Titleist Hybrid 14 Stand Bag Review – When it comes to equipment, there are not many sports that require quite so many different considerations than golf.
From clubs to clothing and shoes, trolleys, golf balls and electronic devices, golfers have it all.
Nowadays it’s not even enough to have one golf bag to carry all of this gear either. Depending on the type of round you’re intending to play, where you’re playing or how much extra equipment you want to carry with you, golfers can choose to opt for a pencil (carry) bag, stand bag or cart bag.
Titleist believe that there is a fourth bag option which would make life a whole lot easier though. The Hybrid stand bag is designed to be ideal for carrying, use on a trolley or even on a buggy, meaning that you can stick with just one bag that does it all for you.
I first reviewed a Titleist Hybrid bag two years ago and wasn’t wholly convinced by the concept, so I was excited to see whether Titleist’s latest offering could change my mind.
What’s It All About?
Titleist describe their Hybrid bag range as being ‘stand bag meets cart bag’, and this updated model has been slightly redesigned in order to be more compatible with your golf trolley thanks to a new leg system and pushcart rest.
They have done away with the Hybrid 5 which had a 5-way top in favour of the 14 way configuration, with a standard model and waterproof StaDry option available in a number of different colourways.
The bag comes with all of the usual features that you would expect from a Titleist stand bag, albeit with a slightly bigger footprint with more space so that you can keep all of the extra bits from your cart bag even if you fancy carrying.
A cart strap ‘tunnel’ allows you to keep the bag tightly fastened when on the trolley, whilst still providing access to the valuables pocket for easy access to your gear out on the course.
The top of the bag features ‘Tour-Inspired’ handles, whatever that means, and the brand’s new premium double strap which I tested on the Players 4 bag and is a big improvement on the previous design.
There are 9 pockets in total on the bag, including a water bottle pocket and expandable full-length apparel pocket.
As you’d expect with all of these features the bag is substantially heavier than Titleist’s Players stand bags, weighing in at 2.8kg.
Titleist Hybrid 14 Stand Bag Review
Looks
I’ve said this before in reviews of Titleist bags, but I think that on the whole they are the best-looking on the market.
They provide the best combination of traditional styling with modern touches, and they are always available in a number of different colourways which ensure that they appeal to all.
The new Hybrid 14 is no different. The combination of blue, red and white is really classy and whilst the bag does have a slightly shiny material, it still feels great quality.
What’s immediately clear when looking at this bag is that you’re not going to be short of space. There are a variety of different pockets, in all of the shapes and sizes that you could possibly require out on the golf course.
Of course, the name Hybrid 14 indicates that this bag comes with a 14-way divider so that you can separate each of your clubs, making it easier to find the one you’re looking for and reducing the amount of noise produced as you walk or wheel your way down the fairway.
I recently asked for golfers’ opinions on dividers via our social media channels, and the support for 14-way configurations was certainly there.
Handy features like the rangefinder pocket, glove and pencil holder and the extra handles on the top cuff for when you’re lifting this bag on and off a trolley are exactly what you would expect from a brand like Titleist who are renowned for the quality of their products.
Functionality
First things first, I’d sat that this bag is really a carry bag in look only as it weighs in at 2.8kg. To put that in to context, the Titleist Players 4 StaDry Stand Bag that I reviewed earlier this summer is 1.7kg, whilst the new 14 StaDry Cart Bag is almos the same at 2.9kg.
For this reason I’d say that the Hybrid 14 is still really a bag that I’d use on a trolley, but which is a little easier to move around, looks a little neater and is perhaps a bit more versatile.
If you’re planning to head to the driving range or on to the practice ground at your local golf club, then this bag is ideal as it would mean that you don’t have to take a cart bag and a trolley with you or swap your gear into a smaller bag.
Like with the Players 4 Bag, the Hybrid 14 features Titleist’s updated double strap which is a far better setup than in previous year’s models and is much easier to adjust depending on your own height and carrying preference.
You can also choose to detach the straps via the clips if you are going to use the bag predominantly as a cart bag, making things a little tidier.
Another little gripe I did find whilst using the bag as a stand bag for a few holes, was that that the rain cover had seemingly been designed for use on a trolley so that it appeared to be on back to front when carrying.
You might not find this to be an issue if you aren’t intending to carry at any point, but if you are then you may find it difficult to get clubs in and out of the bag with as much ease as usual.
As mentioned earlier you get plenty of pockets, and it really does feel as if you have all the room you need.
In fact, when it came to reviewing this bag, I switched out all of my golf gear from a cart bag that I had been using into this Hybrid bag and fund that there was more than enough room to store everything that I had already been carrying.
Pretty impressive for something which, upon first inspection, looks like a traditional stand bag.
Titleist Hybrid 14 Stand Bag Verdict
With all Golfalot reviews, we look to answer a couple of key questions. Does it do what the company say it will, and has it improved on the previous model?
In both respects, I’d say that the answer is a yes. The Hybrid 14 has improved a little on the Hybrid 5 that I tried a couple of years back, with a better shoulder strap system and better compatibility with a trolley.
There are a couple of the same limitations as the previous model, but that is more of an issue with the concept rather than the bag itself.
Broadly speaking however, it does exactly what it’s designed to do.
I’m still not sure many golfers would be that keen on carrying this bag for 18 holes as it’s just too heavy. If you use a trolley but don’t like the look of cart bags or you don’t want to fork out quite so much money – then the Hybrid may be worth a closer look.
All in all, it’s a 5 star bag as a cart bag, but a 3 star bag as a stand bag, so l’ll settle in the middle and give it a 4.
Would I Use It?
As a cart bag for occasional use on the driving range or the practice ground, yes. It has more than enough room and stability for use on a trolley, whilst being more versatile and saving you from having to swap into a different bag.
As a stand bag for 18 holes on the golf course – probably not.
Pros
- Improvement on last year’s model
- 14-way divider provides plenty of flexibility
- Excellent storage space
- The kind of quality you’d expect from Titleist
Cons
- 2.8kg may be a little too heavy to carry
- Rain cover made clubs hard to access
Review By Dan Box – Golfalot.com
