Tour Bag
A tour bag is the largest and heaviest type of golf bag, built to hold a full set of 14 clubs plus gear and designed to be carried by a caddie or strapped to a cart rather than shouldered by the golfer.
What is a tour bag?
A tour bag is the oversized golf bag most people recognise from watching professional golf on television, where a caddie hauls it up the fairway alongside the player. It sits at the top of the golf bag range in both size and price, and it exists for one main reason: to carry everything a professional might need across a round while protecting an expensive set of clubs.
The design reflects that job. A tour bag has a rigid, cylindrical body, a wide top with individual dividers so each club sits in its own slot, and a deep set of pockets that swallow balls, waterproofs, and anything else a player needs on hand. Most are made from premium leather or heavy tour-grade synthetic fabric, which is part of why they weigh so much and last so long. The side panel is usually large and flat, which makes it the natural place for a manufacturer or sponsor logo.
You will also hear this bag called a staff bag, and for most golfers the two words point to the same object. Its size and weight mean it is almost never carried by the player. Instead, it rides on a cart or, at the professional level, on a caddie’s shoulder.
Tour bag vs staff bag: are they the same?
For nearly all practical purposes, yes. Retailers and golfers use “tour bag” and “staff bag” interchangeably for the same large, premium bag, and many products are simply labelled “tour staff bag” to cover both terms at once.
There is a small distinction worth knowing. The word “staff bag” originally described the bag carried by a manufacturer’s “staff” players, the professionals under contract to that brand, with the company’s name across the side. According to The Left Rough, a staff bag is a much bigger bag meant for tour professionals and used with a caddie. “Tour bag” tends to be used as the broader category name for that style of bag, whether or not it carries sponsor branding. In a shop, you can treat them as the same thing.
Key features of a tour bag
Size is the headline feature. A full-size tour bag stands roughly 36 inches tall with a 9 to 10 inch opening at the top, which Golfers Authority compares to the size of a kitchen trash can. Vessel Golf lists typical staff bag dimensions of around 36 inches tall, 9 inches wide, and 13 inches deep.
Weight follows from that size. Most tour bags weigh between 10 and 12 pounds empty, and some reach 15, according to Sunday Golf and Golf Monthly. Load in a full set of clubs, balls, and rain gear and the total climbs to 20 to 25 pounds, with pro tournament setups sometimes hitting 30 to 40 pounds once everything a caddie carries is packed in.
The rest of the feature set is built around storage and protection. Club capacity runs to a full 14-club set, the USGA maximum, held in a six-way or larger divider top. Pockets usually number around nine to eleven, often including an insulated cooler, a valuables pocket, apparel space, and an umbrella sleeve. Construction uses premium leather or tour-grade synthetic with reinforced stitching and a rigid base. The large side panel is designed for a maker or sponsor logo and is often customisable.
A tour bag is sold in more than one size. Alongside the full-size version, brands offer midsize and mini staff bags that keep the look and much of the function in a lighter, more manageable shape, as noted by Vessel Golf.
How a tour bag differs from other golf bags
Most people searching for this term are trying to place the tour bag against the bags they already know. The clearest way to see the difference is by weight, capacity, and how the bag gets around the course.
| Bag type | Empty weight | How it is transported | Typical user |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour / staff bag | 10-15 lb | Caddie or cart | Pros; serious amateurs who ride |
| Cart bag | 5-7 lb | Push or electric cart | Amateurs who ride or use a trolley |
| Stand bag | 3-5 lb | Carried, on fold-out legs | Walkers who carry their own clubs |
| Sunday / pencil bag | Under 4 lb | Carried | Casual short rounds, par-3 courses |
The two comparisons that come up most often are tour versus cart and tour versus stand. A cart bag is lighter and shaped to lock onto a trolley or cart frame, with easy-access pockets you reach from the seat. A stand bag is lighter still, with retractable legs that prop it upright while you walk. The tour bag has neither feature. It is not built to be moved by the golfer at all, which is the whole point of the design and the reason a caddie or cart is always part of the picture.
Who uses a tour bag?
Tour bags are standard issue at the professional level. Golf Monthly notes that almost all tour professionals use staff bags, both for the storage and for the protection they give to expensive tour-spec clubs. The caddie handles the weight, so the bulk is not a problem.
Away from the tour, a tour bag suits a serious amateur who rides a cart or has a caddie and wants the storage and club protection of a professional setup, along with the look. Golfballs.com points out that few amateurs actually need one, since these bags are heavy and often too large to sit neatly on a standard cart. Price is another factor: full staff bags commonly run from around $400 to $700, with the 2025 TaylorMade Qi35 tour staff bag listed near $600. For a golfer who walks and carries, a stand bag remains the more practical choice.
Related Golf Terms
- Pistol grip — A tapered putter grip shaped to fit the lead hand.
- Midsize grip — A slightly thicker grip option for larger hands or quieter wrists.
- Combo set — An iron set blending forgiving long irons with bladed short irons.
- Putter loft — The small built-in loft on a putter face that lifts the ball into a true roll.
- Jumbo grip — An oversized grip, common on putters, that calms wrist movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a tour bag weigh?
Most tour bags weigh 10 to 12 pounds empty, and some reach 15. Fully loaded with clubs and gear, expect 20 to 25 pounds, and pro tournament bags can reach 30 to 40.
How many clubs does a tour bag hold?
A full set of 14 clubs, which is the maximum the USGA allows a player to carry in a round. The divider top usually has six or more sections.
Is a tour bag the same as a staff bag?
In everyday use, yes. Both terms describe the same large, premium bag, and many are sold as “tour staff bags.”
Can an amateur use a tour bag?
Yes, as long as they ride a cart or play with a caddie. Carrying one across 18 holes is impractical because of the weight.
How much does a tour bag cost?
Full-size staff bags typically cost between $400 and $700, depending on brand and materials.
Sources
- Golf Monthly. “Best Tour Golf Bags 2026” and “How Much Do Empty and Full Golf Bags Weigh?” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.golfmonthly.com/best-golf-deals/best-tour-golf-bags-209137
https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/how-much-do-empty-and-full-golf-bags-weigh - Sunday Golf. “How Much Does a Golf Bag Weigh? The Complete Guide.” Accessed August 2026.
https://sundaygolf.com/blogs/news/how-much-does-a-golf-bag-weigh - Golfers Authority. “What Is a Staff Bag Golf? Ultimate Pro Guide.” Accessed August 2026.
https://golfersauthority.com/what-is-a-staff-bag-golf/ - Vessel Golf. “What Is a Staff Bag in Golf?” Accessed August 2026.
https://vesselgolf.com/blogs/blog/what-is-a-staff-bag-in-golf-everything-you-need-to-know - The Left Rough. “Golf Cart Bag vs Stand Bag.” Accessed August 2026.
https://theleftrough.com/golf-cart-bag-vs-stand-bag/ - MoreSports. “7 Golf Bag Types Explained.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.moresports.com/blogs/the-extra-mile/golf-bag-types-explained - USGA. “Rules of Golf, Rule 4.1b (14-club limit).” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/topics/clubs.html - Golfballs.com. “Who Should Consider Using a Staff Bag?” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.golfballs.com/blog/who-should-use-staff-bags/
