Golf is a game of precision, and anything that helps you remove the variables that can affect your game can improve your scores more than you may realize.
A simple electronic device may tell you that you are 145 yards from the hole when you thought you were 130, a golf towel may make your hands just dry enough for the club not to shift in your hands, and a club brush may remove the one speck of dirt that would have decreased your spin rate too much to catch the green.
The bottom line is that accessories are important and can be the difference between a birdie and a bogey on any given hole. The following is a list and description of our “Must Have Golf Accessories” and we believe each one may have a place in your bag.
Our Top 24 Golf Accessories
Divot Tool
No matter how often your ball lands on the green from a long distance, you need to carry a divot tool just in case.
When you leave a divot on the green after a towering approach shot from 200 yards out (like we all hit every day…right?), that divot will mess other golfers up when your divot is in their putting line.
A divot tool will help you lift up the grass and smooth out the green to keep the course looking and playing well for every golfer. Keep one in your bag at all times so that every time you hit the course you can help make sure it stays in the best condition possible.
Golf Towel
A good golf towel is important for a lot of reasons. You can use one side of the towel to clean your golf clubs, and the other side to wipe your hands or face when they get wet.
Because of the importance of a good golf towel, keep a couple in your car, drape one over your clubs, and even keep one in the pocket of your bag to ensure you always have one ready.
If you have ever tried to grip your club with wet hands, then you know why a golf towel is one of the most important accessories in your bag.
Club brush
It is funny, people are willing to spend thousands of dollars on golf clubs and then forget to spend $10 on something that will keep them usable and clean for years to come.
The best thing to do would be to clean the face of your clubs after every shot, but since most people will not do that, cleaning them after each round would suffice.
Without proper and consistent cleaning, your clubs will not perform as well and there is a much greater chance of them rusting which would also greatly affect performance.
We would suggest finding one with a retractable cord that connects to your golf bag. If it does not connect, you will probably lose it, and if it is not retractable it might be too difficult to use.
Rangefinder
The first electronic device to make the list, a rangefinder is almost a necessity for golfers whose skills are intermediate and above.
The difference between a 235-yard shot and a 260-yard shot is big, and the same goes for when you are 150-yards out compared to 135.
If you can hit your distances, you are looking at the difference between a makeable putt and a lag. The bottom line is that you can find a good one for about $200 and it is well worth it for the better scoring and precision you get.
GPS
A GPS is a slightly more reliable version, if less exact, than a rangefinder. With a rangefinder, you have to find a physical object to aim at to figure out how far it is from where you are to that object.
With a GPS, the entire course is laid out in front of you with distances to any point. You cannot necessarily find an exact yardage to the hole like you can with a rangefinder, but you can come pretty close.
You can get a GPS that is handheld, an app on your phone, or even a GPS watch so that it is very convenient to carry around the course. Many golfers carry both a GPS and rangefinder, but if you were to carry just one, a GPS is probably a little more reliable.
Golf Balls
The one piece of equipment/accessory that you have to have on every hole and for every shot; golf balls.
A simple Google search will give you thousands of articles on which golf balls are the best, what type of ball you should use for your game, and whether or not spending extra money on a golf ball is worth it.
Here is a link to our article about the Best Golf Balls for Average Golfers in 2021. The bottom line is that if you are a good golfer, then spending a little extra money on golf balls will help your game and will probably be worth the expense.
If you are just starting out or generally shoot triple digits, then an expensive golf ball will do little more than just go a little further into the woods.
Tees
The only real question you have to answer when it comes to tees is “plastic or wooden.”
Plastic tees, in general, will last forever but there is a good chance you are going to lose them anyway. Wooden tees will break and split in half very easily, but you can just buy them in bulk very inexpensively and keep 100s in your bag at a time.
In general, just keep as many as you can in your bag, chances are that someone you are playing with will not have read this list and may have to borrow a couple.
Ball Marker
The term “ball marker” can refer to either the small flat object used to mark your spot on the green, or an identification device/alignment stripe that golfers place on the ball so that they know it is theirs.
For our purposes, a ball marker is the former, and we have always used coins, the marker that is buttoned to your golf glove, or a just an extra tee.
Regardless of what you use, there will probably be at least 10 times per round that you will need to mark your ball on the green, so come come prepared.
Golf bag
A golf bag is, quite obviously, one of the most important accessories a golfer will purchase. Finding the right golf bag, however, is a process.
You have to consider a few things like are you walking or riding, do you prefer lightweight or roomy, and how much are you willing to spend for a good golf bag.
To learn more about this process, click here to read our article about the Best Golf Bags in 2021.
Glove
Unless you live in a climate that is perpetually 65-degrees, you never sweat or get cold, and your grip never falters down the stretch, you will need a golf glove.
Golf gloves can be expensive, and most of them wear out fairly quickly, so choosing a good one is important.
Our advice would be to find one that you really like and that last a while, and buy a few of them.
That way even if one breaks or gets a rip during a round you have another in the bag waiting.
You can also keep them on a rotation for if you play a couple of times in a row and your old glove gets sweaty.
Umbrella
To be honest, it took me a while to realize how important a good golf umbrella could be.
I always thought that if it started raining, I would just man-up and play through. Then I got caught out in the rain a few times in a row and I noticed how different my game was.
I could not grip the club well, my glove became useless, and it could even effect my vision to the extent that water was dripping down my face.
From that point on, I have always carried an umbrella with me and it is an important part of my golf bag.
Sunglasses
A good pair of sunglasses is one of the most important golfing accessories I carry. It is not enough to get a pair of sunglasses that keep the glare out, you need a pair of sunglasses that allows you to see clearly and does not negatively affect your game.
A hat is nice to keep the glare away, but if you have ever played in a really sunny part of the world, or if you have blue eyes, then you know a good pair of sunglasses is a necessary accessory.
Travel Bag
One of the best things to do on vacation is to play a golf course you would not otherwise get to play.
Do a little research beforehand and find the best course in the area. When you do this, however, a good golf travel bag is important as well.
You do not want to play with a set of rentals but you also do not want anything bad to happen your clubs during travel.
A good travel bag will take care of both of these concerns and help you enjoy your vacation even more.
Rain gear
Rain gear includes an umbrella, rain jacket, rain pants, waterproof shoes, and a either a waterproof pocket in my golf bag or a separate waterproof bag for my belongings.
Rain can really ruin a round of golf, but coming prepared for the elements is key to having a good time even when the weather turns.
You are not going to stay completely dry and you will probably not shoot your lowest score, but you can do everything possible to mitigate the circumstance and outplay the other guys in your group.
Sunblock
There is not much to say about this other than it can get really hot and sunny out on the golf course.
The typical round of golf lasts over 4 hours and you are definitely not in the shade for the majority of that time.
The point is that you should always wear sunblock on a sunny day on the course, and even more so if you shave your head.
Not only can a severe burn be really painful, it can also make you play worse and in severe cases you may have to miss your next round.
The bottom line is just put on the sunscreen no matter how much you dislike it.
Chapstick
If you have ever played in windy conditions and had your lips badly chapped, then you understand completely why chapstick is on this list.
There is not much worse, and there quite a few golf courses that are built where windy conditions are common, it can be a real issue.
A simple tube of chapstick, however, can make all the difference, allowing you to focus on your game rather than your mouth, and save your lips for future rounds of golf.
Pain reliever (ibuprofen/tylenol)
Depending on your age, you may already know the value and importance of keeping a pain reliever in your bag.
Even if you have never needed one to this point in your golfing life, there will come a time when you wish you had a bottle in your bag.
Whether it be a headache, a backache, or simply muscle pain because of how many holes you have played, at some point you will thank me for this one.
Athletic tape
Blisters are just a part of the game of golf, especially if you take an extended break from the game for any reason.
Blisters can be painful and even worse they can affect your play. We would suggest taping up places on your hand, or elsewhere, that you know are prone to blistering before you play.
If either you cannot do that or forget to do it, have some athletic tape available to put on when you feel the blister coming, even if it is in the middle of a round.
On top of that, if you have the tape ready, you can cover up whatever cut or mishap occurs on the course that day.
Water bottle
If you have been to a professional sporting event or amusement park, then you know how much a simple bottle of water or pack of crackers can cost.
This same “surcharge” seems to exist in a pro shop and even worse when the Beverage cart comes around.
The bottom line is that if you want to save a little money and take the snacks/drinks that you enjoy, just stick some in your golf bag and skip the exorbitant prices found on the course.
Shoe Bag
Depending on the type of course you are playing and the weather in your area, it can get really messy when you leave the course and get into your car.
If you have good golf shoes, then there is probably a lot of dirt, mud, and grass stuck in the spikes after a round.
If you do not want that debris transitioning into your car, then a good golf bag is essential.
Also, you just do not really want to drive home in the pair of shoes you played golf in for the past 4 hours, so slip into a more comfortable pair and keep your golf shoes safe and ready for the next round.
Golf hat
If you have spent much time on the course, then you have probably noticed that the vast majority of golfers wear a hat.
In hot and sunny weather, golf hats are a necessary tool to keep the sun out of your face and off your head. It can cool you down, save your eyes, and keep the sun out of your face and head.
Even if the sun is not out, if the wind is blowing then a hat can be equally important for keeping your hair out of your face.
The best thing to do is get used to wearing a hat in all climates because, chances are, you are going to want a hat most of the time and it is better to get used to them anyway.
Bag tag
Bag tags are especially important when you drop your bag outside the pro shop getting ready for your round.
If anyone is carrying your clubs or setting them up on your cart, it is especially nice for them to be able to call your name to identify you.
If someone moves or takes your bag “by mistake” then you also have an easy and quick way to point out that it is yours.
In general, just like when you are traveling, you will want to have your name on your bag.
Portable charger
There are 2 things about golf courses that seem like anomalies to me. The first is that it seems like it almost never rains on a golf course and the second is that your phone is probably going to lose its charge during your round no matter how much you charged it before you start.
I have no idea why, but it just happens. Basically, find a portable charger and just keep it in your bag so that you can communicate with the outside world and people can get in touch with you in case of emergency.
If you are like me, when your phone loses its charge it is hard to concentrate on other things.
Alignment sticks
Alignment sticks are some of the best and most versatile golf pieces of equipment in the golf world.
They do far more than just fix your alignment. They can help improve your swing path, give you something with which to warm up before a match, and about 250 other things to help your game.
One of the best things to use them for is to work on your alignment on the range before a round or to use them on the practice green to get your putts moving in the right direction.
Final Thoughts On The 24 Must Have Golf Accessories
This list is long and it is extensive, but every accessory listed could be important on any given day and we hoped you learned about some of the most important golfing accessories out there.
Take stock of what you keep in your bag and compare it to this list of accessories and see what you need, what you do not need, and what you either do or do not want to carry and adjust your golf bag accordingly.
If you enjoyed this list and learned from it, please comment on this post below and let us know what your favorite accessories are. Also, share with your friends and let them know we put valuable information like this out there often.
