Essential Golf Accessories That You Will Eventually Need

I love talking about golf clubs. Guess you probably knew that considering this website name.

However, golf equipment is not limited to golf clubs. Heck, golf clubs are just a small fraction of the possible items that you will use on the course.

With that being said, you might not always be thinking about what golf acccessories you will eventually need, as there can be a lot of them.

This article is meant to be treated as a check-off list of some sort. So make sure you have all of your bases covered and won’t be caught empty handed when you need an item the most.

If I missed anything, please write a comment down below and I will personally add it to the list (if it is truly an essential item). However, I think I covered everything that you might truly NEED one day on the course.

Not everything here is meant to fit in your golf bag in particular, as your bag would be huge and heavy otherwise. However, consider at least having everything you see here in your car or at home for you to grab on your way to the course. If you are like me, you keep everything golf related in your car so that you can always grab it when you realized you forgot to put it in your golf bag.

You may also like to read about the 10 best golf accessories under $10 or the best golf accessory under $20.

Alright, enough introduction. Let’s get into the must-have golf accessories and necessities.

Divot Tool

Everyone, even beginners, need to carry around a divot fixer tool. When you make a divot on the green, you leave a hole in the green that will mess up other golfers if it happens to be in their line. Plus, it just makes the greens look unkept. So to keep your course in the best condition possible, you need to fix your divots by sticking the divot tool in the green and lifting up the grass around it to even out the green. I always keep a few in my bag, which you can often times get for free, depending on where you play, because I often times carry them home with me on accident and I’ll leave them at my house.

Retractable Club Brush

Club brushes are absolutely essential to have in/on your bag. Clubs can get very dirty and even rust up after a while. To keep them clean, consider cleaning them with a sturdy brush after every shot or at least after every round. This will keep your clubs (and your grooves, especially) in the best shape possible and make them last a lot longer. The best brushes have two different sides for different bristles. You need one with hard bristles and soft bristles. Hard for removing tough on rust and other dirt, and soft for cleaning dirt on the surface or for cleaning with water. Club brushes typically should have a sharp needle to really get in the grooves as well. The retractable chord is huge! If you don’t have one, you are struck cleaning your club within 6 inches of your bag if the brush is simply attached to your bag. This can be very inconvenient. And if you don’t have your brush attached to your bag at all, you are bound to lose it or you will have to search for it for a long time each time you need it.

Golf Shoe Bag

When you are done with your round, it can get messy when you get into your car with your golf shoes still on. You will track dirt, mud, sand, and more. Instead, you should take off your shoes when you get to your car. Put them in a shoe bag and slip on a pair of more comfortable shoes instead. You’ll never go back after doing this once.

Golf Trunk Organizer

Similar to the last item, the golf shoe bag, a golf trunk organizer can be extremely convenient. You can store extra clothes, balls, shoes, and accessories in one easy spot to get to. It keeps my trunk a lot more organized than it was before I got it. I bought the Samsonite brand one, but Nike ones seem very popular too. This is one of the rarest golf accessory  items that you will see.

Golf Gloves

Unless you are blessed with little to no sweating and you play in coldish temperatures, you will need a glove. I live in Alabama and chose to play without a glove for a while. However, after a while I realized that I was slowly losing grip as the round went on and it was best if I just always wore a glove to be consistent. Golf gloves can be expensive, so I wrote an article on the best budget golf gloves that you can buy. I put a lot of effort into the article and am very confident that I can save you money on very high quality gloves, so check out the article! I’d recommend you keep multiple gloves in your bag, as sometimes they will break or you will lose one. I often times leave gloves in my pocket after rounds, and they end up coming home with me and staying there for a long time. So, I just put a lot of gloves in my bag and rotate them often. They tend to get a little sweaty anyway, so this gives them plenty of time today.

Golf Balls (New and Used)

I know, this is stupid to even say. But it is essential that you carry around golf balls: some to play with (I prefer to play with new balls to make sure there is no effect on my shots), and used balls to practice with. I would never want to waste a new ball on chip shots when I am practicing my short game. I tend to mess up balls pretty easily when I am hitting chips and pitches, so I always make sure to keep some very used golf balls for that reason. If you are wondering which golf ball you should buy, consider looking at my article on the best value golf balls for your budget.

Golf Umbrella

Before each round that I play, especially if I am walking, I always check to see if there is any chance for rain that day. If there is, I throw my umbrella from my car into my bag to be safe. Keeping everything dry when it rains is HUGE. If my hands, towels, grips, and gloves are wet when playing, I am done for. I will for sure hit many balls out of bounds and have a terrible time. So, I do everything I can to make sure I stay dry. An umbrella does just that. I always have it on me, except for when I am actually hitting my shots. I always speed my pre shot routine up in the rain, so that I can get under my golf umbrella as quickly as possible. An umbrella is 100% an essential golf accessory that you will need one day.

Cold Weather Gear

You will need Hot Hands, a hand warmer, and a beanie or wool cap if you play in cold weather. If you are playing in very cold temperatures, you need to keep your hands warm at all costs. As soon as you lose feeling in your hands, your swing will feel unnatural and stiff. You are sure to hit some wayward shots, and it can ruin any good round. For that reason, I always have hot hands in my bag and throw one in a hand warmer during the round. The hand warmer is very underrated. I simply put it around my waist and in front of my body at all times, except when I am hitting shots. For the shots, I will put it behind me and out of the way completely. I don’t even know it is there anymore. Putting the hot hands in the hand warmer instead of in your pockets is very convenient and works ever better in my opinion. I would 100% say that this is essential for you to have if you feel as if your hands get cold when you play. Along with these things, make sure you have a beanie to keep your head and ears warm.

Golf Towel

Towels are very important when playing golf. You know that if you have ever forgotten it or dropped it on the course somewhere accidentally. I always keep lots of clean golf towels in my car and grab two for when I play. I put one and put it in between golf club shafts on top of my bag, and put the other in a pocket of my golf bag in case I need it. That one usually stays there for a while. I tend to use one side to clean my golf clubs, and the other side for wiping my hands or my face when they get wet. God forbid I mix those sides up and clean my face with a dirt filled towel. I’d also suggest getting one that can just clip on to your bag so that it won’t fall off without you knowing.

Sunscreen

Everyone knows that the sun can be very harmful. Depending on where you live and what times you typically play, you could be in the hot sun for 4-6 hours when playing. For this reason, always make sure to put sunscreen on before playing. I like to put mine on far before I play golf, as I don’t want my hands to be slippery. I always opt for the spray sunscreen instead of the lotion for this reason as well.

Bug Spray

If you play in areas that tend to be covered with bugs, bug spray is an absolutely must. I am lucky to play primarily on bug free golf courses, but I have played at courses where bugs eat me alive. Those rounds were very frustrating, but I’m sure I would have been fine if I had bug spray with me. I won’t make that mistake again, as I carry a very small bottle of bug spray with me in my bag. It doesn’t take up much room and it could be a lifesaver. Never forget your golf accessory items that make sure you aren’t miserable on the course!

Water Bottle and Snacks

If you are like me, you hate spending more money than you have to on the course. For this reason, I always keep a water bottle with me. I never have to pay $2 for a water or drink, as I simply fill up at the water fountain for free. And for snacks, I always bring some peanut butter crackers from home to eat at the turn. I choose to skip out on the “energy bars,” as they are simply glorified sugar-filled candy bars in my opinion. This saves me a lot of money throughout the year, and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.

Golf Tees

I always have tons of tees in my bag, because for so long I always forgot them. I simply bought a huge lot of tees on amazon and have used them every since. When it comes to what kind of tees to buy, I would just decide on wooden or plastic. Wooden tees will break quicker but they are cheaper. Plastic ones will last nearly forever, but you might lose them anyway so I doesn’t matter too much. Just make sure you have plenty at all times, because others will surely forget to bring some.

Blister Tape

I don’t know about you, but I can get some bad blisters on my hands, especially if I take a decent break from the game for a while and then come back. In this case, hand tape is a godsend. It saves me from a lot of pain during a round. Often times, I find it difficult to hit any shots at all when I have blisters that aren’t covered up with tape. More importantly though, it’s essential that you fix the blister ASAP with bandaids and Neosporin when you get home from the course. This tape can also be used for any type of random cut you might get on the course.

Rain Gear

If you have ever been stuck on the course without rain gear, which I bet we all have, then you know how frustrating it can be. You need to stay dry out there, so make sure you always have a rain jacket and rain pants, a waterproof bag for valuables, a rain bag cover, and rain gloves. Rain gloves are absolutely essential, even more so than the jacket and pants. These items paired with an umbrella will guarantee you stay as dry as possible.

Sharpie and an Optional Golf Ball Alignment Tool

Before each round, especially competitive rounds, you need to mark your golf ball with a sharpie. You might say to your playing partners, “I’m playing a Titleist Pro V1 3 with a red dot”. That way, when they are helping you find your ball in the woods, you can’t just find any ball and call it yours. When you change balls or lose a ball, you are supposed to tell your playing partners the new ball and mark that you are playing with. At the beginner of each round, I typically mark three golf balls with a sharpie with a different design so that I am ready to go when I use a new ball. The alignment tool to put a line on your golf ball for putting is optional. Many find it very useful, typically just for putting, while others (like myself) think it is too much of a hassle.

Coins

Traditional ball markers are expensive and a waste of money. I just use quarters, which are the perfect size in my opinion. They aren’t too big that they get in the way of playing partners, but they aren’t too small that they are difficult to find when you put them down. I always keep 5-10 quarter in my bag, sometime more just in case. Plus, they are good for small bets on the course as well, just to keep things interesting.

Golf Cap

When you are playing in hot, sunny weather, golf hats are very important. They keep the sun out of your face and keep you cooler in general. I always wear a hat on the course, even when it is not too sunny, as it keep my hair unaffected my the wind. If you get too hot or sunburned on the face, definitely consider starting to wear a hat on the course. My favorite golf hats are Nike. Adidas, Titleist, and Callaway also make great priced hats, though.

Pencils

Everyone has had a time where they needed a pencil but couldn’t find one in their bag. I always keep all small accessories, like coins, tees, divot tools, and pencils in the smallest pocket in my bag so I can always get to them. Plus, if you want to save something from each course you play, pencils are a great idea. They are cheap. They are easy to get. You can collect a lot of them without taking up too much space. Overall, it makes way more sense to collect golf pencils as opposed to golf balls, towels, or other accessories.

Rangefinder or GPS Watch + Batteries

If you are an intermediate golfer or better, then rangefinders are essential. The difference between a 140 yard shot and 150 yard shot is huge, as it’s a 30 foot putt difference. Therefore, you need to be accurate with your yardages by getting a rangefinder or GPS watch for the course. I’ve written a couple articles on rangefinders and other gadgets, and here is the best value rangefinder if you are interested in one. There is no need to buy the most expensive, high tech rangefinder when a $200 one will work just fine. That’s my thoughts, anyway. It’s always best to carry around an extra battery with you, just in case your rangefinder dies.

Bag Tag with your Name on It

If you happen to lose your bag, and trust me it happens, you’ll be glad to have your bag tag on it. It is also helpful for anyone that moves your bag or needs to get something out of your bag to make sure it really is yours. I have mine just as an extra reason for someone to not take my bag “on accident.” Bag drop people really appreciate it too, so they can call you by your name.

Lip Balm

My lips get chapped very easily. If you are like me, having chapstick in your bag will be a huge lifesaver. It will make you feel a lot better and allow you to focus on your game instead of your painful lips.

Advil/Tylenol

You will eventually come to a time where you desperately wish you had some sort of painkiller in your bag. You don’t want to have to quit playing golf when you sense a little bit of pain. Although it is always smart to know why you are in pain so that you don’t make anything worse, often times you just need to pop some Advil and keep trucking along if it’s not a serious issue.

Bottle Opener and Koozie

If you drink at the course often, it’s always a safe bet to carry a bottle opener and koozie with you for when you might need it. Plus, a koozie will help you keep your hands dry when drinking.

Scorecard Holder if you Walk

If you are a walker, having a scorecard holder is very convenient. Instead of just throwing the scorecard in your bag for it to get beat up and/or lost, a scorecard holder will make it easier to get to when you want it. I’ve never been a fan of putting the scorecard in my back pocket either, so I prefer to have a scorecard holder in my bag instead. If you ride, I would skip this and just keep your scorecard on the wheel like a normal person.

Portable Charger

If your phone is like mine, it dies all the time even without too much use. I bought three good, sturdy portable chargers a long time ago: I put one in my car, one in my backpack, and one in my golf bag. I also have an extra phone charger chord to go along with it. I’ve used it many times, and it has saved me from a lot of unfortunate events if I had not had my phone handy.

Gadget to Video your Golf Swing

I video my golf swing all the time on the range. However, instead of asking someone else to do it, I do it myself. It is easier and more consistent this way anyway. The best way to video your own swing is to buy a phone holder that attaches to an alignment stick that you can stick vertically in the ground. The best and cheapest gadget to video your swing is the SelfieGolf tool, you can find it by clicking the link in the title or picture above.

Your Go-To Training Aids

If you have a favorite training aid that you use, especially if it is on the smaller side, I would recommend you keep it in your car or golf bag. My favorite is the Swingyde, as it improved my wrist hinge and swing path as a result. It is something I can always go back to when my swing feels a little off, and it’s very small so I can take it anywhere.

Alignment Sticks

Alignment sticks have tons of uses, not just to fix your alignment. I use them to improve my swing path as well, and they can be used in hundreds of other ways too. The best way to get them would be to go to your local hardware store and get two orange “driveway markers” for around $2 each, instead of the $15-$20 golf alignment sticks in pro shops. Many people find it beneficial to check their alignment on the range before each round, which I think is a great idea.

Golf Ball Retriever

If you get the same thrill out of finding golf balls that I do, then a ball retriever is a must. Sometimes your club just won’t do the trick when you are reaching for a golf ball in a pond. Ball retrievers can help out a ton when you can’t reach a ball underwater. It will save a lot of money in the end, depending on how much you use it. You might even want to consider getting one that can find a lot more than one ball at at time, like in the picture above. I wouldn’t keep it in your bag permanently, but I would use it on slow days where you have time to find lots of balls on the course.

Some Cash

You always need some cash, whether to tip the cart girl, to tip bag drop, to pay for some snacks, or to pay out some bets. Always make sure you have some cash on you. Doesn’t need to be much. $10 should be plenty, as long as you have enough $1 bills.

Other Optional Golf Items

Bluetooth speakers to listen to music, a golf swing analyzer tool like Zepp, a golf shot tracker like Game Golf, an insulated cup like a Yeti, business cards, a push cart, a practice putting green in your house, and a golf bag traveling case for the airport.