Father’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Golf Accessories For Dad

Golf and whiskey are a natural fit, and Bushmills is the Official Whiskey of the PGA Tour and PGA ... [+] Champions Tour. The 10-Year Single Malt is an excellent gift.

If your Dad or Father in-law loves golf, your Father's Day shopping just got easier. In a pinch, even a dozen balls will bring a smile to his face, but my one golf gifting rule is no clubs. They’re just way too personal, with lots of variable specs, and he either has the driver or putter he wants or needs to go for a fitting to get a new one. That being said, if clubs are how you really want to go, I have included one of these great fitting options below, along with lots of accessories that will make Dad play better or look better. I’ve been writing on golf for 25+ years and have picked best-in-class products at every price point - all of them personally tested or experienced.

If Dad wants comfort, it's hard to beat the all new Golf Dasher from Allbirds.

Hottest New Shoes: Allbirds set the sneaker market on fire by producing sustainable and ultra-comfy running shoes made out of wool instead of the synthetics everyone else uses. The company got B Corp status and after just a year of production, Time Magazine called its runner "The World's Most Comfortable Shoe." The brand has garnered a loyal and passionate following for its comfort and environmental ethos, and its new product launches have been well received (I wear the water-repellant wool Runner Mizzle for urban explorations when traveling, love them). Allbirds latest new development? You guessed it, the brand's first golf shoe.

The new Golf Dasher just hit the market and is similar to the existing Tree Dasher running shoe, but with a spikeless golf traction sole, featuring lots of multi-directional molded projections, along with a tougher microsuede saddle around the laces to give a more stable fit and keep the heel locked down. A combo of merino wool and recycled polyester gives them water resistance for wet grass, and they boast the lightweight ultra-comfort the brand is known there, excellent for walking eighteen. The midsole unit uses Allbirds’ proprietary SweetFoam, made with carbon negative, sugarcane-derived green EVA, for a light and highly cushioned feel. They currently come in black with a white sole or all white. You can never have too many golf shoes, and one great thing about this pick is that it's so new you can be almost certain Dad doesn't already have a pair. ($145, free shipping).

US Open & FedEx Cup Champ Jim Furyk shows off a gift card from Club Champion - the gift that can ... [+] radically improve Dad's game.

Get Fitted: Custom club fitting was once the province of Tour players and members of expensive private clubs, When I had my first fitting two plus decade ago, the technology involved was putting impact tape on the club face and observing by the mark left behind where on the face the ball was hit. Flight and distance were observed solely by eye. Equipment tweaks were guesswork. But today, the immensely improved technology needed to analyze your swing and recommend the right brand and model of head that will work best for you, the right shaft and stiffness, the correct lie and loft angles, the toe/heel weighting, and the combination of all these things for your angle of attack, smash factor, swing speed, height and hand size is now widely available. Even big box sporting goods stores can do a degree of analysis and custom fitting. The problem is that both club companies, who often offer fitting services, and stores, want to fit you for what they sell, even if it's not the best fit for you. Also, there is still a human component to the process, interpreting the data in a way the make sense and drilling down in testing to get the optimum result. That's why it's much better to be fitted by a veteran clubfitter or PGA teaching pro than a guy who happens to work in a sporting goods store.

The best option on the market is Club Champion, a national chain of high-tech fitting studios that has the market power to invest in the best ball flight monitors and analysis hardware, the best software, even a high-tech putting lab for putter fittings. I’ve been, and checked it out firsthand and the staff is super knowledgeable. But besides great tools and great fitters, the big plus is that Club Champion is "brand agnostic." They carry just about every widely available brand of golf clubs, big and small, and they don't care which you buy. Some customers just go for the fitting and take the data with them and don't buy clubs at all. They have tested each club on a swing robot to determine its characteristics under different circumstances, and when your swing is analyzed, the computer matches you with the best fits for your game. They have removable heads so they can change angles and lofts and shafts on the fly, and you keep hitting and measuring and dialing it in until its perfect - for you. The company claims that their fitting process adds 20-plus yards on average, and while that sounds too good to be true, it is exactly what I experienced. I just switched from Taylor Made to Honma irons after a session with Club Champion, and while Honma is a well-respected high end Japanese brand, it's pretty niche in this country, and not something you’d find at most golf superstores. I might not have even thought of getting them, but now I hit them straighter, higher, generate more backspin stopping power when I hit the green - and each iron is more than two full clubs longer.

All that just from being fitted. So, when you give the gift of a custom fitting or custom clubs, via gift card, Dad can redeem it a shop of his choice, all over the country, on his own schedule, and for exactly what he wants. And you can also make it fit almost any budget.

The top shelf full bag fitting, just what it sounds like, every club in the bag, takes 3.5 hours and costs $400. An hour-long wedge fitting is $100 and an hour-long putter fitting - shockingly sophisticated, and again, instantly improved my game - is $125. There are several options in between wedge and full bag, like the very popular driver fitting. But if $100-$400 isn't enough to impress your Dad, there's also the clubs themselves, and if Dad goes through a full bag fitting and decides to order custom clubs, he can easily drop $2000 or (substantially) more. A driver fitting and new driver alone can approach a thousand bucks, depending how fancy the shaft is. Club Champion sells all those brands its stocks and custom builds the clubs to your specs, mostly in a central facility. So basically, you can give a gift card from one hundred to several thousand, and Dad will find a way to spend it.

The Garmin Approach R10 is an accurate, high-quality, affordable and extremely portable radar launch ... [+] monitor.

Better Practice: Not that long ago if you wanted to actually measure the physics of your swing and ballfight, you needed to go to a specialized golf academy or performance center with a four-figure dollar launch monitor. But in the past few years this tech has been slimmed down, and made much more portable and much less expensive. Suddenly it's common to go to the driving range and see people hitting balls in front of their own personal launch monitors. For Dad, I like the Garmin R10. Garmin has long been the leader in golf course GPS and mapping and is the gold standard in aviation navigation technology, so I trust their technology. The R10 is the size of a smartphone and comes with a little tripod. You just put it on the ground behind your tee and hit balls and it measures your swing speed, smash factor, ball speed, launch angle, spin speed, carry distance, total distance, angle of attack, club face angle, club path angle and more.

At the very least it lets you know how far you actually hit each club, a key to scoring better, but one many people get wrong. It also lets you test and compare different clubs, see what you need to work on and track whether you are actually improving when making changes. It also records video with the shot data overlayed for remote swing analysis or follow up with an instructor. Dad can even use it as a golf simulator to virtually "play" more than 42,000 real Garmin-mapped courses around the world from the comfort of a driving range or backyard or garage practice net. If Dad wants to take the home simulator approach more seriously, it is compatible with the two biggest golf simulator software brands, TGC 2019 and E6 Connect. A USB charge runs 10 hours, it's waterproof, pairs with the Garmin smartphone app, and has advanced radar to capture ball flight and swing data. ($600).

The motorized Q Follow from Stewart Golf is Dad's ultimate luxury - a robotic caddie that follows ... [+] him around the course.

Robo-Caddie: Golf is a walking sport, and the game returned to its roots during the pandemic as people sought to get more exercise. If you don't ride in a buggy, a round of golf is a great workout, and walking will help Dad stay healthy. But a lot of people don't walk because they don't want to carry their bag. That's where the luxury of the Stewart Golf Q Follow comes in. Stewart is a UK brand, the same place golf itself comes from, and the place where walking is still the norm. The motorized Q Follow uses a sensor on Dad's belt or in his back pocket to literally follow him around the course like a robot caddie, and it is a 4-wheeler for stability but folds up into a tiny package that easily fits in most car trunks. It is made of light but strong carbon composite, gets 5-Stars from Golf Monthly and rave reviews from customers, and comes with a battery good for playing 36 holes ($2899, free shipping). If that's too pricey, Stewart also makes an exceptional non-motorized pushcart, the fast-folding/unfolding aerospace aluminum 2023 R1-S ($279).

A waterproof version of the industry's best carry bag seems like a no-brainier - because it is!

Play Dry, Stay Dry: Into every life some rain must fall and that's true in golf too. But while there are lots of great rainsuits and have been for years, with all the high-tech fabrics out there, why did it take so long for anyone to start making waterproof golf bags? After all, once your clubs get wet you are in big trouble out there, and while Tour players have caddies carrying huge umbrellas with multiple dry gloves hung under them and several towels to constantly dry club grips, most of us amateurs do not. Sun Mountain has long been the best brand in golf bags, cart or carry, they invented the now standard self-retracting legs and popularized double carry straps, and have never stopped innovating. Their bags are ultra-durable, and can last a decade or more of heavy use. They are simply the best at what they do, which is make world class golf bags. Now Sun Mountain has released a waterproof version of its popular Litespeed carry bag, called the 2023 H2NO Litespeed, which weighs less than five pounds, has six pockets including hydration sleeve, waterproof zippers and matching rain hood. It has quickly become the number one selling model in the UK, where it rains a lot and they play anyway, and to me, there's just no reason not to have a waterproof version of an already industry-best carry bag, and even those who ride on carts most typically use carry bags, but if Dad is a cart bag guy, they also make a new H2NO version ($360). All Dads except those in the fairest weather spots - and who never travel to play - can use this. Comes in four color schemes. ($330).

For on the course or the 19h hole, Dewar's special 2023 US Open release of its 19-year old is a ... [+] perfect gift for the golfing Dad who loves Scotch.

Swing Lubricant: Two of the best things in the world come from Scotland - golf and Scotch whisky. If Dad is a lover of both, consider some special options this Father's Day, like the just released, limited-edition 19-Year-Old Dewar's commemorating the 123rd US Open at the Los Angeles Country Club (LACC). Needless to say, the tournament will be played over Father's Day weekend, so whether Dad is watching on TV pr playing out on the course, a little whisky goes a long way. This one was created by Dewar's Master Blender Stephanie Macleod, and is the third release of Dewar's 19-Year-Old blend, this one extra-matured in Red Wine casks from Napa Valley, honoring the California terroir of the 2023 championship (around $80). I got to sample it and it's wonderful, and I like to drink blended whisky on ice in the summer when temperatures rise, as I usually take single malts neat.

As an added gift bonus, if your order from Dewar's Personalization Emporium you get free customization options for this (as well as for the regular 12, 15 and 18-Year bottles) with a special note added to the label.

In more golf whiskey news, this time with an "e" in whiskey because we are talking Ireland - also a great golf destination - Bushmills just became be the Official Whiskey of the PGA Tour, as well as the PGA Champions Tour (formerly Senior Tour). Bushmills is the world's oldest continuously licensed distillery, and while most Irish whiskies have long been blends, including the most common basic Bushmills, they also have an award-winning single malt portfolio. I recommend the Bushmills 10-Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey, a premium tasting delight at a very reasonable price, and just a bit more special for a special Dad ($43 from Caskers). Like my favorite pricey Scotch whiskies, it is matured in former sherry casks in addition to former bourbon casks for that light, rich taste. It previously won World's Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey at the World Whiskey Awards.

The small and portable Torch is the ultimate flask for the golf bag, perfectly machined, with ... [+] magnetic cup and stylish looks.

A Better To Go Cup: If you’re giving the golf loving Dad whisk(e)y for Father's Day it immediately begs the questions, "What's he going to do with it on the golf course?" Even if you’re not giving a bottle, a great gift answer is my new favorite flask, the ones from High Camp Flasks, the new gold standard in performance and style. All of these can also be custom engraved with a special message, initials or name, a gift extra I love, for $25. The flasks come in copper, stainless, gunmetal and British racing green - and each looks so good it is hard to choose.

Dad and his favorite playing partner can share a dram with the Firelight 750, which includes two ... [+] cups - and holds an entire bottle of wine or whisky.

High Camp makes perfectly machined, premium stainless-steel flasks that are plastic free for better taste and come in gorgeous finishes. The new Torch ($99) is a great pick for a smaller flask (6-ounce capacity), with a threaded, screw-off, totally leak proof wide bottom so you can fill it easily with no funnel and clean it easily. That immediately elevates it above almost all traditional flask models on the market, which use an intrinsically flawed design that is hard to fill and almost impossible to truly clean. I addition, the top cover is a 3-ounce tumbler magnetically connected to the main body, so it won't fall off in the golf bag, and good whisky tastes better sipped from a cup then chugged out of the typical little flask spout. The top pouring spout is another threaded, heavy duty, leakproof stopper. Sturdy, well thought-out execution that will last a lifetime. All the same quality goes into the largest model, the Firelight 750, which holds an entire 750ml bottle of whisky (or wine or tequila or ice water or coffee), is double wall insulated to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot, and has two magnetic glasses, one at each end, for sharing with your golf buddy ($125).

Tommy Bahama combines style with tech for golf friendly clothes that will up Dad's clubhouse image.

Better Golf Clothes: I have worn shirts and pants and shorts from just about every company that makes golf gear, but what I have come to really appreciate is golf clothing from companies whose clothes I would wear anyplace, and that's why I love Tommy Bahama. I think I got my first pair of their gorgeous silk trousers more than 20 years ago, and was enjoying the quality styles and fabrics before they even got into golf - but I’m glad they did. A great choice is the Tommy Bahama IslandZone polo, made of moisture wicking, quick drying, blends that move freely and have some stretch. Some models are also UV protective fabric for safety to go with the style and comfort. For the more conservative Dad they have solid colors, and for the Dad who wants to free his inner "island style," the company is especially well known for its tropical prints ($118-$128). The Chip Shot shorts are another top choice, stretchy, moisture wicking and dressy enough to go straight to the bar, in ten colors ($110).

The new Bushnell Ion Elite is the brand's first watch that gives slope adjusted yardages.

More Than Just Time: No piece of information is as vital to scoring on the course as accurate yardages, but not everyone wants a full-blown GPS or to shoot a laser every time you need a distance. The simple and easy solution for the lower tech golfer is a GPS golf watch that gives you everything you need with a glance at the wrist, and it's hard to beat the new Bushnell Ion Elite for function - or value. You can spend twice as much (or more) on a golf watch but why bother? Bushnell has long been the Number One rangefinder brand on the PGA Tour and is very highly regarded for its golf products. An upgrade of the original Ion, the Elite is the first wrist model that gives both actual distance and effective playing distance calculated with slope, like the best lasers (loss or gain of altitude). It has a color touchscreen display, and the basic mode shows distances to the front, back and middle of the green, but you can switch to a map-style view of the entire hole and touch any spot to get layup or carry distances over hazards. You can pull up a map of the green and drag the pin for more precise approach yardage. There are many additional features you can take advantage of, such as measuring the actual length of your shots, scoring, tracking stats, and it comes pre-loaded with more than 38,000 course maps around the world, with instant recognition so it knows where you are playing as soon as you arrive at the pro shop. USB charging gives a 12-hour battery life, longer than the longest day of golf. ($200)

Garmin's smallest golf GPS with full color touchscreen, the G30 is easy to carry, clips to a belt or ... [+] fits in a pocket, but does everything a golfer could want.

Better GPS: Some golfers like a standalone color screen golf GPS device, with a bigger display than a watch, and I recommend the Garmin Approach G30. In the R10 launch monitor entry above I explain that Garmin has long been the leader in golf GPS and mapping, and this is their smallest and most affordable model - but without sacrifice. It has a color touchscreen display, very high sensitivity GPS, 41,000 mapped courses internationally, green view with touch function for the daily pin placement, and distances to anything, bunkers, lay ups, carrying water - wherever you tap it measures. It's small enough to attach to your bag, clip it to your belt or just put in your pocket. Golf devices only work if they are handy, and this is the handiest. It runs 15 hours on a single USB charge, is waterproof, has Bluetooth and connects with the full function Garmin golf app for data tracking. It is 100% tournament legal. ($250)

Precision Pro's fully featured NX10 laser rangefinder can be ordered in lots of custom styles - this ... [+] is 2-time Major Champion John Daly's model.

Laser Accuracy With Flair: PGA Tour pros all use laser rangefinders when they prep a course for play because it gives precise instant distances to wherever the flag is that day as well as to hazards or lay-up points. Personally, I use both a GPS golf watch and a laser because when I am 185 yards out a few yards don't matter, but on a par-three or when hitting a wedge into the green I want the exact number, so I pull my laser out.

But since GPS has become so prolific and affordable, many golfers like me use laser as a backup, so you don't have to spend a small fortune. Precision Pro is a company that got a lot of buzz at the annual PGA Golf Show in Orlando, where all the new equipment is released, for its affordable full-featured laser rangefinders with slope. That means they have the extra capability to add or deduct based on loss or gain in altitude and provide both actual and "plays like" distances, and they do it all for just $280.

They also have carved out a niche as the industry's only customizable rangefinder, with tons of logos and colors to choose from for the exterior of the unit itself (not the case), to add some bling to Dad's round. If Dad is Deadhead, get him a Precision Pro NX10 with tie-dyed shell. If he's a Buffalo Bills fan, get him one with a Josh Allen 17 Bills jersey exterior. British Open and PGA Championship winner John Daly has his own beer logo version. The Precision Pro NX10 has all the must-g have rangefinder features, including magnetic mount to hold it securely on the upright post of a golf cart so it is always handy, an on/off switch for the slope function to make it tournament legal, physical vibration to alert you when it locks onto the pin, and a three-year warranty. I’m also a fan of an actual battery in lasers versus a USB charge, because it is typically attached to your bag or in a pocket and not like a watch that you wear into the house. When I had a USB rangefinder half the time I’d forget and leave it on the bag in the garage and it would run out. I’ve found the cheap, readily available CR2 3V battery typically lasts a full year or more, and I keep an extra in my golf bag just in case.

The new Bushnell Wingman View combines golf course GPS with a Bluetooth wireless speaker that ... [+] magnetically sticks to your golf cart for a rocking round.

Rocking the GPS: Bushnell's popular Wingman takes an entirely different approach to on-course distance information - combining GPS with a portable Bluetooth speaker specially designed to magnetically attach to a golf cart. Who says Dad can't have it all.? Now he can play his favorite tunes and get audible distance reads when pulling up to his ball. The Wingman has been hot the past few years but Bushnell just released the updated Wingman View, which adds a large display window on the speaker so you can see the yardages instead of hearing them if you want. It also has a tiny detachable remote unit you can take if you walk to your ball. The Wingman View runs for 10 hours (two rounds) on a charge and also has a USB charging port to power your other devices. Rock on! ($200)