Welcome to Tried It, GOLF.com’s series about golf gear – apparel, gear, equipment, etc. – which we just took out to throw away. We are here to offer our reliable, non-golf or near-golf items. So, scroll down to read about our favorite new (or new to us) golf products.
I’m not on the golf course much these days, but when a trip involving flying across country lines came up, I was forced to accept the fact that my 15-year-old travel bag was probably ready for retirement.
So which bag could be next for me? My husband is devoted to the Club Glove, but I wanted something more expensive, the reason being that I already needed a vessel to shepherd my clubs safely a few times a year, max. As any traveling golfer knows, travel bag prices vary widely, from $450 or more on the high end to less than $100 on the less expensive end. I decided to split the difference somewhere, I chose to try the Ogio Alpha, which costs $249.99.
OGIO ALPHA Mid Golf Travel Cover
Designed for golfers who want more, the OGIO Alpha Mid Travel Cover delivers premium protection and smart convenience. It fits like a stand or trolley bag, and features additional compartments for shoes and accessories. Thick padding protects your clubs from all bumps and drops, while their foldable design and adjustable strap make storage and travel easy. Rugged, roomy, and versatile—the Alpha Mid is built for the long haul.
$249.99 from Fairway Jockey
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The Alpha delivers exactly what you expect from a golf bag: sturdy, heavy-duty materials and wheels that roll easily. At first glance, it seems to be a good base, but its general appearance hides many useful features.
First, the exterior zippers are equipped with pull cords and move more than 180 degrees around the bag, so it’s easy to put your clubs on when it’s fully opened. There’s an internal strap that tightens your bag to keep it in place, and the clubheads are covered by a layer of padding around the top third of the bag, with enough room to add a strong arm for extra protection if you like.
There’s a single zippered exterior pocket deep enough to hold golf shoes or other accessories, and the exterior bag straps are equipped with handy, heavy-duty handles to make it easy to lift the bag horizontally after pulling it.
My carry-on bag was padded in size, so when it was zipped up, there was plenty of room around it for extra essentials. The Alpha is large enough to fit both regular-sized bags and stroller bags.
The best feature of the bag, however, in my opinion, is the ease of storage when not in use. The Alpha folds down to the size of a duffel bag in a few quick steps, and comes with an extra strap to secure it snugly in that compact, folded position.
Another great detail: Whether you’re flying or shipping your clubs, I love the addition of the large shipping address label/window on the bottom of the bag, making identification quick and easy.
Bonus: When you buy an Ogio bag, you can upload your receipt to enjoy one free round-trip shipping from Ship Sticks. Are you interested? Click here for more details. And to add the Ogio Alpha to your gear arsenal, click the product link above!
