A few weeks ago a large box arrived on my front porch, and I couldn’t have been more surprised and pleased to see that inside was a new 2012 Nike Golf 20XI staff bag, complete with my name embroidered on the front panel (read the story here). This is the same bag that the Nike Athletes use on tour — I had seen this bag several times in person, but I never dreamed of owning one of my own. After picking my jaw up off the floor, I proceeded to check out all of the cool features this bag has, and I wanted to relay those to you here in this product review.

First of all, the bag is predominantly silver, a departure from last year’s mostly black VR Staff Bag. The 20XI staff bag is constructed mostly with a smooth silver leather, with a second textured silver leather used in a few areas on the sides. It has accents of black textured leather on the top, sides and bottom, and touches of red at the top, the back pocket zipper and around the bottom. The embroidery is red also, as are the various swooshes on the bag — at the top, the back magnetic pocket and the large red vinyl swooshes on the molded side panels. The 20XI logo is embroidered into the black accent panels on either side, the panel on the back silver pocket and on the black panel on the bottom of the bag (the logo on the bottom is vinyl with black stitching on the edges). The 20XI staff bag is definitely an eye-catching golf bag design.

The bag has a large padded carrying strap that attaches at the top (where it’s covered with a silver leather snap-on cover) and at a ring attached to the two black leather adjustment straps at the bottom of the bag (there are 6 grommet positions for adjusting the length of the carrying strap at the bottom of the straps). There is a second ring on the bag for a second carrying strap so the bag can be carried on both shoulders (the second strap does not come standard with the bag). The back of the large strap is covered with the smooth silver leather with a vinyl Nike Golf logo stamped on it. The bag has a heavy-duty rubberized carrying handle with the Nike Golf logo molded into it, and a second small leather handle/strap under the back pocket for easy loading into and unloading from a vehicle.

As far as pockets, the 20XI staff bag has plenty. The main pocket is in the belly, behind the embroidered front panel (the front panel zips on and off for embroidery). On the inside of the main pocket there are two small mesh pockets and one larger mesh pocket at the bottom, and there is a small zippered pocket on the outside. There is a zippered fur-lined valuables pocket on the left side, and on the right side there is a slot for an umbrella, with a mesh panel at the bottom to let water drain from a wet umbrella. On both sides, below the valuables pocket and the umbrella slot, there are insulated cooler pockets to keep beverages cold during the round. There is a large back pocket for carrying golf balls and tees, and on the outside there is a smaller zippered pocket for other accessories. Just above the back pocket there is a covered pocket with a tab for easy opening and a magnetic closure, just the right size and in just the right position to carry a laser rangefinder.

Of course, the 20XI staff bag is designed to carry golf clubs, and it does that with plenty of room to spare. The bag’s top opening is large (10.25” wide) and has a 6-way velvet-covered divider for easy club organization. And the bag comes with a large silver leather snap-on rain hood to keep clubs dry in the rain. At first glance, the bag looks like it might be heavy, but in my opinion it is actually pretty light for its size, and that surprised me. It’s not as light as a carry bag of course, but it’s definitely lighter than the heavy leather bags I remember lugging around Brooklawn Country Club back in my caddying days.

In summary, the 20XI staff bag is a very sharp-looking professional-grade golf bag that is designed for performance at the elite level. It is constructed of high-quality leather and is built to withstand the rigors of tournament golf. It has ample room for the equipment you’ll need on the golf course, and plenty of pockets and storage for apparel and accessories. Not only was I surprised to find myself in possession of one of these amazing bags, I was also impressed with the many features and design details incorporated into it. If you are looking for a truly top-of-the-line golf bag, or you want to own the same bag that the Nike Athletes use on tour, then the 20XI staff bag is for you.

Editor’s note: The product reviewed above was supplied by the manufacturer to the reviewer/author free of charge. The reviewer/author was not paid for this review, and the opinions expressed in the review are strictly those of the reviewer/author.

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