How to Sort a Golf Bag

Walking up to your shot with a cluttered, disorganized golf bag is a recipe for a frustrating day. A well-sorted bag isn't about looking perfect, it’s about making the game simpler so you can focus on hitting a good shot. This guide will walk you through, step-by-step, exactly how to declutter and organize your clubs and gear for a smoother, more enjoyable round.

Why an Organized Golf Bag Matters

Before we start dumping things on the garage floor, let's quickly touch on why this matters. A sorted bag does more than just look neat. Firstly, it saves you time and mental energy. When you know exactly where your 9-iron is or where you stashed your extra tees, you eliminate frantic searching and can keep your focus on the shot ahead. This is a small thing that helps with pace of play and keeps your pre-shot routine calm and consistent.

Secondly, a properly packed bag is better for your gear and your body. Spacing out your clubs correctly prevents your expensive graphite shafts from banging against each other and your grips from getting unnecessarily worn. It also distributes weight more evenly, making the bag easier to carry or balance on a push cart or golf cart.

Step 1: The Great Purge (Empty Everything Out)

You can’t organize clutter. The first and most satisfying step is to take everything - and I mean everything - out of your bag. Find a spot in your garage or on your patio, flip the bag upside down, and give it a good shake. You’ll be amazed at what falls out: old scorecards, a petrified granola bar, 47 scuffed-up tees, maybe even a single, mysterious golf shoe lace.

Once it's all out, create three piles:

• Keepers: This is for gear that is in good shape and essential for a round of golf.
• Trash: Ripped gloves, broken tees, old wrappers. Be ruthless.
• Home Base: These are items you might need, just not for every round. Think things like a full box of a dozen new balls, training aids, or your heavy-duty winter rain gear. These can be stored separately and added to the bag on a per-round basis.

With an empty bag and a streamlined pile of "keepers," you're ready to put everything back with a purpose.

Step 2: Organizing Your Clubs (The "Where")

This is the main event. The way you arrange your clubs in the bag is a personal preference, but there is a widely accepted, logical method that works for most bags, whether you have a 4-way, 6-way, or 14-way divider top.

The Golden Rule: Longest clubs in the back, shortest clubs in the front.

The "back" of the bag is the part closest to the shoulder strap or the part that would be highest up when strapped to a golf cart. This keeps the longer shafts from getting tangled with the shorter ones and allows you to see every clubhead at a glance.

For Stand Bags (Typically 4 or 5-Way Dividers)

Stand bags usually have fewer dividers, so you'll be grouping clubs together.

• Top Section (Back): This is for your longest clubs. Place your driver, fairway woods, and any hybrids in this compartment. Their long shafts and large headcovers will sit nicely in the back without obstructing your view of the other clubs.
• Middle Sections: These are for your irons. You can split them logically. For example, put your long-to-mid irons (like your 4, 5, and 6-iron) in one middle section, and your shorter irons (7, 8, and 9-iron) in the other.
• Bottom Section (Front): This space is reserved for your shortest clubs - your wedges (pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge, etc.).
• Putter Well: Many modern bags have a dedicated putter well, which is often a larger, separate slot running along the front or side. Use it! It protects the most-used club in your bag and makes it quick to grab when you get to the green. If your bag doesn't have a dedicated well, you can place the putter in the front section with your wedges or sometimes in the top section with your woods - whichever feels most accessible.

For Cart Bags (Typically 14 or 15-Way Dividers)

Cart bags make life even easier, giving each club its own little home. The same "longest to shortest" principle applies.

• Top/Back Row: This row of slots is for your driver, woods, and hybrids.
• Middle Rows: Work your way down with your irons, in numerical order. For example, from left to right, you might lay out your 4, 5, and 6-iron, then your 7, 8, and 9-iron in the next row down. It flows logically and makes you look like you know what you're doing.
• Bottom Row: This is the home for your pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge.
• Dedicated Putter Well: Nearly all cart bags will have a large, front-facing putter well. This is usually oversized to accommodate modern, thicker putter grips.

This system makes grabbing the right club second nature. Looking for your 7-iron? Your hand will automatically go to the middle of the bag. A quick wedge? You reach for the front.

Step 3: A Place for Every Piece of Gear (Organizing Pockets)

Now that your clubs are sorted, it's time to find a home for all your other gear. Thinking about how frequently you access an item is the best way to assign it a pocket.

The Main Pockets

• The Large Apparel Pocket: This is the long, full-length pocket that typically runs down the side of your bag. This is designed for bulky, "just-in-case" items.
  • What to put here: Rain jacket, windbreaker, an extra towel. Don't stuff it full of things you need on every hole, or you'll be wrestling with your rain pants every time you need a new sleeve of balls.
• The Ball Pocket: This is usually a medium-sized pocket on the upper front of the bag, just below where the clubs sit. It's meant for easy access.
  • What to put here: Two sleeves of balls (6 balls). You don't need 24 golf balls rattling around on a casual Saturday round. Keep a reasonable supply here and replenish them from your car or "Home Base" pile as needed. This is a common beginner mistake that adds a lot of unnecessary weight to the bag.
• The Valuables Pocket: Look for a smaller, often soft/velour-lined pocket. It's designed to protect things from scratches.
  • What to put here: Phone, keys, wallet, watch. Zip it up and leave it alone for the round.

The Accessory Pockets

These smaller pockets are for the items you use constantly throughout the round.

• The "Grab-and-Go" Pocket: Designate one small, easily accessible front or side pocket for the things you grab on every tee box.
  • What to put here: A handful of your favorite tees, your divot repair tool, and a few ball markers. This stops you from having to dig through a large pocket every 15 minutes.
• The "Other Stuff" Pocket: Use another small pocket for items you might need but don't use on every single hole.
  • What to put here: Sunscreen, lip balm, a small packet of bandages, some pain relief pills. Think of it as your golf first-aid and utility kit.
  • The Cooler Pocket: Most bags have one insulated pocket. Use it!
    • What to put here: A water bottle and a snack, like a nut bar or a banana. Proper hydration and fuel can honestly save you a couple of strokes on the back nine.
    The AttachmentsFinally, there are the external add-ons.
    • Towel: Find the metal or fabric ring on your bag. Clip your golf towel here. Pro tip: Get a towel you can fold over the top of the ring, so you have one wet side (for cleaning clubs) and one dry side (for drying hands and grips).
    • Glove: When you're not wearing it (i.e., when chipping and putting), stick your glove to the Velcro landing pad often found on the side of the bag. This helps it air out and stay dry. If your bag doesn't have one, just tuck it into your back pocket.
    • Rangefinder/GPS: Many bags now have dedicated magnetic pockets or specific cases/clips for rangefinders. If not, the main accessory pocket is a fine home for it.
    Final ThoughtsOrganizing your golf bag is a simple process that pays big dividends in on-course calmness and efficiency. By putting your clubs in a logical order and assigning a specific home for every piece of gear, you remove unnecessary distractions and can dedicate all your mental energy to playing the game.Just as a sorted bag removes the physical guesswork, we built Caddie AI to remove the strategic guesswork from your game. If you're standing over a shot unsure of which club to pull from your newly organized bag or how to play a tricky lie, Caddie gives you an expert second opinion in seconds. You can even take a photo of your ball's lie, and it will analyze the situation and recommend the smartest way to play it, helping you make confident, committed swings and avoid those blow-up holes.