A golf trip is one of the most exciting and coolest things to do in the sport. Wouldn’t it be better to travel to places at home and abroad, go to clubs together, and compete with your friends? Before you head out to book your next trip, you want to make sure you have everything you need for your trip. That’s where this guide comes in.
When you can’t open your boots and fill them with every last drop of golf balls, then you’ve got to be smarter. So, from your bag itself to what’s inside, we’ve got you covered. We’ve divided this guide into luggage because let’s face it, we all need to upgrade our golf travel bags right now, golf accessories that make life easier on the course, and general accessories that enhance your experience in the sun or while traveling. We’ve also included some of the best travel and packing tips further down the page.
Here are some of the best golf accessories you should consider buying for your next golf trip. We also recommend checking out our posts on the best golf luggage and best golf travel bags.
what to pack for a golf trip
luggage
Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian Travel Case
This is a model in our best golf travel bag guide, and it’s an excellent piece of kit. The one-piece leg set retracts easily to support 100% of your weight, so carrying your clubs couldn’t be easier when you need to take a long walk to the parking lot or to your accommodation.
There’s plenty of room inside to store your clubs, shoes, and some clothing without your clubs rattling, and thanks to the wheels, things never feel too heavy. It’s extremely durable and features thick “ballistic” nylon pads to protect your clubs.
read our full story Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian Wheeled Travel Cover Review
BagBoy T-660 Travel Case
The Bag Boy T-660 features a wraparound zipper that opens the entire front of the travel bag. From there, you just put your golf bag in there, and unless it’s too big or badly stuffed, it’s easy to get in and out of.
Plus, when you’re traveling, folded up, you can easily fit it into tight spaces behind a rental car seat, or in the corner of your luggage. Weighing less than 6 pounds, the T-660 is easy to maneuver when not in use, and you can store it on a shelf in your home or garage without taking up too much space.
read our full story Bag Boy T-660 Travel Cover Review
Titleist Player Backpack
Titleist has launched a new line of travel gear, and one of our favorite pieces from the line is the Players Backpack. The collection, and the entire collection, offer an elegant and stylish look, especially the black camouflage design pictured above. If this doesn’t work for you, you can also get other designs that are simpler or stand out.
The backpack is made of high-quality materials, making it a highly durable piece of luggage. It has a main zip for storing larger items, but has additional pockets on the inside and outside so you can organize whatever you need to transport just the way you like.
golf accessories
Inesis Golf 900 Laser Rangefinder
The unit is competitively priced and has a grade compensation switch so you can turn grade adjustment distance on and off. We compared this laser to the Bushnell model and found it not only accurate but also easy to use. The first target priority function isolates the flag while confirming the measurement result by vibration. It is accurate to +/- 1 yard and can measure in yards or meters.
You also get 6x magnification, so you get a clear view when looking through the viewfinder, and we like the weight, durability, and comfort in the hand.
read our full story Inesis Golf 900 Laser Rangefinder Review
Technics Hi-Fi True Wireless Headphones
We’ve found these Technics headphones to be great not only for practice, but for travel as well, as the quality of their noise-canceling technology is top notch. Plus, the sound quality is excellent, while the eartip design stays securely in place during your golf swing (although they do occasionally loosen a little when you’re running).
They connect quickly using Bluetooth, charge seamlessly, and come with a premium charging case for a real premium feel. Finally, you also get plenty of ear tip sizes to fit all ears, and we love that these ear tips come in different colors, from black and blue to gray.
Oakley Portal X Sunglasses
Oakley’s Portal X model is one of the best golf sunglasses on the market because it’s perfect for not only on the golf course, but also off it. After testing, we found these lenses to be stylish and comfortable, and the Prizm Dark Golf lenses certainly enhance contrast in bright weather, which is especially helpful on gently sloping greens.
The sticky material used on the nose pads ensures a snug and secure fit, while the special Unobtanium material on the inside of the eartips has a similar feel and adds grip when wet.
read our full story Oakley Portal X Sunglasses Review
PuttOUT Pressure Putt Trainer
This trainer is the perfect tool to pair with PuttOUT pads as well as mirrors and doors. The trainer also works great on its own as it will help you hit the ball with the perfect speed to stay in the dent. It’s very difficult, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be a demon on the greens. You also get a Premium and Platinum edition, which have slightly different materials but are just as fun to use.
TaylorMade 64″ Double Layer Parasol
The umbrella of choice for TaylorMade Tour players, the Double Canopy umbrella deserves to be on this list and is definitely one of the best golf umbrellas on the market.
It features a convenient auto-open feature and a lightweight but strong fiberglass shaft. It also includes WindPro technology to help with windy conditions.
Another banker on any trip is that you’re going to be dealing with some aches and pains. So while everyone is passing on pain relievers, why not use some duct tape to help reduce pain and reduce swelling.
The beauty of it is that it gently encourages the body’s natural behavior, and once applied, it lasts up to five days, provides dynamic support, and reminds you how to carry yourself.
Alba Botanical Sunscreen SPF 30
Good sunscreen is essential when you’re out and about, and this non-greasy, botanically hydrating lotion is made with mineral sunscreens and extracts of aloe and chamomile for super protection, even for those with very sensitive skin.
Be patient and listen to me. When you share a room in a B&B and only have one outlet, you’ll be glad you brought this.
We can provide all kinds of technical assistance these days, so if you want to keep your shopping cart, GPS, iPhone and iPad in good working order then this will be a most welcome addition.
Also, remind yourself to keep this in mind when you own a pull cart for a day and spend a lot of time moving the cart up and down any incline.
These things are always going to come in handy, so pack a few in your golf bag and keep them there so your trip doesn’t get ruined by something so simple.
our top tips
One of our writers, Roderick Easdale, has traveled a lot over the years, which means he’s very familiar with the dos and don’ts of packing and golf travel. So I took some great tips from his brain and the general techniques he uses. Here are 11 of them.
- Avoid Extra Checked Baggage – The only item I put in my checked luggage was my golf travel bag. The rest of my stuff either fits in this golf travel bag or in my hand luggage.
- Use All Available Space – Golf travel bags usually leave quite a bit of room when the golf bag is inserted, so take advantage of that space and put a bag of clothes in here, or you could put a pair of shoes.
- Use your weight allowance – as a rough rule of thumb budget airlines allow 20kg for golf bags and 23kg for the rest. The golf bag itself weighs approximately 12kg, so the golf travel bag has plenty of room for other items.
- Love clothes that you can wear on and off the course, like golf street shoes – that way you don’t have to carry more shoes and clothes when you have a versatile style.
- If you plan to bring back wine/alcohol from your trip, bring bubble wrap or use any clothing you can use as cushioning – this way you can wrap all your purchases in the padding and carry them home safely in your golf travel bag.
- Check the weather forecast – maybe you need to play golf in the rain? If so, you may need clothing to help – such as a raincoat or rain pants.
- Roll up soft clothing to fill gaps in your golf bag – rolling also keeps items together to reduce creases.
- Pack all light colored garments inside out – this is because the markings will not show when picked up during shipping.
- Liquids – Don’t forget to pack any liquids over 100ml in your golf bag as they cannot be carried in hand luggage.
- Make the most of all the space – One such example is stuffing your shoes with small items to make the most of the remaining space.
- Try to use the airline’s hand luggage policy to carry only one bag – no one wants to carry a large suitcase and a golf bag at the same time.
How We Test Golf Gear
At Golf Monthly, we try to test all golf equipment as thoroughly and extensively as possible, then pass on our findings to you. This usually takes the form of using equipment on and off the golf course, playing multiple rounds in varying conditions. By doing so, we gain insight into the day-to-day and actual use of our products.
We feel this allows us to write concise and informative reviews to inform your purchasing decision. In this case, we should say that no manufacturer can pay for good reviews because we tell it how it is.
