Sunday Golf Bag: Is the El Camino the Sunday Bag for You?

Originally published in September 2022, this has been updated in September 2023 to add a long-term update of my personal use with the El Camino bag.

Even just three years ago, the idea of a Sunday golf bag was a pretty niche product.

It was mostly reserved for urban locals of needed a way to get a handful of clubs to the range, or the minimalist golfer set who spent hundreds on boutique MacKenzie bags.

And then came Sunday Golf.

This startup out of San Diego saw a need that wasn’t being filled very well: Smaller bags that can carry a half set of clubs (aka a Sunday bag).

I realized Sunday Bags were here to stay when I received a text from my friend Paige who is just starting her golf journey: “Have you heard of a Sunday bag? This is exactly what I need!”

Sunday Golf originally released the Loma bag, followed by the larger Loma XL. The bag did exactly what it set out to do, although I won’t lie, I still can’t get over how small it looks while on its stand.

Recently, Sunday released their next foray into the golf bag market: the El Camino.

Still a Sunday bag, but with room for a few more clubs, and some creature comforts.

The question is, is the El Camino bag worth picking up? Well, that depends on who you are and what you’re looking for.

Let’s figure out if the Sunday Golf El Camino is right for you.

Sunday Golf Bag El Camino: First Impressions

Honestly, before I received my El Camino bag, I was kind of expecting it to just be a larger version of the Loma bag.

But you immediately notice that this isn’t the case. The El Camino has been designed from the ground up to be a full-featured golf bag.

I got mine in heather grey, and it’s a good-looking bag. It’s about 2/3 the size of your typical carry bag, which younger or more petite players will appreciate – especially if they carry.

As you’d expect, it’s pretty light weighing in at just under 4 pounds. Although considering it’s still a Sunday bag, I expected it to be even a little bit less than that.

There are two things that jumped out at me right away about the bag.

The first is the double strap. This is elevating the Sunday bag. It’s clearly meant to be carried for full rounds of golf, and the double strap makes this infinitely more enjoyable to do.

The Jones Utility Trouper 2.0 is our overall pick for one of the best golf bags of the year, but the one major knock I have on it, is a strap system that can be challenging to use at times.

Sunday did a good job with their first foray into this type of strap.

The second thing I noticed was just how much space there is in the bag.

Jacket pocket, cooler, valuables pocket, and space for balls, tees, and whatever else you need. For a golf bag that can only carry 10 clubs, they didn’t skimp on making sure you have room for whatever else you need – and this is what really sets it apart from the Loma.

El Camino Bag Performance

The El Camino bag performs exactly how you’d expect it to. Carrying it for 18 holes is a cinch due to its lightweight design and double straps.

I have to be careful when using this bag, as I have a tendency to be a bit of a packrat. My initial reaction is to throw in a dozen balls, a flask, a jacket, my camera, tees, markers, gloves – and anything else that’s in my typical bag.

The El Camino is great because its ample space allows you to do that.

But doing this also completely defeats the purpose of using a Sunday Bag, so keep that in mind.

When it comes to performance, I honestly don’t have any major critiques or anything that jumps out. The bag works, and it works well.

The built-in stand feels sturdy and stable.

The cooler uses the same material as other golf bags I’ve tested, even at higher price points.

The waterproof valuables pocket is nicely lined to protect a watch or phone (and the red fabric is a nice touch.)

But I do have one big concern.

The El Camino finds itself in this weird middle ground.

It’s not a truly tiny Sunday Bag like the Loma is.

And it’s not a full-size bag like the Sunday Ryder Bag, as there’s only room for 10 clubs.

So you’re paying full-size money, for a bag that has full-size features, but doesn’t allow you to have a full-size set.

This won’t be the primary bag for most golfers because of the 10-club limit.

If you’re considering buying the El Camino, just keep this in mind. If you’re a regular golfer who likes to carry a full set, you won’t be able to do this here.

But also, if you’re in the market for this bag, then you probably know this already, and are likely not concerned.

Final Thoughts on the Sunday Golf El Camino Bag

This feels like it may be the bag that takes Sunday Golf from niche talking point, to a legitimate player in the bag world.

It’s well-built, looks good, and has a ton of features.

The struggle that they will have is that at its current price of 189.99, they’re asking a lot of money for a bag that most people won’t be using for every single round.

The good news however, is if you use our Sunday Golf coupon code “BE15” you’ll save 15% on this, making the price much more digestible.

For many, the El Camino will be well worth it to have a great bag to take out for an emergency 9 or to the executive course.

Just don’t buy it expecting it to be Sunday Golf’s full-size bag, because this is very much still a “Sunday Bag” at heart.

October 2023 Update: Still Using It!

Everything I’ve mentioned above about this bag still holds true a year after initially reviewing it.

But I wanted to note that where I’ve found a use for the El Camino bag in my life is actually for my wife. 

She isn’t a big golfer, but has started taking weekly indoor simulator lessons with a group of friends from work. She doesn’t need a full set and doesn’t want a bulky bag. She (naturally) asked if I had a bag that would be a good fit for her.

This was the first one that came to mind and is absolutely perfect for a use case like this.

I’ve got at least 20 golf bags currently sitting around my house. Most of them rarely get used unless I’m comparing to a new product, shooting a video, or just need to mix things up.

But with all those bags that haven’t gotten much day to day use, the Sunday El Camino is one that is getting used. So take that for what it’s worth!

A great bag for a newbie, junior golfer, or urban range rat.

8.0 Buy It

The Sunday Golf El Camino finds itself in a weird middle ground. It's a too small to be a full size bag, but feels a little big for a proper Sunday Bag. That said, this is a great fit for a new golfer who has less than a full set, a junior who wants a smaller bag, or an urban range rat who wants a bag to walk through the city to practice.

The Good

1. Plenty of features for a Sunday Bag
2. Well built
3. Double straps are comfortable

The Bad

1. Kind of a weird middle ground between full size bag and Sunday bag
2. Feels spendy for what it is

• Presentation 8
• Performance 9
• Price 7
• Personal Affinity 8