Gear: FlagBag branches out
The company that makes the unique carry bags you’ve seen on social media, has another item you’ll love
By Tony Dear
The calm before the equipment storms of Christmas and the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando allows us to feature a product we’ve wanted to for weeks, even months, but couldn’t find the space for.
We first featured Josh Smith and FlagBag in May 2020, shortly after Josh and brother Matt formed a company that, working together with Portland, Ore.-based Macdonald Leathergoods, stitched together old course flags to make really cool, one-of-a-kind golf carry bags.
They were an instant hit and their reputation has continued to grow. Readers may frequently see golfers on their various social media channels carrying their bag made up of flags from courses that are special to them.
About eight months ago, Smith decided the time was right to add duffel bags to the company store. He’d had the idea for some time – it appeared not long after making the first FlagBags, in fact – but it takes a while for an idea to get off the ground, sufficient demand to grow, and for a small operation to find the necessary links in a supply chain.
‘Supply chain’ is probably an overly grandiose term for a company like FlagBag, but Smith wanted it done right and, while his friends at Macdonald Leathergoods had been (and still are) an instrumental part of bringing FlagBags to life, he partnered with a business in Santa Rosa, Calif. to produce the duffel bags.
An important part of the supply chain for every bag, be it duffel or carry, is, of course, the customer who needs to send Smith the flags he/she wants included. Shane Bacon, broadcaster, podcaster, author and really good golfer was part of a ‘dudes trip’ to Tubac Golf Resort in southern Arizona earlier this year and had 16 made up for his buddies.
“They were perfect gifts,” he says. “I use mine a lot for daily trips, and going to/from the club. It’s such a cool company, I love what they do. I’ve started to use FlagBag as an awesome ‘thank you’ present because they’re so special.”
Bacon says he reached out to Tubac a few months before the trip to purchase the flags. “They ordered the flags they use on the course and mailed them to Josh,” he says.
Smith says course architect Gil Hanse purchased ten duffel bags a while back for the guys on his construction crew. “Gil says his staff absolutely loved them,” Smith adds. “Some of them actually had tears in their eyes.”
Each bag takes about three weeks to make says Smith, the superintendent at Orinda CC in California and also a highly-acclaimed oil painter. Though about to start work on a Cruden Bay picture, Smith says he should be able to meet orders in time for Christmas if they are marked ‘Urgent’ and provided he receives the flags within the next few days. DM him on the company’s Instagram page (flagbaggolf), or email him at [email protected].
$270
Company also makes apparel, mugs, hats, valuables pouches, and headcovers. Gift cards are also available.
flagbaggolfco.com
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