Updated January 12, 2023. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown:
Best Overall: YETI Hopper Flip 8 Portable Soft Cooler
“The YETI Hopper Flip 8 features an exceptional insulation that keeps drinks cold for hours. It’s easy to carry, thanks to its detachable shoulder strap.“
Best Compact: CaddyDaddy Golf 9-Pack Golf Bag Compact Cooler
“The Caddy Daddy Golf Bag Cooler has a slender build that can fit anywhere in the cart. It fits nine 12-ounce cans!“
Best 6-pack: Athletico Golf Cooler Bag
“The Athletico Golf Cooler Bag is foam insulated with heat-sealed seams. It’s extremely compact, measuring only 6 inches wide.“
A golf cooler bag provides a convenient vessel for you to take cold drinks and hot food to the course to enjoy.
With several valuable features, including mesh pockets, an adjustable shoulder strap, and a compact size to easily ride in the cart, a golf cooler bag provides all you need for easily accessible refreshments.
In this review of the best cooler bags for the golf course, we’ll break down eight of the best on the market, outlining essential features such as their storage space and ability to keep your drinks cold.
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Table of Contents
What to Look for When Buying the Best Golf Coolers
Storage
Golf bag coolers should follow two different but very important rules. The first rule is that the cooler bag needs to be small enough to fit in a golf cart.
The other rule is that the cooler bag offers enough storage for a few beers and some ice packs to make taking it to the course worth your while.
Slender coolers, sometimes called sleeves, allow enough room for cans and a little ice.
Larger cooler that holds cans and snacks, but can also easily fit in a golf cart or push cart, is also desired for its versatility.
Durability
When we talk about durability with a golf cooler, we are talking about the quality of all three components; the exterior, the insulation, and the interior.
Since the exterior receives most of the beating from riding in the cart, you’ll want a cooler with a durable material that wears well over time.
The lining of the interior of the cooler bag should also be rip-resistant to prevent leaks that cause the temperature to rise and also to keep moisture from destroying the insulation.
Golf cart cooler bags typically also come with shoulder straps to make them easier to carry but more vulnerable to durability issues.
Size
Of course, size is everything when considering what cooler bag to carry in your cart.
Sleeves routinely measure between six and seven inches wide if they come with a handle. Other sleeves that force cans to stack are regularly as wide as the cans they hold.
Other coolers that are too large to fit in golf bags and must ride in the cart measure around 12 inches long with a width of six inches.
These bags have room for golf accessories and other amenities such as a bottle opener.
Insulation
Between the interior lining and the material that covers the exterior lies the insulation of the cooler bag.
With current innovations, insulation doesn’t need to be thicker to be good.
Instead, companies that produce golf cooler bags push to have insulation that drops the internal temperature to create an environment for cold beverages.
If you are shopping for a premium cooler bag, you want to find insulation that’s lightweight but cools efficiently.
The best golf cooler bags offer premium insulation that keeps 12 ounces cans cold while not burdening you with an oversized bag.
Interior Lining
The interior lining of the best golf bag coolers is significant because the lining prevents leaks and helps maintain temperatures when working in concert with the bag’s insulation.
The lining can also help reduce condensation, allowing you to reach into the bag while playing golf without worrying that the can or bottle will be covered in moisture.
If you are interested in keeping a cold beverage colder for longer, pay attention to the quality of the lining.
12 ounces cans can be tough on the lining, so it’s also essential to ensure that the sealing is top-notch.
Best Golf Coolers
- Best Overall: YETI Hopper Flip 8 Portable Soft Cooler
- Best Compact: CaddyDaddy Golf Bag Cooler
- Best 6-pack: Athletico Golf Cooler Bag
- Best Large Bag: Intech Golf Bag Cooler
- Best Collapsible: Callaway Golf Cart Cooler
- Most Durable: Arctic Zone Titan Cooler
- Best Sleeve: Pins & Aces Beer Cooler Sleeve
- Best Durable and Compact: Caddy Swag Bag Cooler
YETI Hopper Flip 8 Portable Soft Cooler
Best Cooler Overall
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Pros
- Exceptional insulation keeps drinks cold for hours
- Capacity of six 12 ounces cans
- Easy to carry with a detachable shoulder strap
Cons
- Expensive price point for smaller cooler bag
YETI’s most popular cooler bag, the Hopper Flip 8, offers golfers a high-grade insulated cooler that can hold a few cans plus easily fit into a golf cart.
Featuring a leakproof zipper, the Flip 8 measures less than a foot long with an 8-inch width.
The cooler also ranks very high in durability with its waterproof DryHide Shell, making it almost indestructible regarding the wear and tear you’ll experience with everyday errands.
What’s great about the Hopper Flip 8 is the versatility. Yes, it is the best golf cooler bag on the market, but it also can accompany you on hunting, fishing, and family trip, providing the storage you need to pack a lunch and store a few drinks.
CaddyDaddy Golf Bag Cooler
Best Compact Cooler
Pros
- Slender build fits anywhere in the cart
- Fits nine 12 ounces cans
- Easy access zippered pockets offer quick access to accessories
Cons
- Better for drinks only, less for food
The CaddyDaddy Golf Bag Cooler provides weekend warriors with a slender cooler bag that fits in the large pocket of your golf bag.
Available in either a 6-can pack or 9-can pack option, the CaddyDaddy cooler does an excellent job of keeping your drinks and snacks cool for the course.
The cooler also features an insulated, leak-resistant inner chamber that keeps cans cold with a couple of smaller ice packs.
Multiple zippered pockets rest along the outside of the cooler bag providing space to store valuables or even some smaller golf gear.
Great for golfers that would rather have more drinks on the course than food, the CaddyDaddy cooler ranks highly as the best compact golf cooler bag on the market today.
Athletico Golf Cooler Bag
Best 6-pack Cooler
Pros
- Holds 6 cans and is easy to carry
- Extremely compact, measuring only 6 inches wide
- Foam insulated with heat-sealed seams
Cons
- Keeps cold for roughly only four hours
The Athletico Golf Cooler Bag offers a slender cooler sleeve that holds six canned drinks or two wine bottles with room to spare.
Keeping your beverages cold for several hours with a reusable ice pack, the Athletico golf bag cooler also fits easily inside the large pocket of most larger golf bags.
One of the best golf bag coolers for golfers that want something compact and dependable for 9-hole rounds, the Athletico golf bag cooler has a water-resistant interior that offers plenty of insulation to keep your drinks cool.
If we had a complaint, the Athletico cooler does an admirable job of keeping drinks cold with ice, but by the end of your round, the temperature of your drinks will rise as your ice melts.
After your round, the Athletico golf cooler bag offers a perfect solution for taking two wine bottles to a dinner party, adding to its versatility.
Intech Golf Bag Cooler
Best Large Bag Cooler
Pros
- Extra-large capacity, up to ten 12 ounces cans
- Mesh side pocket for easy access to a bottle or can drink
- Easy to carry with large handle
Cons
- Smaller than expected, but with deep storage
If six cans just aren’t enough and you need more, Intech’s tall but roomy Golf Bag Cooler provides plenty of room for your drinks and food items.
Available in several colors, the cooler bag isn’t as big as you’d expect, but that’s a plus as it rides comfortably in the back basket of your cart or the floorboard.
Two zippered pockets line the front of the cooler with a handy tee holder that conveniently carries six tees for easy access.
The Intech Golf Bag Cooler is a dynamic accessory for your golf game, versatile enough to handle what you need at a big picnic.
Callaway Golf Cart Cooler Bag
Best Collapsible Cooler
Pros
- When completely empty, collapses to place in the golf bag
- Extremely lightweight but very durable
- Deep storage, up to 12 12-ounce cans
Cons
- Rounded shape makes it hard to carry when full
Callaway’s addition to the cooler bag market delivers several worthwhile features, including an adjustable shoulder strap, deeper storage, and a velcro top that makes getting drinks and snacks quick and easy.
Alongside its dependable cooling, the Callaway bag also collapses to just three inches in height once empty, making it an easy bag to place inside your best golf bags.
Great for a casual day at the course, the Callaway cooler ranks highly on our list for its affordability and utility.
Arctic Zone Titan Cooler
Most Durable Cooler
Pros
- Built to last with long-lasting performance
- Zipperless lid provides quick access to the interior
- One of the best larger cooler bags for trips to the course
Cons
- Busy design, with large mesh pocket
The trendy Arctic Zone Titan cooler, our choice for the most durable golf cooler, provides players with a heavily insulated option with a patented zipperless flip lid for a quick grab-and-go.
The cooler measures just under ten inches in length and height, so you’ll find it easy to place in the cart for smooth riding.
One of the best features of the Arctic Zone bag is the heavy-duty shoulder strap that makes carrying comfortable from the cart to your car.
A great cooler that will last you many years, the Arctic Zone Titan remains a very affordable option.
Pins & Aces Beer Cooler Sleeve
Best Cooler Sleeve
Pros
- Small enough to fit in your best golf bag
- Fits standard, tall boy, or slender seltzer cans
- Impressive insulation that provides 360-degree cooling
Cons
- Can be tough to quickly retrieve cans from interior
If you are in the market for a long insulation sleeve that goes easily in your golf bag, the Pins & Aces Beer Cooler Sleeve offers a fun, colorful solution.
With a storage capacity of up to seven 12-ounce cans, the sleeve offers discreet storage for your beverage needs on the course.
For a specific golf cooler, the Pins & Aces model provides an easy method for carrying drinks even if you use a pushcart to walk the course.
The sleeve can side inside the large side pocket or even go alongside your clubs on the top of your golf bag.
Highly convenient, very affordable, and fun to show off to your playing partners, the Pins & Aces Sleeve delivers a nice alternative to the bulky golf bag cooler.
Caddy Swag Bag Cooler
Best Durable and Compact Cooler
Pros
- Extremely versatile with 6 cans capacity
- Slim enough to store in a large pocket of a golf bag
- Durable polyester exterior wears well over the years
Cons
- Doesn’t offer much in the appearance department
The Caddy Swag Bag Cooler provides golfers with a slender option that offers a high-grade zipper and a durable polyester exterior.
Interior insulation ranks highly as the bag does an admirable job keeping those drinks cool over the course of your round.
Measuring less than 20 inches in length, the Caddy Swag golf cooler bag can easily fit on the cart during your day on the links or slide into the large exterior pocket of your golf bag.
Versatile enough to use for all your outdoor activities in addition to your trip to the golf club, the Caddy Swag golf cooler bag might not win any appearance awards. Still, it performs admirably during the hottest days of the summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a golf cooler?
A golf cooler allows you to keep your drinks cold and take some food to the course for your round.
Featuring a compact build, the cooler can easily fit in the floorboard or the back basket of your golf cart.
Made with several pockets and a comfortable carrying handle, a golf cooler offers ease of use and a simple method to take your favorite drinks and snacks to the course.
Can you take a cooler on the golf course?
Bringing a cooler onto the course depends upon the club’s rules and the laws that govern them.
Most municipal courses allow golfers to bring a golf cooler bag on the grounds.
Some clubs and courses won’t allow you to bring alcohol, such as beer, in your cooler, but they will allow water and canned sodas.
What can you use to keep drinks cold while golfing?
You can use a cooler that provides storage for ice or a long sleeve that stores several cans.
The cooler allows you to place ice inside the interior compartment to keep the drinks and food cool.
The sleeve does not have room for ice, so drinks must be cold before being placed inside the cooler.
Which Yeti cooler is best for golf?
The Yeti Hopper Flip 8 Portable Soft Cooler, our choice for the best Yeti cooler for the golf course, provides storage for several drinks and snacks, the ability to ice down those drinks without leakage, and the durable exterior shell that makes the company’s coolers so popular.