Another year is coming to a close, and for golfers in many places, another golf season is ending as well. I’m writing this a few hours after what might be my final round of the year, played on my local municipal course with two good golf buddies and my son, home from his sophomore year in college. This will be one of the best memories of the season for me, not only because of the company, but because I somehow shot my best score of the year, a 76.
Golf is all about these memories and experiences – and because golf can be played for a lifetime, there are many to be gathered along the way. Hopefully, far, far more good than bad. Here’s a list of holiday golf gift ideas that will, I hope, add to the enjoyment of the greatest game on earth.
SuperStroke Grips
After every professional tournament ends, I get a string of emails from companies touting the winners who’ve played their balls or clubs. The senders of these emails vary week to week, depending on who wins and their various sponsorship agreements. But there is one company who sends out emails almost every week. SuperStroke, the No. 1 putter-grip maker in all of golf. It feels like everyone on tour (every tour) plays SuperStroke grips. Some even play them on their irons and woods. Early this year, I put a Pistol Tour version on my favorite putter, and it felt amazing from the very first day. Yesterday, en route to my best score of the season, I had just 27 putts, including a snaking, downhill 30-footer for birdie on the 5th hole and a par-saving 7-footer on 6. My son said, “Automatic.” Give someone the gift of memories like these!
Bushnell Wingman View
If the golfer on your holiday shopping list likes music on the course, there is one accessory that has become essential: The Bushnell Wingman. In 2023, Bushnell introduced the newest version of the revolutionary yardage-provider and speaker, the Bushnell Wingman View ($200). The View incorporates visual yardages and music information on an integrated LCD screen, so if you want to play in silent mode, you can get your yardages. And even if you don’t want music (or yardages) on the course, the Wingman serves as an excellent Bluetooth speaker anywhere (it’s not just for golf!).
Bushmills Irish Whiskey & Fuzzy’s Vodka
Some memories are meant to be cherished. Some, you’d rather forget. The wonder of alcohol is that it can be both a memory enhancer and a memory eraser, depending on dosage. This summer, PGA Tour fan favorite Joel Dahmen teamed up with Bushmills Irish Whiskey to develop his own signature cocktail, Joel’s Juicy Lie. It’s made with Bushmills 10 Year Old, grapefruit soda, pineapple juice, and a squeeze of lime. The original Bushmills works great though, too. And if you’re lucky enough to get out for some winter golf in colder climes, either one works perfectly for a warming nip throughout your round.
If whiskey isn’t your libation of choice, perhaps Fuzzy’s Vodka is more to your taste. In 1979 Fuzzy Zoeller, one of golf’s biggest personalities, burst onto the scene with his surprise win at the Masters. Today, his eponymous Fuzzy’s Vodka is made from 100% American corn, five times distilled and ten times filtered, and a portion of each batch is rested in new American oak barrels. The result is crisp, smooth, and incredibly clean.
Bridgestone e9 and e12 Balls
Losing a golf ball is never a good memory. But you know what makes it less bad? Having a bunch more to take its place. So stock up! Bridgestone Golf has for years applied technological innovations developed first in the realm of tire design to golf equipment, especially their golf balls. The e12 Contact ball ($35/doz) is in its fourth generation and better than ever. The genius of these balls is the dimple pattern that allows for 46% more contact between clubhead and ball at impact, imparting more spin and better control. This newest iteration combines this racing-tire-inspired engineering feat with a FLEXATIV cover material that acts like a firmer material when struck with longer clubs, and a softer material when struck with shorter irons and wedges. Whoa.
The Bridgestone e9 Long Drive ball ($30/doz) does what the box says: Long Drive. But don’t let the moniker scare you – it’s a solid all-around ball. I’ve played a few rounds with the e9, and besides a slightly firmer feel off the putter, I noticed no real difference in performance between it and softer and/or more “high-end” balls. It’s especially great in wetter, slower conditions, when you need all the pop you can get.
Sun Mountain Eco-Lite Golf Bags
Like I said, golf provides a lifetime of memories for those who love it. And I want my kids to have a lifetime of memories in golf, too, and their kids someday, and theirs…hopefully for many generations to come. But if we don’t take care of our planet, I worry the opportunity for wonderful outdoor memories will eventually be limited. In the spirit of stewardship of this great game and our only planet, Sun Mountain has developed the Eco-Lite Golf Bag line ($250-$280). Eco-Lite Bags are made with Repreve® Fabric, which is woven from recycled plastic bottles. Approximately 25 20-ounce bottles go into the construction of each Eco-Lite golf bag. Sun Mountain has also partnered with 1% for the Planet, a global network of businesses, individuals, and environmental organizations tackling our planet’s biggest environmental issues. They donate a percentage of Eco-Lite sales to Montana Rivers, Inc., an organization dedicated to conserving and protecting rivers through outreach, restoration, and advocacy. These bags are super light-weight, extremely durable, and packed with clever, useful design features.
Edison Wedges
Ask my regular playing partners what they remember of my golf game, and they’ll say, “Recovery shots.” You see, I hit the ball crooked sometimes (well, pretty regularly). Yesterday, my tee shot on 7 landed on the 12th fairway. Then my second turned into an inexplicable shank that ended up next to the 11th green. So my third shot needed to be a 60-yard full flop shot uphill and over several fairly large trees. My Edison 59-degree wedge delivered the ball directly over the 7th flag to the front of the green. I sank the putt for a “textbook” par. Memories.
Haven’t heard of Edison wedges? Well, read about them here, and then shop their new Gen 2 wedges and enjoy a 25% holiday discount here. These magnificent boutique wedges are guaranteed to give you some great memories.
Golf Simulators
You know the saying, “Go big or stay home”? Well, how about you go big AND stay home? If you’re really looking to make memories this holiday season, and have the space and cash to go big, check out the golf simulator packages at The Indoor Golf Shop. The Indoor Golf Shop has simulator packages by all the top makers – SkyTrak, Garmin, Uneekor, and more. You’ll also find an enormous selection of golf nets, mats, rangefinders, and pretty much anything else you need to dial in your swing and dial up the memories.
Well, that’s it for this season, folks. May you remember your good shots, forget your bad, and cherish every minute playing the game we all love. Happy Holidays!
Bonus Stocking Stuffer — MagnetOwl Towel & Accessories
I like to take a towel to the green with me to wipe off my golf ball and wedges or putter. But I usually forget to grab one before I walk to the green, and frankly, I’m too lazy to walk back — even when my pushcart is parked just off the edge of the green. The MagnetOwl magnetic towel ($35) is a super-cool, super convenient solution to my combined forgetfulness and sloth. The microfiber towel has a powerful screw-in magnet that’ll lock tight to your wedge or (ferrous) putter. The magnet will also hold a ballmarker in place for easy access. Just toss it on the ground and, when done putting, pick it up with your clubhead. The MagnetOwl 7-in-1 divot repair tool ($20) (aka ‘pitchfork’, for our British readers) is also a great stocking stuffer — divot repair, groove cleaner, brush, cigar/club holder, ballmarker, bottle opener, belt/bag clip. It’s like a Swiss Army Knife for golf!
Last-minute Gift — because we all forget sometimes
Hey, we all forget sometimes. Maybe you forgot to get something for that one golfer on your list. But you want to do something special anyway, and who cares if it won’t arrive by Christmas? If this describes your situation, let me recommend the new book “Caddie Tales” by Mark Milatz (available here). Mark (aka @markthecaddie on Twitter/X) is a caddie at one of the best courses in the US, and he’s learned a lot along the way about golf, people, himself, and life. Great stories and lessons here, including how one of his favorite loops ever was with a guy who shot 176. Seriously. If you’ve never played with a caddie before, this is super-important to remember: They don’t care what you shoot. They care that you’re a pleasant person and not a total jerk. This book is well worth the read, even if you’re not a golf nut!
Midwestern Golf 