For some people, the thought of having to carry a golf bag around 18 holes may make them think twice about even heading to the golf course. 

After all, a standard golf bag will usually weigh around 3kg. Throw in your golf clubs, golf balls, jumper, towel and umbrella and a typical golf bag will weigh in around 10kg.

We all want to walk away at the end of a round of golf with the lowest score possible and you don’t want the fact you are carrying your golf bag to lead to tiredness, which in turn can lead to poor scores. 

Some golfers also experience sore backs days after a round of golf due to lugging 10kg for 4 hours on their back which is enough to put anyone off. 

But it doesn’t have to be like that!

If you have ever considered walking around the golf course but find your bag is too heavy to carry, we may have the solution. 

Firstly you could try a pencil golf bag. 

Slim, lightweight versions of normal golf stand bags, you can easily carry a full set or half a set of golf clubs in a pencil bag. The only caveat is you can’t really fit much else in them. So whilst they are great for summer or for a few holes after work, if you’re playing week in week out in the UK, chances are you’ll want something more reliable.  

And that’s where lightweight golf bags come in!

As materials and technology have developed, the world’s leading golf brands have been working on the design of lightweight golf bags. 

These golf bags have been designed so they are easy to carry around the course but don’t add any more weight than necessary to the clubs. They weigh in between 1kg – 2kg, making them up to a third of the weight of normal carry bags. But crucially, they are capable of being loaded up with other bits of golf gear like standard carry golf bags. 

To help you out, we’ve been through and hand-picked some of the lightest golf bags on the market. 

Every golf bag in the lightweight range is different, and you will find some have more space, some are more durable, while others will have a wider range of pockets and holders. 

The best lightweight golf bag for you will depend on the amount you have to spend, brand loyalty, the selection of features you want, and of course, the weight. You can check out the list below and make an informed choice using the information.

Each element of the Callaway Golf Hyper Lite Zero Stand Bag has been designed to keep the overall weight of the bag as low as possible without skimping on quality. 

Constructed from Ripstop fabric and available in a selection of colours, the bag weighs only 1.3kg yet boasts seven storage pockets, a mobile phone pouch, premium carbon fibre legs, Aerospace grade foam strap, and ultra-lightweight four-way top with full length dividers. 

Made from lightweight nylon, this golf bag is not only a pleasure to carry around the golf course but is also durable, meaning it can withstand regular use throughout the season. 

The available colours include black, charcoal, camo, hunter, navy, and red.

Weighing in at just 1.2kg, the Sun Mountain Two Five Stand Carry Golf Bag is sone of the lightest golf bags on the market!

The bag has been constructed using tightly woven denier nylon fabric, giving the Sun Mountain Two Five Stand Carry Golf Bag a high quality feel. The high-density foam shoulder straps mean you can carry the bag comfortably through 18 holes of golf and the five pockets include a beverage pouch, velour-lined valuables pocket, and full length clothing pocket. 

The carbon fibre legs provide a sturdy frame and keep the bag as lightweight as possible. The legs are also extremely durable and you can rely on them to last a long time if cleaned and stored properly after every round.

Ping is one of the biggest names in golf equipment and they have produced a fantastic range of lightweight golf bags, including the Hoofer Craz-E Lite. 

You have the option of carrying this bag using a comfortable shoulder strap or by using the re-engineered back puck to convert it into a backpack style bag. 

Your valuables are kept safe and dry inside the seam-sealed, lined valuables pocket and rain hood is snapped in place to provide protection for your golf clubs. By utilising high tensile strength fabric in the design, this is Ping’s lightest Hoofer bag to date.

The Titleist Players 4 Stand Bag is one of the more affordable lightweight golf bags available from the big name brands. It may not be the lightest golf bag to feature in this article but at just 1.7kg, it’s nearly half the weight of a standard golf bag. 

Complete with a low profile top, soft to touch valuables pocket, and an advanced hinged bottom for increased stability, there is plenty to like about the Titleist Players 4 Stand Bag. Sewn in elastic pouches inside the large ball pocket help to divide golf balls or other items you like to keep separate from each other.

It also looks pretty slick!

The Big Max I-Dry Aqua Ocean 7 Golf Stand Bag is an extremely popular golf bag and one of the best lightweight golf bags in the waterproof category. 

If you play regularly in the UK, where the weather is… shall we say, unreliable, but you want to walk the golf course with your bag, the Big Max I-Dry Aqua Ocean 7 Golf Stand Bag is a solid choice. 

Using modern I-Dry Aqua waterproof technology, this golf bag is constructed using 100% waterproof material plus the taped seams and waterproof zips mean the contents of the bag will remain dry, whatever the weather. Complete with accessory pockets, umbrella, glove and hand towel holders, the Big Max I-Dry Aqua Ocean 7 Golf Stand Bag offers great value.

One of the best lightweight golf bags for those wanted an environmentally friendly option is the Sun Mountain Unisex 2020 Eco-Lite Lightweight Golf Stand Bag. 

This golf bag is manufactured from approximately 25-20 ounce recycled bottles and the Sun Mountain company is part of the 1% For The Planet Charity. So, you can purchase this lightweight golf bag knowing you are not only getting a high quality, light bag for your clubs but you are also doing your bit for the environment. 

In addition to the environmentally friendly construction, the Sun Mountain Unisex 2020 Eco-Lite Lightweight Golf Stand Bag is available in a choice of colours including black, red, blue, green, and white.

The smooth release system and collapsible base system employed on this golf bag is patented by TaylorMade and improves ease of use when pulling a chosen club from the bag. 

The self-adjusting strap system means you can set-up the strap so it is comfortable and stable to carry around the golf course. The front grab handle is perfect for short distance lifting, such as a from green to tee and the rangefinder capsule is great for those who use such a device on the golf course. 

The TaylorMade Flextech Lite Custom Stand Golf Bag is not the lightest bag in this list but at 2.1kg it remains lighter than most.

Lightweight Golf Bag Key Considerations

When it comes to choosing the best lightweight golf bag, there are several factors to consider. 

Obviously the weight of the bag is important, and as you can see, even from the golf bags highlighted above, the weight varies vastly between 1.2kg and 2.1kg. 

The lightest golf bag featured is the Sun Mountain Two Five Stand Carry Golf Bag and it will come as no surprise to find this is also one of the more expensive on the list. However, the bag comes complete with carbon fibre legs and high-density foam shoulder straps, adding to the overall high quality of the golf bag. 

Using the information above, you can make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing the best lightweight golf bag, but there are also some other things you should consider.

Storage and Pockets

It’s no good if you have the lightest golf bag in the world but you don’t have space to carry all your gear! Although carrying your golf bag will make your bag heavier, make sure there are enough pockets to at least carry the basics such as spare golf balls, your waterproofs, a golf umbrella and fluids for the round.

Durability 

Taking away components of anything is an easy way to make it lighter. The list we have compiled are some of the best golf bags we could find on the market in that their quality hasn’t been sacrificed. 

Sometimes, in the case of Sun Mountain, more premium materials are used to make the golf bag lighter. Make sure you don’t go for a bag that’s lightweight but poor quality. 

If you stick to the list above, you should be fine!

Handles and Straps

If you’re carrying your bag for 4 hours on the golf course, you’ll also want to make sure it’s comfortable. Being lightweight is one way to ensure that, but you need to make sure the straps are comfortable too. Ensure they are adjustable and so you can tweak them to fit you perfectly.

Waterproof

We’re not exactly blessed with the best weather in the UK. If you’re a fair weather golfer then you perhaps don’t have to worry about this as much. 

However, if you’re the person that doesn’t let anything stop your Saturday afternoon round of golf, then having a golf bag with some level of waterproofness is a must. We’ve included some options above which are waterproof, but if this is a key element for your decision, you may want to check out some of the best waterproof golf bags before committing!