The AmateurGolf Gift Guide for Competitive Golfers

by Kyle Rector - AmateurGolf.com Equipment Advisor

If you play tournament golf, there is no doubt that you have a closet full of well-intentioned golf gifts that you have never touched. Most likely, a non-golfing loved one Googled something like, “Top gifts for the golfer in your life” and you ended up with a golf gadget that will never see the light of the first tee.

As a competitive golfer, you’ve spent many years curating everything in your golf bag down to your ball markers, tees, and even the paint job on your custom putter. There is no room for anything that is not helping you feel better, look better, and most importantly, make more birdies.

At AmateurGolf.com we test and review dozens of products from top brands. Here are the top gifts for competitive golfers according to the AmateurGolf.com player staff. Make sure you send this list to your loved ones!

This year marked the first time professional golfers and caddies on the PGA tour were allowed to use rangefinders in competition. If you are not carrying a rangefinder in your bag, you are already at a disadvantage going into 2022. Not to worry! Earlier this year, we reviewed the Cobalt Q6 Rangefinder, and we found this to be one of the best performing rangefinders in our test group.

Cobalt rangefinders are equipped with ergonomically-friendly features so you can spend more time on your game, rather than behind your rangefinder. The Illumination Dial allows you to quickly increase or decrease the display brightness to match variable lighting conditions. Within the dial, a Yard/Meters Button lets you set your preferred units of measurement. A textured, rubberized grip and Fire Button ensure that the rangefinder will sit comfortably in your hand. Similarly, the rubber-padded, adjustable eyecup extends that comfort from your hand to your eye, allowing for a customized fit based on your facial structure.

2021 BUYING ALERT
Cobalt will be running a Black Friday special from 11/24 to 11/29 -- we recommend learning about the product now, and marking your calendar for Friday to pull the trigger. Learn more at CobaltGolf.com

What if I told you you could increase clubhead speed by 2mph with a pair of shoe insoles? It sounds almost too good to be true until three-time major winner Padraig Harrington shares that VKTRY insoles helped him reach 198 MPH ball speed. WHAT!!! The theory behind these insoles for golfers is that they help your weight transfer while increasing stability during the swing.

Developed by a certified Pedorthist for the USA Olympic Bobsled Team, VKs are the only sports insole on the market to provide heel-to-toe protection and stabilization to help reduce injuries like turf toe, plantar fasciitis, heel pain and ankle sprains.

World Class Long Driver Josh Koch Loves his VKTRY Insoles

2021 BUYING ALERT
VKTRY will be running a Black Friday special this week -- we recommend learning about the product now, and keeping an eye out for a huge offer to score the best prices of the year Learn more at VKTRYGear.com

As a competitive golfer, it’s rare that you can just pull a golf club off the rack and put it into play immediately. But what if there was a multipurpose utility club built for better players to use from the tee, fairway, or rough? How about a golf club that Phil Mickelson and Xander Schauffele tested and gave direct feedback on? Introducing the Callaway Apex Utility Wood, a top pick by the AmateurGolf.com Player Staff.

This is what Callaway PGA TOUR Manager, Jacob Davidson, says about the all new Callaway Apex Utility Wood. "The Apex UW offers players a higher launch and steeper land angle versus a hybrid. It spins more than a hybrid but less than a 5 wood and has a very neutral CG. These performance objectives are giving players a new option in the top of their bag that allows them to fill gaps. Since we’ve launched this on Tour it has received nothing but positive feedback and players are continually gravitating to it because of its unique versatility."

The Callaway Apex Utility Wood is available in a 17,19, or 21-degree loft with a stock Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 60, 70, or 80 regular, stiff, or extra-stiff.

If you were sent this article by a golfer in your life, and you have no idea what any of these specifications mean, I would recommend purchasing a Callaway gift card so he or she can order exactly what they need.

Purchase a gift card here: CallawayGolf.com

Don’t trust us? Let Phil tell you about the Apex Utility Wood.

AG Founder Pete Wlodkowski likes to say that your clothes are your 15th club on the golf course. Yes, your comfort is just as important as anything else in your bag. When temperatures drop, and the competition continues, you need to put on layers that do not restrict any part of your swing. You can never go wrong investing in a good base-layer, mid-layer, or outerwear.

FootJoy is the Tour-proven leader in quality cold weather gear. From sweaters and vests to head-to-toe waterproof rain gear, FJ apparel is designed to flex and move with your body. Their mission is to “make every day playable”.

Search FootJoy’s gift guide now: FootJoy.com/holiday-gift-guiide.html

The days of stock headcovers are long gone. Take a look in a competitive golfer’s bag, and you will most likely find a quality handmade leather headcover, if not multiple. A quality leather headcover for the driver, fairway wood or hybrid is a safe bet for a good gift. A whole set? Even better.

Titleist offers a wide selection of quality leather headcovers that will make a statement in any golf bag. You cannot go wrong with their quality construction and timeless design. Consider a three-piece set if your golfer has been particularly nice this year.

Purchase Titleist leather headcovers here

If there were a single gift that could actually lower someone’s score, StrakaLine Course Guides are it. While many golfers can “drive for show,” there’s definitely a reason that the second half of that of this historic phrase from South African golfer Bobby Locke – putting for ‘dough’ -- is more important. More strokes are taken on the putting surface than any other place on the course, and the ability to effectively read greens can make or break your score.

AmateurGolf.com asked a panel of top competitive golfers for tips on improving green reading, and there was a near-universal response. A majority surveyed noted that learning to use a green-reading book was imperative in improving their overall putting stats.

While the typical amateur golfer would not have access to “professional” green-reading books that are used on Tour by professionals and caddies alike, the technology now exists where golfers can access laser-scanned green guides for their home course from Strackaline.

Visit StrakaLine.com and search over 36,000 courses -- all while saving 25% with your AmateurGolf.com discount.

Mevo+ is a revolutionary launch monitor that brought almost all of the functionality of the "5-figure" launch monitors to a package that won't cost you much more than a Macbook, or the latest cell phone for that matter.

Mevo+ isn't just for the equipment geeks -- it provides an easy-to-use interface for practical use on a daily basis, plus the capability to play simulated golf and practice drills. This highly portable, battery-operated wizard has it all. Check out our video below and use the following links for Cyber Monday and Black Friday savings:

Save 10% on Mevo+ on Black Friday
Save 10% on Mevo+ on Cyber Monday