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• For Cruising the Course in Style

  I don’t often use the word “ingenious” when describing product design, but Bag Boy’s Nitron is worthy. It’s light, durable, and collapses and expands instantly, making it utterly packable and a snap to use even if you’re late for your round. I love the layout of the headstock handle which, unlike my aging Sun Mountain cart, locks perfectly in multiple positions and stays in place.

  The cubby on top and bag below are convenient, and Bag Boy offers additional attachments like a tack-on cooler at a reasonable price. The initial assembly takes just minutes, although the “star” you’re supposed to look for to attach the front wheel was nearly invisible for me, so if it doesn’t lock in, just flip it. The plastic wheels, while more convenient than inflatables, are also liable to wear down over time. Those are my only critiques for what is otherwise a practically perfect push cart.

• For Hitting the Ball and Keeping It Too

  Chromax Golf

  High Visibility Distance Golf Balls 6-pack

  Finding your ball can be one of the biggest pain points in a game full of potential frustrations. I’m not going to lie and tell you you’ll never lose the Chromax on the course—they’re not magic—but they do provide a clear advantage, reflecting in sunlight to positively gleam in the grass. The gold color I tested stands out a bit less amid fall foliage, so you may want to go for silver or green late in the season, but even during a late-October round I never lost one.

  Most golfers already have their ball of choice–I prefer a TaylorMade Noodle or Titleist Pro-V1 for sheer distance–but the Chromax is a great add-on, especially handy for those tricky holes or long doglegs. It’s the perfect gift for golfers with eyesight issues or anyone who has trouble keeping their ball in sight; i.e., every golfer ever.

• For Skipping the Scorecard

  Garmin

  Approach S12 GPS Golf Watch

  Garmin’s baseline golf watch may look like a glorified Casio from the ’80s, but there’s brilliance in its simplicity. Its rubberized band is light and comfy, its monochromatic screen easy to read, and its tactile buttons on both sides foolproof. It’s easy to set up with the Garmin app for Android or Apple, and GPS data for over 43,000 courses lets you quickly find and track nearly any course on your wish list.

  The S12’s system works well for recording your score and more basic data. Its range-tracking for greens, bunkers, and other hazards is relatively accurate and super handy, especially on new courses. You’ll get up to 30 hours per charge in GPS mode (much longer at rest) and you can upgrade for swing analysis with Garmin Club Sensors. Those with an Apple or Android smartwatch will find many of the same features in apps like 18Birdies, but especially for the less technically inclined, the S12 is a slick single-use device.

• For Swinging With Swagger

  Sunday Swagger Golf Shirts

  I’m a Hawaiian-shirt guy, so Sunday Swagger‘s retro island-meets-Kramer vibe appealed to me from the get-go. They’ve got a rainbow of colors and styles, including both polos and button-downs, for when you want to take your vibe off the course and into the tiki bar. The “swagger” is only part of why I love these shirts, which add plenty of substance to go along with their style.

  The breathable and stretchable material is effortlessly comfortable and wrinkle-resistant, and it provides a mix of sweat-wicking and UPF 40 sun protection. The shirts work brilliantly on the course, keeping me cool even during the hottest part of the afternoon on a recent round. Not for nothing, I’ve gotten compliments on multiple versions, and the brand is constantly adding new “drops” to its collection. There’s something for just about every type of golfer here, as long as they like their style a little loud and fun.

• For Keeping Beverages as Icy as Your Putting

  Yeti’s cute little Flip 8 isn’t the last word in coolery as the price might suggest, but it does a great job keeping your beverages cold in a light and incredibly durable design. Everything about this cooler feels premium, including the airtight zipper, though it takes real effort to open—Yeti actually includes lubricant to loosen things up while keeping an airtight seal. I was able to bring plenty of bee… I mean water on the course, saving serious cash, and the Flip 8’s comfy strap makes it a perfect choice for those who also partake in the other type of golf played with discs. This is a real investment, but it’s sure to delight and comes with a three-year warranty.

• One Tool to Rule Them All

  Callaway Golf

  4-in-1 Golf Divot Repair Tool

  There’s not much I want in my pocket while playing a leisurely round, but Callaway’s handy 4-in-1 divot tool makes the cut. It’s light, easy to use, and works well. The magnetic ball marker pops out with a quick click on the side (and doubles as a fidget tool), while the tough bristles keep club faces sharp. God willing and you actually hit a few greens, it fixes those up, too—much better than the car keys I’ve employed for the last few years. Every golfer needs a divot tool, making this an excellent stocking stuffer for the novice golfer or those who, like me, long ago lost their last one.

• For Sticking the Green From the Boonies

  Shot Scope

  Pro L2 Rangefinder

  I used to (mildly) scoff at golfers who rely on fancy rangefinders, but taking the highly affordable Shot Scope Pro L2 on Oregon backcountry courses, where range data is often inaccurate—if available at all—made me a believer. This little beauty is light, compact, and brilliantly simple to use. I love the thoughtful extras like a powerful magnet to stick it to your cart or golf bag and support straps in the case so you can leave it open for easy access. The single multi-key lets you tap it once for a quick read or hold it for a vibration to lock onto your target, while the slope switch helps account for elevation, saving me a good stroke or two per round. The sweet mix of performance and value makes the Pro L2 a great companion for golfers of all skill levels who just want a good read on the course to hone their game.

• For Taking the Driving Range Virtual

  Garmin

  Approach R10 Portable Golf Launch Monitor

  Going to the range is fundamental to improving your game, but I don’t always love the experience. If you’re impatient like me, it’s easy to overdo it, which messes with your swing and nullifies the whole point. I wasn’t sure how much Garmin’s pint-size launch monitor could help, but one trip to the range and I was sold. Pairing it to my phone took seconds, and once I figured out the basics of the app, I was swinging away in no time. The device tracks your ball automatically and (mostly) accurately, even in twilight. You can set it to take a video of each swing, while the included phone mount makes it easy to monitor each shot and adjust your camera angle.

  The real fun comes with the virtual games, which provide a mobile simulator experience reminiscent of Top Golf, if more limited (and without the doughnut holes). The free service is fun, but avid players will want the subscription to unlock thousands of virtual courses and store videos in the cloud. You can even expand to a projection-based simulator with third-party apps such as Awesome Golf. Like the game itself, the R10 isn’t a cheap enterprise, and its micro USB charging port is archaic and takes forever. Otherwise, this little kickstand is a killer add-on that makes practicing nearly as fun as the real thing.

• For Yard Game Aficionados

  Durarange

  Pop-up Golf Chipping Net Set

  This affordable chipper net is fun, frustrating, and extremely addicting. There’s not much to the pop-up design, but it comes with everything you need, including both regular and foam practice balls, and two practice pads so you won’t chop up the grass. The pop-up design travels well, though I had to employ my origami-loving wife to get it back into folding position the first time. As a lover of yard games like ladder ball, I found the Durarange’s triple net fertile ground for competing with friends with a three-point scoring system. Your short game is the toughest obstacle to conquer in this sport we hate to love (or love to hate?), so anything that hones it is a win.

• For Water Hazard Heroes

  Bag Boy

  IGOTCHA Jawz Compact Retriever

  I didn’t think I’d be using this telescopic tool in my first round with it in my bag; the water hazards on my local course are more like the Dead Marshes from Lord of the Rings than picturesque ponds. As chance would have it, I shanked my first drive left and over a small chainlink fence. The IGotcha ball retriever made nabbing my sparkling new ball a cinch, easily extending from its 20-inch frame up to 14 feet, while the squishy ring at the tip provided the perfect grip. I love its solid mix of stainless steel construction and sheer simplicity in design, which should make it an indispensable part of any golfer’s arsenal for many rounds to come.

• A Free Way to Raise Your Game

  18Birdies App

  If you want to give the gift of golf tracking and much more, an Apple Watch, Apple Watch SE, or Android watch paired with my favorite golf app could be a fun surprise. Unlike rivals such as Grint, 18Birdies works well without a subscription, letting you track golf course range data, scores, greens hit, and more on your smartwatch for free. It can get arduous if you’re trying to tally every metric available, but it’s great for the basics.

  In side-by-side testing, its GPS tracking with my Apple Watch Series 8 was usually within a few yards of Garmin’s S12 golf watch, and within 5 to 7 yards of dedicated range finders. There’s even a social feature so you and your golf buddies can compare scores. Serious golfers may want to raise the stakes with a subscription membership, but this base package is a great starter set for golfers who may also want all the other useful smartwatch features, workout tracking, and health stats available.

• For Bringing the Putting Green Home

  PrimePutt

  Standard Putting Mat

  I was initially reticent about the PrimePutt based on its high price. Frankly, I wasn’t sure what it could do that a cheapo putting green couldn’t. After testing it for a few days, I started to get it, and gained a real appreciation for going big. The way the ball rolls true, the way it stops and slows, and even how the green breaks with little changes in the topography all come together for an experience that feels a lot like the real thing. I prefer the full size to the Compact so you can stand on the grass, but there’s also a Standing Pad for those with less space.

  The PrimePutt’s value became increasingly clear on a dark and dreary autumn day in Portland, Oregon, as I putted to my heart’s content while the rain beat down just outside my covered patio. Especially for those in regions with a long off-season, this pricey putting pal is a sweet splurge.