“Sustainable golf” with Sun Mountain Eco-Lite Golf Bags

Every year or two, some non-golfer commentator decries golf courses as environmentally disastrous or socially corrosive, or both. Calls to “liberate” golf courses for the masses ignore the fact that 75% of American courses are public. Criticisms of golf courses as chemical-laden monocultures are not without some merit, though: in the US, those private clubs and some high-end public courses do have a history of environmentally unfriendly maintenance habits over-reliant on pesticides and herbicides.

But the vast green spaces that golf courses represent are increasingly more sustainable, developing low-impact herbicides and drought-resistant turfs, and fostering biodiversity. Here’s an incomplete list of the wildlife I’ve seen on the municipal course that I call home: red fox, woodchuck, otter, muskrat, white-tailed deer, bald eagle, red-tailed hawk, great blue heron, snowy egret, great horned owl, snapping turtle, painted turtle, black snake, pileated woodpecker, Cooper’s hawk…the list could go on for a full page. It is hard to see how converting green spaces into, say, tracts of housing, would improve the environment.

Golf equipment has lagged somewhat behind golf courses in its evolution towards sustainability, although some of the clubs themselves can last for many decades. There are notable exceptions like bamboo and biodegradable tees, bamboo-fiber clothing, and electric golf carts. Sun Mountain’s 2024 Eco-Lite Stand Bag ($250) and Eco-Lite Cart Bag ($280) are prime examples of this new breed of sustainable golf equipment.

Eco-Lite Bags are made with Repreve® Fabric, which is woven from recycled plastic bottles. Approximately 25 20-ounce bottles go into the construction of each Eco-Lite golf bag. Sun Mountain has partnered with 1% for the Planet, a global network of businesses, individuals, and environmental organizations tackling our planet’s biggest environmental issues. They donate a percentage of Eco-Lite sales to Montana Rivers, Inc., an organization dedicated to conserving and protecting rivers through outreach, restoration, and advocacy. 

How does the Sun Mountain Eco-Lite Stand Bag play?

We’ve established the “eco” bit of the bag’s moniker. What about the “lite” bit? The Eco-Lite Stand Bag weighs in at just 4.1 lbs. It has a roomy 9-inch top with a 4-way divider, along with 6 pockets.

Despite the light weight, the pocket configuration is extremely accommodating. There’s room for the rain hood (included) and rain gear, extra towel, extra balls, and an umbrella. The specialized pockets include a lined valuables pocket, a pocket for a range-finder, and an oversized bottle sleeve. The clips at the top are convenient for a towel and a bag of tees. The graphite legs are very stable, and the well-padded, dual-straps are easy-on, easy-off.

The Eco-Lite is ideal as either a carry bag, a pushcart bag, or as a cart bag when riding is in the cards. But if you ride, hopefully the cart is electric – sustainable golf isn’t paradoxical, after all.