Vessel’s new Player VI costs $449 and the Pro costs $499. I’ve been using the Pro for the past couple of weeks, and this bag is awesome.
Is the Vessel Player VI worth buying?
Both bags in the Vessel Player VI Series hit Vessel’s site September 23, and each one is ten bucks more than the bag it replaces. The Player V Pro was $489. And for that ten bucks, Vessel changed the top, the base, the rangefinder pocket, and a bunch of the pockets.
I’ve been using the Pro, and honestly, what got me was how everything was thought out. It stands up and it never tips, and I love the latch on the rangefinder pocket. To me, it’s the pinnacle of golf bag design right now.
So let’s get into what’s actually new, which of the two fits how you play, and the one golfer I’d send somewhere else.
Quick Overview
- Both bags are sold direct by Vessel: $449 for the Player VI, $499 for the Pro.
- The new top gives every club its own full-length, velour-lined channel, with a bigger putter well that keeps your putter away from your irons.
- The Axis-Lock rangefinder pocket unhooks, lets you grab the rangefinder, and re-locks in one motion, held by a magnetic catch.
- Both bags ship with the Equilibrium 2.0 double strap, the Rotator Stand, carbon fiber legs, and a new anti-jam base.
- The Pro adds a bigger 7-way or 14-way top, a magnetic ball pocket with no zipper, a quick-access magnetic side pocket, and an interior ring pocket.
Spec Sheet
| Specification | Player VI | Player VI Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $449 | $499 |
| Top | 6-way or 14-way | Larger 7-way or 14-way |
| Dividers | Full-length, fully enclosed, velour-lined | Full-length, fully enclosed, velour-lined |
| Putter well | Expanded | Expanded |
| Rangefinder pocket | Axis-Lock, magnetic catch | Axis-Lock, magnetic catch |
| Ball pocket | Standard | Magnetic, no zipper |
| Strap | Equilibrium 2.0 double strap | Equilibrium 2.0 double strap |
| Stand | Rotator Stand, carbon fiber legs | Rotator Stand, carbon fiber legs |
| Base | Reengineered anti-jam base | Reengineered anti-jam base |
| Pockets | 10 exterior, 8 interior | 10 exterior, 9 interior |
| Cooler | Insulated cooler pocket plus 2 insulated magnetic bottle pockets | Insulated cooler pocket plus 2 insulated magnetic bottle pockets |
| Valuables | Hidden valuables, exterior valuables, AirTag pocket | Hidden valuables, exterior valuables, interior ring, quick-access magnetic side pocket, AirTag pocket |
| Material | Tour-grade synthetic leather, or DXR ripstop | Tour-grade synthetic leather, or DXR ripstop |
| Touch points | Genuine leather zipper pulls and top handle | Genuine leather zipper pulls and top handle |
| Colors | Black, White, Grey, Navy, Eden, DXR | Black, White, Grey, Navy, Eden, DXR |
| In the box | Matching rain hood, cart strap sleeve | Matching rain hood, cart strap sleeve |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
The New Top and the Axis-Lock Pocket Fix What You Touch on Every Shot
Let’s start with the top, because that’s where you actually live during a round.
Every club gets its own full-length channel, fully enclosed, top to bottom, and lined with velour. So you’re not pulling your 8-iron and dragging two other clubs out with it. You’re not listening to your shafts bang together the whole way around. The club goes in clean and it comes out clean.
And then there’s the putter well. Putter grips got big, and a lot of bags were never built for that. You end up jamming a fat grip into a slot that doesn’t want it, and every time you pull it, it’s rubbing past your irons. Vessel made the putter well bigger on this generation, so the putter sits in its own spot and comes out without crowding everything else.
Now, here’s the first real difference between the two bags. The Pro has the larger top, in a 7-way or a 14-way. The Player VI comes in a 6-way or a 14-way. If you carry, I’d lean toward the smaller count, because wider slots are just faster when you’re grabbing a club on the move. If the bag lives on a cart, get the 14-way so every club has its own slot.
Now the rangefinder pocket. If you’ve owned a Vessel, you know the magnetic rangefinder pocket. It’s always been one of the best things about these bags. Your rangefinder is right there, and you’re not digging through three pockets to find it.
The Axis-Lock keeps that idea and adds a latch. You unhook it, grab the rangefinder, and re-lock it in one motion, and a magnetic catch holds it shut. So it’s still quick, but now it’s actually latched instead of just sitting there.
I love this latch. If you pull a rangefinder on every hole, this is a real reason to pick the Player VI over an older bag. And it’s on both models, so you don’t have to spend the extra $50 to get it.
It Stands Up, It Never Tips, and the Weight Is Fine
Here’s another one that got me. You set this bag down, and it stays put.
Vessel changed the base on this generation. They call it an anti-jam base, and it does two jobs. It keeps your clubs separated all the way to the bottom of the bag, so they’re not bunching up when the bag leans back on its legs. And Vessel built it to hold the bag stable however you set it down.
Then you’ve got the patented Rotator Stand and carbon fiber legs underneath it. That’s what you want when you’re setting it down on a tee box that isn’t flat. If you’ve ever watched a stand bag slowly tip over into wet grass with your grips hanging out, you know why I care about this.
And if you ride, there’s a cart strap pass-through tunnel, and Vessel now includes a matching cart strap sleeve in the box. So the cart strap goes through the bag instead of crushing your pockets.
And both bags come with the Equilibrium 2.0 double strap. That matters, because it means you don’t have to buy the Pro just to get a proper carry strap. The $449 Player VI has it too.
I’ve carried the Pro, and the weight is fine. It’s so fluid when you’re working out of it. You set it down, the legs come out, you grab a club, you pick it back up, and it all just works together. Everything on this bag was purposely built.
There’s also an integrated back panel. So yes, if you carry your bag, I’d recommend it.
The Pockets Are Where the Pro Earns Its Extra $50
But what’s a golf bag without storage? The Player VI has 10 pockets on the outside and 8 on the inside. The Pro has 10 outside and 9 inside.
Both bags get an insulated cooler pocket, plus 2 insulated magnetic bottle pockets, so your drinks aren’t sitting in the sun on the side of the bag all afternoon. Both get a large garment pocket for your rain jacket, a hidden valuables pocket, an exterior valuables pocket, and a pocket built for an AirTag. If you’ve ever put your clubs on a plane, that AirTag pocket is a big deal. You’re not dropping a tracker loose in some random pocket and hoping it’s still there when you land. The personals pockets are lined with antimicrobial velour, and all the zippers are water-resistant.
And if you ride every round, Vessel makes a Player VI Golf Club Organizer to pair with it, sold separately.
You also get the little stuff in the box: a matching rain hood, a velcro glove patch, a carabiner towel ring, an umbrella loop, a pen holder, and two D-rings for your name tag.
Now, the Pro adds three things. A magnetic ball pocket with no zipper, which sounds like nothing until you’re trying to open a zipper with a glove on. A quick-access magnetic side pocket. And an interior ring pocket. Add the bigger top, and that’s the Pro. If you want every one of those, the extra $50 is easy money. If you don’t care about them, the Player VI gives you everything else.
Either way, you’re getting the same finish. Tour-grade synthetic leather, real leather on the zipper pulls and the top handle, and six colors on both, including a DXR version made from Diamond X-PAC ripstop if you want a lighter fabric body. The one I’ve been using is the gray.
What I Don’t Love
This isn’t the lightest bag Vessel makes, and it’s not trying to be. It’s built for structure and storage. If you walk 36 on a Saturday, or you’ve got a bad back, and the lightest possible bag is the whole point for you, look at the Vessel Player Air Carbon. It’s $419 and 5.2 pounds, and it has the double strap too.
Who It’s For
Buy it if:
- You want one premium stand bag that works walking, riding, and on a push cart.
- You pull a rangefinder on every hole and want it locked in place.
- You’re tired of clubs tangling and a putter that fights you on the way out.
- You travel with your clubs and want a built-in AirTag pocket.
Skip it if:
- The lightest possible bag is your top priority. Get the Player Air Carbon.
- You already own a Player V Pro and don’t care about the new rangefinder pocket or base.
- You want a big cart bag with a cart-style top. This is a stand bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Vessel Player VI and Player VI Pro?
Fifty dollars and a handful of pockets. The Pro has a larger top, offered as a 7-way or 14-way, plus a no-zipper magnetic ball pocket, a quick-access side pocket, and a ring pocket inside, for 19 pockets total. The Player VI is a 6-way or 14-way with 18 pockets. The putter well, rangefinder pocket, base, stand, and strap are shared.
Does the Vessel Player VI have a double strap?
Yes. Both the Player VI and the Player VI Pro ship with Vessel’s Equilibrium 2.0 double strap, along with the Rotator Stand and carbon fiber legs.
How much does the Vessel Player VI cost?
$449 for the Player VI and $499 for the Pro, sold direct by Vessel. That’s $10 more than the Player V and Player V Pro they replace.
What is the Axis-Lock rangefinder pocket?
It’s Vessel’s new rangefinder pocket on both Player VI models. It has a latch you unhook to get the rangefinder out, and a magnetic catch holds it closed again. It’s as quick as the old magnetic pocket, but the rangefinder is actually latched in.
Is a Vessel golf bag worth the money?
If you want a stand bag that keeps your clubs organized, holds its shape, and looks good off the course, yes. You’re paying for how it’s organized and how it’s built, and both of these carry on a double strap.
Final Thoughts: Vessel Player VI Review
So here’s where I land. The Pro is the one I’ve been carrying, and I’d recommend it to anybody who carries. If you’ll use every pocket, spend the extra $50 on it. If you won’t, the Player VI at $449 still gets you the new top, the Axis-Lock pocket, the base, and the double strap. And if weight is all you care about, go get the Player Air Carbon. Still shopping the rest of the lineup? My best Vessel golf bags list covers every one.
About the Author
I’m Paul Liberatore, founder of Golfers Authority. I review golf gear to help everyday golfers spend smarter and avoid products that don’t fit how they actually play.
About the author
Paul Liberatore
Paul Liberatore is the founder of Golfers Authority and a former four-year golf gear contributor to Sports Illustrated. He tests golf equipment hands-on to help golfers make better buying decisions.