Keri Murschell the trend-setting designer behind the keri golf brand, introduced her Newport collection of ladies golf bags and accessories at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show.

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The Newport collection was inspired by costal living in Newport, Rhode Island, the collection combines luxurious hues of navy, white, and poppy red with geometric prints. “As I was beginning to sketch the Newport Collection, I was thinking about the beauty of a marina setting, with the crisp, clean lines of a sailboat against the vibrant blue of the water,” says Murschell, company founder and principle designer.

Crafted from new nylon fabrications and featuring a tiered pocket system on one side for even more organization, the cart and stand bags are accented withe pops of contrasting colors, patent leather trims and gold hardware.  Each also comes with a detachable zip bag to carry personal items to and from the clubhouse, and a customizable bag tag, while the stand bags feature the IZZO Dual Strap System for extreme comfort.

The 2010 Newport Collection is a refreshing departure from the same old stereotypical pink women’s golf bag and brings a sense of fashion, personality, and modern looks to ladies golf bags and accessories.

www.kerigolf.com

At the PGA Merchadise Show, golf apparel and accessories were not in short supply. One company that really stood apart in the golf bags and accessories category, had to be Keri Golf in my opinion. At my visit to the booth, I was blown away at the quality and fantastic patterns that embody the latest collection of golf bags and accessories, with great accents and attention to details.

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The golf bags and accessories from Keri Golf are not your typical pink golf bag, instead they have great patterns and prints, that remind you of something that Kate Spade or Tory Burch would make. Influenced by modern American style, the matty collection combines a chic palette of red, black and white with exaggerated geometric prints – including stripes, ovals and florals.

A few of my favorite pieces from the 2009 Keri Golf  ’matty’ Collection included:

Cart Bags (MSRP: $375)
The cart bag’s fashionable appeal is matched by functionality in features that include a large pocket to store shoes and rain gear, an umbrella holder and two additional side pockets. Also of note is keri golf’s unique, patent-pending shoulder strap system, with a recessed well that keeps the strap in place during a round and provides easier access to the back ball pocket.

The line’s cart bags are further enhanced with easily accessible interior pockets built into the walls of the bag and designed to hold wallets, cell phones, tees and balls. What I really loved about the cart bags is the use of patent leather accents on the strap and buckles, giving the cart bag an extra touch of style and durability.Available in a variety of patterns and colors, the cart bag family includes amanda, quinn, eaton, griffing, peyton, candace, dinah, eva, meredith, grace.

Stand Bags (MSRP: $299.99)
keri golf’s stand bag highlights include six internal compartments, an insulated storage space to keep snacks and drinks cold, external tee holders, an umbrella holder, matching chocolate brown legs and a protective leg strap. For extra comfort, the stand bags include a lumbar back pad and additional center D-rings to convert the adjustable double strap to a single strap. Just like the cart bags, the stand bags are equally as stylish and fun. A refreshing departure from the typical ladies golf bag. Available in the same patterns and colors as the cart bags, the stand bag family includes kelsey, corey, pembroke, jill, bess, haley, eleanor, tina, annie, heather.  

Shuttle Duffel (MSRP: $375)
A centerpiece of the new line, the shuttle duffel is a sleek, stylish overnight bag crafted from white patent leather. Ideal for a weekend getaway, the duffel offers five external compartments and a spacious interior with a specially designed shoe pocket. Its chic silhouette is finished with navy zipper tapes and silver zipper teeth. The Shuttle Duffel is my favorite pieces in the collection, not only is it stylish, its 100% functional. My wife would have no problem using this bag as my overnight bag, she love’s it so much. 

Bucket Totes (MSRP: $115, $120 – all patent)
For 2009, Murschell has also introduced the bucket tote, a structured, crescent-shaped bag available in classic black and white patterns. These elegant designs are highlighted by patent leather detailing that appears on the handles, side and bottom panels, and a gold-plated keri golf emblem on the front. Additional features of the bucket tote, which also comes in an all-patent version, include two interior zip pockets for valuables and an oversized phone pocket. What’s great about the bucket totes, is that you can use them when your going out to lunch or going to the pool. They don’t scream, this is a golf tote. 

If you have a wife or girlfriend who loves fashion and wants a functional golf bag, then get them one of the many great styles from Keri Golf. In my opinion the most stylish golf bags and accessories on the market today.

www.kerigolf.com; 888.332.5053

During my visit to the Adidas booth at the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show, I talked with VP Marketing/Communication of tmax gear Gregg Hemphill about two of the latest offerings from Adidas. In my video watch Gregg walk through the new features of the Adidas University Stand Bag and the Adidas Prevail Cart Bag, both are extremely lightweight, durable, and versatile.

Adidas University Stand Bag

Golf stand bags can be on the heavy side, and the last thing you need is that extra weight of the bag when your walking the golf course on a hot day. So Adidas Golf, developed the ultimate sub 4 lbs carry bag in the University Stand Bag. This bag is packed full of features and extremely durable. What makes it so durable is how Adidas constructed the University bag out of 420 denier hexstop nylon.  At all the key areas of the bag, Adidas reinforced the construction of where the strap meets the bag by using full pieces of 420 denier webbing, as opposed to just tacking it to a d-ring on the bag. So you can pull with all your force and that strap is not going to break or rip. It’s really secure.  

• Ultimate Lightweight carry bag – sub 4 lbs
• Lightweight 420 denier hexstop nylon construction
• Four way top with full-length shaft dividers
• Five pockets include full-length side storage and valuables pocket
• Water bottle sleeve
• Integrated pen slot and scorecard holder
• New ultra-light stand and base system
• TPR rubber base cleats
• Anatomically correct strap system
• Available in Single or double strap
• Rainhood

Adidas University Stand Bag retails for $149.99

Adidas Prevail Cart Bag

This is probably one of the toughest and lightweight cart bags on the market. Adidas really cranked up the volume in terms of quality and durability in making this awesome lightweight cart bag (4.8lbs). The frame on Prevail Cart bag is so strong that you can jump on it and it won’t break, it just springs back into shape. What I also liked is that in both the Prevail and University bags, is that they lowered the pockets near the top of the bag. This is important, because you no longer have to worry about the cart strap getting in the way of accessing the pockets. I can’t tell you how many times I have run into this problem.

• Ultimate lightweight cart bag – 4.8 lbs
• Lightweight 420 denier hex polyester construction
• Fourteen-way fused nylon top with full-length shaft dividers
• Nine front-accessible pockets include large insulated cooler and velour-lined valuables pockets
• Integrated umbrella slot
• Integrated front lift handle
• Rainhood

Adidas Prevail Cart Bag retails for $179.99

 

I’m always looking for a golf stand bag that has a good mix of features and functionality, to carry my golf clubs around. Sometimes achieving this balance  is not an easy thing to accomplish, and you end up with a stand bag that either has too many features, gimmicky, or not very functional. This is about to change with Ogio’s Edge golf stand bag, which offers a perfect blend of features and functionality.

The Edge is OGIO’s answer to a hybrid, living somewhere between a tricked-out stand bag and a lightweight cart bag. The sleek, external-framed bag weighs only 6.5 lbs and is 36.5″ tall with its new lighweight exo skeletal frame make this a very sturdy bag. The exo skeletal frame of the Edge reminded me of how a camping tent is supported with the tension poles that create a canopy of a tent.

Key Bag Features
The Ogio Edge features the new ARC Lite stand system – increasing strength while providing greater functionality than a normal stand system. The bag does a great job of supporting its self on uneven surfaces on the golf course and the legs activate very smoothly.

The 9″ Woode top of the of the bag helps keeps your clubs easily organized and easy access to clubs with its full length dividers. The entire woods section is nicely isolated to one side with individual compartments for each wood that cascade down. The tiered woods section also helps prevent club shaft damage and provides easy access and clear view of your irons and woods. The irons section of the bag has notches so each shaft is kept separate when the stand is activated. The notches don’t prevent the irons from hitting against each other when you carry the bag, but it does help with keeping your irons organized. The putter pocket provides has a nice tall collar to protect your putter from damaging your irons and woods. You can easily carry a large mallet putter without having to worry it will rub against your irons or woods, which is comforting.

The Ball Silo is a molded plastic ball dispenser located on the right side of the Edge, which provides quick and easy access to golf balls. This is a nice little feature that makes grabbing a golf ball very convenient and you no longer have to keep an extra ball in you pocket. Directly above the Ball Silo, there are three loops to carry those extra golf tees, which also your leg from getting stabbed by a tee by accident.

If you need more golf balls or need to refill the Ball Silo, that couldn’t be any easier with the convenience of the Zipperless Ball Pocket (ZBP). The Zipperless Ball Pocket is a hingeless, one-handed ball pocket that utilizes a tension rod to easily access the pocket’s contents and automatically springs back into place after a ball has been removed. No more wasting time zipping and unzipping the ball pocket of the bag and its location on the front of the bag makes for easy access when the bag is strapped onto a golf driving cart or push cart.

One of my biggest complaints about golf bags is the rain hood. The rain hood is meant to protect your clubs from getting wet when it rains, but it fails to make it easy to access your clubs, via the standard zippered opening on top. This is one area that is greatly improved upon in the Ogio Edge with The Rain Hoode. The Rain Hoode, is a zipperless rain hood that works seamlessly by attaching to the integrated clip ports and providing instant and hassle-free access to your golf clubs. The Rain Hoode creates a canopy, utilizing the same tension rods used in the Zipplerless Ball Pocket to give it a Venus Fly Trap appearance when you open the mouth of the Rain Hoode and it automatically snaps back to close to protect your clubs. I loved this feature a lot, because not only is it easy to use, but it makes accessing your clubs really easy. I’m glad to see Ogio take the lead in improving and often overlooked aspect of a golf stand bags.

The TORQ Strap anti-sway cart strap is designed to make sure your bag doesn’t twist or or rotate when attached to a golf driving cart and can be easily adjusted. If your walking with the Ogio Edge bag, the Crossbow shoulder strap system is well padded and distributes the weight evenly across your back. The EVA molded hip pad and airflow system also provides comfort while carrying the bag on warm days and comfort to your lower back and hip.

Other Key Features
The Edge has 9 pockets total (5 zippered) which include a internal wet/dry pocket, weatherproof fleece lined valuables pocket, easy access  divot tool and pen sleeve, scorecard and pencil sleeve pockets, internal cellphone pocket, and walking accessible water bottle holster.  The Lift Grip integrated trunk handle makes the Ogio Edge easy to load and unload into your car, along with the 3-point molded handle.  The Edge also has an elastic oversize towel loop, instead of a traditional d-ring and elastic umbrella containment system.

Overall I found the Ogio Edge to be a great golf stand bag, that has a perfect blend of style, features, and functionality that make it the ultimate stand bag.

Ogio Edge Stand Bag retails for $199