Review: Riding a bike or skateboard to the golf course with the Back9 Golf Backpack

All Bob Huguelet wanted to do was hit some golf balls.

As golfers, we can all relate, right? The problem was getting there. Living in Chicago, Huguelet planned to get to the range by bike, which made transporting his clubs a nightmare. He saw other urban golfers experiencing the same issues.

Three years later, the idea sparked that day is now a company with a funky-cool new product. Side Street Golf brought the Back9 Golf Backpack to market earlier this year, introducing it at the Chicago Golf Show, after a handful of prototypes and a Kickstarter campaign to fund the project. It's a dream come true for Huguelet, who wants to break down the barriers to the game for urban golfers or college students without a car.

The whole premise of the Back9 Golf Backpack is to make getting to and from the course simple, especially for golfers without a car. They might be riding a bike, walking, skateboarding or riding public transportation like a subway, train or bus. The bag, which weighs just 6.2 pounds, is worn as a backpack to keep your hands free for riding a bike. Even though it's significantly shorter than a traditional bag (34.5 inches tall), its eight pockets are large enough to store balls, shoes and other accessories. The four compartments on top fit all 14 clubs if you wish, but I'd recommend bringing fewer just for the convenience of fewer pounds to carry. Silicone straps secure the clubs so they don't rattle or scratch one another along the way. This is my favorite innovation of the bag. I think more golf bags, backpack-style or otherwise, should integrate this feature. The bag's price is more or less in line with other golf bags at $229.

I'm lucky to live across the street from my local municipal golf course. I tested the Back9 golf backpack twice, once walking and once riding my bike. It can take a little while to get used to clubs sticking up so high in the air. They can make you feel a bit off-balance on a bike, but otherwise, it's completely functional. Its frame is durable enough that it can easily attach to a pull cart or regular golf cart if you don't want to carry the entire round. If you do walk the round, you can carry it back-pack style or with one strap around your shoulder. The retractable legs easily hold up the bag when you set it down to hit a shot.

While I do like the bag, it's a niche product and not for everyone. But for those who need to be creative to get to the course, it could be a life-saver.

Have you ever rode your bike or skateboard to the course? Let us know in the comments below.