Superintendent Josh Smith (center) and his business partners Joe Cloyes (left) and former MLB baseball standout Buster Posey are knocking it out of the park with FlagBag. Photo by Beau Walchek
Josh Smith wasn’t physically at Augusta National Golf Club during the 2024 Masters, but a piece of him certainly made its presence felt.
You’ve probably heard the expression “that’s my bag.” For Smith, that phrase took on a literal meaning last year in Augusta, Ga. As legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus prepared to hit one of the ceremonial tee shots during the opening round of the Masters, the custom golf bag he was using quickly grabbed the attention of fans and media. The reason? The bag was Smith’s business’s creation — a bespoke FlagBag for The Golden Bear.
Smith, the superintendent at Orinda Country Club in Orinda, Calif., and co-owner of FlagBag, designed the bag that Nicklaus showcased on the tee. Nicklaus’ grandson reached out to Smith to make it happen. “He wanted to surprise his grandpa with a bag featuring the five majors Jack considered his favorites,” says Smith, who designs every FlagBag himself, selecting the layout, colors and overall design. “He gave it to Jack for his 84th birthday, and Jack was absolutely thrilled with the gift.”
Smith’s excitement was amplified when a personal letter from Jack arrived, thanking Smith and calling the bag “the coolest bag I’ve ever seen or owned.” The response from Smith’s network was equally enthusiastic. “I started getting messages before I even saw the bag in action. It stood out like a sore thumb at the Masters, and having Jack use it on the first tee was surreal,” Smith says.
This exposure was a huge boost for Smith, whose FlagBag business was born in 2019. Thanks to the Nicklaus connection and the involvement of some notable partners, including former San Francisco Giants star Buster Posey and Youth to the People co-founder Joe Cloyes, FlagBag is soaring. Smith and his brother Matt initially launched the company, but by mid-2024, Matt returned to his career in commercial real estate, leaving Posey and Cloyes as Smith’s primary business partners.
Smith met Posey about five years ago at Orinda CC, shortly before Posey's stellar career concluded in 2021. Posey’s excellent run featured a .302 career batting average, and he is the only player in history besides Pete Rose to be Rookie of the Year and league MVP and earn three World Series championships. “He’s a really interesting guy, very eclectic,” Posey says of Smith. “When I played at Orinda, I saw Josh carrying a prototype bag. I was intrigued. It was beautiful, something unique that golfers would love. It really stood out.”
Posey was so impressed that he jokingly told Smith, “Whenever you need a board of directors, call me.”
“FlagBag is a great product, and I want to help in any way I can to see it succeed,” Posey says. Posey’s own FlagBag features vintage orange and black flags that once flew at Orinda CC.
Smith’s path to FlagBag began when he became the superintendent at Orinda CC. With years of experience at several prestigious courses, he noticed a recurring trend: Used pin flags were often completely discarded. “After a member-guest event, I ended up with 22 extra flags,” recalls Smith, a nine-year GCSAA member. “They were brand new and made of high-quality material, so I started wondering what I could do with them,” he says.
After several months of brainstorming, Smith realized he needed some help with the sewing, so he reached out to his friend Todd Rohrer, who was launching his own bag company — MacDonald Leathergoods — in Portland, Ore. Rohrer still helps Smith make FlagBag bags.
This FlagBag belongs to GCSAA Class A superintendent Kyle Hegland from Sand Hills Golf Club in Mullen, Neb. Photo courtesy of Kyle Hegland
Cloyes admires Smith’s energy and creativity. “Josh is a sharp guy with incredible drive,” says Cloyes, whose beauty brand company Youth to the People started 10 years ago. “I love the stories behind these bags. They’re not just bags — they’re works of art, each one with unique stories tied to the bag. We’re building something special.”
FlagBag gained significant exposure during a AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, when announcer and past GCSAA Old Tom Morris Award recipient Jim Nantz mentioned Smith on air, noting that Smith had made 175 bags for the event. Viewers saw actor Bill Murray carrying one of Smith’s bags during the broadcast.
Since then, FlagBag has expanded its offerings beyond golf bags, producing accessories like duffel bags, valuables pouches and headcovers. Some of the company’s high-profile clients include major champion Ben Crenshaw and PGA Tour standout Will Zalatoris. As of January 2025, Smith says approximately 2,000 golf bags have been sold. While FlagBag has gained traction, Smith is quick to point out that this isn’t a “get-rich-quick” venture. “It hasn’t changed the trajectory of my family’s life just yet,” Smith says, noting that FlagBags start at $975.
Kyle Hegland, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Sand Hills Golf Club in Mullen, Neb., has been a longtime friend of Smith’s and is now a proud FlagBag customer.
“Josh is a real inspiration,” says Hegland, a 20-year GCSAA member. “He’s so creative and passionate about everything he does.”
Hegland’s enthusiasm for FlagBag reflects the growing trend among golf course superintendents to repurpose old flags in a sustainable way. “Using FlagBag to breathe new life into our worn flags has been a game-changer,” Hegland says. “I highly recommend other superintendents consider it — it’s a simple, eco-friendly solution that helps reduce waste while giving old flags a second chance to be put to good use.”
Smith’s creative streak runs deep. In his youth, he once made golf balls out of crushed tin foil, saran wrap and tape. He also still paints golf landscape scenes, a passion he’s had since he was young. Some of his paintings were even used by major champion Tom Lehman for a course he designed in Nebraska.
Smith is a man of many talents, and everything he does has a purpose. “I’ve got three jobs,” Smith says, “and I’m passionate about every single one.”
Howard Richman is GCM's associate editor