. I guess it's good protocol to go through your bags every now and then. As I started putting things back into my bag, I quickly realized I was going to have to be selective on what made the cut and what was going to be left on my simulator room floor. Below is what was in my bag to start. Below is what was left over because I couldn't fit it. Now I realize that in any given round of golf, I SHOULDN'T need 4 dozen golf balls. It is always nice have a few different types of balls to play depending on how things are going or maybe a playing partner needs some balls as well. I was barely able to fit 2 boxes of balls in the bag. I think that if I took the balls out of the big box and just put the sleeves in individually then I could maybe fit more or make it easier to get access to them. The zipper did not want to close easily around these boxes of balls. A few photos of my pretty new bag. Below is my bag ready to go for my Friday round. Initial thoughts on why would want a bag like this and why. This is not a cheap bag so it is probably for the more well-to-do player who likes to have unique gear. This player isn't worried about having whatever you need, whenever you need it. I could see this being a great bag to carry on an executive type course. Don't need a ton of balls, a spare hoodie or rain jacket, or any other odds and ends. Just the necessities. I have a round scheduled for Friday where I will actually walk the course with the bag so we will see how it performs. I am in Vegas and it is hot so the single spot to fit a water bottle will probably be insufficient.

Date 08/15/2023 Course Name Desert Willow Gross Score 74 Course Handicap 15 Gross Strokes over/under par 14 Net Score to Par -1 Net Score 59 Net Birdies or better 6 Longest Drive 258 I hate the 9th hole. Gets me every time. 4 net birdies, one natural birdie that converted to a net eagle!

Date 08/10/2023 Course Name Arroyo GC Gross Score 94 Course Handicap 21 Gross Strokes over/under par 22 Net Score to Par 1 Net Score 73 Net Birdies or better 5 Longest Drive 256 Driver needs work, iron game was “okay”. I did pick up the Ping iCrossover Driving Iron and I love that thing. Much better than my previous DI the Stealth DHY.

yeah, fair point. Imagine if it actually did really well in MGS Most Wanted testing. The golf world would explode.

The V1 Wedges had TrueTemper Wedge Shafts. The V2 wedges had "Kirkland Signature" shafts in them. I need to do a side by side visual comparison to see if they are different from one to the next or if they just had them rebranded.

Shaft?

Also wondering what the "Buy: $2M" means. Only $2M for the drivers and irons but $14M for the balls?

I'll take one of each, please and thank you. Very curious on what shafts will come with the irons and driver. Also very curious if the balls will be painted yellow or if the color will be integral with the material.

Date 08/01/2023 Course Name Desert Willow Gross Score 79 Course Handicap 11 Gross Strokes over/under par 19 Net Score to Par 8 Net Score 68 Net Birdies or better 5 Longest Drive 258 What could have been? My best 9 ever followed by a pretty dismal 9 after.

Bump on the thread. A few of us have posted our intros. Check it out.

Date 07/28/2023 Course Name Paiute GC - Sun Mountain Gross Score 91 Course Handicap 21 Gross Strokes over/under par 19 Net Score to Par -2 Net Score 70 Net Birdies or better 6 Longest Drive 260 damn that quad on 9.

Went into the store to pick up 4 dozen. When I was trying to get the 4 dozen for $120 rate the computer kept messing up and wouldn't honor the price. Guys working there were getting pissed the computer wouldn't work and ended up giving me a bit more of a discount out of frustration. Regardless, I got my balls and I'm playing Friday.

Date 07/25/2023 Course Name Desert Rose Gross Score 73 Course Handicap 16 Gross Strokes over/under par 13 Net Score to Par -3 Net Score 57 Net Birdies or better 8 Longest Drive 250 Love it when a round comes together. Irons were KFC Extra Crispy!

I am waiting to buy them until they have the buy more save More discount.

So for those of use who love the 2023 Tour X but always wanted them to come in yellow, our time has come! I just stumbled upon them on their website. Unfortunately, it isn’t eligible (yet) for the “buy more, save more” discount. I’ll be going in store to pick some up and see if they will match the price. https://www.golfgalaxy.com/p/maxfli-2023-tour-x-yellow-golf-balls-23maxu2023mxfltrxgbl/23maxu2023mxfltrxgbl

Hello MGS Forum members! As you can tell, I was lucky enough to be chosen to test these Stitch Golf bags and I'm really excited about it. First, a little about me and then we will get to the good stuff. I am 39 years old and am an avid golfer. I picked up the game 5-7 years ago when I got to play at golf scrambles for work and I've been hooked ever since. I play a couple times a week and am getting my 14 year old son into playing as well. I am roughly a 20 handicapper but I started taking lessons this spring and my game is finally starting to come together. Nothing better than seeing the ball do roughly what you wanted it to on a regular occasion. Hoping and working to break 80 sometime this year. Gonna keep up the grind and trust the process. So a little about my golf setup. Right now I have a Taylormade 15 cart bag and I absolutely love it. I am a bit OCD and like to take care of my equipment which is why I love having dividers for every single club. It also makes it very easy to notice if you accidentally lost a club since there will be a spot missing a club. I'm also a little bit of a packrat that loves to be prepared for all occasions. My bag is FULL of stuff so that I'll be prepared for any occasion. I actually do enjoy walking when I play golf (except for in the middle of the summer here in Las Vegas) but when I do walk, I usually use my pushcart. Switching over to a very lightweight carry bag will be VERY different for me in so many ways. I won't be able to carry tons of stuff, don't have special spots for all of my clubs, and I don't "need" the stand function of the bag. That's what is so great about testing out equipment, you get a chance to broaden your horizons and maybe you find something you love that you didn't think was possible. I'm also maybe a little eccentric on preference of bags. Every year the MGS guys do their most wanted stand and cart bags and every year the Ping Hoofer or some other Ping bag wins. It's funny because after they won, I went to the Golf Galaxy to see what all the buzz was about. I didn't care for them. To each their own, right? We will see how this bag turns out for me. The bag I chose is this beauty. Very clean and I love the color. I'm really looking forward to putting it through the paces and giving it my honest opinion. Absolute worst case scenario is the bag doesn't make it's way into regular use but it gets to sit looking VERY pretty in my simulator holding my extra clubs. THE FINAL REVIEW We have had a few weeks to use the bag and it was a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions for me. I fell in love with the bag when I received it, very much disliked the bag the first time I took it out on the course because I was not using it in the way it was designed, made a few tweaks, then started to like the bag again once I started using it the right way. If you haven't gone through the whole thread, I'd encourage you. There is some good stuff in there. On to the final review. Aesthetics (20 out of 20) I have to start out and say that this bag is beautiful! It seems to be extremely well made and built to last a long time. I really like the look and feel of the material they use on the bag. It isn’t leather but it is very durable and apparently it is waterproof. The first day I rolled up to the course with this bag, I got several comments on how beautiful and eye catching it is. The blue color is unique and honestly gives me the heart eyes emoji every time I look at it. The bag feels light but solid, the legs move in/out reliably and are very stable. I have had other Titleist stand bags in the past and was less than impressed with the legs staying where they were supposed to be either when on the ground or even when being carried on my back. The legs on this Stitch bag are just solid. I have 0 complaints about build quality and the looks of the bag. On the course (Dual scores below) So I’m going to give 2 sets of scores for this section because I think that is the fairest way to do this. The first score is for what I think the target customer would give and the second score is for me, admittedly not the target golfer using the bag in the non-designed way. Target Golfer Score: 18 out of 20 From Stitch Golf’s Website: “The SL2 is the bag for you if you are the "weekend golfing warrior" who plays hard and prefers walking.” What they mean by this is someone who doesn’t want/need to carry anything in the bag other than what will be needed for that particular round and maybe one more. They won’t be carrying/using a rangefinder, more than a half dozen balls, some tees, a beverage, and your wallet/keys. The zippers on the pockets seem to be high quality and will last a long time. The pockets themselves are not ample in size and not meant to hold large amounts of items. That’s the intended design and they succeeded. I took 2 points off the score because even with their design, they are still limited in use. The drink pocket interferes with the ball pocket if you have to many balls in there. If you only have a 3-5 loose balls in the ball pocket, the drink pocket works fine. The zippers are very snug so constantly opening and closing them will be a chore. My Score: 5 of 20 As someone who prefers to carry everything I could ever need, who likes a 14 way divider so that each club has its place, and usually rides in a cart as opposed to walks, this bag didn’t check any of those boxes. When I signed up for this test I knew that the bag didn’t have a 14 way divider but I didn’t realize how much I would dislike that design because I had never used one before. I do know that there is nothing wrong with the 4 way design, it just isn’t for me. Others will have no issues with that whatsoever. That’s why I didn’t mention it in my Target Golfer score above. It all comes down to personal preference on the dividers. As someone who is a little OCD and likes for everything to have its own place, a 14 way divider is mandatory. The picture above was my first time out with the bag and it didn't go well. I had simply put too many things in the bag and all of its pockets. The pockets on the bag are, straight up, not for me. The “ball pocket” isn’t really that user friendly to me. Not easy to get balls in and out when needed. Because the pocket isn’t a “bucket style” you have to pry open the pocket to get your ball. Assuming you have more than one type of ball in there, it’s not easy to find the one you are looking for. There isn’t a spot for a rangefinder or gps unit so you have to keep it in your pocket or have it hang off the bag somewhere. Most golfers, especially walkers, don’t want stuff in their pockets. When I started to have a less than stellar opinion of this bag I went to look for either correction or validation. In the MGS Most wanted Testing for stand bags, the Stitch SL2 didn’t fare well when compared to all other stand bags. It placed in dead last. (LINK) Simply put, this is not a full featured Stand Bag meant to go up against other larger stand bags. It also isn’t a minimalist Sunday Bag. It falls right in between the two. That’s a very niche place to be. I do love the dual options for the shoulder straps. It is very considerate that they either let you have a backpack style dual strap or a shoulder style single strap. I wish that other bag makers would adopt this. The good, the bad, and the in between (18 out of 20) The first couple times I used this bag, I wasn’t impressed with the functionality. The reason why is because I was trying to use this like a full featured “carry everything” bag. It was hard to get my clubs in and out of the bag because I had jammed so many things into the pockets that it was constricting the other parts of the bag. The pockets were so full that it made it hard to find anything that I needed at any given time. Once I figured out how to properly use the bag, I started to like it. Just the other day I took the bag out on a 12 hole par 36 course with my son. We walked all the holes and you don’t really need anything longer than an 8 iron and a sleeve of balls. I put my clubs in, a sleeve of balls, a big bottle of water, and hung my towel through one of the rails. It was a delight. Like I said previously. The legs worked well, the straps were comfy, and the bag was beautiful. This was the magical setup for me and the way I think the bag was intended to be used. Don't carry anything other than what you absolutely need for that round of golf. Play it or no? In the end, you need to know if you are the type of golfer this bag is geared toward. If you are that type of golfer, I can’t recommend this bag more highly. If you aren’t, I would strongly caution you to stay away. This is not an inexpensive bag so it isn't easy for some or most to justify buying secondary bag that will only get used some of the time. In my life, I will have 2 (or more) bags. My standard Titleist 14 Hybrid stand bag will be my day-to-day bag. It has almost everything I want and does it well. When I am going to go play a short course with my boy and don’t want to carry that thing around, I’ll transfer certain clubs over to the Stitch bag (I’ll keep a second set of the bare necessities in the Stitch to make things easier) and enjoy the walk. The final scores! The (dual) final scores are a 76 out of 80 (95%) for the target golfer and a 61 out of 80 (76%) for me. I will be keeping and using and liking this bag for the foreseeable future but I will be using it only in specific conditions.

Date 07/22/2023 Course Name Paiute Sun Gross Score 100 Course Handicap 21 Gross Strokes over/under par 28 Net Score to Par 7 Net Score 79 Net Birdies or better 4 Longest Drive 260 Special Event

Date 07/12/2023 Course Name Tustin Ranch Gross Score 99 Course Handicap 22 Gross Strokes over/under par 27 Net Score to Par 5 Net Score 77 Net Birdies or better 5 Longest Drive 265 Blowup holes ruin the score card.