Useful Gifts for Your Golfer

by Jeff Skinner

“Tis the season to be jolly” and it’s the time that golfers get to unwrap all those crazy, useless golf gifts that show up under our tree each year.  We shouldn’t be shy about letting our loved ones know what we want and could really use on the course next season.  Here are some of the most practical and useful gifts that a real golfer would appreciate.

Golf balls are the number one gift that golfers get each year.  A box of good balls will make most golfers smile but try to be a bit different and get them imprinted.  It’s cheap, sometimes free and it says you took the time to think about the gift.  Get creative with the imprint: “Shankopotamus” is a good one, “My Dad’s Lost Ball” is another or the just the golfers name will be enough to impress.

There’s nothing like a good book on golf to light up the face of your gift getting golfer.  There are a million options for books but a few of these favorites will be a welcome addition to any golfer’s library.  The instruction bible is “Golf My Way” by Jack Nicklaus.  Many professional golfers’ claim that was the first book they ever used to hone their skills.  I am lucky enough to have a first edition and it has been in print for decades so you can probably get one at a used book store.  It’s one of the best instruction books ever.  Harvey Penick’s “Little Red Book” has been a best seller for years and is perfect for a quick read while you’re taking care of business on the throne.

If you’re looking for a bit of help on the mental side of the game try any of the books by Dr. Bob Rotella.  He is the Big Dog in the world of sports psychology and “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect” and “Putting Out of Your Mind” are so good you’ll be wondering why you didn’t think like this before.

There are some great books on the history and the personalities of the game.  Any of the many books by John Feinstein, Mark Frost, James Dodson or Kevin Cook would be a smart choice.  All of them are excellent writers and cover some of the most interesting people and events in golf.

There is one small, inexpensive little stocking stuffer that each golfer should carry with him each time he plays: the divot repair tool.  Give your golfer one of those and you will not only get away cheap but you are telling him that he’s a good golfer and he needs to fix those divots on all those greens he hits.  Yea, that’s the ticket, “You’re really good, so fix those divots.”