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Gifts for Golfers: What They Actually Use (and What to Skip)

Buying for a golfer this year and stuck on what to get?
I've taught tennis for more than 20 years, and a lot of the people I coach play golf too. Here's what golfers actually use, and what ends up in the closet.

The bag-sized gift: Active 10 4oz tube, $24.95

First rule: don't buy the clubs

Every year somebody asks me which driver or putter to get their husband, wife or dad. My answer is always the same: don't. Clubs are fitted for length, lie angle, shaft flex and grip size, and a club that doesn't suit someone's swing ends up leaning against the garage wall. The same goes for rangefinders and launch monitors unless you know exactly which one they want. Golfers have strong opinions about gear, and they like to pick it themselves.

The best golf gifts are the things players go through, lose, or never get around to buying for themselves. They're hard to get wrong, and every one of them gets used. Here's my list, roughly from smallest to biggest.

Stocking stuffers under $15

Golf balls. Nobody has ever had too many. If you can, peek in their bag and match the brand and model they already play. A dozen of the right ball beats two dozen of the wrong one.
Tees and ball markers. Cheap, useful, and a personalized ball marker feels like a real gift.
A good glove. Gloves wear out fast. Check the size in their current one (it's printed inside the strap) and whether they wear it on the left or right hand.
A divot tool. A solid metal one lasts for years.
Golf socks. Cushioned, moisture-wicking socks make a long walk on the course much more pleasant.

Gifts under $30

A towel and a brush. Clean grooves spin the ball. A big microfiber towel that clips to the bag gets used every round.
A massage ball or small foam roller. Golf is a rotation sport, and the upper back, hips and lower back do a lot of work. Five minutes of rolling after a round feels great.
An insulated bottle. Water on hot days, coffee on early tee times.
Active 10 for the bag. I'll get to why below. The 4oz tube ($24.95) and the 3oz roll-on ($23) both fit in a bag pocket.

Gifts under $50

New grips. Most golfers play worn, slick grips far too long. A regrip at their local shop is one of the most noticeable upgrades for the money, and a gift card to that shop works well here.
A rain or winter layer. A wind shirt or a pair of winter golf gloves keeps them playing in November and March.
The Active 10 combo pack ($41.95): a tube for home and a roll-on for the bag.
A bucket-of-balls punch card at their driving range.

The gift golfers remember: lessons or a round

If you want to spend more, skip the gadgets and buy time. A lesson package with a PGA professional, a club fitting, or a round at a course they've always wanted to play beats almost any piece of gear. As a teaching pro I'm biased, but I've seen a few good lessons change how much someone enjoys a sport for years.

Why a pain relief cream makes a good golf gift

Golf looks gentle, but it isn't easy on the body. A full swing is a fast twist through the hips, lower back and shoulders, repeated dozens of times a round, plus plenty more at the range. Then there's walking four or five miles, bending over to tee up and read putts, and carrying or pushing a bag. Most golfers finish a round with something stiff or sore: the lower back, a shoulder, the lead elbow, the knees.

That's where Active 10 fits. It's a topical pain reliever for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and joints associated with simple backache, arthritis, strains, bruises and sprains. The active ingredients are menthol, capsaicin and magnesium. It goes on cool, then warms, it's non-greasy and non-staining, and it's made in the USA. It's easy to keep a tube in the bag for after the round, or at home for the evening after a long day on the course.

Which one to pick:

Roll-on (3oz, $23) for no-mess application on the lower back or shoulder, and nothing on their hands before they grip a club.
Tube (4oz, $24.95) if they like to work it in by hand, for elbows, knees and hands.
Pump (8oz, $33.95) for home, with the best price per ounce.
Combo pack ($41.95) if you want to give both.

Not sure what they'd like? An Active 10 gift card ($10 to $100) lets them choose.

For external use only. Use only as directed on the Drug Facts label. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes, wash hands after applying, and don't apply to wounds or damaged skin or use with a heating pad. Stop use and ask a doctor if the condition worsens, if symptoms last more than 7 days, or if redness or irritation develops.

A quick routine to tuck in with the gift

If you want to add a note to the card, this is what I'd tell any golfer who's sore after a round:

Warm up before the first tee. Five minutes of easy walking, arm circles and gentle trunk turns, then half swings with a wedge before the driver comes out.
Bend with the knees, not the back, to tee up and pull the ball out of the cup.
Drink water through the round, not just at the turn.
After the round, a few minutes of light stretching for the hips, lower back and shoulders, then Active 10 on whatever is complaining.
Space out range sessions. A large bucket every day is a common source of sore backs and elbows.

See a doctor for pain that is sharp, comes with numbness, tingling or swelling, or doesn't settle down within a week.

Gift FAQ

Will it get on their grips? Wash hands after applying, before picking up a club. The roll-on keeps it off the hands entirely.

Does it smell strong? There's a light menthol scent that fades as it dries.

Can I ship it to them directly? Yes. Enter their address as the shipping address at checkout.

Is there a version with hemp? Yes, Active 10 PLUS adds full spectrum hemp oil. The regular formula is where most people start.

More from a tennis pro

Darrin Cohen, tennis pro and founder of Active 10