Cool Golf Gifts: The Complete Guide 2024

Do not buy a golf gift set, a book of ‘funny’ Golf Cartoons, or a Potty Putter! Of course, you may get a smile and even a laugh before your gift gets put away forever.

Golfers are a strange yet passionate bunch. As a thoughtful and supportive buyer, select a gift that encourages that passion and belief that they will become better players … eventually! They will love you for it!

This isn’t just a list of the same old ‘funny novelty’ exploding golf balls you’ve seen on all those ‘Best Christmas Golf Presents’ websites. It’s a list of real, valuable gifts that I, as a golf geek, would love to receive!
P.S. Please pass this list on to my loved ones.

Quick Read:

• Golfers really want to improve – whether they are a beginner or an avid golfer.
• There are now some incredible training aids alongside the latest hi-tech, which can analyse golf swings and give those really useful tips.
• Be careful if buying golf equipment. Clubs and balls are highly specialized. Get fittings for clubs and choose golf balls depending on the speed of their swing.
• For a more casual gift, there are some very funny personalized options.
• For the golfer who has everything, think about those dream golf courses they have never played before—either at home or abroad.

Should I buy a Golf Gift If I know nothing about Golf?

Absolutely, but make sure you buy the right gift. Look at who you are buying for.

• Are they serious about improving? Check how many YouTube videos they watch!
• Are they competitive? Secretly maybe?
• Are they always looking at the Golf websites and the latest equipment reviews?

Choose a gift that will give them a chance to improve their game.
How do you choose a gift when you know nothing about golf?
Find out below …

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift?

Know who you are buying for. What type of golfer are they? How long have they been playing golf, and how many hours do they spend watching or talking about it?

For Beginners: If they’re relatively new to the game, they may not have everything they need. It could be clubs, gadgets or tools.
The best gift for a beginner is coaching!

For Avid Golfers: They will have all the essentials but will be looking for something to add that extra distance & accuracy to their shots. They may also be ready for a great golfing summer, but how about those colder winter days when they can still get out?

For the Golfer Who Has Everything: For those who seem to have everything, keep an eye on the latest gadgets, which can be seen at shows such as the PGA 2024 show. There is always something new and improved in the world of golf.

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for a Birthday?

Birthdays are personal. Think of which golf present is suitable and then whether that can be personalized for something a little bit special.

items like a monogrammed golf towel or an engraved divot tool.

• Personalized Golf Gear
  • Golf balls – check the section below on Best Golf Ball Gifts.
  • Golf towel – yes, golfers need a towel when playing!
  • Golf gloves (summer or winter, leather or wet weather!)
  • Club head covers – these can be practical & fun!
  • Personalized golf ball stamp – how about a golf ball with a picture of you on it?!

Birthdays are also when you have the biggest budget to spend, so maybe this is the chance to splash out on something they have always wanted. It doesn’t have to be expensive, though. Remember, golfers always want to get better. If you can help them achieve that, they will be forever grateful!

Splashing out a little … or a lot!

• The Best Golf Balls – for a special occasion, how about choosing the ultimate golf ball? If you choose the iconic Titleist Pro V1, they will know you have chosen the best!
• Golf gloves or shoes – they do wear out and need replacing.
• New Golf Clubs
• Golf bag – most golfers have three or four!
• Latest hi-tech gifts such as a GPS watch or rangefinder
• Coaching – either at the local course or online
• Golf courses they have always wanted to play
• For the ultimate golf gift, how about a golfing holiday, a Golf Cart, or even a full-blown indoor golf simulator?

Remember what type of golfer they are, then look at my guides below.

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for Father’s Day?

This could be the (only!) occasion for that funny, novelty present!
It’s also the occasion where you don’t want to spend too much, but you want something to make him smile.

Funny Golf gifts

• For the dad who appreciates humor, a golf-themed mug or a witty t-shirt.

Even though you won’t be spending too much money, you can still spend some time and thought on choosing the right present.

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for Christmas?

Although tempting to buy something funny, remember the occasion you were given a pair of brussel sprout underwear?
I do, and still have them untouched in the drawer!

Even though it’s Christmas, choose a golf gift they will really appreciate, use & value.

If you want to choose something personalized, choose something they will also appreciate, such as the right golf ball, golf bag or shoes.

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for a Tech Lover?

This is both easy & hard at the same time.

There are always hi-tech gadgets coming out, so there is a lot of choice.
However, most tech-savvy golfers will have already studied what they would like & need. Don’t choose the wrong one!

As a lifelong techie, I always regret having the wrong type of computer in the 80s and seeing the one I should have got being used by everybody else!

For example, you could buy a form of GPS tech to help them measure the distance of their next golf shot (yes, golfers need to know this to the yard!). But how do you choose?
GPS can be a stand-alone laser rangefinder, a watch, part of a Bluetooth speaker, or even integrated into a golf trolley. I personally use a free app on my phone!

I would strongly recommend you read my guides to get the right tech!

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for Men?

First, think about what type of player he is.
Consider his experience level and passion for the game. Is he a beginner, an enthusiast or a tech lover?

Beginners need to improve their game — some form of coaching. Ideally, it would be a one-on-one session with a Golf pro at his local course. Coaching at the very beginning is much more valuable than later on when all those bad habits have already been formed.

Enthusiast – he has been playing for a few years already and is hitting the ball relatively long and straight – or so he says!

Now could be the time to look at improving his golf clubs. Most beginners will start with a basic set or a few secondhand golf clubs. Now he has a more consistent golf swing, he will benefit from a better set of clubs, or the addition of extra clubs.

If you know he is happy with his clubs, he may need a new golf bag as a replacement or an addition.

Golf Shoes: Check the state of his shoes. Mine lasted only a year (they started leaking a week ago!), although I have been wearing them through the winter four days a week.
If he has a pair of summer shoes, he may need a pair of waterproof winter shoes too.

Tech Lover: see my guide below. There is so much out there to improve his game

k reference when making your decision:

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for Women?

Selecting a golf gift for women can be the same as for men (above) – look at her experience and what she really needs to improve her game.

Is she a beginner who would benefit greatly from one-to-one coaching, an enthusiast or a tech lover?

Clothing can be a good choice with whole ranges designed especially for women to allow free arm movement during the swing.

Ladies golf clubs – these are generally an inch to two shorter than ‘standard\ clubs. They may also have lighter graphite shafts which can help a slower swing get more distance.

Golf shoes – which lady doesn’t like shoes?! Having a dedicated pair or two of golf shoes will give her a better grip on those slopes.

Golf balls – although there are some balls which are classified as ‘for women’, I would disregard this. Many women swing faster than some men, so match the golf ball to her swing speed – see below.

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift on a Budget?

Golf can be expensive. However, there are some great gifts which are still very affordable as well as thoughtful.

Golfers always need golf balls! There is one iconic golf ball which every golfer apires to be good enough to use – the Titleist Pro V1.
At the time of writing (March 2024), they are US$23.68 for 12 on Amazon – less than half price for the 2023 version compared to the new 2024 edition. When this offer ends, you can always choose a pack of 3 for US$15.

Golf tees are the most affordable for a few dollars, and again, every golfer needs them regularly.

Ball markers, Divot tools, and Club cleaners – are all very affordable, tiny tools. Markers help golfers mark their ball’s position on the green, divot tools repair any damaged grass, and club cleaners are always useful, especially during the rain when the grass gets muddy.

Golf books – for the golf historian!

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for a Golf Beginner?

As mentioned above, the best present for a beginner is something that will help them improve their game. Coaching.

At the beginning of what is hopefully a dazzling golf career, it is easy to be led astray by words of wisdom from friends and relatives. Everybody thinks they are an expert—how many times have people been wrongly told to keep their heads still?!

Coaching sessions are expensive though, especially if one-to-one. A cheaper alternative would be group coaching. Some clubs will offer beginner’s classes at a bargain price as long as you pay for the range balls being used. They may even have clubs to borrow.

YouTube can be great, but the problem for golfers watching these videos is they don’t know what their own body is doing. A trained golf coach can see what they are doing wrong and has probably seen it a thousand times. They will immediately know from experience what and how to improve first.

A new area for coaching has emerged: online courses and tutoring by golf coaches such as Danny Maude and Andy Carter.

If you are buying a golf gift for somebody who is literally just starting out, they will need some clubs! Ideally, borrow these from other golfers who are upgrading or buy one secondhand club. You only need one to start with on a golf range. A 7-iron is a middle-distance club and always a good place to start.

Don’t be tempted to buy a whole golf club set at the beginning, as they will need a few months to get used to one club first. Clubs such as drivers are for long-distance shots, and wedges are for short-distance shots. They have two different techniques that can be learned later. At a driving range, they supply the balls, so you won’t even need to buy them yet.

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for the Improving Golfer?

Your golfer has passed the beginner stage and is ready to graduate from the range to play on a 9-hole course.

They will need some more clubs but not a full set of 14. They can still get by with a ‘half set of irons’ and a putter. Again, I would suggest getting these secondhand. A good secondhand club will be better than a new cheap set. I you do want to splash out and get a new complete set, get a set of ‘game improvement’ clubs which are more forgiving and let the improving golfer hit the ball straighter with larger ‘sweet spots’ for the inevitable mishits!

Along with clubs, the golfer getting ready to play on a course for the first time will need a golf bag to hold the clubs and, of course, some golf balls.

There are four main types of golf bags – Stand, Cart, Hybrid and Sunday. Which to choose depends on whether they will be walking & carrying their bag or riding a cart. This is a really good Golf Bags – The Complete Guide 2024 I put together myself!

For golf balls, beginners will start with a slower swing and then get better later. I would recommend getting low spinning golf balls at this stage as they will travel further and straighter. They are also cheaper and at the beginning, they will be losing a lot, and I mean a lot of balls! Again, I have put together a rather nice Golf Ball – The Complete Guide 2024.

How to Pick the Best Golf Gift for the Serious Golfer?

Your golfer now has clubs, balls, lots of tech and three bags.

Balls, Balls & more Balls:
A golfer can never have enough golf balls! They will always ‘use’ ( more accurately called ‘lose’!) ball every time they play.
You can either buy the same type of ball they currently use which they have probably chosen for their own style of play. Or you can go for the premium balls such as the Titleist Pro V1 or Taylormade TP5, which they have seen all the Pro players use, but which are just too expensive to buy for themselves. You can buy them though for a very nice present!

Bags, Bags & Bags!

Most golfers would like (or need!) three golf bags. One for carrying, one for riding, one for shorter courses when they don’t need to carry so many clubs. Have a look at my Golf Bags – The Complete Guide 2024 for which bag they need next!

Gift Cards:
It will be hard to choose the right golf gear as only they will know what is suitable for their game. All clubs are different.
You could, however, think about a gift card from their Golf Course, and they can choose exactly what they need.

How to Pick a Golf Gift for Golfers who have Everything

So, your golfer has 21 golf clubs, the best golf balls and four golf bags to put all his tech gadgets in. What else does he need?

You can choose exciting new golf courses for him to play. There are now golf passes from places such as GolfNow which give golf time at over 11,000 courses. Or how about that dream golfing experience at Pebble Beach or even St. Andrews – the home of golf in Scotland!

For the ultimate present (if you have US$10,000-20,000) mention the these words and watch what happens! Golf Simulator. Every golfer’s dream is to have their own indoor golf simulator filled with the latest tech so they can practice for hours reading every single statistic about their game and, of course, have their mates round to play virtual golf courses from around the world.

How to Find the Best Eco-friendly Golf Gift for the Sustainable Golfer

Golf is all about walking in nature, so we can all see what needs to be protected.

Bamboo Golf Tees. It’s amazing how many golf tees are used which are then discarded on the ground. Unfortunately, some of these are plastic, especially beginners ‘castle-type tees.
If you know anybody still using plastic tees, please consider buying them bamboo golf tees. They are just as good, still cheap, and much better for the golf course. Bamboo is a sustainable material that grows very quickly and doesn’t require pesticides.

Golf bags – look out for the use of recycled materials such as those bags from Seed, Jones & Sun Mountain.

Water Bottles – bring a nice reusable water bottle and stop using the throwaway plastic bottles.

Which Golf Coaching gift?

For all golfers, but especially beginners, having a golf coach is the best gift. There are different types of coaching to suit the different budgets.

Driving Range: You can either watch how far and where the ball goes by eye or if you are lucky enough to have a driving range with Trackman or Toptracer, they will show you some essential stats such as distance and speed.

The disadvantage of a range is that they are self-learning, and you don’t get any feedback on your swing from a coach.

Video and Online: new for golfers, video coaching sessions and online courses can allow professional coaches to analyse your swing and give you advice and tips from anywhere in the world – although note any time zone differences!

Indoor Studio: They offer all the statistics by recording all aspects your swing direction & speed. Side on and top down video cameras can also capture all your movement, allowing the coach to analyse together with you. Great for the golfer as they can see for themselves from different angles what they need to improve.

On the Course: Playing golf isn;t all about hitting a ball from a nice flat artificial grass surface. Most golf shots will be played on grass which will be sloping up, down or even sideways. The ‘lie’ is where how the ball is sitting on the grass, and is an important factor is determining what type of shot you will play. On-course coaching from an experienced coach can help your strategic game and how to play the course and its conditions – especially reading the green.

Best Golf Club Gifts

Golf clubs are expensive, and choosing the wrong one could be a costly mistake. Always try a golf club first, either in a shop or from a fellow golfer.

If you can, I would recommend getting ‘fitted’ for a club which means a professional will take some measures of the golfer and the swing. They can then try several different clubs, and the fitter will then suggest which golf club is most suitable along with any alterations to the club, such as shortening it, changing the angle of the club head, or even changing parts of the club, such as the middle shaft or the grip.

Club Fitting

Club fitting matches the golfer to the most suitable set of clubs. Specific measurements like swing speed, stance, and grip size are considered to select the most suitable clubs for your style of play.

Driver club fitting is even more important as these can cost hundreds of dollars and are the fastest club.

If you choose a ‘fitted club’ as a gift, you will definitely be in the ‘good books’. Choosing a golf club because it looked good or was discounted is probably a risk too far!

Best Golf Ball Gifts

Golf balls are all round but all different!
The most expensive golf balls are not the best ones for beginners

For beginner golfers, choose a ball that is :

• Easy to find – bright yellow or my favorite orange!
• Goes longer and straighter with a slower, more wayward swing (a low-spinning golf ball)
• Cheap – there is nothing more discouraging for a beginner than feeling they have lost an expensive golf ball.

Experienced players often stick to a single brand and model for consistency of distance and flight. You can choose to keep to the same type (which is a bit boring!), or you can choose the iconic golf balls that the professionals use – the Titleist Pro V1 or Tayloermade TP5. Even if they are not suitable for their own particular game, they will enjoy trying them out!

For those with a sense of humor, you can get those exploding golf balls, or preferably personalized golf balls with perhaps your face on them!

I have a complete website on how to choose the best golf ball – for beginners through to advanced players.

Best Golf Accessory Gifts

As well as golf balls, bags, shoes, clothing & tech gadgets, there are still lots of other potential gifts.

There are golf tees, ball markers & golf towels. Head covers for clubs can be very funny!

There are tools such as

Cleaners for clubs – the latest include a squirty water bottle.

Groove sharpeners keep the clubs looking clean and also help ball control with more spin.

Divot tools which repair the grass have now become collectable (Alex Elliott, for example) even though golfers will only need one in their lifetime!

Hand Warmers: Keep your hands warm between shots with compact hand warmers. They’re rechargeable and fit easily in your pocket.

Massage Guns: These rapidly pulsating motors, thankfully with a soft foam head, can relax any tense muscles. Make sure you don’t use them on any bony bits!
My Renpho is cheap and really helps my shoulders and back because it has an angled handle, so it can reach parts other massage guns cannot! It’s not as good as a professional masseur, but I can use my massage gun every time before and after a round.

Umbrella: Golf umbrellas are big! If a golfer is stuck outside on a rainy day for over four hours, they need one to keep dry.

Beer Coolers: Golf and chilled beverages often go hand-in-hand. If your golfer is carrying their bag, fill it up with an insulated bag of beer!

Don’t forget that reusable water bottle!

Hi-Tech Golf Gifts

I believe Golf and Tech are closely related. There are definitely some golfers out there who are very happy playing with their 20-year-old clubs, but most golfers are always looking to improve. Having the latest tech is all about improving. I’ll highlight just two below:

Top Golf GPS Devices

Golf GPS devices give you precise distances of your shots and how far you need to go to reach the green. They can be handheld units, part of a golf trolley, a GPS watch, or even a free app on your phone.
The best GPS units come with preloaded courses, so you can see exactly where your ball is on the course.

Best Golf Launch Monitors

Launch monitors measure the golf ball as it is hit – the same tech as used on golf ranges, but a personal version you can use anywhere.
The basics, such as ball speed and direction, are always included, but the most techy golfer will want much more! How much spin, launch angle, swing path and club head speed too. To get all this certainly isn’t cheap, though, and can cost from a few hundred dollars for a Rapsodo to thousands for the Full Swing monitor used by Tiger Woods!

Best Golf Video Games

Most of us can’t afford a swing monitor so how about some virtual golf instead with a PhiGolf home golf simulator system with its swing stick? Or the latest PGA game on the PS5 or Xbox?

• For Self-Training :
  PhiGolf
  (Mobile golf simulator with real swing analysis. Play real-world virtual courses with the sensor into your own clubs)
• For More Realistic video gameplay:
  PGA Tour 2K23
  (Available on both PS5 and Xbox)
• For Best video graphics:
  EA Sports PGA Tour (PS5 & Xbox)

Golf Training Aid Gift

There are also real physical training aids which are non-tech including something called an ‘Orange Whip’!

• Swing Trainers: These mimic the golf club but have certain features which the golfer can use to improve the swing.
  The G Force Swing Trainer has a very flexible shaft and so helps practice a smooth tempo and correct swing path of the club. I have one and can tell you it is very good but not easy to master!
  The Orange whip is similar and one of the original swing aids – it looks like a black stick with an orange at the end!.
• Practice Nets: You can have a swing aid, but you also need to hit a ball. This is where practice nets come in as they let the golfer swing as fast as they like without the risk of the ball smashing into a neighbours window. I have a pop-up net which takes I leave part assembled and so it only takes 3 mins to set up.
• Chipping Nets: Not as versatile as practice nets as they are small and can be used only for very short shots (chips).
• Hitting mats: used with practice nets, they protect your lawn from the clubs. I have one with a directional felt material on top. This gives me feedback on whether I hit the ground before (bad) or after (good!) the ball and also the direction of my club as it hits the ball – my swing path.
• Alignment Sticks: These are just simple rods, but they can be very effective for aligning a golfer’s feet so they aim parallel to their target. Not aimed at the target which is something beginner golfers tend to do.
• Putting Aids: probably the most common gift as it can be used indoors. A putting mat is a very long piece of felt often with a rubber base to give a smooth surface on which a golfer can practice putting. Combined with a target such as PuttOut, this can actually be quite fun for a group.

Push Trolleys & Golf Carts

If your golfer isn’t the type to carry their own bag for four hours and five miles, they will want a Push trolley or to ride in a golf cart.

Push Trolleys

• Ideal for golfers who enjoy walking the course.
• The golf bag is strapped to a light trolley. This takes all the weight but is still easy to manoeuvre with its three wheels.
• Affordable and easy to store if you buy a foldable version.

Electric & Gas Golf Carts

• The ultimate golfing gift?!
• Buy one of these, and your golfer will be riding along the golf course in luxury!
• Only for those who can afford the US$5-$10,000

Golf Clothing Gifts

Yes, golfers can look an odd breed! Fortunately, most outrageously colourful golf trousers have disappeared and been replaced by technical, breathable gear from sports brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour.

• Polo shirts: the essential summer golf top.
• Jackets: for when it is windy or rainy. Golf jackets are built with extra flexibility in the arm & side area so they don’t restrict the swing.
• Heated Gillets/Jackets – absolutely amazing for the coldest weather and my GoCozy gillet only cost US$70! They are super cheap to recharge the battery. I estimate ten 18-hole rounds would cost less than one dollar.
• Gloves: Strange but true – golfers only wear one glove – on their weakest hand! The stronger hand doesn’t need to grip the club so much so that glove is optional – maybe in the winter.
  They can be nice, soft cabretta leather—perfect for the summer—or synthetic leather, which gives better grip in the wet (and is cheaper but doesn’t last as long). I much prefer the Cabretta leather, and one pair has lasted over a year, playing up to four times a week, so it is good value to invest in a good pair. Make sure it fits, though. I have large hands and find a Srixon extra large fits perfectly.
• Don’t forget the golf caps and belts

Golf Shoes as a Gift

Golf shoes are for wearing – not for looking good! Even for ladies.
On an 18-hole, you could be walking for five miles over 4 hours. Comfortable golf shoes are a must.

I also recommend waterproof shoes, as even if it doesn’t rain, the morning dew can still soak your feet—as I know very well!

I need extra-wide shoes, and the Ecco Biom H4 are perfect for me. They have a removable insole which can be removed to give even more width, but I find I don’t need to do that, which surprised me.

If gifting a pair of golf shoes, make sure your golfer either tries them on in a shop with lots of choices or online from somewhere with a good return policy.

There are two main types of golf shoes: spiked for wet, sloping courses and spikeless for drier, flatter courses. There are even golf sandals and boots—see my full Golf Shoe Guide 2024 for a full review.

Satisfy your golf enthusiast with these entertaining gift options that deliver laughs and show thoughtfulness. Remember, it’s not just about the game—it’s about the fun and camaraderie that come with it!

Golf Book Gifts

A thoughtful gift for some golf enthusiasts could be a well-chosen golf book that can offer wisdom, strategies, and anecdotes from the sport’s greatest players and instructors.

Classic Golf books:

• Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Fundamentals of Golf. Written in 1957, the world’s best golf coaches today still reference his teaching! The Iconic Golf Book.
• 3 Releases: The Short Game: Dan Grieve. A true master of the short game – I have seen so many of his YouTube videos, and he really is the Master.
• Golf is Not a Game of Perfect by Dr. Bob Rotella helps you build a mental strategy.
• The Little Red Golf Book by Harvey Penick conveys simple, effective golfing tips.
• Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf by Ben Hogan is perfect for those looking to refine their swing technique.
• The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever by Mark Frost recounts one of the most legendary games in history.

Personalized & Unique Golf Gifts

Nearly everything a golfer wants can be personalized with photos, logos or text.

• Golf Balls
• Golf Bags
• Golf Shoes
• Ball Markers
• Head Covers
• Towels
• Caps
• Shirts

also, look at the incredible Bobbleheads and portraits below …

Funny Golf Gifts

For something more whimsical have a look at the latest golf bobbleheads or a cartoon portrait which are really funny!

• Bobbleheads & Cartoon Portraits: Imagine the small figure of a nodding golf bobblehead, created just from a normal photo.
• Ice cube chillers: Enjoy a chilled drink with a set of golf ball-shaped ice cubes.
• Beer coolers: Bring your beers to the course with beer coolers
• Best Scenes from Happy Gilmore: Golfing nostalgia from the golf movie Happy Gilmore.

Golf Travel – the Ultimate Golf Gift!

For the ultimate golfing gift!
For the golfer who literally dreams about golf and following in the path of his golfing icons. The prestigious Pinehurst Golf Resort, with its rich tradition or thecoastal vistas of Pebble Beach.

For those who want to venture overseas, imagine playing a round at St Andrews, Scotland, where the sport began, or experiencing the lush fairways of Mauritius, the immaculate courses of Algarve, Portugal and Mallorca, Spain. Or how about golf and a fusion of spectacular golf and wildlife safari!

Don’t forget you will need a Travel Bag for Clubs too! See my guide on Golf Bags 2024.

Now that is what I call a Cool Golf Gift!