Here are the 10 best golf gifts from the perspective of an actual golfer (rather than an affiliate marketer who writes a "top 10" guide without having ever stepped foot on a golf course). Although there are affiliate links in this post, you have my word that these gifts are gifts that a serious golfer would actually want for Christmas.
If your Dad, Husband, or friend receiving these gifts isn't happy with them, you let them know that Zach from The DIY Golfer recommended them and I'll take the blame and listen to their daily rant about why their golf game isn't working :)
My top pick: A Versatile Shoe for the "Stylish" Golfer
Adidas Men's S2g Golf Shoe
Here’s the deal. A golfer can NEVER have too many golf shoes. NEVER.
If the guy you are shopping for has any sense of fashion, this is the shoe for him (under $100). I love the look of these shoes and as a golfer who has worn many Adidas golf shoes in my career, you can’t go wrong with them.
You’ll notice that these shoes don’t have spikes on the bottom. That’s okay. The “spikeless” golf shoe has gained a lot of traction recently thanks to pros like Freddy Couples, and although he won’t be able to use these on a wet golf course (not enough traction), these are a PERFECT summer shoe.
If you’re not 100% sold on these, I almost recommended this pair, which I also love the look of.
My Shoe Pick for the "traditional" Golfer
Adidas Men's Tour360 Xt Golf Shoe
Can I emphasize this one more time... A golfer can NEVER have too many golf shoes.
If the guy you are shopping for doesn't have a very diverse wardrobe, this shoe is perfect. This shoe signifies to other golfers that "I'm a traditional guy, but I know what I'm doing". You can't go wrong with a pair of Adidas golf shoes.
A Golfer's Gift Basket
The essential golf supplies
If you're trying to stay simple, this is a great gift basket for any golfer. Here's what is in it:
The essentials (a golfer can never have too many of these):
- Vice Pro Plus Golf Balls - I've done an entire review on these and even as a competitive golfer, I love these budget golf balls. Vice has become a big name in the last couple of years because of its value proposition of offering premium golf balls at a budget price. The one thing that I will note is that some golfers are very religious about the golf ball that they use, so if your guy is like that, make sure you know what that golf ball is, and purchase it!
- FootJoy StaSof Golf Glove - You might see cheaper alternatives on Amazon, but the reason this is more expensive is because it is made of leather. The budget gloves are not made of leather and if I received them as a gift, I probably wouldn't even use them. So pay the extra $5-10 here and get him a tour quality golf glove. And remember, a right-handed golfer wears his glove on his left hand, and here is a useful sizing chart.
- Tees - No need to get fancy here; a true golfer uses the classic wooden/bamboo tee and can never have too many of them!
Add-Ons (if he already has one of these, no need for more):
- Ball marker kit - When putting, golfers will draw a straight line on their golf ball for alignment purposes. This tool helps you draw that straight line and is a must-have for any serious golfer.
- Alignment sticks - When at the driving range, you set these down by your feet to align yourself to the target. This also is a must-have in any serious golfer's bag (I leave them in my golf bag).
Feel free to mix and match these items, and remember, a golfer can never have too many golf balls.
My Clothing Pick
Adidas Climastorm Provisional Short Sleeve Rain/Wind Jacket
Most golf clothing that I would want as a golfer is over $100, but I thought I should at least include 1 item of clothing on this list.
As a golfer, wearing a short-sleeve rain jacket (even on a sunny day) has an odd way of boosting your confidence. I can't explain why, but whenever I wear one of these over my golf polo, I feel like I could hang with the pros. Whether this thing actually drops your score remains to be said, but as a competitive golfer myself, I love wearing these things.
You might ask--why would anyone want a short-sleeve rain jacket?? Well, most golf is played in the summer, and if you're out in the rain during the summer, putting on a long-sleeve rain jacket makes you sweat BAD. This jacket is breathable and gives you a much-needed ego boost for that tee shot over water on the 18th hole.
Long story short, if I received this as a gift, I would be PUMPED. The main button link goes to a white jacket (pictured), but here are some alternative colors that won't be so difficult to keep clean (but in my opinion don't look as cool).
For indoor practice
Chipping Net (Indoor / Outdoor)
If you've got a basement and a loved one that can't get enough golf during the summer, this is a perfect gift. I have spent many hours chipping golf balls into a net like this in my basement. I used real golf balls, but I can't say I recommend that if you care about anything in your basement.
For the Reader
Various Golf Books for the Golf Nerd
These are all of my favorite golf books. Although I wouldn't be mad if I received all of these as a gift, below will help you choose what's right for your guy. Click the links below to go to each book's Amazon page.
Books every golfer MUST read
For the analytical golfer
For the guy who likes a good nonfiction "novel"
For the golfer who meditates and does yoga in the mornings
The gift they didn't know they needed
The Frogger Golf Club Cleaning Brush
Yep, it sounds stupid, but this thing is AWESOME. It's for cleaning the grooves of your golf clubs between shots, which will maximize spin rates and make you a more consistent golfer. As a competitive golfer myself, I see so many amateurs NOT cleaning their clubs adequately between shots, which I know is costing them strokes (ask any competitive golfer how important this is and you'll get the same answer).
I recommend using this brush on the course paired with some good ole' spit grease. After your round, put those clubs in the utility sink and use this brush with some dish soap and warm water. Your clubs will thank you for the much needed warm bath.
This gift is cheap, so I suggest pairing it with a glove or two (remember, a right-handed golfer will wear the glove on his left hand, and here's a fitting guide) and a pack of Vice Pro Plus golf balls (still under $100).
For the golfer who "does it for the exercise and fresh air"
"Pencil" Bag (lightweight golf bag)
Let's be very clear what this is for. This bag is called a "pencil bag" and is not meant to hold all of your golf clubs.
It is meant for someone who wants to take a few clubs to the range without lugging his entire bag around. It is also great for someone who primarily plays golf to get out in fresh air and walk, but doesn't like (or can't) carry a full bag of clubs.
For the dedicated golfer (who practices a lot)
Pelz Putting Tutor
Hear me out on this one.
The guy you are shopping for will probably not know what this is or how to use it.
Amazon gives it 4 stars.
But...
I have used this for YEARS and as a competitive golfer, swear by it. Phil Mickelson swears by it. And several college golfers I played with swear by it. Most of the bad reviews on Amazon have nothing to do with the quality or effectiveness of the product and I do not agree with the rating it is being given.
So if you give this gift, let him know about my tutorial on how to use it. It explains why you would want to use this and how to use it in detail.
If you are shopping for a guy who sincerely wants to get better at golf, THIS IS THE GIFT you need to buy.
For the Ambitious (and thoughtful) Gift Giver
Get his golf clubs re-gripped
If you've read this far in the post, you must be an ambitious gift giver. And while this is not the easiest gift on the list, your dad/husband/son/boyfriend/etc. will be super impressed and will LOVE this.
Here's how you give this gift:
- Decide how many of his clubs you are going to re-grip. This gift will cost more than $100 in some cases depending on what grips you buy and how many clubs you re-grip. Although I recommend regripping the entire bag of clubs (usually 11-13 total), you could just re-grip the irons (usually about 9 or 10).
- Once you have that number, figure out what grips you are going to buy. You might ask him if he has a preference, or you can take my word for it that the grips I have linked in this post are AWESOME. I love 'em and many tour pros do too. Here is a cheaper option that should work well, but be prepared to explain to him why you bought the "knock-offs".
- Using this link, purchase your desired quantity of grips.
- Once you receive them in the mail, kidnap his golf clubs (this is the hard part) and take them to the golf store (Dicks Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, etc.). Tell the people at the golf store: "I want all of these clubs re-gripped. I'm not sure how many wraps of tape he has under the current grips, but just do the same thing with these new grips". And then hand them the clubs and the grips you have purchased.
- They should be able to get this done in a day or two, so you will have to pick them up later.
As I said, this requires some effort on your part, but talk about a gift that he will always remember...
In all, this gift will probably cost you about $150 if you re-grip his entire bag of clubs and purchase the premium gifts. If you go with the "knock-off" grips (which still work great), you can keep it under $100 in total.
