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Jonathan Taylor brings you the low down on the Callaway Org 14 cart bag.
Callaway has a long-standing reputation for making first class golf clubs. However the brand may not be the first name that springs to mind when considering your next golf bag. It would be a mistake to overlook them because they offer a huge range of both cart and stand bags, packed with innovative features.
It’s only right that I start this review with a disclaimer of sorts. That is to say that I almost exclusively use a carry bag. There is the odd occasion when I might saddle up my carry bag and put it on a trolley, for example if I was playing 36 holes in a day, but these instances are few and far between. I like the simplicity of a lightweight carry bag, and they seem to get lighter and better year by year.
That said, when the latest version of the Callaway Org 14 arrived in a Khaki/Jade Houndstooth colour, I was pretty impressed. It’s one of no less than seven colour options available, and I thought it looked really classy and smart.
I was struck by the seemingly endless array of well-designed pockets and impressed by the light weight and ease of handling of this fully loaded cart bag.
Full features include;
14-way top with full-length dividers.
Specific putter well to allow for thicker grip.
Two upper grab handles.
Lowrider technology for added stability on a trolley.
Ten roomy pockets including an insulated cooler pocket.
A rather flimsy rain hood.
Measured weight (inc. rain hood) of just under 7lb.
Callaway says there are nine pockets, but I counted ten! On the right-hand side, there is the usual full-length apparel pocket and adjacent velour-lined valuables pocket. Both were easily accessible and roomy. There is another slightly smaller apparel pocket on the same side, perhaps for a mid layer.
There are then four pockets at the front of the bag. Going from bottom to top, I found a large ball pocket where I put new balls and gloves. Above that, there is a substantial insulated cooler pocket where I could fit a couple of drinks bottles and snacks.
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Next, there is a large pocket where I put tees, markers, pens and pencils. Near the top of the bag there is a moulded, velour lined pocket, ideal for a GPS device or two. A pleasing feature was that all the zips on these four pockets had two zippers, for ease of access.
Moving on to the left side of the bag (Yes, there’s more!), there was a further full-length pocket and a slightly more compact one, perhaps for a spare towel. By this stage, I am running out of stuff to put in all the pockets! Finally, between these two pockets is a further valuables sleeve with a neat magnetic closure.
The fabric of the bag looks well-constructed and durable. I should point out that it makes no waterproof claims. There is an HD (for HyperDry) version of this bag, which costs about £40 more, and that may be well worth the extra investment if you are an all-weather golfer. The only thing I did not like about the Org 14 is the rain hood. With a combination of press studs and velcro closures, it looked like it should be easy to fix on and off, but I couldn’t decide which way to fit it.
This minor irritation aside, I am very impressed with the feel and look of the Org 14. I also liked the reasonably subtle Callaway logos on the sides and front of the bag.
On the course
I paired the Org 14 with a Cube push trolley for testing over several rounds. There is a ‘strap pass’ tunnel at the top of the bag, and that, allied to ‘lowrider technology’ (comprising a couple of rubber pads at the rear corners of the top of the bag) certainly provided a secure and stable fit between bag and trolley.
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The 14-way top ensured that all my clubs were easily accessible and there was no rattling about. And the pockets, aah the pockets!
At first, I felt that all the pockets were a little over the top. But I quickly found that all these easy-access and roomy pockets allowed me to organise everything so easily. There was no scrabbling around for a marker pen, or finding that my sandwich had got squashed. It was all rather pleasurable!
So for use on a trolley, and I’m sure on a cart as well, I cannot imagine anything better. I have not tested the Org 14 in any sort of rain but I would expect it to cope with a light shower or two. However, if you are looking for a bag for all seasons, I would have to direct you to the Org 14 HD.
Although I’ve not tested that particular model, I have reviewed both the Callaway Par 3 HD and the Fairway C HD carry bags and can attest to the waterproofing that they offer.
In summary, I think the greatest accolade I can offer the Org 14 is that it is such a pleasure to use, that I can see it being my default bag through the summer months, just as long as the forecast is good!
The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £289 / $279.99
Colours available in the UK: Aqua/White/Silver Heather – Charcoal Heather/Black – Navy/Houndstooth – White/Navy Houndstooth/Red
Colours available in the US: Black – Black/Camo – Charcoal Houndstooth/Charcoal Heather – Navy/Red/USA – White/Cobalt Blue – White/Fire – White/Glacier – White/Violet Haze
