Callaway Org XT Cart Bag

[GolfSpy Dave]

Callaway Org XT Cart Bag

An Official MyGolfSpy.com Review

 

 

Can Callaway Make a Great Bag Better?

Last year's version of this cart bag, the Org 14x (review HERE), was awesome. I scored it 97/100 with the three points lost being due to a lack of versatility as a carry/push/cart bag. In all fairness, that bag wasn't really designed to be a carry bag at all and as such it had no hope of earning many carry bag points. It would be like your cool new Fiat losing points because it is not adept at hauling 20' steel I-beams. Some cars can carry those, but they are meant to, unlike the Fiat. So 97/100 is probably as close to a perfect score that a cart bag can generate under my scoring system. Maybe I need to develop three separate scoring systems for the carry/push/cart bags. I'll add that to my project list...

 

Anyway, let's see what Callaway has brought in 2013 with the Org XT. Is it a rehash with new colors? That wouldn't be terrible as the ORG 14x was a solid bag. Perhaps they were able to make a good bag even better. Let's check it out.

 

STYLE

The Callaway Org XT is a snazzy cart bag. All three of the color variations (black/navy/white) are good looking bags. There is a nice mix between the accent and the main colors. One thing that I really like about this bag is that the addition of the aluminum bars at the top really creates a different look to the bag. Truth be told, I didn't even know that Callaway had updated this bag until I saw it amidst the sea of other bags at the local shop. It's a big shop too. We are talking a couple hundred bags. This one really stood out from the crowd, and not a “streaking with a rainbow wig” kind of stand out. It draws attention to itself in a good way.

 

Score: 20/20

 

COMFORT

The Callaway Org XT has a well-padded strap and a well-proportioned, stable base. It's stable in the cart, and behind you on the driving range. The only comfort thing that could be improved would be to add a bit of padding to the side so you could use it as a pillow for some slow-play nap time.

 

Score: 20/20

 

DESIGN AND QUALITY

The Callaway Org XT has everything that the Org 14x did in terms of quality, plus some of the features are either new or improved:

 

Redesigned Top

One of the things that came up in the discussion about the Org14x bag was that the top had some hard plastic that could potentially cause wear marks on your graphite shafts. It may just be some paint leaving, but if you just spent big money on an upgrade, you don't want it marred. Well, that is definitely not an issue here. No hard plastic in the top any longer. Slide that new, fancy shaft in there with full confidence.

 

Aluminum Handles

These handles are what first caught my eye in the shop. Once I played around with the bag, it became obvious that they are also a functional component to using the bag. The handles make loading the bag into and out of the riding cart a breeze. I didn't realize that this loading could be easier until using the bag. Shows what I know...

 

Open-Air Caddy Pocket

Right between the aluminum handles is a little pocket/trough that you can dump stuff into when you play. It will fit a few balls, tees, glove, the second half of your Cliff bar, or whatever. The nice thing is that you just dump your junk right in, and grab it just as fast. It's almost like a shelf. It is also a great place to slide your putter headcover into when you take it out of the putter well.

Score: 20/20

 

PLAYING WITH THE BAG – GENERAL IMPRESSIONS

What do we care about in a cart bag on the course?

• Pockets: tons, and tons. Almost enough to call this bag a condo
  
• Top: Ample space to separate clubs. New putter well construction should protect putter
  
• Weight: Can't find the exact number, but I bet it is close to the 7 pounds of the 14x
  
• Pockets: Yes, pockets get a second mention because there really are a ton on this bag.
  
• Caddy Pocket: Nice new feature that I used a lot for dumping small stuff into during play. The headcover holding was especially welcomed.
  
• Cart Fit: The rubber on the base and the “TPR co-molded Strap Tunnel with Cart Bite” really do a great job of keeping your bag secured to the cart. Not that I know what “TPR co-molded means”
  

 

Like I said for the Org 14x, the Callaway Org XT, it has what you need, and where you need it to play some quality cart golf. The Callaway Org XT even does it better.

Score: 20/20

 

PLAYING WITH THE BAG – VERSATILITY

Here is the place where the 14x lost it's three points. I am not going to keep you in suspense. The Callaway Org XT loses the same three points because it would be lots of un-fun to carry for a round. Can't be helped. Sorry Callaway. That being said, this bag was awesome on the push cart and perhaps standard-setting on the riding cart. If Callaway gave out their X-Bombs for bag performance, the Callaway Org XT would have more patches than Two-Gloves or any of the Cally bombers. It is a great bag.

Score: 17/20

 

FINAL SCORE: 97/100

 

SUMMARY

I am glad that my job is not to design cart bags. Not that I don't love looking at them and marveling at their features. It's just that I likely lack the vision that is required to make a bag better year after year. I thought that the 2012 Org 14x was pretty much the top of the bag design plateau, and then out comes the superior Callaway Org XT in 2013. How they are going o make next year's bag even better, I don't know. I won't be surprised if they do though. If you want one of these, they are available from Callaway for $269.99.

 

Oh, there is one more thing...

 

The John Barry Aggregate

The Org 14x was the bag that introduced the John Barry Aggregate for adult beverage holding, and it immediately crushed all competition with a massive 18-can capacity. Guess what? The Callaway Org XT also has the huge insulated pocket that runs down the side of the bag. It also scored a paradigm-crushing 18. I tried to get another can in there, and I think it could be done, but my beer can Tetris skills may have been lacking that afternoon. This is still a beer-a-hole golf bag. It's madness!!!!

 

 

Check out this photo for perspective on how big the insulated pocket is on this bag. The bottle that I have placed in the pocket is not a 12 oz bottle, but instead, it's a 750ml bottle! (It's a delicious bottle of Tart of Darkness from The Bruery in SoCal.) This pocket is so large that it makes the big bottle look like an airplane mini. You can pack it with all the beverages you need and still have room for a turkey sandwich, or perhaps a whole turkey. You could maybe even raise turkeys in the insulated pocket.

[apprenti23]

Beaaaars!!! When I look at that bag all I can think of is Daaaaaaa Bears da bears da bearsssss!!! Daaaaaa bulls da bulls da bullsssssss!!! Ditka, polish sassage, and golf bags.

 

Great review!

[Rosen]

I think I found my new bag.

[3 Golfer]

the problem with these bags is that they only have fourteen club slots, so if you want to carry an extra putter or wedge to try out on the course there is no place to put it, much less that ball retriever many seniors tend to favor

[Rosen]

the problem with these bags is that they only have fourteen club slots, so if you want to carry an extra putter or wedge to try out on the course there is no place to put it, much less that ball retriever many seniors tend to favor

 

Actually the bag has 14 spots plus a putter well for a total of 15 clubs. And on another note, ball retrievers insult the clubs in your bag and slow up play.(lol)

[Hal]

the problem with these bags is that they only have fourteen club slots, so if you want to carry an extra putter or wedge to try out on the course there is no place to put it, much less that ball retriever many seniors tend to favor

 

I had the same concerns - As a newbie, I tend to carry extra clubs on "practice rounds". I have a (Brand New!) Callaway Org 14S Cart Bag, with a 14 slot top (and a putter well). I can easily fit 16 clubs in the bag, plus a putter. Two of the "top slots" are oversize (perhaps for this reason, although I tend to think it had more to do with the shape of the bag). The Org XT also has a couple of oversize slots. It might work out the same. Just a thought!

[Golfzilla]

So..., you buy a "cart" bag and want to carry it. Is this a problem with the bag or you?

 

I wish there were some modicum of a stand feature because when I go to the range I want to take all the clubs, not walk back and forth to the cart to exchange clubs. It doesn't have to be a world-class, bullet proof stand, but something.

[GolfSpy Dave]

So..., you buy a "cart" bag and want to carry it. Is this a problem with the bag or you?

 

I wish there were some modicum of a stand feature because when I go to the range I want to take all the clubs, not walk back and forth to the cart to exchange clubs. It doesn't have to be a world-class, bullet proof stand, but something.

This one is actually pretty stable on its base. You will have to remove it from the cart, but under reasonable manipulations it shouldn't fall over as you put clubs in and out on the range.

[Blakeping]

Have you had a chance to get your hands on the ORG 14S for review?(curious how that stands up to the ORG 14X)? Also Do these bags mentioned above accommodate the JUMBO (1.7" diameter) putter grips?

[Hal]

I have a new 14S, and the putter well is large enough to accommodate the "Jumbo" putter grips.

 

In fact, if you test it using a "Jumbo" grip attached to a short section of shaft, it will easily drop all the way in to the bottom of the putter well.

 

(Don't ask me how I know this.....)