huyhuyhuy

Hello, friends!
I spent this Spring / Summer going all-in to build my dream bag and thought it was finally time to share it. MGS Most Wanted and club reviews heavily determined which clubs I opted to buy and almost every club in my bag is there because MGS considers them to be a top 3 performer for its club type or my swing speed. I tried my best to avoid any brand loyalty and build this bag to optimize my performance...while looking cool as hell.
I've broken down the total costs with a handful of lucky deals that led me here. Hope you enjoy the tour! 
The Bag:
 
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ - Red Bull Edition - $950

Not a lot to talk about here - TaylorMade announced a Red Bull driver, I bought a Red Bull driver. I did luck into a great deal on the shaft and was able to snag a Ventus Blue TR 6S for $200 from a local seller!
Putter: Custom Bettinardi BB0 - $3,000

This is, without a doubt, the star of my bag. Bettinardi took my putter concept and brought it to life. One of the cool details here is that the BB0 headshape is a Hive/Tour exclusive, but was offered to me because they had an issue with their BB1 heads. The putter also came with a baller marker, Wizard headcover, and towel which are all great quality. 
Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4 thru P) - $2,175

I ordered these irons from @kingpinegolf and I'm thrilled with how they look and perform. The 4 and 5 iron have Fujikura Axiom shafts while the rest of the irons have KBS C-Taper Lites. The grips are from Rip It Grips and I painted the heads myself using G-Paint.
Wood / Hybrid: Sub 70 949X - $390
 
These are holdovers from my previous build. I've always had Sub 70 in my bag in some form and I imagine these clubs, or a future version of them, will always be in my bag. Both clubs have upgraded shafts and I was able to buy them while Sub 70 ran a 20% off promotion.
Wedges: SM10 50 12F, 54 08M, 58 08M - $370

I got incredibly lucky on these clubs. I was originally gaming Kirkland wedges and didn't have much intention on replacing them. However, this past June, I visited a friend in the Air Force and was able to golf at Eisenhower Golf Club - the Air Force Academy course. The green and cart fee here totaled $108 for civilians, but they ran a promotion where they waived both fees if you spent $150 in the pro shop. I bought the 54 without thinking twice. A month later, another friend invited me to play in a charity scramble tournament where we finished 2nd in our flight and earned myself a $100 gift card to the pro shop where I grabbed the 58. After that, I bought the 50 to complete the set. The laser etching designs were done locally for $25ea. I will note that I hadn't ever gamed high-end wedges before this and figured that I would just replace my Kirkland wedges with another set of Kirks because of value. I'm really impressed with the SM10s though and feel like the feedback helps my game a ton. Titleist may have a customer for life here. 
Final thoughts: 
Ultimately, I don't think I'll be making changes throughout the bag for years to come. I'm playing my best golf right now and I'm hoping to keep bringing my scores down. 

Hello, friends!
I spent this Spring / Summer going all-in to build my dream bag and thought it was finally time to share it. MGS Most Wanted and club reviews heavily determined which clubs I opted to buy and almost every club in my bag is there because MGS considers them to be a top 3 performer for its club type or my swing speed. I tried my best to avoid any brand loyalty and build this bag to optimize my performance...while looking cool as hell.
I've broken down the total costs with a handful of lucky deals that led me here. Hope you enjoy the tour! 
The Bag:
 
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ - Red Bull Edition - $950

Not a lot to talk about here - TaylorMade announced a Red Bull driver, I bought a Red Bull driver. I did luck into a great deal on the shaft and was able to snag a Ventus Blue TR 6S for $200 from a local seller!
Putter: Custom Bettinardi BB0 - $3,000

This is, without a doubt, the star of my bag. Bettinardi took my putter concept and brought it to life. One of the cool details here is that the BB0 headshape is a Hive/Tour exclusive, but was offered to me because they had an issue with their BB1 heads. The putter also came with a baller marker, Wizard headcover, and towel which are all great quality. 
Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4 thru P) - $2,175

I ordered these irons from @kingpinegolf and I'm thrilled with how they look and perform. The 4 and 5 iron have Fujikura Axiom shafts while the rest of the irons have KBS C-Taper Lites. The grips are from Rip It Grips and I painted the heads myself using G-Paint.
Wood / Hybrid: Sub 70 949X - $390
 
These are holdovers from my previous build. I've always had Sub 70 in my bag in some form and I imagine these clubs, or a future version of them, will always be in my bag. Both clubs have upgraded shafts and I was able to buy them while Sub 70 ran a 20% off promotion.
Wedges: SM10 50 12F, 54 08M, 58 08M - $370

I got incredibly lucky on these clubs. I was originally gaming Kirkland wedges and didn't have much intention on replacing them. However, this past June, I visited a friend in the Air Force and was able to golf at Eisenhower Golf Club - the Air Force Academy course. The green and cart fee here totaled $108 for civilians, but they ran a promotion where they waived both fees if you spent $150 in the pro shop. I bought the 54 without thinking twice. A month later, another friend invited me to play in a charity scramble tournament where we finished 2nd in our flight and earned myself a $100 gift card to the pro shop where I grabbed the 58. After that, I bought the 50 to complete the set. The laser etching designs were done locally for $25ea. I will note that I hadn't ever gamed high-end wedges before this and figured that I would just replace my Kirkland wedges with another set of Kirks because of value. I'm really impressed with the SM10s though and feel like the feedback helps my game a ton. Titleist may have a customer for life here. 
Final thoughts: 
Ultimately, I don't think I'll be making changes throughout the bag for years to come. I'm playing my best golf right now and I'm hoping to keep bringing my scores down. 

Hello, friends!
I spent this Spring / Summer going all-in to build my dream bag and thought it was finally time to share it. MGS Most Wanted and club reviews heavily determined which clubs I opted to buy and almost every club in my bag is there because MGS considers them to be a top 3 performer for its club type or my swing speed. I tried my best to avoid any brand loyalty and build this bag to optimize my performance...while looking cool as hell.
I've broken down the total costs with a handful of lucky deals that led me here. Hope you enjoy the tour! 
The Bag:
 
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ - Red Bull Edition - $950

Not a lot to talk about here - TaylorMade announced a Red Bull driver, I bought a Red Bull driver. I did luck into a great deal on the shaft and was able to snag a Ventus Blue TR 6S for $200 from a local seller!
Putter: Custom Bettinardi BB0 - $3,000

This is, without a doubt, the star of my bag. Bettinardi took my putter concept and brought it to life. One of the cool details here is that the BB0 headshape is a Hive/Tour exclusive, but was offered to me because they had an issue with their BB1 heads. The putter also came with a baller marker, Wizard headcover, and towel which are all great quality. 
Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4 thru P) - $2,175

I ordered these irons from @kingpinegolf and I'm thrilled with how they look and perform. The 4 and 5 iron have Fujikura Axiom shafts while the rest of the irons have KBS C-Taper Lites. The grips are from Rip It Grips and I painted the heads myself using G-Paint.
Wood / Hybrid: Sub 70 949X - $390
 
These are holdovers from my previous build. I've always had Sub 70 in my bag in some form and I imagine these clubs, or a future version of them, will always be in my bag. Both clubs have upgraded shafts and I was able to buy them while Sub 70 ran a 20% off promotion.
Wedges: SM10 50 12F, 54 08M, 58 08M - $370

I got incredibly lucky on these clubs. I was originally gaming Kirkland wedges and didn't have much intention on replacing them. However, this past June, I visited a friend in the Air Force and was able to golf at Eisenhower Golf Club - the Air Force Academy course. The green and cart fee here totaled $108 for civilians, but they ran a promotion where they waived both fees if you spent $150 in the pro shop. I bought the 54 without thinking twice. A month later, another friend invited me to play in a charity scramble tournament where we finished 2nd in our flight and earned myself a $100 gift card to the pro shop where I grabbed the 58. After that, I bought the 50 to complete the set. The laser etching designs were done locally for $25ea. I will note that I hadn't ever gamed high-end wedges before this and figured that I would just replace my Kirkland wedges with another set of Kirks because of value. I'm really impressed with the SM10s though and feel like the feedback helps my game a ton. Titleist may have a customer for life here. 
Final thoughts: 
Ultimately, I don't think I'll be making changes throughout the bag for years to come. I'm playing my best golf right now and I'm hoping to keep bringing my scores down. 

Hello, friends!
I spent this Spring / Summer going all-in to build my dream bag and thought it was finally time to share it. MGS Most Wanted and club reviews heavily determined which clubs I opted to buy and almost every club in my bag is there because MGS considers them to be a top 3 performer for its club type or my swing speed. I tried my best to avoid any brand loyalty and build this bag to optimize my performance...while looking cool as hell.
I've broken down the total costs with a handful of lucky deals that led me here. Hope you enjoy the tour! 
The Bag:
 
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ - Red Bull Edition - $950

Not a lot to talk about here - TaylorMade announced a Red Bull driver, I bought a Red Bull driver. I did luck into a great deal on the shaft and was able to snag a Ventus Blue TR 6S for $200 from a local seller!
Putter: Custom Bettinardi BB0 - $3,000

This is, without a doubt, the star of my bag. Bettinardi took my putter concept and brought it to life. One of the cool details here is that the BB0 headshape is a Hive/Tour exclusive, but was offered to me because they had an issue with their BB1 heads. The putter also came with a baller marker, Wizard headcover, and towel which are all great quality. 
Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4 thru P) - $2,175

I ordered these irons from @kingpinegolf and I'm thrilled with how they look and perform. The 4 and 5 iron have Fujikura Axiom shafts while the rest of the irons have KBS C-Taper Lites. The grips are from Rip It Grips and I painted the heads myself using G-Paint.
Wood / Hybrid: Sub 70 949X - $390
 
These are holdovers from my previous build. I've always had Sub 70 in my bag in some form and I imagine these clubs, or a future version of them, will always be in my bag. Both clubs have upgraded shafts and I was able to buy them while Sub 70 ran a 20% off promotion.
Wedges: SM10 50 12F, 54 08M, 58 08M - $370

I got incredibly lucky on these clubs. I was originally gaming Kirkland wedges and didn't have much intention on replacing them. However, this past June, I visited a friend in the Air Force and was able to golf at Eisenhower Golf Club - the Air Force Academy course. The green and cart fee here totaled $108 for civilians, but they ran a promotion where they waived both fees if you spent $150 in the pro shop. I bought the 54 without thinking twice. A month later, another friend invited me to play in a charity scramble tournament where we finished 2nd in our flight and earned myself a $100 gift card to the pro shop where I grabbed the 58. After that, I bought the 50 to complete the set. The laser etching designs were done locally for $25ea. I will note that I hadn't ever gamed high-end wedges before this and figured that I would just replace my Kirkland wedges with another set of Kirks because of value. I'm really impressed with the SM10s though and feel like the feedback helps my game a ton. Titleist may have a customer for life here. 
Final thoughts: 
Ultimately, I don't think I'll be making changes throughout the bag for years to come. I'm playing my best golf right now and I'm hoping to keep bringing my scores down. 

MyGolfSpy Forum Guide: How To Be A Tester
As promised I wanted to do an update for our Want To Be A Tester Thread. We take pride in our transparency and member testing platform. 2023 was an incredible season and it continues to provide amazing opportunities to all of our members. 
For those new to the Forum let me break down the keys to becoming a Forum Tester and how to increase your chances at being selected. (I will break down the why afterwards)
It should also be noted that we as staff view member testing opportunities as a way to give back to the members who have contributed so much to our community. It should also be noted that these reviews are a lot of work and take a lot of time to commit to. 
All Forum Members selected for testing must have a profile photo. This is our most basic rule, but the bottom line is no profile photo = no selection. 
Recent Activity - We want to see and have members who are actively engaged in the community. This does not necessarily mean posting everyday 10 plus times a day. But a steady history or pattern of activity is a must. 
Posting an unofficial review. This is not a must, but helps give us an idea for your writing style and overall ability and completing a thorough review for us. 
These are 3 simple, yet very effective ways to being noticed by the Forum Staff and having your name stand out as we go through the tester selection process. 
Now as to why we look for those previous 3 areas of criteria. 
Photos and media content are essential for testing. While some people are good writers, a bunch of text can be a tough slog to read through. We want to see creative photos and media that highlight the product. If someone cannot even bother to post a profile photo it gives us little confidence they could do any photos in a review. 
Photos and media are becoming ever more important for our reviews, especially with our Forum Recap Articles gaining further recognition and popularity with OEMs and MyGolfSpy readers. Good, high quality photos which highlight and feature the product are essential. 
Recent Activity is also extremely important. This shows us reliability to post consistently and take part in conversation throughout the testing period, as well as after the testing period. Being able to see that history gives us added confidence in our selection. Now when I say history I do not mean years of posting. It will be shown a little later in this post, but we actively try to get new people involved. 
Posting an unofficial review is pretty self explanatory, but for us when we are giving out thousands of dollars worth of equipment we want to have a level of confidence in who we are selecting. 
So is that all we look at when selecting testers? No, definitely not. 
The other things we look at and take note of are as follows. 
Post to Reaction Ratio: This is a simple metric, but gives us a slight idea of the value contributions to the community. However posting in the Good Morning Thread is a bit of a cheat code for that. 
Donor Status: For those that have, but don’t have the tag please let one of the staff members know and we can add that for you. While not a deal breaker one way or another, it can be used as a tie breaker. 
OEM requests: This one you can’t really know about ahead of time. However as these companies are providing equipment for free they are within their rights to ask for certain handicaps, situations, swing speeds, geographic regions and more. These questions are asked in the signup form. 
For those with lower post counts we can see login dates to see that someone is visiting the site. Maybe you are someone who loves reading the forum, but are hesitant to post that much or feel as though you do not have a lot to contribute. I ensure that you do have a lot to contribute no matter who you are, but at least this allows us to see that someone is taking an active interest in the forum. 
For those that have tested before. Previous review grades and comments are taken into account. More on that below. 
How long do I have to be a Forum Member before I am considered for Testing?
A week? A month? Longer? I was a member for 2 years before I was selected for my first testing opportunity. However it took me a year to really get involved. There is no magic number for how long it takes to be a tester. Simply put we want to select members who are active contributors within our community. That doesn’t have to mean a long history of posts. 
We also actively try our best to give at least one new tester in on every testing opportunity that happens. In 2023 this happened in nearly every test. 
What else can help me become a tester?
These are small things and are not requirements, but help with us getting to know you a little more or at the very least recognize your forum name. 
Follow us on our social platforms - The Forum has accounts on Instagram and Twitter… or X. 
Join our Community Call: Every Thursday we host a Community Call for our members to have general chit chat and sometimes Live Q&A with different golf companies or people. These are a great way for a member to get to know the staff, ask questions and for us to get to know you a little better. Importantly you don’t have to have your camera or mic on, but can simply sit back and listen or type questions in the chat. It is a great way to quickly get involved and see what our community is all about. 
What are the other rules or guidelines to Member Testing?
Members generally only get one opportunity to test each season. Meaning if you are selected for a set of irons it is unlikely you will be selected for another test during the season. There are some exceptions, however we have a lot of great members and want to spread the opportunities around as best we can. 
Smaller tests such as golf balls, gloves, grips and that sort of thing do leave you eligible for other tests later in the season, however members will only be allowed to be involved in one review at a time. Basically no testing two items at once. 
For our testing opportunities like Cobra Challenge and full bag opportunities a member can only take part in these once. Period. These are amazing opportunities and of course a lot of fun and work, but we have too many incredible members to give these to any member multiple times. 
I mention these previous points to highlight a greater point. Please only register or sign up for the testing opportunities you are really excited about and if you are currently testing please do not sign up for other testing opportunities. To be frank it looks greedy and like you are only here for free stuff. 
Are there certain things that would make me ineligible for a testing opportunity?
Outside of not having a profile photo, it should go without saying but all testers must be members of the forum. To that end you must also be a member in good standing. This means no current warnings on your account. 
Another factor that comes into play are poor previous review scores. I will put this bluntly, if a tester have gone mia on a testing opportunity in the past or been a difficult tester missing deadlines, not providing a review or come close to meeting the deadlines. We have very little reason to consider that person for any future review opportunities. We have too many deserving members to go back to that well or take that risk. 
Geo Restrictions are the other factor. It should be highlighted and noted that we encourage all testing opportunities to be eligible for all our members, however some OEMs have certain restrictions and in the end it is their call. I am a lefty and live outside the US so I am in your corner, but we are also not going to deny an opportunity if is just US only. Another factor in this is over 90% of the community is US and Canada based. Getting a larger portion of outside NA members will help increase are chances of getting more worldwide testing. 
I have been selected as a tester, now what?
Your lead Forum Staff Member will guide you throughout the process. If there is a fitting involved or any other requirements they will facilitate those and ensure that everything is run smoothly. 
Most importantly, carefully read all the instructions and documents provided. There is a lot to go over and missing key points can cause you to get behind or miss important deadlines. 
The biggest thing is ask questions if you have them! The forum staff are here to help and work with all the testers throughout the process. 
What Happens After Testing?
Even after an official test is completed it is highly encouraged that testers continue to take part in discussion. There may still be questions and may still activity on the thread which you should engage in. We love seeing ongoing and longer term updates as it helps anyone considering buying the product have a longer term view of how the product performs. 
Your Lead Forum Staff Member will then grade your review and participation and you will be given a survey to fill out. After these have been completed you will get your official tester badge!
Technically speaking you are now eligible to enter in for more testing opportunities, however as we said above for the most part a member will only get to take part in 1 tester per season. Again I repeat it is why anyone should only sign up for the products they are truly interested in. 
_____________________________________________________
FAQ
I never get picked! Why don't I ever get picked?
I hear you, but have you done most of the above? Have you provided worthwhile contributions to the forum? Do you have a profile photo? The answers are all above and we lay out the process pretty clear. The rest is up to you. That being said posting in the TESTERS WANTED pages does not count towards your post count. Also the pick me pick me type posts don't really fly with us. Post them as you like or if you like, but again we want to see members adding value to the forum. Those posts are not. 
What happens if I get sick or injured during testing?
Look this is a lot of work, but at the end of the day we understand things in life happen. TELL THE FORUM STAFF! We can make adjustments and arrange dates to work with everyone's schedule. However you have to tell us first!
I don't have social media accounts, does that mean I can't be a tester?
This is not a requirement for us. It is nice when the forum gets mentioned and a member is able to bring attention to the forum via social channels, but not a requirement. Good photos however are and with phones today there is little reason why anyone wouldn't be able to take a decent photo. 
Why don't we know what tests are coming so we can wait to sign up for the ones we really want and not risk getting picked for one we don't really love?
We build our schedule out starting about now, however it takes time and things move around so there are no guarantees on when a test will be posted or moved. Posting our schedule to everyone also wouldn't be fair to the smaller tests or some of the lesser known brands which come to testing. We want excitement for every test and mystery in whats to come. If you aren't excited about the product up for testing, don't sign up. 
I was picked and the product just didn't work for me. What now?
First I hope that the person enjoyed the review and was able to provide a good thorough and honest review. If it doesn't work, so be it! That being said we do not allow for any reason a member to sell their testing equipment for at least 2 product cycles. If it doesn't work for you, then pass it along to another member and let them try it. This happened several times this season with various products and members were able to get more testing opportunities. Pay it forward!
But seriously, I have been here for X amount of years and still never get picked. 
Yeah I bring this up again because you would not believe the emails we get. We picked a lot of testers this year, if a longer term member hasn't been picked the basics of is the timing wasn't right or the activity level just wasn't there. There are some tests we feel some testers would be great for and others not as great, we have thousands of applications and have to pick 4-6, it isn't easy and not a ton of fun. If your name hasn't been called there are some gaps in the above material. 
_______________________________________________
I hope all of you have found this beneficial and productive to go through. The forum staff spend a lot of time going through all the applicants and reviews and so much more. It is not an easy task and we take pride in the selections we make. The testers that don't live up to expectations well that is tough for us and not a great look on us, the forum and this community. Therefore we take a good amount of time and effort to hand pick each tester. There were some testers this year that under performed to a level that they will not be partaking in testing moving forward. On a good note there were a ton of excellent testers and reviews which we are all very proud of. 
If you have questions please just ask! If you have concerns or want to know more then please reach out to one of the forum staff members. The other thread is going to be locked and this will be the main thread moving forward. There will also be subsequent larger drops of information here for all to view as we aim to be as transparent as possible with testing and make sure that anyone who really wants to be a tester will have that chance and ability to be. 
Thank you all for reading!
 

Hello, friends!
I spent this Spring / Summer going all-in to build my dream bag and thought it was finally time to share it. MGS Most Wanted and club reviews heavily determined which clubs I opted to buy and almost every club in my bag is there because MGS considers them to be a top 3 performer for its club type or my swing speed. I tried my best to avoid any brand loyalty and build this bag to optimize my performance...while looking cool as hell.
I've broken down the total costs with a handful of lucky deals that led me here. Hope you enjoy the tour! 
The Bag:
 
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ - Red Bull Edition - $950

Not a lot to talk about here - TaylorMade announced a Red Bull driver, I bought a Red Bull driver. I did luck into a great deal on the shaft and was able to snag a Ventus Blue TR 6S for $200 from a local seller!
Putter: Custom Bettinardi BB0 - $3,000

This is, without a doubt, the star of my bag. Bettinardi took my putter concept and brought it to life. One of the cool details here is that the BB0 headshape is a Hive/Tour exclusive, but was offered to me because they had an issue with their BB1 heads. The putter also came with a baller marker, Wizard headcover, and towel which are all great quality. 
Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4 thru P) - $2,175

I ordered these irons from @kingpinegolf and I'm thrilled with how they look and perform. The 4 and 5 iron have Fujikura Axiom shafts while the rest of the irons have KBS C-Taper Lites. The grips are from Rip It Grips and I painted the heads myself using G-Paint.
Wood / Hybrid: Sub 70 949X - $390
 
These are holdovers from my previous build. I've always had Sub 70 in my bag in some form and I imagine these clubs, or a future version of them, will always be in my bag. Both clubs have upgraded shafts and I was able to buy them while Sub 70 ran a 20% off promotion.
Wedges: SM10 50 12F, 54 08M, 58 08M - $370

I got incredibly lucky on these clubs. I was originally gaming Kirkland wedges and didn't have much intention on replacing them. However, this past June, I visited a friend in the Air Force and was able to golf at Eisenhower Golf Club - the Air Force Academy course. The green and cart fee here totaled $108 for civilians, but they ran a promotion where they waived both fees if you spent $150 in the pro shop. I bought the 54 without thinking twice. A month later, another friend invited me to play in a charity scramble tournament where we finished 2nd in our flight and earned myself a $100 gift card to the pro shop where I grabbed the 58. After that, I bought the 50 to complete the set. The laser etching designs were done locally for $25ea. I will note that I hadn't ever gamed high-end wedges before this and figured that I would just replace my Kirkland wedges with another set of Kirks because of value. I'm really impressed with the SM10s though and feel like the feedback helps my game a ton. Titleist may have a customer for life here. 
Final thoughts: 
Ultimately, I don't think I'll be making changes throughout the bag for years to come. I'm playing my best golf right now and I'm hoping to keep bringing my scores down. 

Hello, friends!
I spent this Spring / Summer going all-in to build my dream bag and thought it was finally time to share it. MGS Most Wanted and club reviews heavily determined which clubs I opted to buy and almost every club in my bag is there because MGS considers them to be a top 3 performer for its club type or my swing speed. I tried my best to avoid any brand loyalty and build this bag to optimize my performance...while looking cool as hell.
I've broken down the total costs with a handful of lucky deals that led me here. Hope you enjoy the tour! 
The Bag:
 
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ - Red Bull Edition - $950

Not a lot to talk about here - TaylorMade announced a Red Bull driver, I bought a Red Bull driver. I did luck into a great deal on the shaft and was able to snag a Ventus Blue TR 6S for $200 from a local seller!
Putter: Custom Bettinardi BB0 - $3,000

This is, without a doubt, the star of my bag. Bettinardi took my putter concept and brought it to life. One of the cool details here is that the BB0 headshape is a Hive/Tour exclusive, but was offered to me because they had an issue with their BB1 heads. The putter also came with a baller marker, Wizard headcover, and towel which are all great quality. 
Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4 thru P) - $2,175

I ordered these irons from @kingpinegolf and I'm thrilled with how they look and perform. The 4 and 5 iron have Fujikura Axiom shafts while the rest of the irons have KBS C-Taper Lites. The grips are from Rip It Grips and I painted the heads myself using G-Paint.
Wood / Hybrid: Sub 70 949X - $390
 
These are holdovers from my previous build. I've always had Sub 70 in my bag in some form and I imagine these clubs, or a future version of them, will always be in my bag. Both clubs have upgraded shafts and I was able to buy them while Sub 70 ran a 20% off promotion.
Wedges: SM10 50 12F, 54 08M, 58 08M - $370

I got incredibly lucky on these clubs. I was originally gaming Kirkland wedges and didn't have much intention on replacing them. However, this past June, I visited a friend in the Air Force and was able to golf at Eisenhower Golf Club - the Air Force Academy course. The green and cart fee here totaled $108 for civilians, but they ran a promotion where they waived both fees if you spent $150 in the pro shop. I bought the 54 without thinking twice. A month later, another friend invited me to play in a charity scramble tournament where we finished 2nd in our flight and earned myself a $100 gift card to the pro shop where I grabbed the 58. After that, I bought the 50 to complete the set. The laser etching designs were done locally for $25ea. I will note that I hadn't ever gamed high-end wedges before this and figured that I would just replace my Kirkland wedges with another set of Kirks because of value. I'm really impressed with the SM10s though and feel like the feedback helps my game a ton. Titleist may have a customer for life here. 
Final thoughts: 
Ultimately, I don't think I'll be making changes throughout the bag for years to come. I'm playing my best golf right now and I'm hoping to keep bringing my scores down. 

Hello, friends!
I spent this Spring / Summer going all-in to build my dream bag and thought it was finally time to share it. MGS Most Wanted and club reviews heavily determined which clubs I opted to buy and almost every club in my bag is there because MGS considers them to be a top 3 performer for its club type or my swing speed. I tried my best to avoid any brand loyalty and build this bag to optimize my performance...while looking cool as hell.
I've broken down the total costs with a handful of lucky deals that led me here. Hope you enjoy the tour! 
The Bag:
 
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ - Red Bull Edition - $950

Not a lot to talk about here - TaylorMade announced a Red Bull driver, I bought a Red Bull driver. I did luck into a great deal on the shaft and was able to snag a Ventus Blue TR 6S for $200 from a local seller!
Putter: Custom Bettinardi BB0 - $3,000

This is, without a doubt, the star of my bag. Bettinardi took my putter concept and brought it to life. One of the cool details here is that the BB0 headshape is a Hive/Tour exclusive, but was offered to me because they had an issue with their BB1 heads. The putter also came with a baller marker, Wizard headcover, and towel which are all great quality. 
Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4 thru P) - $2,175

I ordered these irons from @kingpinegolf and I'm thrilled with how they look and perform. The 4 and 5 iron have Fujikura Axiom shafts while the rest of the irons have KBS C-Taper Lites. The grips are from Rip It Grips and I painted the heads myself using G-Paint.
Wood / Hybrid: Sub 70 949X - $390
 
These are holdovers from my previous build. I've always had Sub 70 in my bag in some form and I imagine these clubs, or a future version of them, will always be in my bag. Both clubs have upgraded shafts and I was able to buy them while Sub 70 ran a 20% off promotion.
Wedges: SM10 50 12F, 54 08M, 58 08M - $370

I got incredibly lucky on these clubs. I was originally gaming Kirkland wedges and didn't have much intention on replacing them. However, this past June, I visited a friend in the Air Force and was able to golf at Eisenhower Golf Club - the Air Force Academy course. The green and cart fee here totaled $108 for civilians, but they ran a promotion where they waived both fees if you spent $150 in the pro shop. I bought the 54 without thinking twice. A month later, another friend invited me to play in a charity scramble tournament where we finished 2nd in our flight and earned myself a $100 gift card to the pro shop where I grabbed the 58. After that, I bought the 50 to complete the set. The laser etching designs were done locally for $25ea. I will note that I hadn't ever gamed high-end wedges before this and figured that I would just replace my Kirkland wedges with another set of Kirks because of value. I'm really impressed with the SM10s though and feel like the feedback helps my game a ton. Titleist may have a customer for life here. 
Final thoughts: 
Ultimately, I don't think I'll be making changes throughout the bag for years to come. I'm playing my best golf right now and I'm hoping to keep bringing my scores down. 

The story is that TaylorMade released a line of Red Bull Racing clubs and accessories last Summer and I had some money burning a hole in my pocket. 😅

The story is that TaylorMade released a line of Red Bull Racing clubs and accessories last Summer and I had some money burning a hole in my pocket. 😅

Introduction: 
This past Spring Bad Birdie and Vessel teamed up again to release two golf bags. I'm a sucker for flowers and needed a stand bag, so I decided to pull the trigger on a premium golf bag. 

The Good:
The design/prints are clear and well done. There was a bit of concern that the print could turn out pixelated, but the bag generally receives a compliment every other time I'm on the range/course. The bag's been a real statement piece and definitely does the job grabbing attention. 
  The leather holds up well in wet weather. I've played one round while it hailed/rained and while some pockets got a bit damp (the magnetic pockets in particular), the bag itself held up incredibly well. I was really impressed that the leather didn't soak up the water at all and it certainly felt like a premium item in that moment.  Snappy magnets & velvet lines. The bag features magnets for the rangefinder pocket and 2 cupholders around the ball pocket. It actually took me a couple weeks to realize the cupholders were even there because the bag also has an insulated pocket for cold drinks. Since learning about the magnetic cupholders though, I haven't gone back. The velvet pocketing provides a nice sense of security that my rangefinder and phone are less likely to be scratched in the bag.  
   Ball pocket holds more than 48 golf balls. I didn't test how many it can hold exactly, but I did empty 16 sleeves in and there's still a bit of room for a few more!
  The Bad:
Ball pocket is zipper lined rather than magnetic. This may be picky, but I thought it was strange that Vessel opted to use two zippers for the ball pocket since magnets appear elsewhere on the bag. This is both less convenient and less attractive than a magnetic option would've been. It may be worth noting that Vessel's latest stand bag, the Carbon Lux, does offer a magnetic ball pocket.   Plastic parts for the straps make it feel less premium. Throughout the bag, Vessel used metal where possible to establish the Player IV as a top shelf bag. So it was really strange that the shoulder straps used plastic parts over and over.
    $600 price tag. The good news here is that I was able to apply a 15% discount code at checkout, but after taxes this bag still ran $550.  Conclusion:
Ultimately, I wanted a loud bag with all the bells and whistles, and, for the most part, Bad Birdie and Vessel delivered. I'm happy with the bag and if I could go back, I'd make the purchase again. I think it'd feel fair to rate this bag an 8/10 for me, but Bad Birdie and Vessel were incredibly close to putting out a 10 here. 
 

Introduction: 
This past Spring Bad Birdie and Vessel teamed up again to release two golf bags. I'm a sucker for flowers and needed a stand bag, so I decided to pull the trigger on a premium golf bag. 

The Good:
The design/prints are clear and well done. There was a bit of concern that the print could turn out pixelated, but the bag generally receives a compliment every other time I'm on the range/course. The bag's been a real statement piece and definitely does the job grabbing attention. 
  The leather holds up well in wet weather. I've played one round while it hailed/rained and while some pockets got a bit damp (the magnetic pockets in particular), the bag itself held up incredibly well. I was really impressed that the leather didn't soak up the water at all and it certainly felt like a premium item in that moment.  Snappy magnets & velvet lines. The bag features magnets for the rangefinder pocket and 2 cupholders around the ball pocket. It actually took me a couple weeks to realize the cupholders were even there because the bag also has an insulated pocket for cold drinks. Since learning about the magnetic cupholders though, I haven't gone back. The velvet pocketing provides a nice sense of security that my rangefinder and phone are less likely to be scratched in the bag.  
   Ball pocket holds more than 48 golf balls. I didn't test how many it can hold exactly, but I did empty 16 sleeves in and there's still a bit of room for a few more!
  The Bad:
Ball pocket is zipper lined rather than magnetic. This may be picky, but I thought it was strange that Vessel opted to use two zippers for the ball pocket since magnets appear elsewhere on the bag. This is both less convenient and less attractive than a magnetic option would've been. It may be worth noting that Vessel's latest stand bag, the Carbon Lux, does offer a magnetic ball pocket.   Plastic parts for the straps make it feel less premium. Throughout the bag, Vessel used metal where possible to establish the Player IV as a top shelf bag. So it was really strange that the shoulder straps used plastic parts over and over.
    $600 price tag. The good news here is that I was able to apply a 15% discount code at checkout, but after taxes this bag still ran $550.  Conclusion:
Ultimately, I wanted a loud bag with all the bells and whistles, and, for the most part, Bad Birdie and Vessel delivered. I'm happy with the bag and if I could go back, I'd make the purchase again. I think it'd feel fair to rate this bag an 8/10 for me, but Bad Birdie and Vessel were incredibly close to putting out a 10 here. 
 

Introduction: 
This past Spring Bad Birdie and Vessel teamed up again to release two golf bags. I'm a sucker for flowers and needed a stand bag, so I decided to pull the trigger on a premium golf bag. 

The Good:
The design/prints are clear and well done. There was a bit of concern that the print could turn out pixelated, but the bag generally receives a compliment every other time I'm on the range/course. The bag's been a real statement piece and definitely does the job grabbing attention. 
  The leather holds up well in wet weather. I've played one round while it hailed/rained and while some pockets got a bit damp (the magnetic pockets in particular), the bag itself held up incredibly well. I was really impressed that the leather didn't soak up the water at all and it certainly felt like a premium item in that moment.  Snappy magnets & velvet lines. The bag features magnets for the rangefinder pocket and 2 cupholders around the ball pocket. It actually took me a couple weeks to realize the cupholders were even there because the bag also has an insulated pocket for cold drinks. Since learning about the magnetic cupholders though, I haven't gone back. The velvet pocketing provides a nice sense of security that my rangefinder and phone are less likely to be scratched in the bag.  
   Ball pocket holds more than 48 golf balls. I didn't test how many it can hold exactly, but I did empty 16 sleeves in and there's still a bit of room for a few more!
  The Bad:
Ball pocket is zipper lined rather than magnetic. This may be picky, but I thought it was strange that Vessel opted to use two zippers for the ball pocket since magnets appear elsewhere on the bag. This is both less convenient and less attractive than a magnetic option would've been. It may be worth noting that Vessel's latest stand bag, the Carbon Lux, does offer a magnetic ball pocket.   Plastic parts for the straps make it feel less premium. Throughout the bag, Vessel used metal where possible to establish the Player IV as a top shelf bag. So it was really strange that the shoulder straps used plastic parts over and over.
    $600 price tag. The good news here is that I was able to apply a 15% discount code at checkout, but after taxes this bag still ran $550.  Conclusion:
Ultimately, I wanted a loud bag with all the bells and whistles, and, for the most part, Bad Birdie and Vessel delivered. I'm happy with the bag and if I could go back, I'd make the purchase again. I think it'd feel fair to rate this bag an 8/10 for me, but Bad Birdie and Vessel were incredibly close to putting out a 10 here. 
 

Introduction: 
This past Spring Bad Birdie and Vessel teamed up again to release two golf bags. I'm a sucker for flowers and needed a stand bag, so I decided to pull the trigger on a premium golf bag. 

The Good:
The design/prints are clear and well done. There was a bit of concern that the print could turn out pixelated, but the bag generally receives a compliment every other time I'm on the range/course. The bag's been a real statement piece and definitely does the job grabbing attention. 
  The leather holds up well in wet weather. I've played one round while it hailed/rained and while some pockets got a bit damp (the magnetic pockets in particular), the bag itself held up incredibly well. I was really impressed that the leather didn't soak up the water at all and it certainly felt like a premium item in that moment.  Snappy magnets & velvet lines. The bag features magnets for the rangefinder pocket and 2 cupholders around the ball pocket. It actually took me a couple weeks to realize the cupholders were even there because the bag also has an insulated pocket for cold drinks. Since learning about the magnetic cupholders though, I haven't gone back. The velvet pocketing provides a nice sense of security that my rangefinder and phone are less likely to be scratched in the bag.  
   Ball pocket holds more than 48 golf balls. I didn't test how many it can hold exactly, but I did empty 16 sleeves in and there's still a bit of room for a few more!
  The Bad:
Ball pocket is zipper lined rather than magnetic. This may be picky, but I thought it was strange that Vessel opted to use two zippers for the ball pocket since magnets appear elsewhere on the bag. This is both less convenient and less attractive than a magnetic option would've been. It may be worth noting that Vessel's latest stand bag, the Carbon Lux, does offer a magnetic ball pocket.   Plastic parts for the straps make it feel less premium. Throughout the bag, Vessel used metal where possible to establish the Player IV as a top shelf bag. So it was really strange that the shoulder straps used plastic parts over and over.
    $600 price tag. The good news here is that I was able to apply a 15% discount code at checkout, but after taxes this bag still ran $550.  Conclusion:
Ultimately, I wanted a loud bag with all the bells and whistles, and, for the most part, Bad Birdie and Vessel delivered. I'm happy with the bag and if I could go back, I'd make the purchase again. I think it'd feel fair to rate this bag an 8/10 for me, but Bad Birdie and Vessel were incredibly close to putting out a 10 here. 
 

Introduction: 
This past Spring Bad Birdie and Vessel teamed up again to release two golf bags. I'm a sucker for flowers and needed a stand bag, so I decided to pull the trigger on a premium golf bag. 

The Good:
The design/prints are clear and well done. There was a bit of concern that the print could turn out pixelated, but the bag generally receives a compliment every other time I'm on the range/course. The bag's been a real statement piece and definitely does the job grabbing attention. 
  The leather holds up well in wet weather. I've played one round while it hailed/rained and while some pockets got a bit damp (the magnetic pockets in particular), the bag itself held up incredibly well. I was really impressed that the leather didn't soak up the water at all and it certainly felt like a premium item in that moment.  Snappy magnets & velvet lines. The bag features magnets for the rangefinder pocket and 2 cupholders around the ball pocket. It actually took me a couple weeks to realize the cupholders were even there because the bag also has an insulated pocket for cold drinks. Since learning about the magnetic cupholders though, I haven't gone back. The velvet pocketing provides a nice sense of security that my rangefinder and phone are less likely to be scratched in the bag.  
   Ball pocket holds more than 48 golf balls. I didn't test how many it can hold exactly, but I did empty 16 sleeves in and there's still a bit of room for a few more!
  The Bad:
Ball pocket is zipper lined rather than magnetic. This may be picky, but I thought it was strange that Vessel opted to use two zippers for the ball pocket since magnets appear elsewhere on the bag. This is both less convenient and less attractive than a magnetic option would've been. It may be worth noting that Vessel's latest stand bag, the Carbon Lux, does offer a magnetic ball pocket.   Plastic parts for the straps make it feel less premium. Throughout the bag, Vessel used metal where possible to establish the Player IV as a top shelf bag. So it was really strange that the shoulder straps used plastic parts over and over.
    $600 price tag. The good news here is that I was able to apply a 15% discount code at checkout, but after taxes this bag still ran $550.  Conclusion:
Ultimately, I wanted a loud bag with all the bells and whistles, and, for the most part, Bad Birdie and Vessel delivered. I'm happy with the bag and if I could go back, I'd make the purchase again. I think it'd feel fair to rate this bag an 8/10 for me, but Bad Birdie and Vessel were incredibly close to putting out a 10 here. 
 

Introduction: 
This past Spring Bad Birdie and Vessel teamed up again to release two golf bags. I'm a sucker for flowers and needed a stand bag, so I decided to pull the trigger on a premium golf bag. 

The Good:
The design/prints are clear and well done. There was a bit of concern that the print could turn out pixelated, but the bag generally receives a compliment every other time I'm on the range/course. The bag's been a real statement piece and definitely does the job grabbing attention. 
  The leather holds up well in wet weather. I've played one round while it hailed/rained and while some pockets got a bit damp (the magnetic pockets in particular), the bag itself held up incredibly well. I was really impressed that the leather didn't soak up the water at all and it certainly felt like a premium item in that moment.  Snappy magnets & velvet lines. The bag features magnets for the rangefinder pocket and 2 cupholders around the ball pocket. It actually took me a couple weeks to realize the cupholders were even there because the bag also has an insulated pocket for cold drinks. Since learning about the magnetic cupholders though, I haven't gone back. The velvet pocketing provides a nice sense of security that my rangefinder and phone are less likely to be scratched in the bag.  
   Ball pocket holds more than 48 golf balls. I didn't test how many it can hold exactly, but I did empty 16 sleeves in and there's still a bit of room for a few more!
  The Bad:
Ball pocket is zipper lined rather than magnetic. This may be picky, but I thought it was strange that Vessel opted to use two zippers for the ball pocket since magnets appear elsewhere on the bag. This is both less convenient and less attractive than a magnetic option would've been. It may be worth noting that Vessel's latest stand bag, the Carbon Lux, does offer a magnetic ball pocket.   Plastic parts for the straps make it feel less premium. Throughout the bag, Vessel used metal where possible to establish the Player IV as a top shelf bag. So it was really strange that the shoulder straps used plastic parts over and over.
    $600 price tag. The good news here is that I was able to apply a 15% discount code at checkout, but after taxes this bag still ran $550.  Conclusion:
Ultimately, I wanted a loud bag with all the bells and whistles, and, for the most part, Bad Birdie and Vessel delivered. I'm happy with the bag and if I could go back, I'd make the purchase again. I think it'd feel fair to rate this bag an 8/10 for me, but Bad Birdie and Vessel were incredibly close to putting out a 10 here. 
 

Introduction: 
This past Spring Bad Birdie and Vessel teamed up again to release two golf bags. I'm a sucker for flowers and needed a stand bag, so I decided to pull the trigger on a premium golf bag. 

The Good:
The design/prints are clear and well done. There was a bit of concern that the print could turn out pixelated, but the bag generally receives a compliment every other time I'm on the range/course. The bag's been a real statement piece and definitely does the job grabbing attention. 
  The leather holds up well in wet weather. I've played one round while it hailed/rained and while some pockets got a bit damp (the magnetic pockets in particular), the bag itself held up incredibly well. I was really impressed that the leather didn't soak up the water at all and it certainly felt like a premium item in that moment.  Snappy magnets & velvet lines. The bag features magnets for the rangefinder pocket and 2 cupholders around the ball pocket. It actually took me a couple weeks to realize the cupholders were even there because the bag also has an insulated pocket for cold drinks. Since learning about the magnetic cupholders though, I haven't gone back. The velvet pocketing provides a nice sense of security that my rangefinder and phone are less likely to be scratched in the bag.  
   Ball pocket holds more than 48 golf balls. I didn't test how many it can hold exactly, but I did empty 16 sleeves in and there's still a bit of room for a few more!
  The Bad:
Ball pocket is zipper lined rather than magnetic. This may be picky, but I thought it was strange that Vessel opted to use two zippers for the ball pocket since magnets appear elsewhere on the bag. This is both less convenient and less attractive than a magnetic option would've been. It may be worth noting that Vessel's latest stand bag, the Carbon Lux, does offer a magnetic ball pocket.   Plastic parts for the straps make it feel less premium. Throughout the bag, Vessel used metal where possible to establish the Player IV as a top shelf bag. So it was really strange that the shoulder straps used plastic parts over and over.
    $600 price tag. The good news here is that I was able to apply a 15% discount code at checkout, but after taxes this bag still ran $550.  Conclusion:
Ultimately, I wanted a loud bag with all the bells and whistles, and, for the most part, Bad Birdie and Vessel delivered. I'm happy with the bag and if I could go back, I'd make the purchase again. I think it'd feel fair to rate this bag an 8/10 for me, but Bad Birdie and Vessel were incredibly close to putting out a 10 here.