It seems simple enough.

You purchase a golf bag, put your golf clubs and balls in it, maybe a glove or two, and you’re ready to go. And yes, in reality, how you organize your golf bag really isn’t that complicated. But there are ways you can do it to optimize the type of bag you have, where you play, and what kind of player you are.

You’ll also want to be cognizant of how much it weighs. The other day, I picked up a friend’s golf bag to put it on a golf cart, and realized in a few years, I might not be strong enough to pick that bag up. I bring this up, because if you’re walking and carrying, a main goal is to keep overall weight in mind. So let’s start there -- with carry bags.

A carry bag comes in multiple styles - a stand bag with legs, typically with four-, five-, or six-way dividers on top, or a light Sunday bag, which often doesn't have legs and usually only three total dividers and limited pockets. So let’s start with how to put your golf clubs in first. If you typically walk and are carrying the USGA limit of 14 golf clubs, here’s how you organize your clubs in a five-way divider.

The largest receptacle should be on the top when the bag is on its stand or farthest away from you when on a powered cart. That’s where you put your driver and other larger-head clubs like fairway woods and hybrids that come with head covers. I carry a three-wood and two hybrids as well as my driver, and can easily fit all four clubs in that opening. I use a 5 iron though pitching wedge. In one of the next two slots, I put my 5, 6, and 7 iron; then in the next slot is my 8 iron, 9 iron, and pitching wedge. In the bottom slots, which are the closest, I keep my other three wedges -- the shortest clubs -- which is a gap, 56-degree, and a lob wedge. I usually put my putter there, too, but I’ve also carried the putter in the same slot as woods. It really depends on the bag. Sometimes, it’s just easier to put the putter on top.

As for the rest of a carry bag, there’s usually a front pocket low and center for balls, a couple of side pockets, a valuables pouch and in the good ones, a magnetic pocket above the ball pocket for a rangefinder or some other kind of distance device. If you’re walking, this pocket is critical, because you use your distance device on just about every hole, and it needs to be easily accessible. I like the magnetic pockets because zippers are cumbersome and easy to leave open. And you don’t want an expensive rangefinder falling out of your bag during the round, never to be seen again.

So how many balls should you pack? Well, that depends on how fast you lose them, but if you’re walking, six or eight golf balls should certainly be enough to make your way around the course. You don’t want two dozen golf balls in there; they really do add a lot of weight.

The same goes for an umbrella. If you’re sure it’s not going to rain, you might want to leave the umbrella and rain gear in the trunk of the car or at home.

The valuables pouch, which is usually located on the upper right side of the bag, is where you want to store your keys, cellphone and wallet. The largest pocket, usually located underneath the valuables pouch, is a great spot for outerwear you might need during your round. And there’s usually a large pocket lower left as well. That’s a good place for sunscreen, bug spray (if you think you might need it), an adjustable club wrench (always pack this), and a bag of tees and ball markers. This is also good place for a rules book and yardage book for the course you are playing.

Most every golf bag also features a small pouch on the outside for a sharpie or pencil, too, but if it doesn’t, you can include those with your tees in a small bag.

Finally, where should you put other equipment like gloves and a towel? Many bags nowadays come with a velcro strip to attach a glove, but I still like fastening them around the upper strap. (It seems more secure that way). As for the towels, there are a couple of options. A bigger towel without a clip can be draped over the clubs or through the large carry handle. Of course, you might like a towel clip. My argument for a free-flowing towel is that it’s easier to take it off and dampen than one on a towel clip. Some golf bags also come with a towel ring, which is ideal.

If you ride, you could take your carry bag, of course, but a cart bag might be preferable. A cart bag usually boasts more pockets, which means more options. The principles are largely the same. Some of them have a cart-strap pass-through that goes under the upper pockets. I love this feature because whether you are using it on a powered cart or a trolley, the strap doesn’t impede your access to these pockets.

The neat thing about cart bags is that some of these extra pockets allow you to bring things that you wouldn’t normally put in your golf bag. One popular pocket among many of the newer cart bags is an insulated “frosty pocket.” The good ones allow you put ice and drinks in there, and they act as a cooler. While many courses don’t want you to bring your own beverages, we know many golfers do this anyway.

Also, weight is less of an issue with a cart bag, which usually has larger ball pockets (feel free to carry two dozen if you like). Cart bags are large enough for an umbrella, ball retriever or multiple drivers, if that's your thing.

A lot of cart bags also come with 14-way dividers, which means every club has a slot. Those are great for protecting each club, especially graphite shafts. It’s a matter of personal preference, of course, but the key to making a 14-way divider work is to make sure each slot has an assigned club. Keep them in order, otherwise, you might have a hard time finding the empty slot while replacing your club during a round. I just do them in order from longest to most lofted, back to front.

Many cart bags also come with a dedicated putter well, which helps you avoid potential damage to your putter (often one of the most valuable clubs in your bag) as well as provide easy access.

Cart bags are also sort of like tour or staff bags used by professional golfers. The tour players have caddies, of course, and the bags are packed with every possible scenario. So a lot of caddies make sure they pack some fuel for their players, like jerky or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and there’s no reason you can’t do that either.

Many of them will also carry an alignment rod for their pre-round range session, too. It takes up very little space. Just be sure you don’t use it while on the course. That would be illegal.

What are your tricks and tips for organizing your golf bag? Let us know in the comments below.

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