What’s the most versatile tool in your golf bag arsenal? No, it’s not your hybrid or your six iron. It’s not your hat clip, your ball marker, your rangefinder or even your combination bottle opener and divot-fixer. What’s the one simplest, cheapest, and most important item to keep in your golf bag (besides clubs and balls, of course)? A simple run-of-the-mill golf towel attached to your bag is an absolute must. Here’s why.
A good golf towel is inexpensive, very light, easy to carry, easy to use and incredibly versatile. What do experienced golfers use a towel for? Just about everything:
- Wiping down wet and/or muddy clubs (both striking surfaces and grips)
- Drying hands prior to a shot
- Cleaning muddy golf balls after putting out
- Shielding the back of your neck from the sun (or rain)
- Wiping the sweat from your forehead
- Soaking in water and cooling yourself down
- Cleaning up the beer spill in the golf cart drink holder
- Wrapping it around their club for extra grip in lieu of a glove (yes, USGA rules allow this)
There is certainly no rule saying you must have a towel with you on the course, but besides forgetting one, can you think of a reason not to carry one? Honestly, it’s really all upside.
What to look for in a great golf towel
A standard white, cotton towel is fine. But for just a tiny bit more “buck” you can get a whole lot more “bang.” Goose and Co, for instance, is a Canadian company that makes killer all-sport and golf-specific towels that have special features to use when you’re out on the range or course, like a multi-functional three-layer design.
For instance, antimicrobial cotton on one side of the towel is terrific for keeping anything you need to dry, while the other side can be moistened at the start of your game and act as a wet towel to help wipe or clean anything that needs it. The waterproof core between the two outer layers of cloth means you can carry just one towel and still have the wet-dry function. It also means you can use it as a waterproof rain shield in a pinch. The towel also comes with a detachable waterproof pouch and magnetic ball marker. Not too shabby.
If you’re not a gear fanatic, and you’d rather have something simple yet functional, pretty much every company that makes golf equipment carries a simple microfiber golf towel that will function great and won’t scratch your equipment. Here’s one from Nike that’s on Amazon’s bestseller list for golf towels: Nike Microfiber Golf Towel. And if you’re looking for just the standard, cheapest option, Budgetgolf.com has a wide selection of options under 10 bucks and sometimes under five bucks.
More great reasons to carry at least one golf towel in your bag
- You can carry a branded towel to rep your favorite equipment company. Are you committed to Calloway? Totally into Titleist? Show the world.
- Most major sports teams sell towels that are emblazoned with your favorite team’s logo. Also an NFL fan or a sucker for Basketball? Blast your team’s colors on the golf course.
- Are you doing business on the course or want to generate some interest in your new entrepreneurial venture? Companies like Personalized Towel or 4 Imprint will create batches of personalized towels with your company logo and contact info. How about clipping a stack to your bag and passing them out instead of business cards?
Lastly, it never hurts to play the savior. Anytime someone else has forgotten their towel, and then their ball gets stuck in mud, they will thank you for pulling through with the having the right tool in your bag.
— C. Pedroja