Northern Golfer editor Dean Bailey on what makes a great (or terrible) Christmas gift for a golfer
Feeling festive as I sharpen my axe before taking a swing at another 19th Hole topic, and having been bombarded by sales emails for weeks, let’s dive into the world of Christmas presents for golfers – and hopefully inspire some reader participation.
I’m sure every golfer reading this has a fabulous collection of Christmas presents stored somewhere. There’ll be at least one mug proclaiming your great golfing ability (or distinct lack of it), a dozen or so golf balls adorned with phrases and/ or pictures which are harder than concrete, and countless knick-knacks and novelties which no golfer in their right mind would purchase.
I’m also sure each has been warmly received, of course. And I’m certain they’ll never see the light of day – until you dust them off to send in a picture.
I have thinned my own collection somewhat in recent years – mainly via various charity shops. That said, I still have some classics in my own collection. These include several pairs of unopened novelty socks, a chipping net and automatic putt returner combo set, a right-handed golf glove (why on Earth is that still in there?), an engraved hip flask, and a plastic scorecard holder. Add in several bobble hats I’ll never wear and a book of golf jokes – and the collection is still larger than it needs to be.
However, fear not fellow golfers, all you need to do is copy and paste this next bit and send it off to your non-golfing relatives…
Rather than you spending ages trying to work out all the weird stuff golfers buy, I thought I’d give you a little help. I play with [insert golf ball brand and model here] and lose loads of them, so they’re always a fantastic present.
That’s it, keep it simple. No golfer has ever been handed a box of golf balls which they play and been disappointed!
Failing that, feel free to leave a copy of Northern Golfer in their eyeline, open at the page advertising your nearest pro shop and their gift vouchers.
It’s also worth crossing your fingers and hoping a relative manages to smash it out of the park with any of the following gifts I’ve received by pure fluke over the years – a Geometric George Pringle jumper, a fantastically itchy wool garment which I wouldn’t be without; microwaveable hand warmers; winter mitts; and a Grooveit brush (those sponsored ads on social media and/or sales emailers work at least once a year).
Happy Christmas!
If you’ve got a standout Christmas gift to share, good or bad, let us know on Facebook or Instagram @northerngolferuk
