Ping Hoofer Review: A Classic Golf Bag for a Reason

It might be lame to start a review by blatantly saying that the updated-once-again Ping Hoofer is one of the stand golf bags of 2024.

Where’s the suspense in that?

But notice, I didn’t say the most luxurious.

I didn’t say the lightest.

I didn’t say the most stylish.

And I didn’t say the least expensive.

I said the overall best.

That’s because when you throw everything into the blender — build quality, durability, weight, looks, functionality, brand reputation and price — the Ping Hoofer checks the most number of boxes. It does everything that’s important very, very well, even if it’s not the number one in every individual category.

Now I know that making that bold of a declaration so early doesn’t give you much incentive to read on, but I’d encourage you to do so anyway. I’ve been using this bag for nearly a month now, and I have several rounds of carrying, pushing and riding from which to share my findings and opinions.

Having tested a lot of golf bags, I’m going to show and tell you why I think the Ping Hoofer is such a good choice for many golfers in 2024.

Does that mean it’s right for you? Not necessarily. For one thing, a bag this good by a brand this big is very popular. We’ll get into that. Just know that if you’re reppin’ a Hoofer, you might not be the only one, even in your immediate playing group.

There are other reasons why you might not want a Hoofer, and I’ll share those as we go. But as I think I’ve already made apparent, there are plenty of reasons why this might be your next golf bag. Now, let me break it down in greater detail.

Ping Hoofer Golf Bag: A Tried-And-True Classic

The Ping Hoofer has been around since the mid-1990s. In fact, it was the first really practical, lightweight, widely used golf stand bag. In a lot of respects, the original Hoofer revolutionized the game for walking golfers. Now, almost every golf bag that’s designed for carrying includes some version of those collapsible legs that the Hoofer made so popular.

And among all of those copycat products that have aimed to improve upon the original Hoofer is the Hoofer itself. Ping, I suppose in an effort to keep its classic golf bag relevant and front-of-mind for whatever golfers are shopping for a stand bag in any given year, has repeatedly updated the Hoofer.

Some tweaks, like the addition of backpack straps, have been as innovative as the collapsible legs. But most of the time, the updates are relatively lowkey, along the lines of new color options, different pocket configurations and improved material qualities.

Also, through the years, Ping has introduced various Hoofer spinoffs, like the Hoofer Lite (a 5-pound version), the Hoofer Craz-E Lite (lighter still at 3.25 pounds), the Hoofer Monsoon (a fully waterproof bag) and the Hoofer 14 (same bag as the Hoofer except for with a 14-way club divider).

But the straight-up Hoofer is the bag that started it all, and we’re going to be talking about the latest model of that OG classic here today.

Surely you’ve seen plenty of Hoofers out in the wild. Hang around most any golf course, and you’re bound to see at least one a day and likely many more than that.

This is entirely unscientific, but my general feeling for the Hoofer has been that it’s a bag for at least semi-serious golfers who play a good amount and who want an excellent golf bag but don’t want to pay top dollar for the luxury or hipness of a designer bag.

In other words, the Ping Hoofer is for a legit golfer who is applying practical considerations to their golf bag purchase.

That’s kind of the vibe I get overall with the Ping brand. I see them as a company favored by golfers who are totally into the game but who don’t want to drop the stupid money to buy more unique products. Of all the big golf companies, Ping stands out to me as cool with the cool crowd. And the Hoofer is one of the most common ways you’ll see the Ping flag flown.

So there’s that. If it bothers you to carry such a popular bag, then the Hoofer won’t be for you. There’s no way you’ll be the only golfer you come across who has a Hoofer.

But if you’re the type of person who figures, “it must be popular for a reason,” keep reading. As it turns out, the reasons are manifold.

First Impressions of the 2024 Ping Hoofer Golf Bag

It’s hard for me to remember my actual first impression of the Ping Hoofer. Like I said, it’s been around for a long time. I’ve known plenty of people who have played one. And, without fail, everyone has always sworn by them. A lot of golfers I’ve known have continued to replace one Hoofer model with a newer Hoofer model. It’s the type of bag that has engendered a lot of brand loyalty.

So, yeah, I was definitely excited to get my hands on their latest and greatest. And I will say, from an initial impressions standpoint, it does not disappoint.

The new Ping Hoofer comes in 10 different color options. Some of them, like Neon Cactus, MultiCam Alpine, and MultiCam Tropic are a little more cutting edge in terms of style, while others are very classic looking.

Ping sent me the Heather Grey/Platinum/Black version, and to my eyes, it looks totally clean, classy and understated. I actually love the look of this bag. It’s a stretch to say I’ve got any kind of style on or off the course, but this bag is definitely helping my cause much more than hurting it.

I like how the branding on the bag is restrained and toned down from previous Hoofer models. It’s not all in your face. There’s one fairly prominent “Ping” on the side of the bag that faces outward as you carry it on your back. But even that logo is plain, simple and just blends in with the overall bag design. As I said, the bag is classy and understated, which I think is a big plus, and I think this new model is an improvement in that regard over previous Hoofers.

Another thing that jumped out to me is that for as many pockets as the new Ping Hoofer has (16!), at a glance, it looks like it only has a couple. Seriously, the pockets are all kind of discreetly tucked into the design. I was pleasantly surprised to realize how much storage is available because it initially looked to me like the bag only had a few pockets.

What Features Does the Hoofer Have, and How Does it Perform?

Before trying the bag on, I thought the backpack straps looked a little thin and almost cheap. I thought I may have identified an area where Ping tried to cut some costs. But I was wrong. Walking with this thing is a dream.

I’ve had some carry bags where, even after adjusting the backpack straps, the bag just doesn’t ride quite right. Sometimes it’s slung a little too low for my comfort, or other times the bag gets a little top-heavy and just doesn’t quite balance correctly. Maybe I was just lucky, but the Hoofer fit me perfectly the very first time I put it on. I’ve yet to adjust the straps at all. It’s like a tailor-fitted this thing just to my specs.

The Hoofer definitely isn’t the lightest carry bag out there. It’s 5.5 pounds empty. You can easily find options that are a pound or even 2 pounds lighter. But because of the comfort of the backpack system, to me, the Hoofer feels light. The weight is so evenly distributed that, even when I had it loaded down with gear for potential weather issues, it wasn’t a strain to carry it for 18 holes.

I also played a couple of rounds using the Hoofer on a pushcart as well as a round riding. Ping says that the new Hoofer features scratch-resistant leg guards to protect against wear and tear while the bag jostles when it’s strapped to a cart. I’ve never really noticed leg scratches as a problem in the past, so I’m not sure that this feature really excites me too much. Then again, I’d definitely prefer no scratches.

The normal Hoofer includes a five-way club divider system. And the new Hoofer model features an insert at the bottom of the bag that’s essentially a mirror of the five-way divider. This helps your clubs stay in the correct channel and is supposed to prevent the club tangle that can sometimes be an issue when you’re not using a 14-way divider.

To me, the Hoofer’s divider system is OK, not great. And, honestly, I’m not sure I noticed the reduction in club tangle that it was supposed to deliver. There were still plenty of times where I had to jiggle or jam a club into the bag to get it to go all the way down. It’s something you deal with in a five-diver bag. I’m just saying that I don’t know that Ping has solved the issue the way they are claiming.

I love the 16 pockets on the Hoofer. Eight of the pockets are zippered while the others are slip pockets. Also, I have to note that the zipper quality, always an important consideration on a golf bag, is excellent. Very robust and high quality. They certainly look like zippers that will last for years.

Ping expanded the size of the ball pocket for their new model Hoofer, but I think it’s unnecessary. The pocket is gigantic. I don’t see ever carrying enough balls to fill it. If I could change anything pockets-wise, I’d prefer a slightly smaller ball pocket and a slightly larger velour-lined valuables pocket. It’s not that the valuables pocket is excessively small, but I could go for just a little more room to fit all the random junk I tend to carry in my pants pockets.

One feature I love is the Hoofer rain hood. Instead of a hood that snaps into place, the Ping hood is stretchable so that you can instantly pull it over your clubs and then access them via the zipper opening on top. It works perfectly and makes it super simple and fast to keep your clubs dry when the rain starts suddenly.

There’s even a little tether that attaches the rain hood to the pocket in which it is stored. At first I thought this was a little odd. Then I came to love it. It makes it so that you never misplace the rain hood. And it also means that once the rain stops, you can have the hood hanging from the side of the bag to dry out before you pack it back into the pocket. It’s a simple but brilliant design that I think should be a rain hood standard.

The Hoofer includes a magnetic rangefinder pocket that is becoming a standard feature on many of today’s best golf bags. It’s the smallest of quibbles, but I don’t like how the pull-handle on the Hoofer’s rangefinder pocket is situated so that you have to turn your hand palm facing up to pull the pocket open. I’d prefer a little tab that I can grip with my fingers and pull. (And for what it’s worth, I know Sean prefers the pull-handle, so it really is personal preference.

The Pros and Cons of the Ping Hoofer 2024

There’s a lot to love about this golf bag. For me, that includes the look, the quality of the zippers, the comfort of the straps, the abundance of storage, and the genius rain hood system.

I’m having a hard time identifying a lot of cons. As noted, you can find lighter bags, including the Ping Hoofer Lite and Craz-E Lite. So I guess you could consider an empty weight of 5.5 pounds a con for some people. Again, for me, the comfort of the backpack straps makes the bag carry lighter than it is.

The Hoofer retails for $275. Is that a con? I mean, you can find cheaper bags for sure. But I’ve got to say that I think this bag is worth all of $275. In fact, when I compare it to other options on the market, I think it might actually be a bargain. The quality of the Hoofer is obvious. The materials, including the zippers, are all first-rate. I wouldn’t call the bag luxurious, but it is definitely classy and very high quality.

If there’s an obvious con about the Hoofer to me, it’s that it’s too popular. Style-conscious golfers often don’t want gear that is too commonplace. That’s not necessarily a huge hangup for me personally, but I know it will be for some.

Who Should Buy this Bag?

As I said, if you’re looking to separate yourself from the pack with a golf bag that’s a bit less known, the Hoofer isn’t the right choice for you.

The problem is that I think you’re either going to have to spend a lot more money, or you’re going to have to accept some performance and functionality shortcomings in exchange for a more unique bag. Because, honestly, the new Hoofer is that good.

If you want a workhorse golf carry bag that is popular with the in-the-know crowd for all the right reasons, I don’t think you have to look beyond an age-old classic.

It’s not the lightest. It’s not the cheapest. It’s not the most stylish. And it’s not the most luxurious. But for my money, I think the Ping Hoofer is one of the very best bags for most golfers available today.

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A classic that keeps getting better with age.

9.3 Fantastic

There's a reason the Ping Hoofer is one of the most popular golf bags of all time: it just works. It looks good doing it, and comes in at a price that's totally reasonable. If you're looking for a stand bag and are overwhelmed with options, you won't go wrong with this bag.

The Good

1. Tons of storage in a very discreet design
2. Classic looks that come in both subtle and in your face colorways
3. Backpack straps are a dream to carry

The Bad

1. A very common bag to see
2. Club divider works fine, but isn't best in class

• Presentation 9
• Performance 9
• Price 9
• Personal Affinity 10