Got a new golf impact bag and now you’re staring at it, wondering what on earth you’re supposed to stuff inside? It’s a common question, and getting it right is the first step to making this simple training aid one of the most effective tools in your arsenal. This guide will walk you through exactly what to use for filler, what to avoid at all costs, and how to use the bag properly to start engraving the feeling of a perfect impact into your golf swing.
Before we start stuffing, let’s quickly touch on why this tool works. A golf impact bag is not about smashing something for power. Its real purpose is to give you physical feedback at the most critical moment of your swing: impact. A proper strike isn't just about the club meeting the ball, it’s a dynamic sequence.
An impact bag helps you train the correct feelings of:
When you strike the bag correctly, you can hold the position and "freeze" the feeling of a powerful, tour-quality impact. Filling it correctly ensures you can do this safely and effectively without damaging your gear or yourself.
Let's get right to it. You don't need to buy special filler. The best materials are probably already in your linen closet or laundry room. The absolute best things to fill a golf impact bag with are old towels, rags, or bedsheets.
Here’s why these work so well:
Don’t just loosely throw a few towels in there. Properly packing the bag is the key to getting the right feel. An under-filled bag will be too soft to provide useful feedback, while a poorly packed one will have hard and soft spots.
After a few practice sessions, the contents might settle and compress. Don't be afraid to unzip it and stuff a few more rags or an old t-shirt in to keep it firm.
This is just as important as knowing what to use. Using the wrong filler can lead to a broken club, a busted impact bag, or even a serious injury to your wrists, elbows, or back.
Under no circumstances should you ever use:
The rule is simple: if you wouldn't feel comfortable hitting it with your hand, don’t fill your bag with it.
Now that your bag is perfectly filled, the real work begins. Remember, this is a tool for practicing positions and feelings, not for all-out speed training. Follow these steps for a productive practice session:
Don’t take a full, aggressive swing at it on your first try. Start with slow, deliberate, waist-high to waist-high swings. Get a feel for how the bag responds to the impact.
As you swing, the main thought should be to turn your body through the impact zone. Think of your hips and chest rotating toward the target. Your arms should feel like they are coming along for the ride. When you make contact with the bag, your belly button should be pointing at, or even slightly left of, the bag (for a RH golfer).
If you're using just your arms, you'll feel a jarring sensation. If you're using your body's rotation, the impact will feel much more solid and absorbed - a powerful "thud" instead of a painful "thwack."
This is the money-maker. After the club hits the bag, hold your finish position for three seconds. Now, look down. What do you see?
By freezing this position, you are training your brain and body to understand what true impact feels like. Repeat this process over and over. Slow, deliberate swings, a focus on body rotation, and holding that finish. It won’t be long before this feeling starts to translate to your full swing on the course.
A golf impact bag is a brilliantly simple device that can create profound improvements in your ball striking. The key is to fill it properly with soft, firm materials like old towels or clothes, and to use it with a focus on repeatable body mechanics, not brute force.
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