Sunday Golf El Camino Stand Bag Review

Mike Bailey evaluates the new midsize bag, the "El Camino" stand bag from Sunday Golf, and puts it through its paces

Sunday Golf El Camino Stand Bag Review
(Image credit: Mike Bailey)
Golf Monthly Verdict

Sunday Golf's new El Camino may be just right for a large percentage of golfers.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Perfect for casual walking rounds

  • +

    Plenty of storage space for such a thin profile

  • +

    Lots of nice features, including a "frosty pocket"

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Not designed for players who insist on always carrying 14 clubs

Why you can trust Golf Monthly Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Sunday Golf El Camino Stand Bag Review

There are golf courses that claim their designs will have you using "every club in the bag," but most golfers rarely use all 14 clubs during a round. I could have easily gotten by during my last round without one of my hybrids and my 3-wood for starters. And many players certainly don't use their long irons enough to justify them. This is part of the concept behind the new El Camino Stand Bag from Sunday Golf, which takes its place among the best carry bags on the market

"If you ask most golfers if they use every club in their set during a round, you probably won't find many who do," said Ronan Galvin, co-founder of Sunday Golf.  "Walking golf (in large part because of the pandemic) has also seen a huge resurgence...  The El Camino is designed for golfers who want a lighter, more comfortable experience while carrying most of their clubs."

The Southern California company, which successfully rolled out its true Sunday bag, the Loma, a couple of years ago, now offers a rig that's sleek, has plenty of features, and is designed to hold 10-12 clubs.  It's also very easy to transport, whether that's in the trunk of the car or checking it on an airplane with a smaller travel cover perhaps. And it works great for those practice sessions at the range and the short-game area.

"El Camino," by the way, translates into "the way" or "the path" from Spanish to English. An apt name, to be sure, it's a bag that is first and foremost great for walkers. Because it's thin, it's not ideal for most push carts, though.

The El Camino from Sunday Golf is a great bag to take to the range.

(Image credit: Future)

What we like about the El Camino is that despite its slim profile, there are lots of very usable pockets. It weighs just 3.8 pounds, yet there are five good sized pockets, a four-way divider on top with full length dividers, and a self-balancing double strap that's very comfortable. 

Among those pockets is a "frosty" insulated pocket, which can hold four cold beverages. The ball pocket is certainly big enough to comfortably hold a dozen balls, plus there are three netted pouches inside for tees or whatever else you want to separate from your golf balls.  And above the ball pocket is an easy-access pocket for rangefinders, which is a critical for walkers. 

The largest pocket, located on the right side, is plenty big for outerwear or a jacket. And there's a nice-sized, lined valuables pouch as well as another open pocket on the right side, which is angled perfectly to carry a large water bottle if you're walking. 

A back pad on the El Camino Standbag from Sunday Golf

(Image credit: Mike Bailey)

In addition to the pockets, the El Camino bag also has back padding on the left side to make it more comfortable to carry, as well as a towel ring and velcro to hold a golf glove. It's also a great looking bag, coming in several color combinations. They include Matte Black, Heather Gray, Midnight Green and Seafoam.

The truth is this bag, which retails for around $180, would work for so many kinds of players. Those with slower swing speeds really can't hit low lofted clubs anyway, so they really don't need more than 10 clubs. And anyone looking to walk and carry during a casual round, can certainly lighten their load with two or more fewer clubs -- and probably become a better player for it. 

Mike Bailey
Contributing writer

Mike has worked in the golf industry for nearly 30 years with full-time staff positions at publications and websites that include PGA Magazine, the Golfweek Group, and GolfChannel.com. He is currently writing for several different sites and magazines and serves as a contributing equipment writer for Golf Monthly, focusing on irons, shoes and the occasional training aid or piece of technical equipment. 

Mike has experienced a number of highlights in his career, including covering several Ryder Cups, PGA Championships and the Masters, writing instruction pieces and documenting the best places for golf travel for more than a decade.

Mike carries a 7.6 handicap index and has two hole-in-ones, the most recent coming in February 2022. A resident of Texas for more than 40 years, Mike plays out of Memorial Park Golf Course (home of the Houston Open on the PGA Tour).