2023 Forum Member Test - Bag Boy ZTF Bag

GolfSpy_APH · May 16

MyGolfSpy Forum staff are very excited to have a second Bag Boy test on the schedule this year and get another 4 members involved in testing!

Please welcome and congratulate our testers for the ZTF Bag!

@HeathS16
@OdinSnipes414
@carter18
@MrBandit

HeathS16 · May 16

Hello fellow spies! I am super excited to be back for another review, especially one as cool as the Bag Boy ZTF Bag! This is my 6th MGS review so I want to make sure and say thank you to the forum and the mods for selecting me again!

So now the boring part, my intro: I have been golfing since Freshman year of college (10 years ago…). My grandad introduced me to the game early on in high school but I didn’t “seriously” pick it up until college and have become addicted to it, my son is as well (he will probably make an appearance in the unboxing video). play out of the south central region, being from Oklahoma, lots of wind and very hot days. Even with the heat, I still love to walk and use a push cart very often which will be a key topic for me to focus on with the ZTF Stand bag. I am keenly interested to see how it sits in my caddytek push cart and how sturdy it will be. IMO that is one of the most important parts of having a stand bag, portability and ease of use whether I carry, push, or ride. That is mostly how I plan to test this bag, lots and lots of walking, either with or without a push cart. I will also be going on a golf trip in Mid-June to Branson, MO. I am very eager to see how it holds up to travel and golf for 6 days straight.

IMG_4320.jpg.3756b506a29d2c6bdfa52417a6f15d72.jpg IMG_4321.jpg.d1d0592a2ec03c9c0f1fb9640697dc4b.jpg

Currently, I play off of a 5.5 handicap (only 4 rounds in 2023 atm, YIKES, but that will change). Now that school is out and baseball playoffs are over I can’t wait to hit up the course as much as possible. My current bag setup is a Ping Hoofer (winner of the 2021 MGS best stand bag test & 2023 I believe) which is going to be VERY tough competition for the ZTF as I already adore my current bag. This will be a very good comparison to how the ZTF stands up (see what I did there? ) to one of the best bags in the industry. *Note about the picture on the right. With my push cart I really need the legs of the stand bag to fit comfortably in the holder.*

HoofervsBagBoyGraphic.png.5f8a253c86ed43af334d89412162ab78.png

One of the reasons I wanted to test this bag is to take a look at its utility. As anyone who has carried or used a push cart knows, the lighter the better. I love the thought of being able to attach and detach pockets as needed for each round; it just gives this bag such versatility. Another feature I am excited to check out is the easily attachable/detachable shoulder straps, getting those out of the way on cart days, while a small issue, will make me very happy.

I do have some knowledge about Bag Boy as they have been very very kind to let us test other products throughout the last few years (Bag Boy Chiller) comes to mind. I know that people have raved about their bags and their push carts (one of my buddies has a bag boy push cart) Seems like a company that makes push carts would be in a very good position to deliver a carry bag that has features that make the walking experience even better. As such, I am super excited to get to test the ZTF Stand Bag out! #pushcartmafia

First Impressions and Unboxing:

Got the bag within 3 days of the order being placed so it is safe to say that Bag Boy is on top of their game in the shipping department. Now I have got to say that I loved the look of the bag upon unboxing, small profile, light and very sturdy when the stand is deployed. Overall, a good looking bag.

Space was a key element that I wanted to look at for this bag, as someone who doesn’t have a ton of space to spare in the house I have a very small area to store my golf equipment. The Bag Boy ZTF fits PERFECTLY! It has a slimmer profile than the Hoofer even with the ZTF pockets attached.

IMG_4348(1).jpg.d232a030fd688d847fc4b39501980791.jpg Viewrecentphotos(2).png.108a1fa43070d40625423bdd633dc0e2.png

As a result of the lack of space I am a bit of a minimalist when it comes to stuff in and on my bag. I don’t like to have something I do not need sitting in a pocket. See below for the breakdown of the things I usually pack so you have an idea of how much is loaded into the ZTF.

IMG_4343.jpg.6324363178d3a3b013243b49d65f12e5.jpg IMG_4351.jpg.f1d803c3a5fb85c66ca1ff54d6b92f42.jpg

That all being said, let’s talk briefly about the bag setup. From the side-by-side of my initial setup in my PING bag, not much looks different, there is still ample room for more things to place in the ZTF The clubs sit great in the dividers on the Bag Boy even without the extra top divider on the Hoofer. I was a bit concerned about the clubs catching on the withdrawal, I tried it a few times and pretty much every iron caught on at least 1-2 other clubs. I even had a bit of trouble making sure the clubs were all the way to the bottom of the bag. This was VERY concerning as I think this bag was meant for a lot of walking golfers, this is something I will keep an eye on as I test.

Some additional questions to answer going forward:

1. How well will the clips for the shoulder straps hold up?

2. Will the material the bag is made of hold up well? (It has a bit of a shine to it) Especially in the elements.

3. How useful is the ZTF feature?

4. Is this a bag that can function as a carry, cart AND almost like a Sunday bag?

OdinSnipes414 · May 16

INTRO

Sup Spys, My name is Alexander Nesbitt. Alex works fine or Odin, my screen name has been with me for as long as I have been a gamer. I am a Midwest golfer (The most underappreciated golf spot in the country in my opinion). I grew up playing all of the golf games that have ever been made. Tiger Woods was always an idol of mine since I am from Milwaukee WI and Grew up right up the road from Brown Deer Park Golf Course. I grew up in a divorced home where all I did with my dad was playing Tiger Woods on Xbox and watch golf on tv or go out fishing. On the mom's side was a little rougher. Abusive home with drugs and booze and physical fights. So I would escape to the local pitch and putt golf course by myself with 4 hand-me-down golf clubs. A Wilson Arnold Palmer 1962 Vintage putter 35”, and a 2 5 9 iron from Daiwa Advisor DG-273. ( Tiger Woods irons on the junior circuit). The course has always been a spot for me to escape when things get tuff. No matter how bad I play on the course it could always be worse.

My family is my life and I golf to help teach them the joy the game brings my Queen Courtney my son Philip and my Daughter Mara my three dogs, Hodi Hickory and Bart.

I am 32 years old right now and have been on and off the golf course since I was 2. The first set of clubs I still game with were hand-me-downs from my grandfather. Ping Karsten II irons 3-9 ping eye 2 and 3 iron, an Arnold Palmer sand wedge northwestern 3 wood, my Wilson putter, and a Cobr Ultra Mid white head Driver with a red titanium shaft like JD used to play. (Stolen from me). All in a Blue and white Ben Hogan staff bag. Upgraded my driver in around 2013 when I was working the grounds of Petrifying Springs golf course in Kenosha WI. I partied and played golf all of my 20s met my wife in 2016 and fell in love. COVID hit and I had my daughter who is 3 now and my son who will be 1 in July. they all enjoy golf and im blessed to slowly be able to upgrade my golf bag. New sub 70 clubs, 849 pro driver on the way, Sycamore 007 putter, 949x 3 wood, 699 pro 2 utility iron. All I have left are my irons and wedges. Those are going to be Sub 70 as well or Takomo my wedge setup is a 60-degree MG3 from Taylormade and a Mizuna 56-degree MP-R12. So they work fine for now.

IMG_1930.jpeg.0e234082e6617043f646c9e0da720f1f.jpeg

Golf has changed my life over and over threw the years and im glad to be part of this journey. I now play almost every weekend whether it’s the local par three with my daughter or the range with my wife. Or when my wife says go ahead and play 18 in the morning where I get to escape with the sunrise and the sounds of nature. I am a WSGA, and USGA member and I will be getting my official handicap soon as I tend to go out and just have fun drinking beer and not keep score. But I do walk the course 80% of the time.

Im looking forward to reviewing this golf bag I have never had a carry bag or a stand bag. I love pockets since I live in the Midwest we get rain and snow and all kinds of stuff I love to bring rain gear and sunscreen and lots of knick nacks since in the past I would be out all day I needed a bag that carried everything. I want to see how the pockets come off to make for a Sunday bag for my small outings with my daughter. I will also like to see how it travels in my trunk as a weekend golfer I don't take it out of my car during the season because I never know when the opportunity will strike to go golfing. I have carried my cart bag for over a year with a single strap and used an old push cart. I will compare the comfort and the workability of the bag out on the course. If it gets here before my trip to Mississippi it's going to come along on the 11-hour car ride down there. To make this bag stay with me it needs to be light enough to carry comfortably by myself and by my wife, with and without a six-pack of beer and or seltzer water.

I do not know much about the Bag Boy brand but will be researching the brand and what the claims are. I expect it to be a minimalist type bag which will take some getting used to but im excited for the adventure. I plan to get the cart bag to test the cart lock im not sure I will get it in time for the test but I will update you in the future. Reading some of the comments in the application process I plan to do some testing on

Unboxing and first thoughts!

First off thank you again for making this possible I will try and be as complete as I can with my research and with better videos and pictures as I go.

I love the color and the material of the bag it is like a rain cover for a tent I would have no issue putting stuff in my pockets and it getting wet. Here is the unboxing video. In the top video, the packaging was standard with protection in the box. the bag is very lightweight and the legs retract with ease very easy to move around.

I found that the Removable zipper pockets were very easy to take off and put back on. However, I didn't even need to touch the zipper to pull off the pockets. That could be an issue for me since I like to keep my bag full. Everything was well put together I just consented with travel or cart interaction that the pocket might unzip if caught on something! The club switchover was nice it will take some getting used to but I think I can manage I have never had to use a 4-way divider and I'm not sure my configuration is correct. There is no cooler bag so my cart bag will be for long tips that I want to get saucy with it.

The space for all of my gear is not there so I would need to take some things away if I wanted to go.

There is a zipper inside the large inner accessories pouch that leads to the bottom of the bag in case keys or balls fall in the top holes! I find that convenient! Compared to my cart bag it is similar in weight when full.

I know I carry a lot of things on my bag but I’m not a tour pro the bag describes me! The green is great I can’t wait to see how she works on the course!

IMG_4516.jpeg.c720ea6fa8ebeb80a92e8a9a0f665aaf.jpeg IMG_4515.jpeg.ce299e5ba301ffb5f9e330c6d09e596e.jpeg IMG_4519.jpeg.703fc00286f707ac3e7756ba7309b82a.jpeg IMG_4518.jpeg.8ea42ff39b78091e18493f4439117f7e.jpeg

So I took the bag out on the cart today! Just to see how it handles! It is clinky the irons don’t like a cart in this bag! The removable pockets don’t like to stay zipped on when riding in the car for a few days with stuff in them! also the yellow water bottle i have did not stay in the pocket as i was driving around it is made for a regular water bottle. IMG_4558.jpeg.9cc4e2cc07e82e98c6452895d494eafa.jpeg

Beautiful days on a beautiful course! Here is an updated video on some testing I did today! I did a water test and the bag dries fast and the only water that got in was from the big zipper from the ball pocket! There is also a small tear in the bag from the cart! I tossed my wedge and it hit the bag causing a small rip! Kind of a fluke thing! Also the pockets (for me will be staying off) they are far too easy to remove and I have to constantly pull the zippers down! I wish there was a way to lock the zipper down! if the zippers are fully closed then water will not get in too much other than where the big-toothed zipper pockets are.

Edited May 29 by OdinSnipes414
Updates

carter18 · May 16

What’s going on everyone! My name is Carter Holmes and I am super excited to be a part of the 2023 MGS Forum Test of the Bag Boy ZTF Bag. I live in Nashville, TN and have played golf in some iteration since around 1997. I hail from a small town south of Charlotte, Belmont in The Old North State otherwise known as North Carolina. I never played competitive golf growing up and really didn’t start playing regularly until college in the early 00s. I moved to Nashville in 2014 to marry my beautiful bride and have played somewhere north of 50 rounds per year since. This time of year, when the weather is typically nice, and the evenings are longer I try to walk 9 after work a few times a week along with my typical weekend round. I joined the TGA in 2014 and started tracking my GHIN (handicap index). From that date I was on a determined path to single digits. I soon realized that a 9.9 handicap still translated to many disappointing shots. The handicap has ebbed and flowed over the subsequent years, but I am always studiously searching for the next swing thought that will get me over any current plateau.

I selected the white BagBoy as I currently game a gray Ping Hoofer Lite. One of the tests I want to explore is how the light color holds up over many sweaty, muddy rounds and how easy it is to clean/ maintain its fresh from box appearance. I am intrigued by the removable pockets as I often lighten the load when walking. I will attempt to provide adequate pocket size comparison and also report on the Top-Lok technology and other technological features.

I have not previously gamed a BagBoy bag and look forward to further researching and comparing it to the Ping Hoofer. (I purchased the Hoofer after review. MGS often has rated extremely high in the 4 divider carry category). I expect this to be a great alternative with the added benefit of being able to remove the pockets to use as more of a “Sunday” bag. I plan to walk or ride a minimum of 27 holes a week during the test and will work to provide a thorough review.

I will keep up to date on the forum feed and work to answer any additional questions that arise that either myself or my cohorts have not adequately addressed previously. Thanks so much for the opportunity. I hope to provide an enjoyable review experience for everyone!

KEY FEATURES

Two removable pockets to cater the bag to your round

4-Way organizer top with full-length individual dividers

Swivel clip attachment system for easy shoulder strap separation

Top-Lok ® technology, a patented bag-to-cart attachment system

Unboxing:

First Impressions: BagBoy ships super quick. I had notice of shipment and the product at my door less than two days after the order was placed. I ordered the white bag because I know it has the most potential to show wear and dirt/grime. I will be testing on the durability of appearance. The bag is extremely light and size is what you would typically expect from a 4 divider bag. Zippers all work well and the bag seems to be well manufactured. The material feels like a lightweight rain jacket. First impression is that it will be easy to clean off if you do indeed get it dirty.

bagrightside.jpg.09765dc3e7004d31a66ad4634d77bf59.jpg bagleftside.jpg.60372e71bef14f137ea43f6263e09113.jpg bagfronton.jpg.1d0e70d0e66780844ffb7d28109fb059.jpg dividersbag.jpg.5f220c883ab9d7470fb7db393ef789fd.jpg Bag.jpg.25081e02ab19eb78a47756309245d87a.jpg Beerslargeside.jpg.7c2c080c2604bf49da25f6e7c1d15042.jpg Inthebag.jpg.bd2c5e8a3012d02b4b6661d90d2c3c61.jpg Fullbag.jpg.c01e09981d8bcf1a1fabfe9028770d4d.jpg

ZTF: The zip to fit feature is certainly innovative. The bag has smaller pockets under the removable pockets although they are slightly smaller and will not hold as much gear. The zipper works well and the pockets are very easy to remove. The back of the pockets have velcro loops that attach to a permanent coupling on the bag itself. After some trial and error I determined it is easier to attach the velcro prior to zipping the pocket on when replacing back onto the bag. When the pockets are loaded, it does take some getting used to to get the velcro through the loops. I will provide a video of this soon.

Swivel Clip Strap Attachment: This is similar to other bags on the market and is a good concept. The clips on the bag and on the straps are plastic. I worry about the longevity of the clip as that is the weak point of the system. My bag came with one of the clips broken. MGS was quick to contact the manufacturer and they already have a replacement strap shipped out which I should receive soon.

Bagclip2.jpg.92d77103b3888f0a94e67173cbc974ff.jpg

Top-Lok: I do not have a push-cart, any typically carry when I walk. I intend to borrow my neighbor’s cart to test this feature as well as review how it interacts with a cart and the cheaper pull carts some of the local munis have available for use.

Edited May 19 by carter18
Adding content

MrBandit · May 16

INTRO:

I have been golfing for the past 18yrs, started after leaving the military and moving to San Francisco, I never expected to play golf. Everyone in my office played golf and they took me to a par 3 course in San Francisco and I remembering making par on the 4 hole (easy game, LOL) have been hook since.
Once I moved back to NYC, I began to play more and become more competitive and really get hooked on the game. Now living in Texas, my game as become more consistent as I get the play year-round vs 6 months a year when I was in NYC.
Started playing in some of the US AM Tour tournaments again, and this has help my confidence and concentration since every shot counts and cannot just waste a shot if I was just playing around with friends.

My game – Currently at 7.4 HC, up and down, struggle with concentration in the middle of the round causing silly mistakes, which escalates those numbers quickly. Hence my scores fluctuating from 77 to 87. Chipping and putting has help keep my rounds under control, getting up and down from around the greens. Which I considered that my strength of my game. I struggle at times with my mid irons, but I compensate with my wedge game and putting.

My current golf bag is a Bag Boy Chiller Hybrid stand bag, I like the club dividers and the storage pockets. I have had since 2020 and its still in good conditional which speaks of its durability.
One thing is that it’s a lot heavier than my previous Titleist stand bag.

I’m looking forward to the option of the removal pockets, and if this becomes more a walking/cart bag than my current one.
I never had a bag with 4 dividers, so this will be an interesting adjustment, also looking at the durability of this bag as it appears to be lighter and would the removal of the side pockets frequently compromise the durability of this bag. Those are questions am hoping to get answers to.

Edited May 16 by MrBandit