Ahead of Black Friday, We Built The Best Golf Bag For Those On A Budget

Black Friday week is here and, as the calendar turns dangerously close to the holiday season, it means two things - you likely have plenty of Christmas gifts to buy and secondly, there are hundreds of amazing discounts across a whole range of golf equipment.

From the best golf drivers and best putters all the way to the best golf balls and best golf bags, retailers are going blow for blow trying to entice customers to their online stores ahead of the Christmas period.

Luckily for you, we have all the best deals covered in both our best Black Friday golf deals hub, as well as our Cyber Monday deals hub, so keep an eye on these over the coming days as we'll be updating them the moment we see an offer worth shouting about.

In this post, I've set myself the challenge of creating the perfect golf setup from scratch, ticking every box for both value and performance. It sounds like a difficult feat to include every piece of gear we need but you'd be surprised at how easy it is given how many deals are out there.

If you're a little more picky about your brands, or want to explore more Black Friday deals, we have hubs detailing all the best deals from Titleist, Taylormade and Callaway to dig your teeth into but, without further-ado... here is the equipment I would buy if I was building a setup from scratch...

Driver

Cobra Golf DarkSpeed MAX Driver | 27% off at Amazon
Was $549 Now $399

This is a particularly great pick if you're one of the many, many golfers who struggle missing right off the tee with the dreaded slice. The Cobra Darkspeed Max is one of the best drivers for slicers we have ever tested and looks spectacular.

Read our full Cobra Darkspeed Max Driver Review

View Deal

We'll start with the DarkSpeed MAX driver from Cobra, which is a fantastic option for players of all abilities but, in particular, for the higher handicap who tends to slice the ball.

Slicing the ball is the most common miss for amateurs new to the game and is an infuriating thing to try and fix. So, what if I told you that this driver could, more or less, fix your slice? When we tested the DarkSpeed MAX earlier this year we tried our very best to hit the horrible slice and failed, much to our joy.

I'm also a big believer that you want golf clubs that look good to your eye. If you stand over the ball and don't like how your club looks at address you're already fighting a losing battle. Like the look of your club and it'll inspire confidence in your head before you swing. That's where the DarkSpeed comes in, as the Stealth design strikes me as a driver that was designed for swinging hard and launching golf balls high and far, a huge green tick in my eyes.

Fairway Woods

Cobra Aerojet Fairway Wood | 48% off at PGA Tour Superstore
Was $329.99 Now $159.98

There's plenty of options here, which you can see in our Black Friday golf club deals hub, but I've included the Aerojet because there's nearly 50% slashed off the price. It's a powerful fairway wood with plenty of adjustability, allowing you to tweak it to suit the playing characteristics of your game.

Read our full Cobra Aerojet Fairway Review

View Deal

Now, if you like consistency, the Cobra DarkSpeed Max fairway wood is also on sale this Black Friday and I'm glad to report it too looks like a Batmobile, but I've opted for another Cobra fairway wood instead.

The Cobra Aerojet is a powerful fairway wood that can be fine-tuned thanks to the adjustable hosel, whilst feedback off the face is really nice. It's also surprisingly forgiving given how far it flies, but it might not be best suited to higher handicappers if you hit woods regularly off the deck. However, we felt that it performs excellently in every other facet and is a bargain at just over $150.

Irons

Titleist T300 2021 Irons | $200 off at Carl's GolfLand
Was $999.99 Now $799.99

The T300 irons from Titleist provide fantastic distance coupled with excellent levels of forgiveness that help make approach shots easier. They also suit a wide range of players, although are more suited to the mid-to-high handicappers as opposed to the more advanced single-figure players.

Read our full Titleist T300 2021 Iron Review

View Deal

Again, there are plenty of options here to choose from but, when I considered both the price and the fact these irons earned a spot in our Editors Choice list for 2022, it was an easy decision to include the T300 irons from Titleist.

They earned a five star review when we tested them a few years ago and the performance would match up today against any similar distance iron. Contact with the ball feels explosive on the face, with shots easily penetrating windy conditions during testing. They're also very forgiving given they are not marketed towards the more advanced players.

The T300 hits the sweet spot between a beginners iron and more advanced irons that are tougher to hit, stacking up against some of the best golf irons in terms of distance. Now with $200 off the retail price, this is arguably the best iron deal this Black Friday week.

Wedges

TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 Chrome Wedge | Up to 28% off at PGA TOUR Superstore
Was $179.99 Now $129.98

The Milled Grind 3 delivers exceptional levels of spin and control for shots from both around the green and from the fairway. It's an extremely workable wedge and has the ability to become a serious weapon in the arsenal for those players who have particular confidence in their short game.

Read our full TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 Wedge Review

View Deal

This next choice I've included, and I actually added these wedges into my own golf club setup and have worked really well for me in the last few years, is the TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 Chrome Wedge.

I switched to this model a few years ago as I lambasted in the wedge wilderness, not knowing what I suited or wanted and, since then, I haven't looked back. They're a really spinny wedge which means you can be confident and aggressive in both chip and pitch shots around the green, as well as longer shots from the fairway.

My short game has been average in recent years after being a real strong point of mine when I was in my teens, but the Milled Grind 3 wedges have given me the belief that I can get back my touch around the greens back, which is the biggest compliment I can give them!

Putter

TaylorMade Spider GT Max Putter | 22% off at PGA TOUR Superstore
Was $449.99 Now $349.98

Mallet putters have become more and more popular in recent years as players realize the forgiveness and stability they provide. The Spider GT putter is one of the best on the market for doing just that, with adjustable weights in the sole also allowing for fine tuning and customization.

Read our full TaylorMade Spider GT Max Putter Review

View Deal

I switched to a mallet putter a few years ago despite my love for my Scotty Cameron blade putter, mainly because everyone was doing it. I quickly understood why.

I use the Scotty Cameron Phantom X 9 putter and love it more than my dog - and I love my dog. What's more, it's on offer in the UK at Clubhouse Golf, but for our American readers I've opted for the Spider GT putter from Taylormade. This is a popular putter to see on tour, with different variations of the Spider being dotted about golf bags on the PGA Tour.

Again, another entrant onto our Editor's Choice list in 2023, the Spider GT has fantastic feel off the face and is fully customizable in terms of weights on the head. This allows players to really fine tune their putter to what they want, ultimately allowing confidence to grow, trust to build and more putts to drop!

Golf shoes

Adidas Tour 360 24 Golf Shoes | Up to 33% off at Amazon
Was $200 Now $134.12

The Tour 360 is a classic option in the world of golf shoes and is certainly in the conversation as one of the most iconic. Style is combined with performance for a stable, comfortable shoe that looks great and provides superb durability that allows you to wear it 12 months of the year, if you please.

Read our full adidas Tour360 24 Shoe Review

View Deal

Now I know shoes aren't technically part of a golf bag but they do remain an important part of the correct setup...

Cheaper options are available when it comes to shoes - you can find them in our best Black Friday golf shoes deals guide - but I personally don't like to try and cut corners when it comes to golf footwear.

If you play 18 holes, you're locked into your shoes for more than four hours, likely walking close to 10 miles in the process. This means it's important to get a comfortable pair of shoes so your feet aren't in agony afterwards.

The Tour 360 shoe is adidas' staple offering and are incredibly comfortable. They'll also keep your feet secure and stable as you swing, meaning there's less chance of a badly-timed slip in your back swing and a mishit shot as the consequence. Did I mention they look fantastic as well?

Golf bag

Callaway Golf Fairway 14 Golf Bag | Up to 39% off at Amazon
Was $279.99 Now $189.95

A comfortable bag on your back is essential for an enjoyable round of golf and the Fairway 14 from Callway provides just that. It's also sharp on the eye and available in a range of different colors, whilst providing ample storage for any extras you need to bring with you on the links.

Read our full Callaway Fairway 14 Stand Bag Review

View Deal

I'm a traditionalist when it comes to a round of golf, which means I like to carry my bag on my back whilst I'm fit to do so. I've also carried many, many golf bags on my back over the years, given my decade-plus experience as a caddy at Royal County Down.

I've carried some of the best (and worst) golf bags in that time and few were more comfortable than Callaway's Fairway 14 line. Padded straps mean the carry on your shoulders is a comfortable one and there is a tonne of storage available in the seven pockets.

The top includes a 14-way divider for each of your clubs, which will divide opinion, but if you're wary of looking after your clubs - especially if they're all new buys after Black Friday, the dividers will ensure they don't slap against each other as you walk.

Golf ball

Bridgestone Golf Tour B RXS Golf Ball | 43% off at Amazon
Was $49.99 Now $28.33

A dozen premium golf balls for less than $30? Sign me up. The Tour B golf ball from Bridgestone is the choice of golf ball of Tiger Woods, which almost certainly means it's good enough for you and I. High launch and flight combines with a soft feel around the greens for excellent all-round performance.

Read our full Bridgestone Tour B RXS Golf Ball Review

View Deal

It's not uncommon to find a lot of golf balls on sale, especially around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. What is rare, however, is to find a premium ball on sale.

We were pleasantly surprised to find the Tour B RXS golf ball from Bridgestone on sale earlier this week, but were particularly surprised when we saw the price... Less than $30 for a dozen of one of the best premium golf balls on the market? Sign us up.

This is a really well-rounded golf ball, which will suit players of all playing styles and characteristics. It has quite a soft feel off the face and that will help with short game shots and putting. Amazingly, though, it continues to be long off the tee and we loved the performance of it, especially at that price!

Rangefinder

Blue Tees Series 3 Max Rangefinder | 29% off at Amazon
Was $269.99 Now $199

You won't find better value for money given the performance on offer from the Blue Tees Series 3 rangefinder. For less than $200 you get a reliable, quick and easy to use rangefinder that competes really well with the premium models from the well-known brands.

Read our full Blue Tees Series 3 Max Laser Rangefinder Review

View Deal

This is another item on this list I recommend through personal experience...

The Blue Tees Series 3 is my weapon of choice for a number of reasons. As mentioned, given my caddying experience I have tried and tested almost every model of rangefinder there is to do so. I wouldn't consider myself an 'expert' at anything golf related, far from it, but rangefinders is my area of expertise if I were to choose from.

I use the Series 3 for personal use during my rounds as it is incredibly easy to use. What's more, it's super quick to lock onto the target and the numbers provided are reliable - on par with the best golf rangefinders. It's one of many rangefinder deals we've found so far this week and I've picked five of my favorites in my latest piece - five Black Friday deals on devices you should be using - if you'd like some more choices on rangefinders deals.