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REVIEW: Jones Golf Utility Trouper Stand Bag

The Bag You Should Upgrade To For Your Bandon Trip

If you’ve been to Bandon Dunes you know that a good carry bag is essential for you or your caddie. While I love the caddie program, I thoroughly enjoy carrying my clubs on my own back. There are some other resorts around the country like Streamsong and Sand Valley that require walking too. If these or even just your average round of golf has you carrying your bag, you should upgrade to the new Jones Golf Utility Trouper Stand Bag. The upgrades to the Utility Stand Bag are outstanding and worth every penny. If you like to carry your clubs on your back, this bag is about as good as it gets for a compact, lightweight, yet fully functional golf stand bag.

The Jones Golf Utility Trouper Stand Bag has 3 major upgrades over the Utility Bag. The first most noticeable change is the top of the golf bag. It now has a plastic frame/rim around the top of the bag. This frame serves as a grab handle for the top of the bag when you set it down. This was my biggest frustration with the Utility Bag. I was always grabbing it by the metal loop which was hard in the fingers. This new handle is strong and perfectly designed for quickly picking up the bag. Sometimes you aren’t lifting it onto your back, just moving it a few feet and this handle is perfect for those short distance moves.

The second major upgrade to the Jones Golf Utility Trouper Bag is the top dividers. The bag is now more oval shaped at the top and has 5 slots instead of 2. This for me is just about the best divider system for simple carry bags. While 14 way tops might still be easiest, this is the next best, especially when trying to reduce weight and keep the overall size of the bag down. The top well is for the putter, the next wide well is for the woods, the next two which each are half the width of the bag hold the irons divided long and short, and the final well holds the wedges. These dividers are large enough so that clubs come out easily and yet compact enough to keep the bag small and not too much extra space for clubs to slide around.

The third major change to the Jones Golf Utility Trouper Bag is the stand system. The legs are now much thinner (which means lighter) and the mechanism is now a foot pad rather than internal. While I liked the looks of the internal stand system where the entire base of the bag tilts, the new external tab system is as easy at it gets to set the bag down. It takes almost no pressure to engage the legs for the bag to stand on its own. I don’t know if there will be long term durability issues with this, but from an on and off my back to the ground, these legs are much easier to use and retract than the Utility Bag.

The pockets of the Jones Golf Utility Trouper Stand Bag got a slight change. The insulated pocket is now a zipper one on the side of the ball pockets. This is a nice addition since it will hold 2 cans and keep them cold and secure. The smaller side pocket is now mesh so that you can keep your phone semi-available for music or important texts/calls. Most the other pockets remain the same which is good since they were so well done the first time. The cinch top ball pocket is easily accessible and the other large pocket can hold rain gear, extra balls or whatever else you like to bring for a round of golf.

The Jones Golf Utility Trouper Stand Bag has slightly different straps; the material and hooks are different, but they still work as a single strap or a double strap carry bag. Just like before they aren’t attached to one another so you do need to reach back a little to find the second strap, but it is easy to find and throw over your shoulder. There is a small back pad that was added which sits nicely in the small of your back for additional comfort. The bag shape itself still rides nicely as it curves with your back. The new hooks/looks for accessory attachments are an improvement too.

If you carry your golf clubs on your back, this is a bag you need to check out. It is lightweight, compact and perfect for carrying your clubs. The classic look of a Jones Golf Bag is still retained with simple style and the twisty handle but modern features are added for better on-course function. I really like the improvements to this bag. The new top, additional dividers and easier stand mechanism, make this bag a solid upgrade. While I like the Utility Bag, the Utility Trouper will replace it as my “go-to” carry bag for courses like Bandon, Streamsong or Sand Valley. If you have a trip planned which requires you to carry your clubs, this might be one of your best upgrade before your trip.

Check the price online here

For more information: www.jonesgolfbags.com

Quick Hits:
+Top grab handle
+5-way divider top
+Easy stand mechanism
+Additional pockets
+New hooks and accessory loop
+Still same classic Jones look

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