The best Sunday bags are ideal for golfers who only carry half a set, need a lightweight bag to take to the driving range with them or like something as minimal as possible on their back while they play golf. There was a quiet period for this genre bag at the start of the 2020s, with very few new models being released. However, it appears the growing popularity of golf has increased the demand for a Sunday bag, and more and more brands are meeting that demand.
Having also tested the Sunday Golf Loma XL, I can confirm the Gleneagle is the exact same bag, just with some new Lyle & Scott branding on it. ‘They’ve rebadged it, you fool’, Alan Partridge famously said, and nothing could be more true about the Gleneagle. That doesn’t mean it’s not a great Sunday bag, mind you. I gave the Loma XL the full five stars, so the Gleneagle deserves all of the same praise, too.
There are so many clever storage solutions on this bag that make it perfect for carrying a half set. I've used it to carry seven or eight clubs, and I'd say this is the absolute maximum, as introducing a ninth club introduces a lot of club crowding. Seven is the perfect number for this bag, in my opinion, the perfect half set that can be evenly spread across the 3-way divider at the top of the bag.
The insulated cooler pocket is an especially nice touch and not one you see very often on Sunday bags. It only holds a small bottle, but it will keep it at the desired temperature thanks to the insulation on the inside of the pocket. The valuables pocket is pretty large for a bag of this size, too. The website says it's velour-lined, but there's nowhere near as much as on the Loma XL. There's an external netting area, which I used for quick access to my rangefinder, but it's a storage solution you can put anything in for your round of golf, whether that be balls, tees or another water bottle. Finally, a Velcro patch leaves you an area to conveniently store your glove between shots. It's incredibly well organised and thought out.
Having now tested a few more Sunday bags since I got my hands on the Loma XL, I must say that I much prefer the smaller legs I tested on the Ogio Funday and the Callaway Par 3 HD. They give the bag a much slimmer profile, and the full-size legs on such a small bag like the Gleneagle look a bit out of proportion versus a Sunday bag with smaller legs.
What the Gleneagle does have over some other Sunday bags is a double strap. It's not the most padded carry strap in the world, but then again, the bag should never really be heavy enough to warrant extra padding on the shoulders. Though only a one-strap bag, the Ogio Funday has a much more padded strap and hip pad, if this is something you prefer.
Like I said, this is the same as the Sunday Golf Loma XL, but with a new look. There are four colourways to choose from in total, including an almond colourway identical to the Loma XL I tested last year. It's as good as a Sunday bag can get, in my opinion. I'll give the edge to the Loma XL as it came first (and I prefer the branding), but this is, of course, subjective, and you may prefer the way the Lyle & Scott is designed. Either way, this is a cleverly designed and well-executed Sunday bag that ticks all of the boxes for a stand bag of this type.
