| We present our guide on the best golf gift ideas - cool | | | | 28. What to Watch Out For |
| golf gadgets and equipment that will appeal to golfers | | | | 29. - Note that we've been careful to qualify our |
| at a range of skill levels, and that are available at a | | | | statements by saying that golfers will appreciate the |
| variety of different price points. Our list of "Do's" and | | | | gift of a HIGH-END putter. No one wants a lame putter |
| "Don'ts" provide our thoughts on which gifts will elicit an | | | | that comes out of the bargain rack from Wal-Mart. |
| enthusiastic "SWEET!! YOU ARE THE BEST EVER!!!" | | | | You can't go wrong with a top-of-the-line Scotty |
| and which will trigger an "ummm...is there a gift receipt | | | | Cameron putter...but it will set you back at least $300. |
| in the box?" | | | | 30. Pricing |
| DO'S | | | | 31. - Low end -- were you not listening to us? Don't |
| | | | buy a low end putter as a gift! |
| 1. Golf GPS Units. These nifty devices show golfers | | | | 32. - High end -- from $150 (Rife Barbados) to $250 |
| how far they are from the hole. The advanced units | | | | (Bettinardi Black Carbon) to $300-$500 (various Scotty |
| provide overhead satellite maps, aerial videos that | | | | Cameron models). In case you're wondering, Tiger |
| show the hole layout, touchscreens, and electronic | | | | Woods uses a Scotty Cameron putter - but it's a |
| scoring and statistics. | | | | prototype that isn't available for the general public. |
| 2. - Pros | | | | 33. Golf Push Carts. Most manly men will refuse to |
| 3. - These are cool, and the high-end units can | | | | rent a push cart for $5 at their local course, even if it |
| definitely impress your friends. | | | | would save significant wear and tear on their achy |
| 4. - Golf GPS devices are easy to use - just walk to | | | | back. But if someone GAVE them a push cart, they |
| the ball, and the unit will recalculate and display the | | | | might actually use it. |
| distance to the green and, in the case of most | | | | 34. - Pros |
| devices, the distance to various hazards and targets | | | | 35. - Even the fanciest models top out at $200, so you |
| as well. | | | | can give the best on the market without breaking the |
| 5. Cons | | | | bank. |
| 6. - Some units require an annual subscription or | | | | 36. Cons |
| charge per-course fees to access golf courses. So | | | | 37. - Someone who always rides in an electric cart |
| watch out - you may be giving the gift that keeps on | | | | may not use a push carts very much (even though it |
| giving! | | | | would be much better for their health to get out and |
| 7. What to Watch Out For | | | | walk). |
| 8. - The devices range in terms of the amount of tech | | | | 38. What to Watch Out For |
| savvy necessary to get up and running. Some are | | | | 39. - The newer models are getting more compact, |
| ready to go out of the box, while others require | | | | but some of the older versions are pretty big, even |
| downloading software to a computer and connecting | | | | when folded up. It's worth giving some consideration to |
| the GPS device to the computer to add the desired | | | | the size of the trunk in the gift recipient's car when you |
| golf courses. | | | | choose which push cart to buy. |
| 9. Pricing | | | | 40. Pricing |
| 10. - Low end - $150 (basic units such as the Bushnell | | | | 41. - Low end -- $40 |
| Neo and IZZO SWAMI 1500) | | | | 42. - High end -- $200 for fancy new models like the |
| 11. - High end - $400-$500 (top-of-the-line devices like | | | | Sun Mountain Micro Cart and the Clicgear 2.0 |
| the Callaway uPro, Garmin G5 Approach and OnPar) | | | | 43. Books / DVDs. Everyone can use a little help with |
| 12. Golf Laser Rangefinders. Another gadget for | | | | their swing, putting or mental game. |
| getting the distance to the hole is a laser rangefinder. | | | | 44. - Pros |
| These devices look like binoculars, and just require the | | | | 45. - Reasonable price points - they make great |
| golfer to aim and push a button to fire a laser and | | | | stocking stuffers! |
| receive an extremely precise reading on how far it is | | | | 46. Cons |
| to the target. | | | | 47. - Some might take offense at the suggestion that |
| 13. - Pros | | | | their golf game needs work (even though it probably |
| 14. - Laser rangefinders are more accurate than GPS | | | | does). |
| devices, and as a result, are generally preferred by | | | | 48. Pricing |
| professional caddies (who use them during practice | | | | 49. - Low end - $13 for Tiger Woods' How I Play Golf |
| rounds - they are not allowed in professional | | | | 50. - High end - $40+ for glossy coffee table books, |
| tournaments). | | | | such as Alister MacKenzie's Cypress Point Club or |
| 15. Cons | | | | The Golden Age of Golf Design, both from Geoff |
| 16. - Acquiring targets that are a long distance away | | | | Shackleford |
| requires a steady hand and some practice. | | | | 51. Training Aids. From putting to full swing, for those |
| 17. - If your view of a target is obscured (you are | | | | who are snowbound in winter, or simply can't get to |
| blocked by a line of trees, or you are at the bottom of | | | | the course as much as they would like, there are |
| a steep hill and can't see the flag), you cannot obtain a | | | | endless numbers of training devices to get your game |
| distance. | | | | in top form. |
| 18. What to Watch Out For | | | | 52. - Pros |
| 19. - Some of the advanced devices also provide | | | | 53. - Practice anytime, and it doesn't take 5 hours out |
| distances that adjust for the slope (uphill or downhill) | | | | of the day. |
| between the user and the target. While this is pretty | | | | 54. Cons |
| cool, it is also prohibited by the USGA, the official | | | | 55. - Will they really get used? Or will they wind up in |
| arbiter of the rules of golf in the United States. Thus a | | | | the back of the closet with the Thighmaster? |
| golfer cannot use a slope-adjusting laser rangefinder in | | | | 56. Pricing |
| any round that is submitted for official | | | | 57. - Low end: $15-30 for stocking stuffers such as |
| handicap-keeping purposes, nor can it be used in most | | | | impact tape from Longshot Golf and Dave Pelz's |
| amateur tournaments. | | | | putter clips |
| 20. Pricing | | | | 58. - High end: $200+ for training clubs like the Medicus |
| 21. - Low end - $330 (a basic unit like the Opti-Logic | | | | dual-hinge drivers, or high tech devices such as the |
| Insight GL) | | | | TOMI putting stroke analyzer |
| 22. - High end - $500+ (top of the line products such | | | | DON'TS |
| as the Leupold GX-II, Bushnell Pinseeker 1600 Slope | | | | |
| Edition and Callaway LR1200) | | | | 1. Golf Clubs. Most golfers are extremely persnickety |
| 23. Putters. The putter is the club that players actually | | | | about their golf clubs. Some folks always stick with a |
| use most often during a round, and is also the club that | | | | particular brand, like Callaway or TaylorMade. Others |
| many players don't splurge on for themselves, making | | | | mix and match, always striving for a particular look and |
| it a great gift idea. The caveat on putters is that the | | | | feel. Our recommendation on giving the gift of a pricey |
| choice of a putter is a very personal decision, | | | | new set of golf clubs is that unless you know |
| dependent on the intangible "feel" that a putter | | | | EXACTLY what someone wants, it's best to let them |
| provides and the "look" as the player looks down on | | | | find clubs on their own. |
| the ball. High-end putters from Scotty Cameron, | | | | 2. Socks. No one ever wants to get socks as a gift. |
| Bettinardi (Mizuno), and Rife are spoken of in hushed | | | | Enough said. |
| whispers and regarded as works of art. | | | | 3. Golf Practice Nets. Hitting into a net just doesn't feel |
| 24. - Pros | | | | right. If a trip to the driving range isn't feasible, most |
| 25. - Most golfers will never hit the ball 300 yards, but | | | | folks are likely to just turn on the TV and watch the |
| they can learn to get down in two putts. So it's the one | | | | pros play instead of going to the trouble of setting up a |
| area in which an amateur can actually use the exact | | | | practice net out in the yard. |
| same equipment as a pro! | | | | 4. Golf-Related Clocks or Bookends. A pair of socks |
| 26. Cons | | | | would sound good in comparison. |
| 27. - Since it's such a touchy feely decision, it may be | | | | 5. Ball Retrievers. Please do not put anyone else |
| tough to select just the right one as a gift. Still, we think | | | | through the pain of waiting for someone in the group in |
| any golfer will appreciate the gift of a high-end putter, if | | | | front of them to fish some "free" balls out of a toxic |
| for no other reason than to validate that they actually | | | | pond. |
| prefer their current putter. | | | | |