2023 BagBoy Chiller Hybrid Stand Golf Bag Review
I was recently in the market for a new golf bag. The dividers in my Ping Hoofer 14 had long since worn out or failed and with a zipper issue and a generally faded and scuffed appearance, it was time to upgrade.
I had always bought carry bags, even though in the last few years I almost never carried the bag while playing and would either use a pushcart or ride. The thing with any carry bag is you’re trading off carrying ability with storage. Even larger carry bags reach a limit in pockets and storage space because of the need to be carried and save weight.
For me, a golf bag purchase is a big decision. Not only the cost, as they are kinda expensive, but I’m going to live with for at least 3 years and getting stuck with something that doesn’t meet my needs for that long is not acceptable. So, when I considered my next golf bag I settled on these top requirements:
1. Larger size than my Hoofer 14. Just my normal everyday stuff had this bag packed full. If I needed to add a sweater or a rain jacket it was a huge pain to try to stuff it.
2. As many storage pockets as possible. Overall storage capacity is important but also how that storage is organized means a lot to me. I like to have a place for everything so I can access it quicky. A couple catchall large pockets where all my stuff is mixed together would not be what I’m looking for.
3. A retractable stand. When I go to my golf club to practice, which is often. I don’t want to have to setup my push cart and I’m not getting a ride cart just to go to the practice area (which is about 100 yds from the club house). I carry my bag to the practice area and like it to be upright and securely supported nearby so I can access clubs and pockets easily.
When I started my search I didn’t know that the “hybrid” bag was even an option. I was aware of the big leather tour bags the pros use, large single strap cart bags with no stands and varying sizes of carry bags. I stumbled on the hybrid category by accident. Although different manufacturers have their own take on this class, it generally means larger than a carry bag (but smaller than a cart bag) but with a retractable stand so you have the option to carry it if you want to. Each manufacture configures their hybrid option differently – some with dual carry straps vs single, some with full length dividers others with the four large holes etc. Ultimately I settled on the Bagboy Chiller Hybrid Stand Bag and here’s why:
- Size – This is a big bag. 14 individual full length dividers and the slots range from large to larger. While not entirely necessary, I do appreciate how snag free the bag seems to be because of this. Also, the bag has eight separate storage pockets of varying sizes. It also has a separate pocket that houses a small insulated cooler bag. Where I play golf, it gets hot early and stays hot well into October every year. Having a place to put an extra water bottle or two with a chiller pack seemed appealing to me. This cooler bag will hold four 12oz cans.
- The Stand – I practice a lot and being able to set it up next to me at the range and have easy access to the pockets was key.
No bag is perfect and there were a couple things that I would flag as not optimal.
- Single carry strap. I get that this bag is not meant to be carried, but for just the small walk to the range, it would sure be nice to have that second shoulder strap. I know I could buy an aftermarket strap but if it came with the bag – all the better.
- A high pocket for tees and small items. My Ping Hoofer has this neat little multi-pocket that sits at the top of the bag just under collar that is a perfect place to put my tees, ball markers and divot repair took – I don’t have to bend down to access the pocket I access most when I use the bag. On the Chiller, I ended up using the diagonal padded valuables pocket as a catchall for all those items and it’s not ideal. Bagboy and all bag makers, should take a page from Ping in this regard. They do it right.
- Location of the towel attachment ring. I like the base design with a dual sided Velcro that allows me to hang my gloves easily, but the ring is located towards the front of the bag. This means that when the stand is in use, my towels are dragging on the ground. Also, when in a cart (riding of push) the forward location of the ring means you have to reach around the bag to get to your towels or any accessories hanging from the ring. My recommendation to BagBoy would be to move the ring to the rear of the bag – maybe just outside the steel D-ring that is used for the carry strap. I went ahead and moved my towels and ball cleaner brush to the top-back carry strap D-ring – just used a carabiner to attach everything at this spot and it did the trick.
This is this first season with my new bag so I’ll make sure to update this review if I make any new observations after using it in battle. If you would like to see the full review, here's the link to the full Bomb Golf video review on YouTube:
Happy golfing!