Golf bag coolers are designed to fit into (or clip onto) your golf bag. They’re perfect for keeping your drinks and snacks cold from the start of your game right through to the end of the day – some soft-sided coolers last up to 12 hours.
The question is: how can you find the best one? How do you know if a golf bag cooler is durable? And do they really work at keeping your drinks cold all day?
The bottom line up front: We like the Geckobrands Verticool Cooler – it has a good capacity, it’s durable, it has great cooling power, and it has smaller pockets for valuables.
We also like:
- Athletico Golf Cooler Backpack – perfect if you need a larger capacity cooler
- Athletico Golf Cooler Bag – a great little cooler for a low price
We’ll be looking at:
- What a golf bag cooler is
- What to look for in a golf bag cooler
- Our top 5 picks, including their key features, pros, and cons
- Some frequently asked questions
- Which ones we like the best, and what we like about them
Let’s start with an overview of the coolers we’ll be looking at today!
Table of Contents
- Coolers Compared
- What is a Golf Bag Cooler?
- What to Look for in a Golf Bag Cooler
- Best Golf Bag Cooler – Our Top 5
- Frequently Asked Questions
- To Sum Up … Which Golf Bag Cooler is the Best?
Coolers Compared
What is a Golf Bag Cooler?
A golf bag cooler is designed to either fit into or clip onto your golf bag. This means you won’t have to worry about carrying the cooler separately. They tend to be on the smaller side, with just enough room for drinks for a full game of golf. You can get larger golf bag coolers, which can be carried on your back if you prefer, or you can choose a smaller cooler with wheels that will fit onto the golf cart.
What to Look for in a Golf Bag Cooler
Let’s take a look at what to look for in a golf bag cooler:
Design
A golf bag cooler is, of course, designed to work with your golf bag. Golf bag coolers will either fit into a pocket on your golf bag or clip onto it (depending on the style you’re after). This means you won’t have to worry about carrying anything extra. (You can read more about golf-bag-organization in ‘What is the Best Way to Pack Your Golf Bag?’ by Golf Support.)
Look for a golf bag cooler that opens up wide – this makes it way easier to grab the contents.
Capacity
Capacity for golf bag coolers tends to be measured in cans. This is a really easy way to visualize how big it’s going to be.. 6-can coolers are pretty common, but you can get larger sizes, and you can use them to store water bottles or wine bottles too.
It’s worth looking at how big it is once you’ve packed ice or ice packs into it – you may not be able to fit the full number of cans in the bag once ice packs are involved.
Cooling Power
Soft-sided coolers use insulating foam to keep cold air trapped inside. They don’t tend to keep ice for as long as, say, rotomolded coolers, (like the coolers in our guide to the Best Cooler with Wheels, or our Pelican Wheeled Cooler review). But they should last for a day out.
Some manufacturers advertise ice retention time or cooling time, which is designed to give you a rough idea of how long you can expect the contents to stay cold. Ice retention tests are usually done under ideal conditions, so you might not see the same results using your cooler in real life.
You can look for extra features, like heat-sealed seams and strong zippers, which can help to keep cold air locked inside.
Durability
There are features you can look out for to make sure your chosen cooler lasts for a long time. Reinforced handles, strong metal components (like zippers, clips, and D-rings, which are strong sturdy rings you can attach other items onto), and tough materials are all important features to look for.
Some coolers are coated with waterproofing material like polyurethane – this protects your cooler from the elements and makes it easier to clean.
Extra Features
Some coolers have extra features, such as:
- Side pockets or front pockets for storing valuables
- An extra storage compartment for dry goods
- D-rings (which you can use to clip on extra equipment)
- Built-in bottle openers
- Reflective strips so you can see it in the dark
While these aren’t essential, they’re nice to have, so it’s worth looking for a cooler that has everything you need.
Now, let’s look at our top 5 golf bag coolers.
Best Golf Bag Cooler – Our Top 5
We’ll be looking at their pros and cons, their key features, and the main feature that we like about each one.
Athletico Golf Cooler Bag – Best Value
Key Features
- Capacity: 6 Cans
- Materials
Outer: Rip-resistant, waterproof polyester
Insulation: Foam with water-resistant PEVA (polyester vinyl acetate) lining - Color: Black
- Carrying Style: Carry On
- Weight: 1.37 Pounds (0.62 Kilograms)
- Dimensions: 3 x 6.3 x 16 Inches (7 x 16 x 41 Centimeters)
The Athletico Golf Cooler Bag is a great little cooler with just enough space for 6 cans (or 2 wine bottles). It unzips down the side, so you can stack the cans on top of each other. You can fit a slim ice pack alongside it (we like the Cooler Shock Reusable Ice Packs).
It uses foam insulation to keep the contents nice and cold. The lining is water-resistant, so you won’t have to worry about condensation seeping through to the outer lining. It also has heat-sealed seams to help keep cold air trapped inside. The only downside is that it’s not the most powerful cooler out there in terms of insulation – it’ll last for a golf trip, but if you wanted to use it for a long day trip, you might find it starts to lose its cooling power by the end of the day.
It’s a pretty durable cooler, with the rip-resistant and water-resistant outer fabric. It has a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, so if something does go wrong, you’ll be covered.
It’s a nice lightweight cooler, with a top handle and a removable shoulder strap. It also has an outer pocket which is useful if you want to keep smaller items dry.
Pros
- Top handle and removable shoulder strap included
- Good insulation and waterproofing
- Durable
Cons
- Not the best in terms of cooling power for longer periods
Geckobrands Verticool Cooler – Best Ice Retention
Key Features
- Capacity: 9 Cans
- Materials
Outer: Polyester
Insulation: Foam - Color: Black, Grey, Black and White
- Carrying Style: Carry On
- Weight: 0.06lbs (0.27 Kilograms)
- Dimensions: 7 x 3.5 x 16.5 Inches (17.78 x 8.89 x 41.91 Centimeters)
The Geckobrands Verticool Cooler has a slightly larger capacity at 9 cans or 2 wine bottles. It unzips at the front, allowing you easy access to the contents, and you can squeeze in a couple of ice packs alongside the contents. It can store fairly large water bottles with no problems. The downside is that it’s a little bulkier to carry with the rest of your gear.
The cooler uses a thick layer of foam insulation to help keep the contents cool. It has an ice retention time of 8+ hours, which is pretty good for a soft-sided cooler, so you can expect it to keep your drinks cold for a good amount of time. It has a water-resistant lining to stop any water from seeping through to the outside.
In terms of durability, it’s a good one – with coated polyester fabric for easy cleaning on the outside, to a strong reinforced handle, you can expect it to last a long time.
Despite the bulkier size, it’s lightweight, so you won’t have to worry about it being heavy to carry. It has a top carry handle and a removable strap, as well as a separate pocket on the front for keeping your smaller items dry.
Pros
- Slightly larger capacity
- Good ice retention time
- Durable
Cons
- A little bulkier in terms of size/shape
Caddyswag Par 6 Pack Golf Bag Cooler – Most Durable
Key Features
- Capacity: 6 Cans
- Materials
Outer: Polyurethane-coated polyester
Insulation: Closed-cell foam - Color: Black
- Carrying Style: Carry On
- Weight: 0.93lbs (0.42 Kilograms)
- Dimensions: 19.5 x 8 x 1.4 Inches (49.53 x 20.32 x 3.55 Centimeters)
The Caddyswag Par 6 Pack Golf Bag Cooler is a durable cooler, with a 6-can capacity. It’s horizontal in terms of the way it opens, as opposed to the more typical ‘vertical’ options out there. It has a large zip but doesn’t ‘flip open’ in the same way that the vertical coolers do, which means the contents are slightly harder to remove. It’s the perfect size and shape to blend in with your golf bag.
It uses a thick layer of closed-cell foam for insulation. It also comes with a gel ice pack, which is perfect, as it’s not designed to hold ice (melted ice will leak from this cooler, so it’s best to stick with ice packs).
It’s a durable cooler, with the polyurethane coating acting as a protective weatherproof layer. This means you can take it out in all weather and it won’t get damaged. It also has strong handles and reinforced zippers, so it should withstand a lot of use.
It’s pretty lightweight and slips into the shoe pocket of your golf bag, so it blends in nicely. It has two carrying handles on the top, but it lacks small pockets for storing smaller items.
Pros
- Good insulation
- Tough and durable
- Fits well into a golf bag
Cons
- Doesn’t have pockets for small items
Athletico Golf Cooler Backpack – Best Backpack-Style Cooler
Key Features
- Capacity: 12 Cans
- Materials
Outer: Polyester
Insulation: Foam - Color: Black
- Carrying Style: Clip On
- Weight: 1.91 Pounds (0.86 Kilograms)
- Dimensions: 16.93 x 12.99 x 3.15 Inches (43 x 32.99 x 8 Centimeters)
The Athletico Golf Cooler Backpack is a backpack cooler, with a larger capacity than the others on this list. The cooler has a large opening at the top, which allows you to reach inside easily, and it clips onto your golf cart, which is great. It won’t fit into any pockets on your golf bag, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll need to go for something smaller.
The cooler advertises 12 hours of cooling time. That’s great for a soft-sided cooler – you can expect it to last all day. You can use ice in this one, too, which is great if you’d rather not buy ice packs. The inside lining is waterproof with strong seams to prevent melted ice from leaking out.
It should last for a long time – it has strong metal components, durable and water-resistant nylon, and strong, reinforced handles.
Given the larger size, it’s still lightweight. It has a large dry storage area, so you can keep your dry goods safely separate. It also has a utility D-ring (to clip on your golf towel, or golf shoe brush, or anything that you want to carry on there) and 2 zippered exterior pockets for your wallet, keys, and so on.
Pros
- Larger capacity
- 12-Hour cooling time
- Durable
- Large dry goods pocket
Cons
- Doesn’t fit into the pocket of your golf bag
BougeRV Golf Cooler Bag – Good All-Rounder
Key Features
- Capacity: 6 Cans
- Materials
Outer: Waterproof Oxford Cloth
Insulation: Foam - Color: Black
- Carrying Style: Carry On
- Weight: 0.89 Pounds (0.40 Kilograms)
- Dimensions: 16.54 x 8.66 x 3.94 Inches (42 x 21.99 x 10 Centimeters)
The BougeRV Golf Cooler Bag is a great all-rounder. It has a 6-can capacity, and it’s nice and compact, so it should fit neatly into your golf bag. It opens on one side, so you can easily access the contents. However, it’s a tight squeeze with ice packs, and you may not be able to fit the full amount of cans in there once you’ve put the ice packs in. It has a shoulder strap and carry handles.
It’s pretty decent in terms of cooling power. They don’t advertise ice retention time, or cooling time, but if you use ice packs, it should keep your drinks cool all day.
It has waterproof outer fabric, which is also rip-proof. The cooler also has strong handles and decent zippers. It also has an 18-month warranty against manufacturing defects.
It’s lightweight, and it comes with reflective strips so you can easily grab it in the dark (or at the bottom of your golf bag). It also has a bottle opener attached, so you won’t have to worry about losing it.
Pros
- Durable
- Decent cooling power
- Bottle opener included
Cons
- Small capacity if using ice packs
Frequently Asked Questions
Now, let’s take a look at the most commonly asked questions about golf bag coolers:
How can I clean my golf bag cooler?
You can use hot soapy water and a soft cloth to clean your cooler. It also works if you use baking soda to remove any stubborn stains or to refresh it a little if it’s starting to smell. You can get some more ideas on The Kitchn’s guide on How to Clean a Dirty Cooler or the Mier Sports guide on How to Clean Insulated Lunch Bags.
Is it better to use ice or ice packs for my golf bag cooler?
Some coolers aren’t designed to use with ice – because ice melts quickly, you need a cooler with a really strong waterproof lining to be able to keep the liquid inside without leaking. Soft-sided coolers work well with ice packs, as they keep the contents nice and cold without leaking.
Some soft-sided coolers can accept ice, however, and there are ways to keep your ice solid for longer – YETI’s guide on How to Keep Your YETI Hard Cooler Cold for Longer has some ideas on improving ice retention, which is applicable for soft-sided coolers too.
What food and drinks should I take with me for golfing?
The main thing to do is to stay hydrated – it’s really important to drink a lot of water, as dehydration can impact your performance. You can also take some small snacks like fruit, nuts, and energy bars. You can read more about this in The Best Food and Drink for Golf on the Golf State of Mind blog.
To Sum Up … Which Golf Bag Cooler is the Best?
We like the Geckobrands Verticool Cooler. We’d recommend it for a lot of reasons. It has a slightly larger capacity at 9 cans, and it has small storage pockets for small items. It’s a durable cooler, with great cooling power – everything you need for a golf bag cooler.
If you want something with an even bigger capacity, we’d recommend the Athletico Golf Cooler Backpack. It has a great capacity and can be clipped onto your golf cart or carried on your back.
If you want to keep the costs down, you can try the Athletico Golf Cooler Bag. Perfect for 6 cans, and it fits nicely in your golf bag.
We hope this has helped you to find the best golf bag cooler for you. If you have any other recommendations, let us know in the comments – we’d love to know how they perform. If you found this helpful, feel free to share it online!