Introduction
Let’s start with a bold statement. I think Ram are one of golf’s more under-rated brands.
The best driver I’ve ever owned was the Ram FX V. I’ve never had anything before or since that went straighter. When I’m hitting massive hooks now, I lament the day I ever let it go.
Remember the Ram Zebra putter? Man, that mallet was a cult all its own. And Tom Watson gamed the brand too, along with Nick Price, Ray Floyd and Gary Player. Ram were a serious brand for serious players when I was taking my initial steps in the game.
They live on and the traditionalist in me is delighted to see them doing so.
But this isn’t some rose-tinted stroll down memory lane. When I took Ram’s new FX-LOCK Silent Trolley Bag out for a spin, I quickly realised it was an impressive bit of kit – with one very cool innovation you might not have seen before.
Keywords
Ram Golf FX-LOCK Silent Trolley; Ram Golf; Ram trolley, Ram trolleys, Ram, Ram lock trolley, golf bag, Ram golf trolley bag
NCG Summary and rating
NCG Summary
A spacious trolly bag with more pockets than you’ll probably ever need but which will live and die in your eyes by the 14-club locking divider system. I found it very useful – an easy way to store and find clubs – but wonder how it will look after a year of heavy use.
PROS
- Extremely good value
- Many spacious pockets
- Lock system keeps your clubs securely in place
CONS
- How durable will the divider system be long term?
Key Facts
| Top Dividers | 15 full length (includes the putter well) |
| Weight (kgs) | 3.3 |
| Pockets | 10 |
| Strap | Single |
| Material | Hard-wearing polyester |
| Waterproof | water resistant |
| Valuables pocket | Two |
| Velcro glove patch | Yes |
| Water bottle pocket | Insulated two-bottle beverage sleeve |
| Colour options | 4 |
Key benefits and downsides
| Key benefits | Downsides |
|---|---|
| Value – at £119.99 it is hard to quibble. | Durability – will have to report back on how the the divider system holds up over a full season, or more. |
| Pockets – from valuables to apparel, ball and bottle pockets, this bag has all you need for a long or quick round. | |
| Lock system – keeps your clubs secure but also silent throughout the round. No more clatterting and banging! |
First Impressions
I’m out of the stand bag game. I’m pushing 50 and, though I’ll continue to carry in the winter, the thought of hawking around a full set – particularly in these never-ending heatwaves – is not on my wish-list.
When the RAM FX-LOCK Silent Trolley bag turned up, there was instant appeal. Particularly at the £119 price tag.
I’ve recently bought a new set of irons and wanted to resist the understandable urge to splash out on covers to protect them. I’m still in the honeymoon stage where I’m gutted about every little dent.
It’s here the bag’s club dividers – this innovative locking system – really stood out and they do dominate everything about this product.
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We’ll get into that in some detail shortly, but I really liked the red, white and blue colour scheme. And having only owned one cart bag before in my golfing life, I couldn’t get over the number of pockets – and their size!
How I undertook the review
I tested the bag on a push trolley during several club competitions at Sandburn Hall, in York, and then on a golf buggy during a 36-hole day at Close House.
What I found
Let’s get straight to it. If you’re looking at buying this – and that would be why you’re reading this review – you’re probably interested in two things: the price point and the divider system.
At £119, this is exceptional value without being budget. I’ve yet to see whether it’s fully waterproof – this is the hottest summer ever, apparently – but if it’s not you are not missing out on much else.
Pockets
There are an incredible number of pockets, 10 at my count and I may have missed a couple of hidden ones inside.
They’re not gimmicks, either. The four front pockets – one for balls, one for tees, a cooler pocket, and I don’t even know what the top one is for – are incredibly spacious. You could fit every accessory you owned, plus two drinks and your suncream into the quartet alone. I know this because I’ve pretty much tried it.
Two small zip pockets on each side are perfect to keep phones and keys apart and the two outside pockets were large enough to put a shoe in each (I was breaking in a new pair).
I could comfortably insert a pair of waterproofs, take off the midlayer on a warm day, and have space for more in the larger inside pockets.
You will never find yourself making compromises with kit again and I’ve not even mentioned the umbrella holder, towel buckle, or the glove patch.
14-way Club Locking Top
Then there is the 14-way Club Locking Top. Ram say this is to solve the “annoying…rattle, tangle, and clatter on every bump of the cart path”.
It is described as a “silent club-lock top that features 14 individual dividers with rubber sleeves that grip each shaft”.
They look a little ungainly at first, but they are very effective. Not only do they hold your clubs firmly in place, but they also remain in situ even if you’re bumping from path to heavy rough.
At first, I thought it was going to be a real hassle trying to figure out which divider I’d taken a club from as I tried to replace it after hitting a shot.
But it’s very easy to locate the space and it’s even easier to find a club if you spend a second or two ordering them properly.
My only concern here, and it’s probably unfounded, is how durable the rubber sleeves will continue to be with prolonged use. As you remove and replace a club, they spring back into place. That keeps the tension and it will be interesting to sure whether that plasticity remains the longer I use the bag.
Putter Holder
Other highlights of this bag include the external putter holder, which is large enough to fit the driver as well, and, at 3.3 kilograms, this bag is an easy pick up even holding a full set.
I’m using a Motocaddy push trolley and the Ram FX-LOCK Silent Trolley Bag fits very well and stay in place – no more mid-round adjusting because my carry bag has started to lean to the side.
NCG Final Say
This is a seriously impressive golf bag at a value price. It’s light, seems to have space for everything, and comes in four colour options. How invested you get will depend on how you perceive the Club-Locking Top, but it’s an innovation that should be applauded and it works extremely well out on the course.
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Price information
RRP: £119.99 / $179.99
Other product details
Colours: Black-Grey / Black-White / Blue-White-Red / Blue-Grey
Bag height: 92cm
Type: Trolley bag
Use: Push or cart (buggy)
Rain hood: Comes complete with a matching rain hood to keep clubs and grips dry, plus an umbrella holder, velcro glove patch, and a buckle for your golf towel.
More information: Ram Golf UK / Ram Golf US
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