Buying golf gifts for men looks harder than it is. Most of the kit is fitted to the player, and a keen golfer knows what he needs far better than you do. This guide lists 10 golf gifts that work without knowing his size, his handicap or what is already in the bag, sorted by budget.
This guide was put together by Bellore. Of the 10 ideas, 2 are our own products and are clearly marked. For everything else we name no brands and tell you what to look for instead.
The best golf gift is something he will use on every round, or something that brings his love of the game into the house. Balls, gloves and tees are used up and always welcome. A laser rangefinder or a lesson is the gift that gets remembered at the top of the budget. For golfers who have everything, a themed present such as a glass with a real golf ball set into it is the safest choice, because it cannot clash with his equipment.
Three questions to ask before you choose a golf gift
How long has he been playing? A beginner is glad of the basics: balls, a glove, a lesson. Someone who has played for twenty years owns all of it and is loyal to his brands. For him, buy either the things that run out or something that is not equipment at all.
How often does he get out on the course? For a man who plays every weekend, gifts he can use during the round matter most. For someone who plays a few society days a year but loves the game, golf gifts for the home and the office land better.
How well do you know him? With a husband, a dad or a close friend you can find out sizes and brands and buy something personal. For a boss, a client or a colleague, choose something that needs no measurements, comes nicely boxed and can sit on a shelf.
Golf gifts by budget
| Budget | Gift ideas | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller budget | Tees and accessories set, golf glove, real golf ball whisky tumbler | A colleague, a friend, a beginner |
| Mid budget | A dozen quality balls, golf umbrella, putting mat, head cover, crystal whisky glass set of 2 | Dad, husband, boyfriend, a regular playing partner |
| Bigger budget | Laser rangefinder, a lesson or a green fee voucher | A retirement, an anniversary, a big birthday |
10 golf gifts for men who play, and for those who just love the game
1.A dozen quality golf balls
Golfers lose balls, and good golfers lose them too. Into the water, into the gorse, into the long rough behind the green. That is why a box of decent balls is one of the few gifts that never gets the answer "I've already got one". They will be used.
If you know roughly how he plays, the choice gets easier. Beginners and mid-handicappers do well with two-piece distance balls, which last longer and forgive a poor strike. Low handicappers usually prefer softer, urethane-covered tour balls.
What to look for: If you can find out which ball he plays, buy exactly that one. Golfers are loyal to their ball and rarely want to switch.
2.Real golf ball whisky tumbler
This is the one ball he will never lose. Every golfer carries a shot around in his head: the first birdie, the putt that won the club medal, the first full round with his dad. The real golf ball set into this glass stands for that shot. Balls go missing on the course. This one stays where it is.
That is what it says when you hand it over: "I remember that day too." In the evening, when the round gets replayed hole by hole over a dram, the glass in his hand is part of the story.
It is a 300 ml glass whisky tumbler with a real golf ball set into the body by hand, and it comes in its own gift box. It needs no size, handicap or brand knowledge, which makes it one of the lowest-risk golf gifts for men who have everything. People buy it as a golf gift for dad, for birthdays, Father's Day, Christmas and retirements.
3.Golf glove
A glove is a consumable. Sweat, rain and friction wear the palm through quickly, and a regular player gets through several in a season. A spare in the bag is always useful.
There are two main types. Leather gives the best feel on the grip and is what most players reach for first. Synthetic and all-weather gloves last longer and keep their hold in the wet, which matters on a British course for much of the year.
What to look for: A right-handed golfer wears the glove on his left hand, a left-hander on his right. If you do not know the size, check the label inside an old glove or buy somewhere that will exchange it.
4.Laser rangefinder
It gives the distance to the flag in a couple of seconds and takes the guesswork out of choosing a club. Plenty of club golfers still do not own one, and once they do it comes out on every hole. Of everything on this list, this is the gift that does most for his actual game.
The alternative is a GPS golf watch, which shows distances to the front, middle and back of the green from wherever he is standing. If you cannot decide, the laser is the safer buy. It works on any course and needs no course maps or subscription.
What to look for: Models that adjust for slope are useful in practice, but in competitions the slope function has to be switched off. Choose one where slope mode can be turned off.
5.Putting mat for the home or office
A large share of the shots in any round are putts. A mat rolled out in the hall or the office lets him practise the shot that affects his score most, on the days he cannot get to the course.
It gets the most use over winter, when the evenings are dark and the greens are frosty or closed. It also works as a golf gift for a manager or a retiring colleague, because it fits beside a desk and comes out between meetings.
What to look for: Look for a length of at least 2.5 metres and a surface that rolls at something close to real green speed. Short mats with a thick pile do not feel like a green.
6.Tees and accessories set
Tees, a ball marker and a pitch mark repairer are the small things that go into his pocket on every round. They get lost, they snap and he always needs more.
On its own it is a small gesture. Next to another present it finishes the parcel. Wrapped up with a box of balls or a glove, it turns into a considered little set.
What to look for: Sets with a metal ball marker and a folding pitch mark repairer last far longer than the plastic kind.
7.Real golf ball crystal whisky glass set of 2
Two glasses, because nobody plays golf alone. There is always a playing partner, a rival, somebody to sit down with in the clubhouse once the cards are signed. This pair is for the drink after the round. One glass is his and one belongs to whoever walked the eighteen holes with him.
Given to a playing partner, to a couple who play together or to friends who have been members of the same club for years, it says something a single glass does not. Given to a man who is retiring, it means "we will be seeing a lot more of each other on the course". It also suits a captain at the end of his year.
The set holds two 355 ml crystal whisky glasses, each with a real golf ball set into the glass by hand, in a padded black gift box. If you are looking for a golf gift idea for a retirement, a society day prize or a whisky glass gift set for a golfer, it needs no measurements and stays on the table for years.
8.Golf umbrella
A golf umbrella is noticeably bigger than an ordinary one and covers both the player and his bag. In this country it earns its place in the bag in every month of the year, and it gives shade on the rare hot day as well.
The umbrella most golfers own came free with something or has a company logo on it. A good one gets noticed for that reason, and it stays in the bag for years.
What to look for: Double-canopy, vented models do not turn inside out in the wind. A fibreglass shaft is both light and the safer choice in a storm.
9.Head cover
A head cover stops the driver and the other long clubs knocking against each other in the bag. It is also almost the only place a golfer can show some character. There are leather, knitted, quilted and novelty versions.
You cannot choose his clubs, but you can choose what covers them. The colours of the team he supports or a plain leather cover makes a personal gift without a large outlay.
What to look for: Driver covers fit most models. For a putter cover you need to know the type of putter, because blade and mallet heads take different covers.
10.A lesson or a green fee voucher
For a man whose house is already full, an experience beats an object. One lesson with a qualified golf professional can fix a fault he has carried around for years.
A round at a course he has never played is a day he will not forget. Buy it for two and the present becomes a day out together.
What to look for: Check how long the voucher is valid and how far the course or the range is from where he lives.
Who are you buying for?
- Golf gifts for dad: a putting mat or the crystal whisky glass set of 2. One fills the days when he cannot play, the other comes out when friends come round.
- For a husband or boyfriend: a laser rangefinder or a green fee voucher for two. A small accessories set makes a good extra.
- For a boss or a client: the boxed crystal set. It needs no sizes and can be kept in the office.
- For a beginner: a dozen balls, a glove and a couple of lessons. It is too early for expensive equipment.
- Gifts for golfers who have everything: step away from equipment. A golf ball glass or an experience carries the least risk here.
- For a playing partner: a head cover or a box of balls. He will think of you every time it comes out on the first tee.
Why are there no golf clubs on this list?
A club is chosen to suit the golfer's height, swing speed and style of play. Serious players buy theirs after a custom fitting. A club bought as a surprise will most likely not suit him and will have to go back. The same is true of golf shoes.
If you are set on giving him a club, give him a fitting session and let him choose it with the fitter. He ends up with the right club, and you know the present will not be left in the garage.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best golf gifts for men?
The best golf gifts for men are things used on every round or a lasting golf-themed piece for the home. The safest choices are a dozen quality balls, a laser rangefinder, a putting mat and a whisky glass with a real golf ball set into it. Clubs and shoes are fitted to the player, so they rarely work as a surprise.
What do you buy for golfers who have everything?
Buy something that is not equipment. Golf-themed pieces for the home or office, such as the real golf ball whisky tumbler, a lesson, or a round at a course he has not played are the usual answers. None of them can clash with what is already in his bag.
Is the golf ball in the glass real?
Yes. Bellore golf glasses use a real golf ball. The ball is set into the glass body by hand and curves into the inside of the glass, so each one looks like a keepsake brought back from the course.
What does a golf ball glass mean as a gift?
It stands for a round or a shot that is not forgotten. The ball in the glass is the one ball that never gets lost on the course. The set of two is given as a symbol of rounds played together and of a long golfing friendship.
What is a good golf gift for dad if he does not drink whisky?
The same design comes as a 340 ml glass mug for tea and coffee and as a 465 ml beer glass for the pint after the round. Both have a real golf ball set into the glass.
Are the golf ball glasses dishwasher safe, and do they come in a gift box?
Yes. The glasses can go in the dishwasher, and every product comes in its own gift box, so it is ready to hand over as it is.
What is a good golf gift idea for a retirement or for a boss?
At work, the best golf gift needs no sizes and can sit on a shelf in the office. The boxed crystal whisky glass set of 2 fits that description. If you would rather avoid anything connected with alcohol, an office putting mat does the same job.
When do people give golf gifts?
Mostly for birthdays, Father's Day, Christmas, retirements and anniversaries. They are also used as prizes at club competitions and society days, and as thank-you gifts at corporate golf days.
For more golf-themed glasses, have a look at the Sport Edition collection.