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Besides the obvious clubs, balls and tees there are several things that everyone should carry to improve their golf experience:
1. Sunscreen- You should always keep sunscreen in an easily accessible pocket of your bag and USE IT. At least 30 spf.
2. Extra score cards- If you are a member or just play a course regularly, grab a couple extra score cards and pencils (erasers optional). There are times when you forget to grab a card at the clubhouse and there may or may not be one already in your cart, if you are using a cart.
3. First aid kit- This doesn't have to be fancy or bulky. Just grab a few flexible cloth bandages, a roll of white medical tape, a gauze pad or two, some antiseptic wipes, ibuprofen or aspirin and anything that you may need personally (antacid, benadryl for bee stings etc). Put these items in a zipper type plastic bag and just leave them in your golf bag.
4. Rain suit- A rain suit is optional but can sure make your golfing experience more pleasant if you get caught in heavy rain. If not a rain suit, then an umbrella at least.
5. Rangefinder/GPS- No explanation needed here.
6. Glove- If you get caught in the rain or its hot and humid, having a couple spare gloves to use is much more pleasant than wearing a soggy golf glove all day. You can fasten the velcro on the back of the glove around a handle or loop on your golf bag to dry.
7. Collapsible cup- These can be found in the camping section of most department stores and they sure will come in handy. You can use it to drink from and many have a small storage box built into the lid. Stick one in your bag and you can thank me later.
8. Snacks- Suit yourself, but I prefer things like granola bars or hardy fruit like an apple. DON'T FORGET to take uneaten snacks and any wrappers from your bag. You will have a bag full of ants and other critters or rotten fruit if you forget.
9. Permanent marker- There is no point in getting into an argument with your golfing buddies. It only takes a second to put an identifiable mark on your ball. I carry two or three colors.
10. Extra shoelaces- This is an item that is often overlooked, but think about it. If you break a lace on your golf shoes it's gonna be a long day of discomfort, heel slippage and blistered feet. In the long run a pair of shoe laces could save a lot of extra strokes.
11. Eyeglass repair kit- You never know when you will be glad to have this but when the time comes, you will. Even if you don't wear prescription glasses, sunglasses break too. Most kits include a screwdriver, extra screws and a magnifying glass. If you wear contact lenses, put some in your bag in case you lose one.
12. Tissues- Tissues or toilet paper are items you will find many uses for. Either put some in a plastic bag or get the small tissue packs (my wife carries these in her purse) that are sold at your local drug store.
13. Coolie cup- If you live in a hot region like I do, these are invaluable. I prefer the thinner neoprene style because they fit in the cup holder in a cart or pull cart better.
14. Business cards- You meet a lot of people on the golf course and you may find a new lead or prospective partner. Maybe you will need to write a phone number on the back for your own use.
15. Multi-tool- If you carry one in your bag, you or your golfing buddies will find many uses for it. There are many different types that have a variety of tools on them. Find what works best for you.
16. Cell phone- Hold on! I agree that cell phones can be very annoying at the links but they do have valuable uses too. If a phone is turned off or set to vibrate only they are no bother to players. There may be times when you really need one though. What if someone in your group has a heart attack or other life threatening problem? What if there is a question of the rules during a tournament? What if there is a family emergency?These and other reasons are why I am not opposed to cell phones on the golf course, provided they are used with respect to other players.
You may already have several of these items in your bag and there may be important items that I have overlooked but hopefully there is a gold nugget or two here that you can use.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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