I heard about Stitch Golf while at Pinehurst. I was paired with a guy carrying a classic-looking, forest-green stand bag with a small white Pinehurst logo. Looking closer, I realized it was made of a vinyl-like material unlike anything I’d seen on a golf bag. When I asked about it, he raved: “This is a Stitch bag. They’re based up the road in Cary and they’re gonna be big!”
A week later, an email arrived from a reader: “I’ve been looking for a light, waterproof golf bag for a Scottish golf trip. What do you know about Stitch Golf?”
You don’t need to tell me twice. So at the PGA Merchandise Show, I went straight to the Stitch Golf booth. I was impressed with the quality, but the combination of clean, classic styling and that cool vinyl-like material—they call it “touring fabric”—was what won me over.
I reached out to Katherine Collins, in Stitch Golf’s marketing department, to learn more. She told me the company was founded in 2012 to make headcovers. After being recapitalized a year ago, they launched two flagship products: The SL1 Golf Bag ($328) and what they call the Ultimate Garment Bag ($278), both of which took off. “Fast forward to 2018, and Stitch has added 10 more colors of the golf bags, as well as a variety of luxury gift items including a tote pack and roller duffel bag,” says Collins.
The distinctive touring fabric has been key from the start, Collins explained. They wanted a proprietary fabric that was super-light, durable, and waterproof. Without it, Stitch would be another bag company; with it, they’re doing something different that turns heads. It turned mine.
I also liked the Ultimate Garment Bag—or UGB—a duffle and hanging clothes bag in one, made of the same touring fabric, with sides that completely unzip to reveal the contents. “We call it ‘drop the top’ functionality,” says Collins. “When traveling with a duffel bag, you have to empty the bag to see what’s inside. With the UGB, you can set the bag down, ‘drop the top,’ and easily see everything you packed without removing anything.” The company is so enthused about the originality and design that a utility patent is pending.
Late last year, Stitch purchased Fennec Golf, a high-class apparel maker. Watch for them to keep growing and keep making waves, too.
