GCA Golf Bag

[RDecker]

My original GCA sun mountain bag is about to give out.  Are there any of the newer models available from any of the members?  Love to get a new one and continue to wave the flag as it were, plus sun mountain stuff is great.

[Wayne_Kozun]

I would think that something like a MacKenzie Walker would be more appropriate:

[Brad Tufts]

Save for the sun mountain being ~$150, and the Mackenzie being $845.

Not including airfare, one could have a great UK golf trip for that...

I fully recognize the quality and coolness of a Mackenzie golf bag, but $845 is not cheap.

[Mark Pritchett]

Perhaps the ballistic nylon MacKenzie bag would be a better option. 

[David Harshbarger]

Perhaps the ballistic nylon MacKenzie bag would be a better option. 

I'd go with the ballistic MacKenzie, too.

[William_G]

Perhaps the ballistic nylon MacKenzie bag would be a better option. 

I'd go with the ballistic MacKenzie, too.

+1 I'd be down for that.

[Garland Bayley]

Perhaps the ballistic nylon MacKenzie bag would be a better option. 

I'd go with the ballistic MacKenzie, too.

+1 I'd be down for that.

Troy Alderson tells me that with the MacKenzie you would never have to buy a new bag, as he sent his worn out nylon one back and they rebuilt it completely for free.

[Chris_Hufnagel]

Perhaps the ballistic nylon MacKenzie bag would be a better option. 

I'd go with the ballistic MacKenzie, too.

+1 I'd be down for that.

Troy Alderson tells me that with the MacKenzie you would never have to buy a new bag, as he sent his worn out nylon one back and they rebuilt it completely for free.

Agreed. 

Thom has been great to work with...I ordered a Ballistic Bag for the HHH and am very happy with the construction and quality of the bag.  It is extremely light and as someone once said here (maybe Ben Sims and I am paraphrasing) - "It has just enough room for everything I need and not enough for everything I don't."  It should last forever and if it doesn't it means I was lucky enough to play a lot of golf...

I will try to post a photo of it when I get home...

[PCCraig]

Re: MacKenzie

I've put at least 30 rounds (maybe closer to 40, all in) with my ballistic nylon walker and absolutely love it. It's light, durable, and really easy to carry. A couple of weeks ago I played 18 holes in a heavy downpour and needed to let the bag dry out a bit, so I switched my clubs into an old Titliest Sunday bag. It was no where near as comfortable to carry and it was much more difficult to carry in any position other than straight forward on my right shoulder. So, all in all, I'm very happy with the product.

Plus, you're ordering a product from the same person who makes it (by hand) in the US. Sure, the leather bags are expensive at $850, but a ballistic nylon bag costs only marginally more than a top of the line Ping, Sun Mountain, or Titliest carry bag. If you're looking for a new carry bag I would highly recommend.

[Mark Johnson]

Pat,

The only negative for a mackenzie is that it isnt a stand bag while the comparable sun mountain/titliest bags are.

how much of a difference did you find this?

[Mike_Trenham]

I have a ballistic walker bag too and no regrets.  Caddies don't like that it does not have a stand and sometimes switch my stuff into a heavier bag.  Airlines are tough on stands.

Its over a year old and it looks like out of the box new.   My other recent golf bags were usually showing wear by now.  I play a fair number of rounds.

[Simon Holt]

Tom Dunne has this really cool wooden bracket that slides in next to the clubs and is easily used as a stand when pulled out.

[Jason Thurman]

How comfortable is a Mackenzie walker to carry? I don't like the idea of a single strap bag ergonomically and as someone with the beginnings of chronic right shoulder pain and scar tissue from old lower back injuries. As cool as they look and as great as the lifetime repair and replacement is, I just can't justify something that's less comfortable to carry than a double-strap bag.

[Jason Thurman]

Oh, and to answer RDecker's original question, I'm currently in the market for a new bag and would be interested in a GCA bag, but the decision would have to be made soon as my current bag is on its last legs.

[David Harshbarger]

How comfortable is a Mackenzie walker to carry? I don't like the idea of a single strap bag ergonomically and as someone with the beginnings of chronic right shoulder pain and scar tissue from old lower back injuries. As cool as they look and as great as the lifetime repair and replacement is, I just can't justify something that's less comfortable to carry than a double-strap bag.

Here is Rob Rigg's polemic against modern bags and for single strap bags including MacKenzie's:

http://www.thewalkinggolfer.com/iwmcb.html

I've gone back to a single strap, lighter weight cart bag as my carry bag.  A MacKenzie is on my wish list.  Even though the cart bag is heavier than a double strap bag I have, futzing with the dang double straps was so enervating, compared to the simple pick and go motion of the single strap, the choice was a no brainer.

[Mike Hendren]

RD, I have the silver model with orange trim and GCA logo.  Little used as I sitll prefer my old Ping Moon when I walk.  You are welcome to it if I can find a box to ship it in.   Let me know.

Mike Hendren
Brentwood, TN

[RDecker]

Michael I appreciate the offer, the model you speak of is the one I'm looking to replace.  The one you and I have has been a good bag but I find it sometimes a smidge too small.  Some of the newer, more recent offerings that the group had here looked a slight bit larger.  Thanks though for the thought.

[Tim Martin]

How do you fare with the leather Mackenzie when you get caught in the rain and how long does it take to dry it out assuming it gets soaked? There is no question they are really sharp but are you sacrificing functionality?

[Jason Thurman]

Tim, that's what I wonder too. I love the idea of the ballistic bag, especially with the lifetime guarantee which makes it a bargain for someone who walks a lot of rounds. But laying it down for every shot seems like it would get tiring, and wet grass seems like a nightmare, and I like being able to cover clubs in the rain, and I also still think that double-straps are better from an ergonomic standpoint, though I'm a little more open-minded about testing it out than I would've been a few months ago.

I know they're lightweight, but it's pretty easy to find a stand bag under 5 lbs that has a place to hold a water bottle and a valuables pocket. The benefit of those things far outweighs their weight in my mind, and same with double-straps and a stand. And since I travel a bit, having extra pockets helps a lot when I take the bag on the road.

[Sean_A]

I still think the mac bag is missing a trick with not offering a short leg stand bag.  It keeps the bag out of the wet, doesn't require serious bending of the back, much less chance of breaking/damaging legs and its profile is low enough to keep it out of the wind.  Is there some reason why bags with say 24 inch legs aren't popular?

Rob's analysis is flawed,  He is essentially comparing his empty light weight bag to light weight bag stuffed with crap - or even 14 clubs!  Plus, his idea of bending down to the ground for a bag as being easier than picking a bag up from a standing position is off-kilter for a great many golfers.  His entire piece is essentially about why the mac bag is good for him.  Of course, once he hits 50 he may sing another tune about bending over to pick up sticks.


Ciao

[PCCraig]

Pat,

The only negative for a mackenzie is that it isnt a stand bag while the comparable sun mountain/titliest bags are.

how much of a difference did you find this?

Mark,

I think the difference is a lot smaller than a lot of people make it out to be. Stands aren't perfect either...they're fragile, sometimes they don't open or close all the way, they can't be easily placed on slopes, and they can cause the bag to blow over in anything more than a 20mph wind.

Generally speaking, I can place my walker pretty much anywhere which I find to be a nice advantage (bunker edges, steep slopes, even the fringe of a green). I might be in the minority here, but I don't find it to be that physically taxing to pick up a golf bag off the ground vs. 3ft off the ground. My bag fully loaded probably weighs all of 15 pounds, and once you grab the strap it's only a quick curl to put it on my shoulder. On tees I can usually find something to lean it against (divot fill box, benches, ball washer, etc.).

The light weight, the way it carries, and it's sleek looks more than make up for any lack of a stand on the MacKenzie, in my opinion.

[Chris_Hufnagel]

Pat,

The only negative for a mackenzie is that it isnt a stand bag while the comparable sun mountain/titliest bags are.

how much of a difference did you find this?

Mark,

I think the difference is a lot smaller than a lot of people make it out to be. Stands aren't perfect either...they're fragile, sometimes they don't open or close all the way, they can't be easily placed on slopes, and they can cause the bag to blow over in anything more than a 20mph wind.

Generally speaking, I can place my walker pretty much anywhere which I find to be a nice advantage (bunker edges, steep slopes, even the fringe of a green). I might be in the minority here, but I don't find it to be that physically taxing to pick up a golf bag off the ground vs. 3ft off the ground. My bag fully loaded probably weighs all of 15 pounds, and once you grab the strap it's only a quick curl to put it on my shoulder. On tees I can usually find something to lean it against (divot fill box, benches, ball washer, etc.).

The light weight, the way it carries, and it's sleek looks more than make up for any lack of a stand on the MacKenzie, in my opinion.

I have a Mackenzie Bag and a SM Zero-G with a stand - I happily go back and forth between the two bags depending on the day.  I honestly don't miss having a stand one bit.  I can't picture in my head how a stand could be added to a Mackenzie Bag and make it look as good as they look right now...I love my Mackenzie for what it is and what it is not...

[PCCraig]

How comfortable is a Mackenzie walker to carry? I don't like the idea of a single strap bag ergonomically and as someone with the beginnings of chronic right shoulder pain and scar tissue from old lower back injuries. As cool as they look and as great as the lifetime repair and replacement is, I just can't justify something that's less comfortable to carry than a double-strap bag.

Jason,

At the risk of sounding like a MacKenzie sales rep, I can easily say that they are easier and more comfortable to carry. Really, that's the main reason to carry one and the reason that's lost among people here that worry that it gets wet too quickly, and doesn't have a stand and two straps. For starters, the nylon bag is really light...just as light as any carry bag on the market (and I carry 14 clubs, ~6 balls, way too many tees/markers/ballmark tools/wool headcovers/phones/etc). Secondly, the strap that comes with the walker is awesome...there is maybe 3" of padding which is way easier on the shoulder than the paper thin backpack straps. The bag is also perfectly balanced, meaning it effectively "sits" on your hip when you're walking, taking more load off your shoulder all the while making it easy to carry it in different positions (right shoulder pointing forward, behind back, "quiver" style, etc).

Not to mention most double strap "systems" aren't really comfortable to begin with, force you to carry in one position, and are horrible if carried on one shoulder.

[William_G]

stand bags are great to keep your bag and head covers out of the mud that can happen in the wetter times of year

double straps are great as they equally distribute the weight of the bag down your back, plus you can use them as single straap all day long

in windy conditions, dry conditions or on a sand based course, there is no need for a stand especially with an ultra light bag

thanks

[Wayne_Kozun]

For anyone who has a leather MacKenzie Walker - is the weight of the leather an issue?