It's always difficult to think of what to buy your old man for Father's Day. Dad's are hard to please - I once bought mine a set of BBQ cleaning brushes. His response was 'I wouldn't clean my teeth with them'. Ok, cheers Dad, so thats a no on the bbq brush yea? If he plays golf however, you've got a good shot (see what I did there) of getting something he will actually like and doesn't end up in the bottom of the 'never to be seen again' draw. If he doesn't play golf, just buy him some socks and carry on with your life.
First off, if you're buying a gift for a golfer and don't play yourself do not be tempted by the department stores that claim to have "the perfect gift for the golfer on fathers day", IT'S A LIE! When it comes to gifts the thought does count, but not when it comes to a pack of 3 unbranded golf balls with #1 DAD printed on them. Save your money and your dad from having to fake gratitude when really all he want's to say is, 'What is this sh*t'?
Now we've got what not to buy out the way, here's some ideas of what you could get for the GOLF FATHER in your life...
£40 and under
All the classics - in other words, boring stuff - would be in this section. You know the type, balls, gloves, socks, blah, blah, blah. If you're buying on a budget these are a great shout at a decent price and you'll have some money left to buy yourself a Ballzee too.
Ballzee | About 3quid
Everyone should have a Ballzee. Well, maybe not everyone. Your nan might not find much use for it to be fair, unless she loves a bit of golf, in which case she'll be ecstatic with a Ballzee. If your dad is anything like me and has thumbs ingrained with dirt from cleaning the mud off the golf ball on the green, then he's going to LOVE a Ballzee! It's a small, wallet type thing (best way I could think to describe it) which has a microfibre cloth in the middle. You wet the material, close the Ballzee, put it in you pocket and away you go. The cloth bit stays wet, but doesn't wet your pocket. Get on the green and you don't have to carry a massive bath towel on with you to clean your golf ball. Seriously, get some Ballzees. Your dad will thank you for it.
Daphne's Headcover | From £19.99 - £25.00
If you're dad's got dreams of being like the pros, then this might make him feel like Tiger...or maybe a bear, a bull or a boar! Daphne's Headcovers are the creators of novelty driver and hybrid headcovers. Most of these are animal themed with some random characters thrown in there. Tiger's got a Tiger, Rory's got a Lion, I myself am a proud owner of a Sloth. There's a good reason why I have a sloth and it might surprise you. It's because I like sloths. The headcovers can actually cheer you up after you've just rat hooked one into a farmers field, I know my sloth does, he's a good lad!
Focal Golf | £25
Focal golf is an easy to use phone holder that clips to your golf bag and allows you to film your swing. Great if your old man likes to check out what he's doing and why he keeps topping it. It'll also save him from balancing his phone between his putter and driver, and recording his actual shot rather than one covered by half of his head cover.
Visio Putting Mirror | £35
If you want to show him just how much he means to you then there's only one thing for it. A putting mirror. I don't need to tell you how important putting is to your old man enjoying his golf and not having 15 pints after taking 45 putts for his round. This will help. It ensures all the basics are covered at set up so he'll be able to win the 75p from his mates at the weekly roll up, it's not about the money!
£100 and under
If you fancy upping your budget (and also maybe treating yourself to a gift as well), then read on...
Ballzee | x 40
Seriously. I'd be made up.
GFORE 'Thumbs Up' Golf Umbrella | £89 on Trendy Golf
Granted, £89 isn't overly cheap for an umbrella, but this has a massive thumbs up on it. Your dad will actually want it to rain. A thumbs up to me is a sign of positive thinking, and the fact that he'll be made up with his new umbrella and all his mates thinking he's cool as (they won't, but he doesn't know that) is priceless. A happy Dad, means better shots, which means lower scores. Bosh! Your old man will be singing in the rain. On a side note, G-FORE's a great shout if you're looking for something that's a little bit different and 'not too golf'.
Golf Lesson | Prices can vary
There's the risk that your dad might read into this a little and take it as you telling him he's crap. In truth, that's probably exactly what you are saying. He'll come to terms with it and welcome the possibility of improvement. Prices will range depending on which pro you choose to book a lesson with, but before you do book be sure to ask around and find out who's the most suitable for what he needs.
Tickets to a tour event | Tickets around £90 depending on event and ticket type + accomodation
Show him how it should be done. A full day out at a European Tour event with your old man full of ohhhs and ahhs as Rory and co smash it up. The Open is 'The One' ; a trip to Carnoustie in July would definitely be one to remember. It's not just about watching the world's best up close but the whole experience of being at a major, from what happens on the course to soaking up the atmosphere in the beer tents! The Dunhill Links championship in October is another great event. There are 3 different courses to go to including the Home of Golf, St Andrews. There are also some great pubs in St Andrews, none less than the Dunvegan. The place is covered in photos of the great golfers from over the years and you can drink until they appear blurry. Spot on!
Big Time
If your Dad is a proper ledge and you want to push the boat (or the buggy) out...
Green fee around one of Britain's finest | From £100 upwards
My recommendation for this one is Royal Birkdale. The best golf course I have played. Playing golf and walking the same fairways (or bushes as it may be) as greats like Seve, Nicklaus, Tiger is a proper buzz. It will be a challenge and your Dad may end up paying out on a lot of lost golf balls but it's well worth it. There are a lot of top quality golf courses around the country so do your research and find a place that you won't forget. You can play most of The Open Championship courses so wherever you are, you shouldn't need to travel too far. It will cost a pretty penny (never understood that phrase) but it's worth it.
Bushnell Tour V4 | £269
This is one of my must haves on the course. If I ever forget it, I just stand there staring at the flag thinking 'I haven't got a clue what I'm doing'. I often think that when i do have it with me, but at least I know how far I have to the flag so I can under hit it by 20 yards. Anyway, everyone needs an excuse and a Bushnell just takes one excuse away. On a serious note though, knowing how far you have is key to hitting good shots, otherwise you are relying on pure luck basically. The Tour V4 is a quality product and the jolt feature when it hits the target will help your Dad avoid hitting the trees that are 200 yards behind the green. "I hit my 7 iron 220 today", "no Dad, no you didnt".
AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GO BIG...
F5 Golf Cart |
This is awesome. Chrome tilt steering column, 15" custom rims, custom paint colour and high speed motor...and for just $23,800! I might be getting a little silly now but LOOK AT IT!!!! It does 24mph so you could play 18 holes in about 50 minutes. Think of it this way. if your old man has a membership at a club for about £1000 per year. This costs £24,000, but he could play about 8 rounds of golf a day in this, so over the year, the number of rounds he is getting for his £1000 membership will outweigh the initial cost of this bad boy. Surely I've justified it? Come on - do it...and if you do, can I borrow it?
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