The day may have started without a hint of rain, or you and the other members of your foursome decided to brave the elements. Maybe it wasn't raining much when you started, but now you're getting significantly wet. Sure, you've got the umbrella and the extra towel, but at a certain point the rain begins to soak into your bag.
Most golf bags are made from water resistant fabric, and a light sprinkle won't do a thing. But for those of us who have pulled a soggy scorecard from a rain-soaked pocket, we know that there must be something better.
Sun Mountain designers thought so, too.
Sparked by years of developing lightweight outerwear to keep golfers dry, the company has designed a waterproof golf bag, the Sun Mountain H2O Tech bag.
"It was an 'Aha!' moment," said Steve Snyders, a spokesman for Sun Mountain.
"People complain about their cigars getting ruined, their scorecards getting wet, their cell phones being damaged. We used similar technology to what we use in our outerwear (to keep them dry)."
What makes a golf bag waterproof?
"In most bags, the fabric is waterproof but the seams are not," Snyders said. "Every place the fabric is punctured is a place for water to get in."
Zippers are another place where water can find its way inside the golf bag, as most bags don't include waterproof zippers.
The H2O bag sports pockets and a rain hood that are made with waterproof fabric, taped seams and waterproof zippers. The design keeps items like cell phones and other electronics dry, as well as preserving a scorecard and even a cigar. Use of the rain hood keeps clubs dry.
Designers built the H2O Tech bag on the frame of the popular Superlight 3.5, a lightweight carry bag.
"Superlight 3.5 was designed on the premise of 'Sacrifice nothing but weight,'" said Sun Mountain founder Rick Reimers. "We accomplished it, and now with H2O Tech we have further perfected it."
The bag features a one-piece top with a built-in collar handle that is easy to grab when you're taking the bag off your shoulder. There is also a stand mechanism and X-Strap Dual Strap for comfort in carrying.
The strap attaches to a six-way top that's positioned higher on the bag to move the center of gravity up and provide better balance. It's also got full-length dividers and five pockets, including one that's full length.
H20 Tech will debut at next week's PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., and will be shipped to retailers and consumers beginning in February.
"The bags will be ready to ship right after the show," Snyders said. "It won't be a case of put in your order and wait for six months."
The bags will be available in black and goldenrod and have a suggested retail price of $229.99.
