Essential Golf Gear & Must-Have Golf Accessories

Golf 2020 | 7 min read

As more golf courses are opening up again, it’s time to make sure your favorite golf bag is fitted with useful and essential gear. Aside from the basics like: golf balls, tees, and yardage books, there are must-have golf accessories that will take your playing experience to the next level. Whether you’re a rising pro or weekend golfer, your gear should provide optimal functionality and comfort so you can focus on the game. 

To start, be sure to find a pair of golf gloves that fit and feel comfortable. Golf gloves create more friction and tackiness between your hand and the grip to allow for a precise swing. However, poor fitting gloves can impede your ability to grip the club the way you want. It’s also important to carry a few extra pairs of golf gloves in case you wear through them. It’d be unfortunate to get halfway through 18 holes and not have a backup. 

Another important golf accessory is a rangefinder. This tool is used to keep accurate yardages and collect club data. When trying to get an accurate read of the fairway, a rangefinder can eliminate a lot of the guesswork. This handheld tool will efficiently gauge how far you need to hit the ball without having to do the mental math yourself. You can also use it to record the average distance you hit with certain clubs, and take note when to use each one. Without having to hunt down yardage signs on the course, you will save a lot of time between holes and speed up your round. There’s also no guarantee that your ball will land near a yardage sign, so having a rangefinder can mitigate this frustration. Conveniently store your rangefinder in a lined, magnetic pocket or keep it clipped to the top of the bag. Simply reach for it when needed, get your read, and carry on with your game.

For all-day comfort on the green, it’s wise to invest in good golf shoes and insoles. A round can take several hours depending on who you’re playing with, or how busy the course is. Regardless if you’re walking or riding in a cart, there’s no question you’ll be spending a lot of time on your feet. To minimize fatigue, aches, and pains--find shoes and inserts that provide all-day relief.

[Short-cuts to: Golf Accessories, Golf Club Accessories, Staff Bags, Cart Bags, Stand Bags] 

If you want to make walking the course as relaxing as possible, fit your stand bag with a double strap. This backpack-style strap evenly distributes weight across your shoulders, and alleviates lower back and spinal pains. Double straps not only make the walking experience more pleasant and comfortable, but they are better for your long-term health. A patented feature shown on Vessel stand bag double straps, is the center, equilibrium swivel that actively readjusts the weight while you’re walking. It pivots between the straps to mimic your movement and recalibrates according to how you shift when in motion.

[Image: Rose Gold Lite Stand Bag with matching Rose Gold Headcovers]

If you prefer to play with a staff bag, then you’ll find that a staff bag double strap or tour strap can achieve the same backpack carry. Although staff bags are significantly larger than stand bags, the use of a double strap will make the weight tolerable. Even if you’re only toting the bag from car to cart, a double strap will give you the hands-free mobility that you wouldn’t otherwise have. If you have a caddy, then the carrying experience won’t be as strenuous and they’ll be able to assist you more efficiently.

Vessel Staff Bag Strap from VESSEL - Filled With Purpose on Vimeo.

For cart-riders, there are few golf cart accessories that are as functional as they are stylish. However, Cart strap sleeves provide a sleek, minimalistic barrier between the cart's abrasive straps and your luxurious cart bag. By preventing the cart strap from digging into the material of your bag, your gear will look as new as the day you bought it. This simple golf accessory can protect the bag’s utility and appearance for continuous use.

[Image: Vessel Lux 2.0 Cart Bag in White with Cart Strap Sleeve in Slate]

To keep your clubs in good shape over the years, it’s crucial to invest in quality golf club accessories like headcovers. Nowadays, clubs are made with strong metal alloys and can withstand more use than wooden clubs. However, they are still susceptible to damage when in transit. Whether you walk or ride the course, the heads and shafts of clubs jostle around and hit one another. This causes unnecessary nicks and scuffs that are not only unsightly, but devalue your clubs. If you plan to use them for years to come or maybe resell them one day, it’s best to maintain their condition. Additionally, golf clubs tend to clunk when they rattle around, and this sound is rather unpleasant. Golf headcovers offer padded protection that prevent a lot of disruptful clatter. Your relaxing golf experience can be as serene as possible, and you can rest assured that your favorite clubs are secure. You can even show off your personal style and make your bag unique with the growing variety of leather and nylon golf headcovers on the market.

No golf outing is complete without refreshing beverages to keep you cool and hydrated. A new golf item that has recently hit the market is the Cool Caddy. This cooler emulates the look and feel of a den caddy and completes your luxury golf experience at the range or course. It holds enough drinks for the entire crew, and is compact enough to be carried or carted with ease. 

A last must-have golf accessory is a valuables pouch. This versatile item can be used on and off the course, and is perfect for keeping watches, jewelry, keys, and any other small items in one, secure place. You can easily stow it away inside a waterproof pocket for safe-keeping and be assured that nothing will get lost or damaged. 

We’re all eager to get back on the course again, and are counting the days until we can all enjoy golf together. But this is definitely the perfect time to revamp golf gear so you’re ready for the first day back on the green. 

If you’re looking for where to buy golf accessories, check it out here.

For a list of more tips, check out Essential Items to Keep in Your Golf Bag.