father's day

The Best Father’s Day Gifts for Golfing Dads

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers

If your dad spends his Sundays teeing off, then Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity to give him something golf-related. But, if you’re not a golfer yourself, you might be clueless as to what would make a good golfing gift. Whilst there are plenty of novelty options out there for golfers, training coach Joe Macro predicts that they’re less likely to be appreciated, and more likely to simply gather dust. “When I left my previous job, for example, I was given a gift of joke golf balls. But, you can never actually use them,” he says.

Instead of any old knickknack, Macro recommends seeking a gift your dad will actually use on the golf course (or to plan his next trip). Not only does it show an added element of thoughtfulness, but it might be something already on his wishlist. To help identify some truly delightful gifts we asked experts — including experienced coaches, players, and golfing bloggers — as well as combing through our archives, and including a couple picks of our own. We’ve also noted beneath each item the last date it can be purchased for guaranteed delivery by June 19. And whilst you’re here, if you’re looking for even more Father’s Day gift inspiration, you can view our hub of curated guides here.

Golfing tools

“Premium golf balls are quite expensive,” says Macro. “For amateur golfers that go through quite a lot of golf balls, it gets to be quite expensive to keep buying ‘the best’. But they also won’t want to go and buy a cheap brand.” To combat this mounting expense, Macro recommends gifting a box of golf balls from Sugar. The brand produces balls of a deluxe quality — using premium quality urethane — but at a much cheaper cost, by utilising UK-based distributors, and reducing packaging expenses. “You’re getting the same product for a much cheaper rate, as they get rid of all of the fluff around it,” Macro explains.

Last date to purchase: June 14.

Sugar also offers customisable versions of their golf balls, if you want the gift to be a touch more personal. “I’ve seen these out on the courts, and they do look smart,” says Macro. “It could really add another level to the gift.”

Last date to purchase: June 14.

£140

If your dad is looking to improve his overall score, Ray Nyabola, founder of Black British Golfers identifies the Shot Scope GPS watch as an ideal choice. The watch acts like a FitBit for golfers, tracking shots and swings across a preloaded catalogue of 36,000 courses. “What it does is it gives you statistical, tangible feedback,” says Nyabola. “Rather than guessing what has gone wrong or right in your golf round, you can see every shot with data, and over subsequent rounds, you build comparative data, and can start to improve your decision making.” The watch also allows you to upload your results onto social media, to both share your progress with friends, and discuss your results and ideas for improvement with coaches. It’s available in four colours — including black and grey — and has a battery life of over ten hours.

Last date to purchase: June 14.

According to Nyabola, the average golf course involves trekking around 10 to 15 kilometres, all whilst hauling your gear over your shoulder. “If a golf course is hilly, and involves a lot of manoeuvring up and down, that eventually becomes tiring, and muscle fatigue does kick in,” he says. That’s why for Nyabola, an electric-assisted trolley is a game-changing gift, especially for those with injuries to the shoulder or knee that find lugging around their clubs and other gear a real task. Not only does this make golf courses more accessible, but it keeps players physically fresh, which will improve their overall game.

Last date to purchase: June 16.

Strategist writer Chris Mandle originally featured this golf gizmo within our list of 28 Father’s Day under £10. The tool features all the essential tools golfers require out on the course, including a magnetic ball marker, a divot tool, a spice wrench, a score pen, and a groove brush for cleaning inside cracks. It also contains a bottle opener, for a mid-session refreshment, and attaches conveniently to your keys or your caddy with a keychain.

Last date to purchase: June 16.

One-to-one lessons with a golfing professional were recommended to us by three of our experts: Nyabola, PGA teaching professional Hannah Crump, and PGA Pro Matt Williams. “No matter how good you are at the game, or how new you are to the game, a golf lesson is always welcome,” Nyabola explains. Both Crump and Nyabola advise seeking a local professional to improve your overall game. Nyabola says that whilst there are various ways to seek a professional for lessons, simply making some enquiries at your local club is a great place to start (and you may even be offered a discounted rate). Meanwhile, the PGA online directory has a handy golf-lesson locator, allowing you to peruse 8,000 professional profiles to find one local to your dad, and suited to his level of play.

Golfing kit

Just like having the correct tools, the correct golfing kit will make a marked improvement to your dad’s golfing performance. If your dad is a newbie to the sport, PGA Class A golf professional Dan Schwabe recommends adding these gloves from FootJoy to his collection. According to Schwabe, new players tend to “hold the club too much in their lead palm and too far to the end of the club, so it acts like a little knife high up in the heel of the hand.” As the FootJoy gloves have a slight thickness overall, and a thicker pad within the palm, it prevents this irritation. They’re also rather reasonably priced and will last for years to come.

Last date to purchase: June 16.

FootJoy was also favoured by two directors of golf instruction — Dawn Mercer and Rich McDonough — for their range of golf shoes. “I don’t think there is anybody who is playing golf who can’t find a price point or shoe of comfort that works for them,” says McDonough. The FootJoy Flex shoes are a pair of grey, minimalist trainers with a springy, comfortable sole — ideal for trekking around the various terrains, hills (and even sand pits) of golf courses across the country.

Last date to purchase: June 16.

Another budget idea we’ve written about is this classic cap from Nike. We like the simple navy design and metallic swooshed tick. It’s an ideal accessory for summer days spent on the course, when dad needs to banish away the glare of the sun before making his swing.

Last date to purchase: June 16.

Golfing memorabilia

For dads who love to travel far and wide to tee off, we like this scratch-off golf-course map. It’s something that I gifted my own golf dad for Father’s Day last year. As it features 100 UK-based courses, he particularly liked that he could not only keep track of the courses that he’s already visited, but easily plan out those that he’d like to try next (including some he had no idea were so close to home).

Last date to purchase: June 16, 10 a.m.

“The best golf-related Father’s Day gift I ever received was an awesome book of hidden-gem golf resorts to visit while vacationing,” says PGA senior professional Tim Townsend. The book in question, Remarkable Golf Courses, is written by renowned sports journalist Iain Spragg. As well as offering some international golf-course inspiration for when your dad is travelling, the book makes a delightful addition to the coffee table, featuring striking images of golf resorts from Death Valley, USA, to all the way in the Arctic Circle.

Last date to purchase: June 18.

The Strategist UK is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Read about who we are and what we do here. Our editors update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

The Best Father’s Day Gifts for Golfing Dads