BEFORE YOU PLAY

• MAKE A TEE TIME – Ask course conditions… Have the greens or fairways been aerated recently?… Is walking allowed?… Is it cart paths only?….
• NEED RENTAL CLUBS? – It’s a good idea to reserve rental clubs before you arrive. Indicate your request for men’s or ladies clubs and if you need a right- or left-handed set. The quality of equipment will vary.
• GET DIRECTIONS – And note the course phone number in case you get lost.
• CHECK THE DRESS CODE – Many courses don’t allow jeans, may require shirts with collars, shirts to be tucked in, shorts to be a certain length etc, etc. and some don’t!
• CHECK FOR DISCOUNTS – Some courses give discounts to AAA and/or AARP members. Others have newspaper and online coupons.
• HAVE CASH plus CREDIT or DEBIT CARD (if you use them) – For greens fees, tipping and food & beverage purchases.
• HANDICAP INDEX – If you will be playing any kind of event that requires your USGA handicap, you may need to bring your handicap card or know your index. Your index will determine your handicap based on a conversion chart at the course.
• CHECK THE WEATHER – Make sure you have the right clothing.  Layering is a great way to handle varying weather conditions

GOLF EQUIPMENT ESSENTIALS

• GOLF CLUBS / BAG – Always count to make sure you have all of your clubs – 14 is the MAX per the USGA. It’s a good idea to have your name and phone number on a label on each golf club shaft in case you leave one behind. Also, have a “bag tag” with your name on it for easy identification if you’re playing in an event.
• GOLF SHOES – I met a guy who manages to forget to pack his golf shoes on every trip, so he has closet full of new golf shoes waiting at home!
• BALLS – No need to stuff your bag with golf balls – most of you know roughly how many you need to get you through an average round of golf, so take that number plus four.  If it’s a really hard course, you may want a few extra, but you can always restock at the turn if necessary.  If you’re a fairly new golfer, a dozen balls should be enough and if it’s not, consider sitting out some of the more treacherous shots on the course.
• TEES – If you use more than one height or any specialty tees, remember to stock your bag before you play.   Keep in mind the number of holes you’ll be playing – no need to carry 50 tees if you’re walking.
• BALL MARKER (for putting) – It’s easy to get to the first green without a ball marker. Keep one or two in your pocket and a few extras in your bag. If you use a visor clip, remember to put it on the visor or hat of the day.
• GOLF GLOVE – I like to keep at least one extra in case I accidentally flush it down the toilet. (I’m one of those people who puts my glove in the back of my shorts when I putt… and sometimes I forget it’s there!)
• GOLF TOWEL
• HAT OR VISOR
• SUNGLASSES – Even if you don’t like to play in them, wearing them between shots is recommended.
• DISTANCE FINDER – SkyCaddie, Golf Logix, Laser Rangefinder. Charge it up before you play and make sure you’ve downloaded the course(s) if necessary. If you use a rangefinder, you might want to keep an extra battery and a small screwdriver on hand as well.
• USGA RULES OF GOLF BOOK – It’s a good idea to read this sometime before you play and to learn how to find the information you need quickly.
• SUNSCREEN & LIP BALM w/SUNSCREEN – For reapplying on the golf course, it’s nice to have hands-free sunscreen (spray or other) so you don’t make your grips slippery or sticky.
• SNACK – Something low-fat with protein is always a good bet.
• WATER BOTTLE

OTHER USEFUL GOLF GEAR

• SCORECARD & PENCIL – Don’t you hate it when you get to the end of the first hole and you don’t have a scorecard?
• YARDAGE BOOK – If you have one for the course you are playing.
• PERMANENT FELT-TIP MARKER – I like to put my mark (a line on each side of the brand name) on my golf balls before I put them into my bag.
• CLUB CLEANER – A wet towel or wire brush so you don’t end up wiping your clubface on your shorts! Grass stains and mud are hard to get out!
• BALL RETRIEVER – Just in case one of your playing partners hits into a water hazard.
• VALUABLES POUCH – If you take off your watch, rings or have other valuables, you’ll want to have some place to keep them together in your bag.
• INSECT REPELLANT
• FIRST AID (YES, I’M SERIOUS) – Ibuprofen, aspirin, sting stick, meat tenderizer for fire ant bites (make into a paste with water), and anything you might need to have handy.

WEATHER GEAR

• UMBRELLA – Check the hourly forecast before you haul your rain gear around.
• RAIN SUIT & WATER PROOF HAT – A regular hat will do if it’s not a downpour, but you’ll definitely want something to keep the rain out of your eyes or off your glasses.
• EXTRA TOWEL – At least one so you can keep your hands and grips dry.
• RAIN GLOVES – If you’re so inclined…
• CLUB COVER FOR RAIN – A plastic bag will do if you don’t have a fitted cover.
• WINDSHIELD – If the course you are playing doesn’t have them and it’s a cold day, they are really nice to have.
• HAND WARMERS – If you play when it’s cold, keep one of these in your pocket. Just remember not to put your ball in that pocket if your golfing friends are sticklers for the rules.

WHEN YOUR ARE FINISHED PLAYING

• GET EVERYTHING OUT OF THE CART – Check all the nooks and crannies for valuables.
• COUNT YOUR CLUBS – Make sure you have as many as when you began!
• PUT YOUR CLUBS AWAY – For safe-keeping while you’re at the 19th hole.

OTHER TIPS

• CELL PHONE – Turn the ringer off before you start (some clubs won’t allow their use in the clubhouse or even on the property), but it’s nice to have one for cart problems or for emergencies.
• FILL OR REPLACE DIVOTS? – If you’re at a course you’ve never played before, find out if you replace divots or just fill with sand. It all depends on the type of grass.
• COURSE MARKINGS – Are there 150 markers? Are the sprinkler heads marked? Are all measurements to the middle of the green? How are pin placements indicated?  In the U.S., measurements are in yards, other places are in meters. (150 yards = 137 meters and 150 meters = 164 yards – about a 10% difference)
• CHECK THE WEBSITE – For additional information about the course, including hole layout, yardages, course rating, slope and more.
• CONSIDER TAKING A CAMERA – If you’re vacationing or playing a once-in-a-lifetime course, make sure you have your camera along. You don’t need to snap photos all day long at the expense of your game, but capture a few select stunning views!

Related Packing Checklist posts:

1. Golf Checklist for Rainy Days If you’ve been watching any of the US Open...
2. Putting Our Golf Checklist to the Test I’m caddying this week in the Tennessee Women’s Open, so...
3. Beach Vacation Packing List Here is our Beach Vacation Packing List. You can download...
4. Golf Checklist You can download the golf checklist formatted for Microsoft Word...
5. Take Me to the Beach With a heat index of well over 100 degrees here...