It's said that the Sunday bag got its name because, when caddies didn't work on a Sunday, players would have to carry their bags and wanted them as lightweight as possible. It is a bag designed to carry the bare essentials only. Half a set of clubs at most, some tees, some balls and a water bottle. They're pretty much the same as the best pencil bags, and offer an ideal carrying solution for golfers who only play half a set or want to sneak out for a relaxed evening nine holes of golf. Ogio's new Sunday bag - playfully named Funday - has hit that brief but with clever new additions that add even more practicality.
For Funday, Ogio has added two modular pockets that allow you to customise your storage needs. A full-length Velcro strip along the side of the bag allows you to add and take away the modular water bottle and accessories pocket and reattach it to any part of that Velcro strip you'd like. Don't need to carry a waterproof with you? Take off the accessories pocket. Don't need a water bottle for this round? Take that off, too. You can then add and rearrange these modular pockets to suit whatever needs for storage you have ahead of your round. I love this idea, and it has been executed perfectly by the team at Ogio. It makes the Sunday bag that little more practical when you need it, or as bare bones as possible when you just need a handful of clubs and balls.
The pockets that are built into the bag include a front pocket for balls and tees, which has a stretchy band to store tees and pencils in the front, a netted water bottle pocket (though I used this for a rangefinder), and a Velcro patch to which you can attach your glove. This is all you'll really need in the majority, but it's great to have those modular pockets as and when you need them. I used the bag to walk around Sunningdale Heath, but have also used it regularly at the driving range when I want to use a handful of clubs - it's a surprisingly versatile bag for regular golfers.
Some Sunday bags I've tried have often sacrificed comfort in the strap and hip pad in order to save weight, but Ogio has managed to keep the bag incredibly lightweight (just 3lbs) while still making sure that the strap and hip pads offer the sort of comfort you'd expect from the best stand bags. The moulded shoulder and hip pads are brilliant and offer that extra bit of padding every golf bag should have, regardless of the weight. The small legs at the top keep the bag out of the dirt when you set it down, though these don't extend automatically like a standard stand bag.
Elsewhere, the two-way top divider can comfortably carry seven clubs, and I've even had as many as nine (including a putter with a larger grip), so it more than fulfils its job as a half set bag. Interestingly, each divider (no matter which colour you go for) is individually water-dipped, meaning each is a one-of-a-kind pattern unique to each bag. It's a cool effect to look at, and knowing it's one of a kind is another classy touch on a bag that is covered in classy touches.
Speaking of colour, the bag you can see here is the Tropical Punch colourway (which I am a huge fan of), but you can also opt for Magnolia and Wave Camo to name a couple. There are also some funky patterned options like the limited edition Rocket Pops or, if you prefer a more understated bag, an all-black version will suit you. For me, though, a bag that symbolises everything fun about carrying a half set (and literally being called Funday) calls for a loud pattern or colourway.
I can barely fault this brilliant little bag. Those in the market for a bag that can carry a half set need look no further, in my opinion. Though there are many other options like the Sunday Golf Loma XL or Callaway Par 3 HD bags, I would recommend the Funday ahead of both of these for its superb functionality and excellent colour options. It's come at a time where Ogio keep producing hit after hit with the likes of the premium Shadow stand bag, unique Silencer cart bag, and functional Fuse stand bag all proving hits to the testers at the Golf Monthly team. The Funday is the epitome of clever design and functionality produced by a company that really understands how to craft an excellent golf bag.
