Jones Golf Bag Review: Trust Me, You Want a Utility Trouper

I was playing in a tournament a few months ago, and wasn’t sure who I was going to be paired up with.

When I finally met my partner at the cart, he walked up to me and said “I knew once I saw the full kit with the Jones Bag, I’d be playing with someone cool.”

I don’t know how cool I am, but it’s safe to say that at least in some circles rocking a Jones Golf Utility Trouper is going to earn you some respect.

The story behind Jones Golf Bags is actually pretty cool. 

Back in the day, Jones was the jam. In the 70s and 80s, it could feel like everyone was using a Jones Bag. And then as technology changed and golf took off, Jones was forgotten about for a couple decades while larger companies like Nike got into the golf equipment game.

Fast forward to 2012 , the Jones Sports Co was sold to the Lemman family, and in just a few years they’ve not only made Jones relevant again – they’ve made it cool as hell in the process.

After seeing so many people rocking Jones Golf Bags over the last few years, this summer I knew the time was finally right to jump in and snag one of my own. Throw in the fact that it’s a Portland(ish) company as well? And it was a no brainer.

First Impressions of the Jones Golf Utility Trouper Stand Bag

My bag is the second iteration of the Utility Trouper Stand Bag, and I’ve gotta say, they knocked the bag out of the park with the design and color selection.

I went for an olive green that I think looks fantastic, but the navy twill and black look awesome as well. 

When you look at the Jones Bag, you’ll immediately notice it’s different. It’s doesn’t have the bold colors and tech look of brands like Sun Mountain or Ogio, yet the Utility Trouper isn’t quite as old school looking as say a Mackenzie Bag (although they do have Sunday bags that are).

It’s the perfect marriage of paying homage to the golf bags of old, while bringing it into the 21st century with features that the modern golfer wants.

I review a lot of golf stuff on the site, but this is one item that continues to get compliments whenever I play.

But all that doesn’t really mean much if it doesn’t work well, right? 

So let’s see how it performs in this Jones Golf Bag review.

Jones Golf Bags: Do They Actually Perform Well?

My previous bag was a Sun Mountain Front 9, which I generally liked due to the fact it was so lightweight. But I’ll be honest, I’m not the most minimalist of golfers. I often have a camera with me, that sometimes includes a big furry microphone on it. There’s usually an outer layer pullover crammed in there, 2 sleeves of balls, and lest we not forget the obligatory birdie bottle.

So that Sun Mountain bag in particular was always just a little too small for me, and for as much as I’d love to think I could do a Mackenzie Bag, I just don’t get enough of those emergency 9s with a half set of clubs to make it worthwhile.

The Jones, while not the lightest bag out there at 5 pounds, is a great weight for all the features it provides – and is actually 1/2 a pound lighter than the previous iteration of the Utility Trouper bag.

So what are the features that make this bag great?

A few of the most notable for me is a 5 way top for club management, a sturdy handle on top of the bag, lumbar support, mesh pocket for phone or speaker, and my personal favorite, the insulated pocket for carrying a frost beverage or two.

It also has an adjustable accessory clip which is perfect for a JBL Clip 3 speaker (if you don’t have one yet, what are you waiting for.)

I’ve found the Jones Utility Trouper R Bag to have enough space for me to cram anything I need to in the bag, without giving me so much space that I do cram anything and everything into the bag.

The stand function works great, and there are elastic clips to hold the stand in for when you’re riding in a cart. 

The Only Thing I Don’t Love About the Jones Golf Bag

Honestly, I love the bag, but there’s one thing I haven’t quite figured out.

The straps.

Jones being modeled after an old school, single strap bag has kind of a unique strap design.

It’s not an integrated backpack style that you see in a lot of the more modern golf bags.

It still has the single strap in the center line, and then off to the side is the double strap.

For the life of me I haven’t perfected being able to use the double strap. It either gets tangled, is a little bit too small – or something.

I just haven’t got it to the point where I can easily slip it on like a backpack every time I pick it up.

I may just need to take them both off, re-install them and start from scratch.

I’ve talked to a couple other people who have had the same issue.

But talked to more than a couple people that just look at me like I’m crazy.  So I think this is more of a me issue, than anything else.

The good news is that the straps themselves are super comfortable, and most of the time I’m totally cool rocking it as a single strap anyway. But when you get to a place that has some serious elevation change, and you’ve packed the bag full with beers, a camera, and so on – the second strap becomes more necessary.

Jones Golf Bag Review: Final Thoughts

Here’s the deal if you want a golf bag that’s feature packed, has a nod to history, and frankly just looks sweet – then look no further than the Jones Utility Trouper Golf Bag.

It will do everything you need it to and more, while getting you plenty of respect from you buddies on the course.

With the single strap design it can also double as a great Sunday bag if you’re looking to head out with a lighter kit. However, when you get it just make sure you spend a little time with the double straps to ensure you’re not weighed down too much next time you hit some elevation.

From everything I’ve seen, there isn’t a better all around golf bag out there right now that ticks all of the boxes. So if you’re looking for a golf bag that will last you for a long time to come – look no further than Jones.

Buy the Jones Utility Trouper on Amazon

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Check out my review of the Jones Weekender Duffel Bag as well.