Golfweek’s 2018 holiday gift guide: clubs, shoes, and gadgets they’ll love
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With the holidays coming up, you can be sure that every golfer has their heart set on some piece of gear that might shave a stroke or two off their game. Thankfully, our friends and fellow USA TODAY Network partners at Golfweek have put together a list of their top recommendations. From clubs to footwear to gadgets, you’ll find the perfect gift for the golf lovers in your life. Need more? Reviewed is tracking all the best Black Friday deals.
1. FootJoy Pro/SL shoe
An update to the popular Pro/SL line, this shoe provides lightweight comfort and features a perimeter-weighted, three-piece outsole design for increased stability and versatile traction.
Get the FootJoy Pro/SL Shoe at FootJoy for $159.99
2. Bushnell Hybrid Laser Rangefinder and GPS
Pressing the button on top of this unit reveals the distance to the flag in the viewfinder, plus GPS measurements to the front and back of the green. On blind shots or when there is no direct line of sight to the target, the Bushnell Hybrid displays data on the side of the unit on more than 36,000 courses worldwide.
Get the Bushnell Hybrid Laser Rangefinder and GPS at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $449.99
3. Callaway Chrome Soft/Chrome Soft X Balls
Adding Graphene to the outer core of these four-piece balls enabled Callaway to make the inner core bigger in the Chrome Soft for more distance, while a softer urethane cover helps produce more greenside spin. The Chrome Soft X is firmer and creates a flatter, lower launch angle for players who generate excessive spin off the tee and from the fairway.
Get the Callaway Chrome Soft Balls at Amazon for $34.23
Get the Callaway Chrome Soft X Balls at Amazon for $39.99
4. Adidas Adipower 4orged Shoes
The latest offering from Adidas, the 4orged offers a forged upper that provides breathable protection and enhanced stability, as well as energized and responsive cushioning.
Get the Adidas Adipower 4orged Shoes at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $139.99
5. Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones
Weather and sweat resistant, these Bluetooth headphones keep the music going for up to five hours on a single charge. The storage case doubles as a charger, giving up to 10 more hours of use.
Get the Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones at Amazon for $199
6. Callaway La Grange Shoes
Made with a full-grain leather upper and Opti-dri waterproof protection, this shoe features the PowerDrive Platform, which includes a TPU outsole with nine removable Silver Tornado spikes and a molded insole. A TPU heel stabilizer is included in the design for increased support.
Get the Callaway La Grange Shoes at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $199.99
7. Stitch Roadster Headcover
Used by several players on the PGA Tour, Stitch’s hand-stitched headcovers are 100 percent leather and are both water and stain resistant. The Roadster recalls the looks and style of classic race cars.
Get the Stitch Golf Roadster Leather Driver Headcover at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $68
8. Titleist TS2 and TS3 Drivers
Designed to be more aerodynamic and to produce more ball speed, both TS drivers have thinner crowns and hotter faces to help golfers generate more distance off the tee. The TS2 maximizes forgiveness with extra weight in the back to increase the moment of inertia, while the TS3 allows golfers to create a draw or fade bias using the Sure Fit CG weight system.
Get the Titleist TS2 Driver at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $499.99
Get the Titleist TS3 Driver at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $499.99
9. Cleveland RTX 4 Wedges
Created using feedback from Cleveland/Srixon staffers such as Keegan Bradley and Graeme McDowell, the RTX 4 wedges are cast from soft 8620 carbon steel and come in four sole configurations and three finish options. Manufacturing tolerances were tightened to ensure the Tour Zip grooves provide maximum spin while remaining legal for play.
Get the Cleveland Golf RTX 4 Wedge at Amazon for $139.99
10. Ultimate Ears WonderBoom Bluetooth Speaker
The compact WonderBoom creates amazingly rich sound, is waterproof, floats, plays for up to 10 hours and can be hung using its built-in loop. The large volume buttons make it easy to crank songs or turn things down when the course marshal comes into view.
Get the Ultimate Ears WonderBoom Bluetooth Speaker at Amazon for $59.99
11. Swing Caddie SC200 Launch Monitor
This portable launch monitor makes it easy for recreational golfers to obtain valuable information about their swing and performance without breaking the bank. The Doppler radar system helps the unit display swing speed, shot distance, ball speed and smash factor. The system even audibly calls out shot information, so players can stay informed and in rhythm during practice sessions.
Get the Swing Caddie SC200 Launch Monitor at Amazon for $293.98
12. Cobra F-Max SuperLite Driver
This 460cc driver tips the scales at a feathery 287 grams, making it one of the lightest drivers on the market. That should help slower-swinging golfers generate more speed for increased distance. The internal weight pad creates a draw bias to help slicers find the fairway more often. Available in a standard or an offset model with even more anti-slice bias.
Get the Cobra F-Max SuperLite Driver at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $299.99
13. Srixon Z 585 Irons
Forged from 1020 carbon steel, the Z 585 irons are game-improvement clubs designed to provide more distance and forgiveness on mis-hits. The stainless steel face is extremely thin to create more ball speed, while an internal groove around the perimeter of the hitting area broadens the sweet spot. The undercut cavity helps lower the center of gravity and create a higher launch angle.
Get the Srixon Z 585 Iron at The Golf Warehouse for $142.85-$1,199.99
14. Ecco BIOM Hybrid 3 GTX Shoes
This shoes combines a Yak leather upper that features Gore-Tex waterproof protection with BIOM Natural Motion technology to provide flexibility and comfort. The shoe’s Tri-Fi-Grip provides stability, durability and rotational support.
Get the Ecco BIOM Hybrid 3 GTX Shoes at Zappos for $200
15. TaylorMade P760 Irons
Designed for better players who want more distance, the P760 irons have a compact head, thin topline and only a touch of offset, but the 3-7 irons are hollow to allow the thin SUS630 stainless steel face to flex at impact for more ball speed. Speed Foam fills the inner chamber to absorb excess vibration, enhance sound and soften the feel of impact. The short irons are solid for a more precise feel.
Get the TaylorMade P760 Irons at TaylorMade for $1,399.99
16. Titleist Pro V1/ProV1x Balls
The most-played golf balls on every professional tour and at every major amateur tournament, the three-piece Pro V1 has a slightly softer feel than the four-piece Pro V1x and flies slightly lower, especially with irons. Off the tee, the Pro V1x is designed to create more carry distance. Both balls feature a cast urethane cover to provide excellent greenside spin.
Get the Titleist Pro V1 Balls at Amazon for $47.99
Get the Titleist Pro V1x Balls at Amazon for $47.99
17. Full Swing Sport Series Simulator
Using infrared light and an overhead, high-speed camera system, Full Swing Simulators can measure ball speed, launch angle, direction and spin rate, and collect data about the clubhead to recreate shots with precision and represent them on computer-generated courses. Pros such as Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day have these systems in their homes.
Get the Full Swing Sport Series Simulator at Full Swing starting at $21,900
18. Mizuno JPX 919 Forged Irons
Forged from 1025E carbon steel that is infused with boron, these irons have a slot in the sole, covered by a 1-millimeter-thick piece of steel. The slot allows the face to flex more efficiently for increased distance. While they look like a better-player’s iron, the 919 Forged offer more forgiveness than might be expected from a compact shape.
Get the Mizuno JPX 919 Forged Irons at Mizuno for $1,300
19. Nike React Vapor 2 Shoes
This shoe brings Nike’s React technology to the golf course, providing responsive cushioning. Flywire and NikeSkin technologies improve support, flexibility and durability, while the hybrid outsole combines spikes and Nike’s Integrated Traction technology.
Get the Nike React Vapor 2 Shoes at Nike for $195
20. Ping Sigma 2 Putters
Available in nine head shapes, the Sigma 2 putters have an updated, two-piece True Roll face insert designed to enhance touch on short putts and improve distance control on long putts. A unique system designed into the grip allows the length of every Sigma 2 to quickly be adjusted within a range from 32 to 36 inches.
Get the Ping Sigma 2 Putters at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $199-$219
21. Puma Malbon Suede G Shoes
The Puma Golf Suede G spikeless golf shoes combine with Malbon Golf, a Los Angeles boutique, for this special-edition release. The Suede G is made from suede leather and features a hidden-traction outsole and pro-fit insole. Malbon’s popular logo is found on the heel.
Get the Puma Malbon Suede G Shoes at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $143.99
22. Shot Scope V2 Smart Golf Watch
This smartwatch not only displays distance to hazards as well as the front, middle and back of the green, after affixing the screw-in tags to the grips of your clubs, it detects which club was struck and uses GPS technology to determine where you played your shot. The collected data reveals how far you hit each club, where you tend to miss and more than a hundred other stats. The watch also lets you determine where the hole is located, so proximity-to-the-hole data can be created for all your clubs.
Get the Shot Scope V2 Smart Golf Watch at Amazon for $249
23. Sun Mountain 4.5 LS Supercharged Bag
This bag comes standard with padded, adjustable shoulder straps and 10 pockets to carry everything a golfer needs on the course, as well as a rechargeable lithium-ion Phillips Power Bank battery. Stored in a special internal pocket, it connects to two USB ports designed into the bag and allows electronic devices, such as speakers and smartphones, to keep going all day.
Get the Sun Mountain 4.5 LS Supercharged Bag at Amazon for $249.99
24. Big Max Blade IP Pushcart
Capable of carrying any golf bag, in three steps the three-wheeled Blade IP folds down and becomes just 5 inches thick, making it easy to store in a car or garage. Available in five colors, the Blade IP has a foot break, beverage holder and storage bin to hold a phone, scorecard, balls and more.
Get the Big Max Blade IP Pushcart at Dick’s Sportinbg Goods for $329.99
25. Tour Edge Exotics EXS Driver
Carbon fiber in the crown, as well as in strategic areas in the sole, allowed designers to shift the center of gravity in this 460cc driver low and back, creating a higher launch with less spin. The variable-thickness Beta titanium face spreads the sweet spot across a larger portion of the hitting area, while the adjustable hosel lets players increase or decrease the stated loft by as many as 2 degrees.
Get the Tour Edge Exotics EXS Driver at Tour Edge for $299.99
26. Weatherman Golf Umbrella
Available in six colors at 62 inches or 68 inches, and able to withstand winds of up to 55 mph without turning inside out, the Weatherman golf umbrella dries fast, provides UPF 50 sun protection and even has a mesh pocket and towel-holder area under its canopy. After pairing it with a smartphone using Bluetooth, a free app notifies players of approaching weather conditions and can help find a Weatherman if it is left behind.
Get the Weatherman Golf Umbrella at Weatherman for $89
27. Bridgestone Tour B JGR Forged HF2 Irons
A classic-looking cavity-back iron set, the HF2 is meant to appeal the mid- and lower-handicap players who want to shape shots and receive some forgiveness, too. They are forged from 1025 carbon steel for soft feel, and an inner chamber is filled with a polymer that significantly reduces unwanted vibrations, enhancing sound and feel at impact.
Get the Bridgestone Tour B JGR Forged HF2 Irons at Bridgestone for $899.99
28. New Balance 3001 Shoes
New Balance’s premium golf shoe features a microfiber leather upper with ultralight Fantom Fit support, RevLite midsole with responsive cushioning and Champ Slim-Lok Zarma Tour replaceable cleats.
Get the New Balance 3001 Shoes at New Balance for $169.99
29. NoSweat Hat Liners
There may be a nip in the air, but remember how hot it was on the course in July and August? NoSweat disposable liners quickly stick inside a hat and absorb perspiration, so sweat stays out of eyes, odors are eliminated and a favorite lid keeps looking good.
Get the No Sweat Golf Hat Liner at Amazon for $17.99
30. Under Armour Spieth 2 Shoes
An improvement on the Spieth One, the Spieth 2 offers Gore-Tex construction and a waterproof upper, which is made from a Clarino microfiber leather and woven TPU fibers. Rotational Resistance Spikes provide lockdown traction.
Get the Under Armour Spieth 2 Shoes at Under Armour for $150
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