Golf Essentials Checklist: 14 Things You Need for Golf at All Times

You are a golf beginner? You want to practice golf play, and you are confused about what golf items you need to bring in your first time playing golf? You are wondering “what should I have in my golf bag?”. All you need is a golf essentials checklist. Let’s check out the checklist of 14 things you need for golf at all times to prepare a full package for a wonderful golf experience without any confusion. 

1. Golf clubs

The very first thing in things you need for golf list is golf clubs. It is indispensable golf equipment. You can bring several golf clubs but note that you can only bring no more than 14 golf clubs due to the USGA rules. There are various types of clubs, including 5 main types with different mixes and sizes including woods, irons, wedges, hybrids, and putters. Each type is used for specific playing: 

• Wood has longer shafts, larger and rounder heads, and is better for making long shots, hitting the balls longer distances than the other. 
• Iron will be the most common golf club in your bag. It often has shorter shafts and smaller clubheads and is used for precision shots from fairways or rough.
• Hybrid is the mixture type from Wood and Iron. Hybrid is the most useful in case of long shots from difficult rough. For those who have a short body and get trouble with long Iron, a Hybrid will be the best alternative. 
• Wedge typically is iron for shorter shots. If you are trying to play toward shots to the green, the wedge will be a suitable option. It’s also used in difficult terrain. 
• Putter can be best used when you are on the green. Besides, it can also be a helpful club for playing approach shots.

2. Extra golf balls

Of course, the golf balls are must-have golf accessories when playing golf. However, to avoid running out of balls, you should bring spare golf balls. Depending on your skill, if you often hit balls into the woods or water, bring more balls will help you freely play. If you’re a lower-handicap golfer, you can reduce the weight of the bag by bringing the necessary munitions.

3. Spare tees

Tees are important equipment for golf. Running out of tees in the essential moments will be much annoyed.  You should have a plentiful amount of tees before beginning your round or you will get trouble with half-broken tees before tee shots. Don’t hesitate to bring spare tees because you can also use them like mark repair tools or golf club groove cleaners.

4. Golf bag

OK, then you will need a bag to put these above essential golf equipment into. The main usage of golf bags with golfers is carrying golf clubs and balls. Furthermore, golf bags also are designed with several specialized pockets for golfers to carry various items for a round of golf. Therefore, preparing golf bag essentials will reduce the stress of your movement on the golf course. 

5. Golf ball marker

It’s an indispensable golf item on the green. While playing, golfers often pick up the ball for cleaning when the ball is on the green or temporarily move the ball when it’s laying in the way of an opponent's position. Then, you should mark your ball on the green with a proper golf ball marker. Golfers can find a flat, circle piece of metal, wood that is highlighting and different from others for easy recognition to use as a marker. During your rounds with others, the marker will be a helpful tool to “mark” your ball with a customized marking to make sure you’re always playing the right ball.

6. Towel for cleaning hands/clubs/balls

If you don’t have a caddie, preparing your own towels is even more essential. Most golf bags have a ring for golfers to tie or clip a towel which is used for cleaning hands, balls, and clubs. If you have made a golf swing, you will make divots in the fairway. That will lead to dirt and grass getting on your golf club. Cleaning with a towel after each shot can help your clubs remain in good condition.

7. Rangefinder

Nowadays, a rangefinder is not a strange thing for anyone, especially golfers. A rangefinder will help golfers to calculate nearly the exact distance to the target hole from their position. It will be helpful equipment to assist golfers. However, if you are playing in small golf courses, the rangefinder is allowed, but if you are playing in a professional golf competition, it will be an illegal item. 

8. Rain cover items 

Playing on the large golf course, rain cover items are absolutely the things you need for golf. If you catch a sudden rain on the large golf course, the rain shelter may be far from your location. You should prepare a waterproof jacket or a rain coach or at least an umbrella, so a sudden rain can not slow you down. In addition, an umbrella is not only an essential item for the rain cover items list but also a good option on a sunny day. Besides, a rain cover for your golf bag is also important to protect your expensive golf clubs. Make sure your bag has all these things before stepping out on the golf course on the heavy cloud days. 

9. Sun protection items

Spending more than 4 hours outside in the sun can harm your skin. Thus, sun protection items are what every golfer needs when playing golf under hot weather. Protect yourself by keeping sport and bring sunscreen in your golf bag. Besides, a cap or an umbrella is also the best item for sun protection. Furthermore, on a sunny day, dehydration often occurs to the golfers, then carrying bottles of water is a wise idea, or you can use the beverage service of the golf course, but it will be quite expensive. 

10. Cold and wet cover items

Jacket and socks

The weather can become softly chilly in the morning and evening, so make sure to bring a jacket. In addition, don’t forget to bring extra socks. An additional pair will be helpful when your "waterproof" shoes let you down, then your feet become sweaty and you want them to refresh. 

Gloves

Whether your tee time starts in the early morning before high temperature or even in cold and foggy weather, it’s necessary to have a pair of gloves in your golf bag. The cold weather gloves can add a layer of warmth while still allowing you to have proper feeling and grip on your golf clubs. It is also necessary to bring wet weather gloves which help you to grip properly during wet weather. Many producers of golf gloves often produce rain-free gloves. These gloves come with superior traction whether it's snowy or muddy.

11. Pens - Many types of pen

You will need pencils for scoring, pens for marking golf balls, pens for noting,... You will get a scorecard and pencil before each round from a pro shop or the novice of the golf course. You never know whether the pencil would crack or slip from the cart. Bring an additional one so you can keep the score all rounds. Besides, you should carry a sharpie to mark your balls. 

12. Golf rule book

Knowing the rule is compulsory when playing golf. Accordingly, a golf rule book is one of the things every golfer needs, especially for newbies. You will absolutely not want to conflict by voice with your components about the rules. Get the official golf rules that come with the bag-friendly USGA style. The little booklet guarantees that you take the necessary action and are adequately assessed regardless of the situation, and you will not have to worry about what do you need to play golf. 

13. Medical items

Medical items are also golf necessities. No one can assure that golfers are completely safe on even the best golf courses. Therefore, you should bring these medical items below to avoid even the slightest injuries:

Band-Aids

Band-Aids are very useful in many cases, from covering wounds to offering abrasion protection. Until one day, you don't know how badly you wish you had a band-aid. Always remember to keep a package in your bag!

Adhesive tape

We can wrap our fingers by adhesive tape to protect your hand from wounds. Moreover, this thin tape acts like a charm if a Band-Aid is too heavy.

Pain relief patches

Playing golf also has many potential accidents. If you inadvertently hit your putter into your shin or ankle, this useful patch will offer instant pain relief. It will also be a cool respite for the back of your neck during a try-hard day.

14. Other items

There are a lot of golf bag necessities that you can freely bring to the golf course base on your demand. For example, bring a lighter if you smoke, or bring a speaker if you are a big fan of music, or bring an external power charger if your phone has a low battery,... Prepare for yourself everything you need for your best golf tour, don’t do anything, then ask “what do I need to play golf?”.
Read more: Ultimate Guides on Planning an Ideal Trip to Vietnam Golf Courses

The conclusion 

These are 14 things you need for golf at all times. If you are planning to have a golf trip, don’t hesitate to save this checklist. Through this guide, I hope you will have the best time on the golf course. Visit https://golfvietnam.net/ for further information about golf courses and golf tips.