The Jones Rover Stand Bag is the Best Minimalist Golf Bag

Right now, golfers are absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to golf bags.

There are so many good ones on the market.

This represents a problem, a good one, but a problem nonetheless.

How do you know which one is best to spend your hard-earned dollars on?

The most obvious answer is to pick the one that looks the best to you.

But that’s only half the battle.

What about weight? Comfort? Features?

All of this plays into the equation.

And in my experience, the best golf bags are the ones that have been designed for a very specific golfer and need.

The ones that try and do everything rarely do it all well.

And it’s this core concept that is what makes the new Jones Rover stand bag so damn good.

Yep, I said it. No burying the lede here, this bag is great.

It doesn’t have the most features and it doesn’t use expensive luxury materials like leather or microfiber. So, what makes it so great?

To find that out, you’ll need to keep reading this Jones Rover Stand review.

First Impressions of the Jones Rover Stand Golf Bag

I first saw the Jones Rover Stand at the 2024 PGA Show: it was love at first sight.

All of the colorways immediately struck me. I personally think this is one of best-looking bags in the market – regardless of which style you go with.

This one is the Cement/Sage combo. Taking it out of the box, it looks just as good as I remembered it from the show.

The Rover Stand bag is different from the Trouper Series which I’ve previously reviewed.

Whereas that’s more of a full-featured bag, this is a lighter bag designed to save weight for those who only carry their clubs.

While I certainly carry my clubs from time to time, I generally prefer to use a push cart.

I’ll turn 40 next year (ouch), and have no qualms about trying to save my back and making my life easier while on the golf course.

But I’ve now used the Rover Stand bag for the last 4 rounds I’ve played.

And I realized something surprising as I was heading out for my most recent round:

I was excited to carry my clubs.

I was excited to use this bag.

This is Not a “Feature Heavy” Bag

Often with these types of reviews, I’ll go through a laundry list of features.

But this bag isn’t about the features.

It doesn’t have a top handle, it doesn’t have a cooler bag, it doesn’t have a large garment pocket. 

This bag was designed to be the best minimalist carry bag available.

And you know what? They nailed it.

I tend to pack my golf bag with way too much stuff (no wonder I’m not a fan of carrying).

The Rover bag has two side pockets, as well as a large center compartment that’s perfect for balls, accessories, or a water bottle.

After my first 9 holes carrying the bag, I was amazed that I’d kind of forgotten I was carrying it at all. Everything just felt so comfortable and seamless. This is what carrying your clubs is supposed to be about.

Comfort, Build Quality, and Straps

The construction of this bag is great. It’s made of a very high-quality nylon.

You’ll notice small little touches that elevate this when compared to other carry bags.

The dual twist handle and the herringbone hip pad are great examples of this.

In the past, I’ve always been critical of the straps on Jones bag.

I’m used to more technical modern bags that feel just like putting on a backpack.

And don’t get me wrong, those are great. Straps like Vessel’s equilibrium system make carrying super easy.

But Jones takes a different approach, that makes it just as easy to carry with a single strap as it is to go dual strap.

The straps have been updated a bit since previous models, and are as comfortable as they’ve ever been.

Because the bag is so light, it’s super easy to pick up and carry with a single strap as well.

The first time you take it out, it may take you a couple holes to figure out how to comfortably and easily use the double strap – but once it clicks, you’ll never think about it again.

It’s comfortable and works great.

If you take a caddie often, you’ll find this is one of their favorite bags because it’s so easy for them to double bag.

As far as space goes, there’s just enough space for the essentials.

There’s a nice-sized, low profile valuables pocket, with a dedicated phone pouch. The main center cinch pocket is really big, so if you do feel compelled to hoard more balls than you need – this pocket has you covered.

The side pockets aren’t massive, but there’s room to fit a sweater or vest. That said, I wouldn’t plan on fitting a full set of rain gear in here.

As such, if you’re someone who plays in a lot of inclement weather, then this probably won’t be your one and only bag.

The One Thing I Wish This Bag Had…

Given the goal of this is to be a minimalist bag, I’m not going to say something like I wish it had X,Y, Z feature…

With one exception.

The only thing I really wish this bag had was a top handle.

Maybe it’s just me, but every time I pick up a bag, or take it off, my natural tendency is to grab the top of the bag, rather than the main handle.

So I’ve found myself just grabbing the area where the top handle would be – which over time I’m sure will cause more wear than necessary.

One of the major goals with this bag is to keep weight down, so I get why it’s not there. But if they did have this handle, just like the one you’ll find on the Trouper series – then for me this bag would be pretty much the perfect carry bag.

And even without it, it’s pretty damn close.

Is the Jones Rover Stand Bag Worth It?

The Rover Stand Bag is a bag that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Considering it’s more of a minimalist bag, I’ve been so pleased with how functional it is.

It has space for everything I need, and has made me more mindful of what I take with me on the course.

Quite simply, it’s the most enjoyable carrying experience I’ve ever had.

That said, it’s not for everyone. If you’re someone that does want extra touches tons of storage space, an extra handle, cooler pocket etc. – then I’d take a look at the Stitch Airwalker or Jones Trouper 3.0.

The Airwalker is similar in weight, and while it doesn’t have quite the same style and isn’t quite as enjoyable to carry, it has more features at a pretty killer price of $238 after you use our coupon code.

And if you love the Jones style and aesthetic, but are willing to take on slightly more weight for the added features – then the Trouper 3.0 is one of the best bags on the market.

That being said when it comes to a lightweight, minimalist carry bag – the Jones Rover is the one for me. At least for the time being, I’m choosing to carry my clubs rather than push them, and that’s 100% because of the Rover Stand.

And I’m not sure I can give it a better compliment than that.

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A minimalist carry bag that's greater than the sum of it's parts.

9.5 Wonderful

This is the first bag that's gotten me legitimately excited to carry my clubs. Everything about it feels well built, it's light, it's comfortable, and it has just enough storage for the essentials. Oh, and yeah, it looks beautiful.

The Good

1. One of the best looking golf bags on the market, regardless of which color you choose
2. Very lightweight, and smart pocket selection makes it difficult to over pack.
3. A dream to carry with both single and double strap

The Bad

1. I wish it had a top handle to make it easier to pick up and put down
2. While I've finally grown to love the straps, they wont be for everyone
3. If you're looking for the maximum amount of features and space, this won't be for you.

• Presentation 10
• Performance 10
• Price 8
• Personal Affinity 10