The clock is ticking.
As of press time, you've got just under two weeks to find something awesome for your golf-loving dad. Or, if you are that golf-loving dad and you're reading this, time's a-wasting to drop hints to your kids to buy you something cool for you to admire while you watch the U.S. Open from a comfy chair, refreshing beverage in hand.
Golf's recent resurgence has resulted not just in rising rounds and new players of this great game, but a rising tide of companies making interesting products. Golf has never had greater representation in the gift industry than it does right now, and there have never been more styles of items for consumers to choose from.
Here are some great Father's Day golf gift ideas at several budget levels: under $25, under $50, under $100, over $100 and way over $100
Father's Day golf gifts under $25
Having sampled a fair number of brands and types of golf socks over the years, We've learned that all-wool golf socks are the best: they're comfortable, they last and they breathe, even on sweltering summer days. Kentwool and their American-made socks are thought of as the gold standard by many, with several pair of their Classic Ankle ($21.95 per pair) having a place in Tim Gavrich's drawer for years. Swiftwick also makes a few different merino wool socks that Gavrich has enjoyed. Their Pursuit Zero ($16.99 per pair) is a little cheaper than Kentwool's offering, but keep in mind that it is 66% wool, with 32% Nylon and 2% Spandex.
Keeping clubs clean is essential to hitting predictable shots, and Frogger has been making one of the best golf club brushes ($19.99) on the market for years. It's available in several colors to match Dad's golf bag and the company is currently offering Father's Day discounts on its website.
Sure, scavenging for tees means conscientious golfers don't ever have to buy them, but Western Birch makes truly appealing tee pegs for discerning golfers. They offer a smart range of different stripe colors and patterns in their premium hardwood tees ($7.99 -$8.99 per box of 50), or you can use their custom-design shop to build a unique pattern and share them with Dad (1,000 personalized tees starting from $149).
Under $50
Golf balls may be basic, but they sure are useful. If Dad's looking for a little more help from a not-quite-tour-model ball, TaylorMade's Tour Response is a popular model, and is even available with an eye-catching alignment band ($39.99 per dozen). (Editor's Note: Another fun golf ball option for Dad might be TaylorMade's "breakfast" balls, a limited-edition run of TP5 pix with bacon and eggs stamped on them). OnCore is making a move in the space with the
VERO X1 golf balls ($39.98) by touting pure distance, speed, accuracy, control and feel.
Is Dad a Bandon Dunes fanatic? Order him a copy of resort developer Mike Keiser's new book, The Nature of the Game ($40), available at the resort website and shipping June 7. It is one of our 10 best new books of 2022.
Golf training aids can be tricky, which is why the simplest ones are often the best. Take for instance the TourStriker Smart Ball ($47), invented by GolfPass instructor Martin Chuck. The Smart Ball hangs from a lanyard on your neck and sits between your forearms, and as you hit golf balls with it, it trains your body to stay more connected throughout your swing for greater consistency. Just make sure not to give Dad so many strokes on the course the first time you tee it up after gifting him one.
It's not golf-specific, but if Dad tends to ride his rounds and doesn't have a YETI 30-ounce tumbler to keep beverages cold on the course, he's not living his best golf life. You can help him out by getting one customized with his monogram ($44).
Crunchy golf dads might appreciate something particularly Earth-friendly, like LEUS' Golf ECO towels ($32), made of Repreve® post-consumer recycled polyester.
Under $100
We are in a golden age of golf accessories, with more companies making fine knickknacks to adorn your bag than ever before. Seamus Golf, based in Oregon, is one of the pioneers in this trend and makes a stunning array of products, including one of the most extensive collections of headcovers you can buy. With patterns like wool tweeds and flowery Hawaiian scenes, they're bound to have something great for Dad, with most driver and fairway wood headcovers in the $75 range.
Even though the other big OEMs and a strong crop of direct-to-consumer brands are making the market more competitive than ever, a gleaming dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls ($50 per dozen) never disappoints. Titleist is even offering a special Father's Day edition for $56 per dozen.
Giving the gift of GolfPass makes perfect sense for any dad who wants to play more and play better. Our library of drills, tips and instruction from some of the game's best teachers is unmatched. You can choose a plan to fit any budget, from $4.99/month or $49.99/year for a video membership to the $99/year full membership that delivers the best value and all the perks golfers love, including $120 in monthly tee time credits, plus waived fees and cancellation protection, on GolfNow and $40 to spend on TaylorMade products.
Over $100
Courtesy photo
Sore golf muscles before and after the rounds can hinder your scores. That's where the Power Plate Pulse 3.0 massage gun ($199) can help. It is a powerful, yet lightweight, whisper-quiet handheld massager designed to relax, rejuvenate and repair muscles for quicker recovery. Dad's friends will be jealous.
After being nearly sold out in 2020 and into 2021, push carts are becoming widely available again to meet the rising demand of golfers who discovered the joys of walking a course during the pandemic. One of the top brands is Big Max, popular in Europe and increasingly known in the U.S. Their Blade IP push cart ($400) weighs just 14 pounds, has three wheels for easy maneuverability and boasts a host of other conveniences. Most importantly, it folds practically flat in seconds for easy trunk storage.
Way over $100
Bushnell, the premier brand of rangefinders, has outdone itself in launching the Pro XE ($549.99). It's best-in-class when it comes to yardage, accuracy and consistency. We love its bright, clear screen that makes seeing the target you want to shoot and the yardage display so easy to read, even for anyone with aging eyes.
You may have seen videos or professional golf tournament coverage with golfers swinging a noticeably bright pink shaft in their drivers. It's the mysterious Autoflex, and it's captivated equipment junkies with tales of eye-popping distance and accuracy gains even for those with modest swing speeds. Custom-fitting shops are having trouble keeping them in stock despite the $800 price tag, but if you've been wanting to help give Dad a power-boost off the tee, ferreting one out might just make his year.
Is Dad dead-serious about improving his game? Go all-out and get him a Full Swing KIT launch monitor, which Tiger Woods has used in his comeback at the 2022 Masters and 2022 PGA Championship. Full Swing has found a way to competitively price their sophisticated unit at just under $4,000, which is expensive, but still a fraction of the cost of the souped-up TrackMan and Foresight monitors that many pros practice with.
In addition to traditional manual push carts, motorized golf bags, popular for years in the UK and Ireland, are becoming more prevalent stateside. One top-of-the-line brand, the Prague, Czech Republic-based Decolt Grand, integrates your motorized cart with your bag, offering a relatively lightweight (at less than 35 pounds) solution. The bag is not for the uncommitted, but the current $4,499 price tag does represent a discount of more than $2,000 off of the normal retail price.
