The 12 Best Gifts for Every Kind of Golfer (2024)

I’m a Hawaiian-shirt guy, so Sunday Swagger‘s retro island-meets-Kramer vibe appealed to me from the get-go. They’ve got a rainbow of colors and styles, including both polos and button-downs, for when you want to take your vibe off the course and into the tiki bar. The “swagger” is only part of why I love these shirts, which add plenty of substance to go along with their style.

The breathable and stretchable material is effortlessly comfortable and wrinkle-resistant, and it provides a mix of sweat-wicking and UPF 40 sun protection. The shirts work brilliantly on the course, keeping me cool even during the hottest part of the afternoon on a recent round. Not for nothing, I’ve gotten compliments on multiple versions, and the brand is constantly adding new “drops” to its collection. There’s something for just about every type of golfer here, as long as they like their style a little loud and fun.

There’s not much I want in my pocket while playing a leisurely round, but Callaway’s handy 4-in-1 divot tool makes the cut. It’s light, easy to use, and works well. The magnetic ball marker pops out with a quick click on the side (and doubles as a fidget tool), while the tough bristles keep club faces sharp. God willing and you actually hit a few greens, it fixes those up, too—much better than the car keys I’ve employed for the last few years. Every golfer needs a divot tool, making this an excellent stocking stuffer for the novice golfer or those who, like me, long ago lost their last one.

Going to the range is fundamental to improving your game, but I don’t always love the experience. If you’re impatient like me, it’s easy to overdo it, which messes with your swing and nullifies the whole point. I wasn’t sure how much Garmin’s pint-size launch monitor could help, but one trip to the range and I was sold. Pairing it to my phone took seconds, and once I figured out the basics of the app, I was swinging away in no time. The device tracks your ball automatically and (mostly) accurately, even in twilight. You can set it to take a video of each swing, while the included phone mount makes it easy to monitor each shot and adjust your camera angle.

The real fun comes with the virtual games, which provide a mobile simulator experience reminiscent of Top Golf, if more limited (and without the doughnut holes). The free service is fun, but avid players will want the subscription to unlock thousands of virtual courses and store videos in the cloud. You can even expand to a projection-based simulator with third-party apps such as Awesome Golf. Like the game itself, the R10 isn’t a cheap enterprise, and its micro USB charging port is archaic and takes forever. Otherwise, this little kickstand is a killer add-on that makes practicing nearly as fun as the real thing.

I didn’t think I’d be using this telescopic tool in my first round with it in my bag; the water hazards on my local course are more like the Dead Marshes from Lord of the Rings than picturesque ponds. As chance would have it, I shanked my first drive left and over a small chainlink fence. The IGotcha ball retriever made nabbing my sparkling new ball a cinch, easily extending from its 20-inch frame up to 14 feet, while the squishy ring at the tip provided the perfect grip. I love its solid mix of stainless steel construction and sheer simplicity in design, which should make it an indispensable part of any golfer’s arsenal for many rounds to come.

I was initially reticent about the PrimePutt based on its high price. Frankly, I wasn’t sure what it could do that a cheapo putting green couldn’t. After testing it for a few days, I started to get it, and gained a real appreciation for going big. The way the ball rolls true, the way it stops and slows, and even how the green breaks with little changes in the topography all come together for an experience that feels a lot like the real thing. I prefer the full size to the Compact so you can stand on the grass, but there’s also a Standing Pad for those with less space.

The PrimePutt’s value became increasingly clear on a dark and dreary autumn day in Portland, Oregon, as I putted to my heart’s content while the rain beat down just outside my covered patio. Especially for those in regions with a long off-season, this pricey putting pal is a sweet splurge.