Product Review: TaylorMade R9 Stand Bag

Contributed by Joel Zuckerman
October 2009

First, a confession:  When it comes to golf bags, I have always been a Sun Mountain man.  From their earliest iteration of a stand bag more than 20 years ago, to a near-constant stream of innovations, modifications and improvements over the last couple of decades, I have always carried their bag.  But now I’m carrying a Taylor Made R9.

It shouldn’t be that much of a shock, really, as brand loyalty waxes and wanes over the years.  I used to play Callaway clubs, now the bag is filled with Taylor-Made sticks.  For years I drove Japanese imports, now I drive German.  It’s not that the R9 bag is so much better, but it’s a bit lighter than what I was using—a shade under four pounds, compared to 5.3 for my most recent Sun Mountain.

My new bag hasn’t yet reached the “acid test” of a full season of abuse, but one negative concerning Sun Mountain is that their bags tend to wear out a little quickly, and thus far, the R-9 is holding up without a single glitch or fray.

For those looking for a new stand bag that matches the impressive new R9 driver, then the Taylormade R9 is an obvious choice  This bag is constructed of an ultra-light nylon ripstop material and as stated previously, is a real bantamweight at 3.9 pounds. But despite this paucity of weight the bag has plenty of room including six pockets as well as a pouch for valuables. It also features full length dividers, a separate water bottle pouch, and several other bells and whistles that are generally found on bags that are bigger, wider and significantly heavier. For the dedicated walkers who are fans of this site, please note that the EVA molded anatomically correct straps fit comfortably and unlike many carry bags, one has the option of carrying with either a single or double strap.  Simply put, the R9 stand bag is an excellent golf bag, and just as impressive as the wildly popular R9 line of woods.

MSRP: $199.99

Review by Joel Zuckerman

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