Sunday Golf Big Rig Review: A Cart Bag for the People

Well, I didn’t see this coming.

A cart golf bag… by Sunday Golf?

If you didn’t know, Sunday Golf’s brand identity to date has been so strong it’s the name of the company. They make Sunday bags.

You know, smaller, lighter, minimalist bags. The kind that are on the exact opposite end of the golf bag spectrum from a cart bag, which is the largest, heaviest and most feature-rich of all the golf bag categories.

This is a brand departure akin to if the Mini Cooper line suddenly included a semi truck.

But apparently that’s what the public demanded.

You see, the team at Sunday turned to Reddit Golf to ask their users what they wanted to see out of a golf bag. There were hundreds of responses.

So Sunday Golf took it all to heart, and the final result? Is this, the Big Rig Cart bag.

And despite being double thr size of any of their previous bags –  it still works great on Sundays 🙂

So maybe this is a Sunday bag after all. Because everything about the Big Rig — the name, the packaging, some of the functionality — is absolutely on brand with the Sunday Golf ethos. They’ve always been about fun and not taking golf so seriously. And they’ve delivered on that mission again, just in a much larger way.

The question, though, is do you need the Big Rig?

I’ll tell you this much: If you’re looking to turn your golf into a party, the Big Rig is going to become your go-to centerpiece. This is probably as close as you’re going to get to having a bag like Rodney Dangerfield’s character Al Czervik uses in Caddyshack. There’s no beer tap or stereo system built into the Big Rig, but there is a cooler… and a whole lot more.

So is the Big Rig just a novelty, or is it a well-designed cart bag worth your consideration? I’ve used it now both riding and pushing, and I’ve got thoughts to share. Let’s get into it.

What Is a Cart Golf Bag?

Other than being the exact kind of bag that Sunday Golf has never made previously, a cart golf bag is one that is intended to be used on a cart, rather than with the golfer carrying it. They usually include just a single strap, rather than double backpack straps. And cart bags don’t generally come with a stand. Instead, their base is so stout that they can balance sitting upright. 

Because they aren’t meant to be carried around a golf course, cart bags always feature extra storage and are generally much heavier than even full-size carry bags. With a carry bag, you may have to decide what to bring and what to leave out. With a cart bag, you can pretty much throw in anything that you have even a remote chance of needing or wanting.

One thing to note is that some people assume a cart bag is just for use on a motorized golf cart. But these types of bags can work great with push carts too. Because they’re heavier, you won’t see them pushed as much as you would a typical stand bag, and if a course is particularly hilly, that extra weight could become a real discomfort. But on a relatively flat track, some golfers prefer the luxury and extra room of a cart bag even when they’re pushing.

So, a cart bag isn’t for carrying. But if you’re riding or pushing, Sunday Golf’s Big Rig gives you a cart bag option with a fun twist. Let’s find out what sets this bag apart.

Sunday Golf Big Rig: First Impressions

My first impression of the Big Rig was that it is massively different from the Loma Sunday bag model I own from Sunday Golf. Not only is the Loma tiny, but it’s a little bit cheap feeling. It’s a bare-bones bag that’s feather-light but ultimately not of the highest quality construction.

Quality is improved on the bigger El Camino Sunday bag, as well as on their full carry bag the Ryder.

But the Big Rig build quality is more impressive than any of those.

It’s a nylon bag, and I wouldn’t go so far as to call it plush or super high-end, but construction seems to be very solid. The zipper quality alone is night-and-day better than what’s on the Loma. The Big Rig is a nice looking bag. It’s obvious from looking at it that Sunday Golf is trying their hand at something a little fancier and higher quality.

Sure it’s not a Vessel Lux Pro – but it’s well done.

It’s also full of the fun spirit that’s become the brand’s calling card. The Big Rig comes with a couple of stickers, a little Sunday Golf-branded sharpie for marking your ball, and even a car freshener. Still not sure what that’s all about other than that it fits with the whole kind of zany vibe that Sunday Golf seems to be going for. 

I will say that while I rate this bag as pretty high quality overall, the built-in handles, particularly the main one on the back of the bag, seem just a tad bit flimsy or of lesser-quality than what I’d prefer, especially given how much weight it has to handle when it’s fully loaded.

The next thing that jumped out to me is that the Big Rig is, well, big. It’s a cart bag after all, and this one doesn’t seem to lack anything. Right away, you can see that you’ve got pockets galore. As a mostly walking golfer who typically has to carefully decide what to put in my golf bag, the Big Rig feels like an invitation to just fat-cat it to an extreme.

There are 12 pockets on this golf bag! You’ve got:

• Two large, vented apparel pockets
• Two hidden small items pockets
• Two easy-access zip pockets
• A smell-proof organizer pocket (smell proof??)
• An insulated cooler pouch called a Frosty Pocket with capacity for seven cans
• A velour-lined valuables pocket
• A magnetic-clasp, velour-lined rangefinder pocket
• A ball pocket
• A quick-grab all-purpose pocket

That’s right: There’s a pocket marked as “smell proof,” which I supposed could be for something like cigars, wet clothes, or perhaps other fragrant party supplies. It’s actually a really nice pocket that includes multiple dividers for whatever supplies or instruments you might want to store in there.

And speaking of storage for either valuables or unmentionables, the Big Rig has two hidden pockets within a pocket. I didn’t even realize they were there until the third time I used the bag.

And, yes, I confirmed that the Frosty Pocket can fit a full seven 12-ounce cans. That’s impressive capacity for a golf bag. This is definitely the first golf bag I’ve used that’s dedicated this much space for beverages. Again, Sunday Golf is embracing the social side of golf, and this Frosty Pocket, if you keep it stocked, could make you pretty popular in your playing group.

I have to say that my overall first impressions were very positive. I was expecting something cheaper looking and feeling. Sunday Golf is definitely aiming for a fun feel with the Big Rig, but this thing isn’t meant to be a joke. It’s obvious that they’re trying to debut a high-quality product that actually belongs in the cart bag product category.

Now, let’s get it out on the course.

Big Rig Cart Bag Performance

My first round with the Big Rig came on a chilly morning just above 50 with a forecast for temperatures nearing the mid-70s by the time we were expected to finish.

Perfect, was my first thought.

Normally, I’d have to think carefully about what clothing combination I might want to bring to cover that temperature range. When you’re carrying your bag, you want to get it just right. You want to have what you need to be comfortable, but you never want to pack extra.

But for this round with the Big Rig, I just willy-nilly threw in multiple clothing options. Because, why the hell not? Even when I intentionally over-packed, I felt like I was barely taking advantage of how vast the Big Rig’s storage options are.

And, of course, I loaded the Frosty Pocket.

If I’m carrying my golf bag, there’s no way I’m packing seven cans of liquid. For one thing, I wouldn’t have any room for that many cans. And there’s no way I’d tolerate the weight.

But even for the round I played using my push cart and the Big Rig, filling the Frosty Pocket was a no-brainer and fun show-off for my grateful playing partners.

One part of the Big Rig design that I really love is the front-and-center rangefinder pocket. It secures shut with a strong magnet, so you can pull it open much quicker and more conveniently than if you had to use a zipper. The pocket, which like the valuables pocket is lined with velour so that you won’t scratch anything is, if anything, a little too large. You could probably fit two rangefinders in that pocket.

And that’s kind of the feeling I’ve had with the Big Rig the more I’ve used it. There’s a ton of pockets, but they aren’t all especially well thought out. The valuables pocket is another one that’s just too deep for my liking. I’d prefer something just a little smaller that allowed for quicker access to whatever I was grabbing rather than reaching down and fishing through a huge pocket.

Likewise, the golf ball pocket is massive. I get it that it’s a cart bag, so you may as well throw a bunch of golf balls in your bag. But this is extreme. Nobody needs to carry like two dozen golf balls at a time.

I like that the bag has a 14-club divider, and I like that it has the classic larger slots for the putter and driver.

Another thing that’s kind of cool is that the cart strap pass-through channel runs right behind the rangefinder pocket. But it’s designed so that you can actually lift the rangefinder pocket up to better manage securing the cart strap. The rangefinder pocket then sticks in place via velcro. It’s a simple but smart design that I thought worked well.

This is the smallest of nitpicks, but I don’t like the positioning of the velcro patches where you’re meant to store your golf gloves. I like that there are two spots, rather than the customary one found with most bags. But the golf gloves spots on the Big Rig are about midway down the side of the bag, which just seems odd. I guess I’m just used to them being near the top where you can grab your glove quickly. Like I said, this is definitely not a huge deal.

I haven’t had to use it yet, but there’s a very convenient umbrella sleeve, and the bag does come with a rain hood included.

As for weight, fully loaded with clubs and clothing but without beverages, my Big Rig setup weighed in at 26.6 pounds. That’s really only about 2 pounds heavier than the loaded bag I typically push. And while I could definitely feel the weight of seven cans, when I removed those, pushing the Big Rig really didn’t feel much different than my normal setup.

Final Thoughts on the Sunday Golf Big Rig

All in all, using the Big Rig has been a very pleasant experience. I probably would have designed the pockets a bit differently, but I do love having so many pockets. And, really, I’m not sure how anyone will ever actually fill this bag. You’d need to be some kind of golf pack rat to run out of room with the Big Rig.

Another thing I like is that for as large as it is, it’s somewhat understated. Most golf bags have the name of their brand running very prominently down the side of the bag. But Sunday Golf is definitely hip to consumers’ preference for something more lowkey. On the Big Rig, “Sunday Golf” is printed relatively small at the bottom of each side of the bag.

The problem with the Big Rig is that there are other larger-name brands with similar products for right around the same price. The full retail price of the Big Rig is $309.99, but it appears that the bag will debut at a price of $279.99. If you add our Sunday Golf coupon code “BE15,” you can get another 15 percent off, which would get the price down to about $238.

At that price, I think the Big Rig is worth some serious consideration. Again, you can get great cart bags from bigger brands, but I think you’re going to have a hard time matching the full functionality of the Big Rig for less than $300.

And at $238? That feels like a pretty killer deal for what you get.

I don’t think this bag is for everyone. First of all, not everyone needs a cart bag. Then again, I didn’t think I needed a cart bag either until I had as much fun as I’ve had playing with the Big Rig.

But this bag isn’t for super serious golfers. It’s definitely a quality product, but it’s not quite on the same level as other “luxury” golf bags.

If you’re looking for that, I’d check out the Vessel Lux Pro or Ghost Golf GT-14.

And for some people, the Frosty Pocket and smell-proof pocket are just cheeky gimmicks that end up being wasted space.

For others, it’s what will sell them on the bag.

But the Big Rig is for you if:

• You’re looking for a bag that’s a little different than all the other ones at your golf club
• You want to bring a bit of a party atmosphere out onto the course
• You want an affordable, wildly spacious cart bag.

And if that’s what you want, then you’ll be very happy having the Big Rig in you golf arsenal.

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Other Sunday Golf Reviews You May Want to Read

• Sunday Golf Loma Bag Review – The opposite of the Big Rig is the super-lightweight Loma Sunday bag.
• Sunday Golf El Camino Review – Bigger than the Loma but still a Sunday bag, the El Camino might be the perfect in-between option.
• Sunday Golf Ryder Bag Review – Sunday Golf’s first full-size bag. Look what it started. First the Ryder, and now the Big Rig!
• Our Favorite Golf Bags – Find a great option no matter what sized bag you’re looking for.

Recent Updates:

August 20th, 2024: Added links to Vessel Lux Pro and Ghost Golf GT-14

A giant cart bag for golfers who want to have fun on the course.

8.8 Solid

If you're looking for a cart bag that prioritizes fun and space over all else? The Big Rig may be just the bag for you. It's not the most well built, or highest quality bag out there. But to be able to snag this bag using our coupon code for $238 off an MSRP of $309? There's not much you can complain about.

The Good

1. Space, space, and more space. Did I mention there's a lot of storage in this bag?
2. Huge cooler and smell proof pouch for...you know. Sweaty clothes?
3. A very reasonable price considering what you get.

The Bad

1. Pocket layouts aren't as ideal as they could be
2. Build quality, while fine, is certainly not as robust as some bags
3. 14 way dividers may or may not be for you.

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