Ok, your bag has been stored in the garage for 4 months now but the flowers are starting to bloom, the Masters is just around the corner, and you are ready to play some golf. Don’t be the guy who gets to the course and realizes he doesn’t have balls, tees, a glove, or any other of the essentials. C’mon man, get it together! If you want to be a respectable golfer, friend, and member of society, for the love of all things holy, please get your bag in order before the season starts.
First, let’s pull out the sweater, winter gloves, 20 pencils, and assorted change. Now to reload it with the golf bag essentials.
Golf Towel: If your golf towel looks anything like Matt’s you need to immediately throw it in a hazardous waste dump because that’s exactly what it looks like someone cleaned up. Look, I know you got it at your company golf outing, but heck, let’s upgrade this year. I recently found out about Club Glove towels, you know the guys who make nearly indestructible travel luggage. Well, they also make a darn sweet towel. It can take up to 300% of its weight in water and it is so freaking huge so you can wet half and keep half dry. While it is tough enough to clean off dirt, it is also made from microfibers which are soft enough to clean sunglasses. I have been toting one of these guys around for a month and I will never go back to a regular version.
Spikes: If you are hoping to get another season from your golf shoes, at least spend a few bucks and put new spikes on them- trust me, it will make a huge difference. For me, I have always been a fan of Champ cleats. They come in a couple of varieties including metal tipped (sorry you have a PGA card to even buy these). Still, the regular ones are rock solid and a great way to extend the life of your golf shoes. Below are the 6 point version but I am preferential to the 3 pronged. HINT: keep the extras in your bag, not your garage.
Tees: Matt recently admitted to me that he just bought tees for the first time in his life – how is that possible?. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t live like P-Diddy, but I prefer to buy a jumbo bag each month and be done with it. I figure my time is better spent searching for a swing rather than unbroken tees. I usually use the wood tees, but I have enjoyed the new Champ FLY tees which, for you tree huggers out there, are made from biodegradable plastic. So for those of you looking to extend your tee budget check these guys out.
Sunscreen: For us pasty white guys, its 2012 and we all need to be aware that 4 hours in the sun is not a good thing for unprotected skin. Oh, and last year’s bottle is now about as effective as brush tees, so go ahead and plop down $10 for a new supply.
Is it worked in?
Bug spray: Better safe than sorry – and you can be a hero when the mosquitoes get nasty. Probably will pay for itself with the beers your buddies buy for you as a token of their appreciation.
Band-Aids: Blisters can kill a round, and guerrilla bottle-opening techniques can draw blood. Put a box in your bag.
Mark your ball in style
Sharpie: If you have not come up with a cool marking system, Tin Cup makes a pretty cleverl gadget to customize your ball.
Allergy Medicine/muscle pain: Getting hit with a case of the sneezes or sudden muscle tightness can put a real damper on a round.
Gloves: Guess what? You are going to go through a number of these over the spring and summer. Just get like 4 and keep an extra in your bag cause they are twice the price in the pro shop. We love Asher Golf Gloves!
Koozie: If you are the type of golfer who likes to have a few during a round, then this is a must. Keeping your beer cold for more that 10 minutes is nearly impossible in the heat of the summer, but with a little help from a $.99 koozie you can nurse your libation for far longer.
Make your statement
Rust Remover: Ah, the final touch to any bag. This item is not sold anywhere and can only be found on the driving range or the course.
Well, that’s it, you have all of the golf bag essentials and are ready to go!
