Not every golfer uses their mobile phone on the golf course like I do. I get that. But I use it a fair amount. Between the golf gadgets and apps I occasionally use -- Arccos, 18Birdies, maybe a separate GPS app, Spotify for music streaming to my Bluetooth speaker, which also needs charging -- and the occasional need to update this website with some BREAKING NEWS, I drain my phone during a round. When I finish playing golf, it's usually on life support battery-wise, if not dead. That's bad news for trying to get in touch with my wife about potential dinner plans and other things.
Bottom line: I've started playing golf with a mobile phone-charging battery pack in my bag. It's great. I throw my phone in a pocket with it, connect them with a mini USB cable, and I'm all set.
However, I needed to get a battery pack and get that all set up on my own.
Sun Mountain has realized the demand for this is more than just me, with plenty of golfers needing a power source when they walk (or ride, if there's not a USB plug in the cart). So, they're going to start selling two bags with a 7800 mAh rechargeable, portable power pack. That's enough power to charge many mobile phones three times over a round. There are two USB ports, one standard and one rapid-charging, allowing recharging of multiple devices at the same time.
Of course, like with any battery pack, you'll have to charge it, too, eventually. The positioning within the bag, though, is nice to make the phone accessible for a moment's notice.
The Supercharged C-130 cart bag will be golf shops in June for $280 and the Supercharged 4.5 carry bag will be in stores by August at $250. You're paying a $40 premium over the normal bags. That's perhaps a little more expensive than some battery packs you can find online, but it saves the hassle.
