Here are the accessories that’ll take your golf game to the next level
In a little over a month, golf fans will get an answer to the big question they've been asking for almost a year: can Tiger do it again? After his improbable return to majors form with a stunning victory at last year's Masters in Augusta, everybody's anxious to see what happens this time around in April.
Of course, most of our most pressing golf questions are a little closer to home. Like...when am I finally going to be able to sink a putt consistently? Or, how am I going to be able to get in some practice this week? Or just, what the heck happened to my ball?
Legit questions, all. Thankfully, we've got a whole host of golf accessories to fill out your bag, improve your time on the links and maybe just shave a stroke or two off your game.
Rangefinders
How do you know how far to hit it if you don't know how far it is? That's where this trio of rangefinders can help accurately gauge out your shots when yardage markers are tough to come by.
The NX7 Pro Slope: Golf Rangefinder ($199; originally $249) uses laser technology and a pulse vibration feature to give you precise measurement to the flag, not everything around it.
With the Callaway 200s Laser Rangefinder ($169.99; originally $219), its Pin Acquisition tech will lock on to the pin from up to 275 yards away and give you up to 6x magnification to scope out every element of your shot before you swing.
Finally, the GoGolf GPS Accurate Rangefinder ($89.99) is a single-push lightweight rangefinder designed to work with Android and Apple iOS devices to use your smartphone to help make club and shot selection that much easier.
Game aids
Improving at golf is all about practice, practice, practice - and the PhiGolf: Mobile and Home Smart Golf Simulator with Swing Stick ($249) give you all that practice time even when you can't get out on the links. This entertaining golf game with killer graphics uses a state-of-the-art sensor to control gameplay with your real golf swing so you can play a full round right from your home or office.
That's great when you can't get outside, but there's really no substitute for physically honing your game. The Callaway 8-Ft Quad Hitting Net ($175.99; originally $219.99) is built with super-strong mesh netting that can withstand ball speeds up to 150 mph, so you can rip 'em with all you've got. The 8-square-foot hitting area not only sharpens your aim but even feeds the ball back to the front so you aren't searching through netting after each swing.
Meanwhile, the Callaway Home Range Practice System ($159.99; originally $199.99) bundles together an 8-foot hitting net, a durable hitting mat, and a pro caddie ball shagger-feeder that set up one ball at a time, so you can really slow down and focus on each individual shot.
The Callaway Pro Series Hitting Mat ($159.99; originally $199.99) uses a true-turf surface that simulates the feel of being on an actual fairway. With its highly durable 34x60-inch surface area, premium backing for extra support and even rubber range tees of varying sizes, this Pro Series accessory feels like the real thing.
Chipping mats
If you've landed your shot within a few yards of the green, you'd better have on-point chipping skills to put you in range of a manageable putt.
The Callaway Chip Shot Chipping Net ($39.99; originally $49.99) features three primary targets so you can work on chips and pitches from various distances and trajectories. Its simple pop-up feature means set-up is only a matter of seconds, and tear down is just as easy.
The Izzo Triple-Chip Chipping Net ($23.99; originally $29.99) also helps refine that short game, with multiple targets to improve your wedge work. The net collapses down to less than 1 foot in diameter for easy storage and also comes with a pair of ground stakes for added stability and safety.
Putting mats
Of course, once you're on the green, those putting abilities are all that stands between you and glory.
The Callaway Executive Putting Mat ($39.99; originally $49.99) features premium fold-and-crease resistant backing for truer rolls that simulate actual putting surfaces. And the putting cup is even a quarter-inch smaller than regulation, so once you get out on the course, the real cup will seem a mile wide.
Speed and accuracy are the goals of the Izzo Golf: Sharp Shooter Putting Trainer and Game Set ($23.99; originally $29.99). Hanging and swinging targets sharpen your eye and force golfers to better regulate their speed. Sure, it's fun to play with or against someone, but either way, you're honing your putting to your limits.
Travel Covers and Push Carts
Izzo offers a pair of options for keeping your clubs protected from the elements as well as all those real-world dangers when your bag isn't tooling up and down a fairway.
The Izzo High Roller Travel Cover ($199.99; originally $249.99) is elite protection at all times. With a rugged 1680D nylon construction and folding panel design, the High Roller keeps your clubs fully protected, while the five external lift handles and six-wheeled base help maneuver your gear to any location with ease.
Meanwhile, the Izzo Deluxe HD Travel Cover ($175.99; originally $219.99) is no slouch either. High-density foam padding lining and internal bag straps keep clubs locked in place and secure from the green to the trunk of your car. It's also 55 inches long, a deluxe-sized cover to protect bags of virtually any size.
But if you need a little more than wheeled covers to help transport your bag over 18 holes, the Callaway Trek Push Cart ($159.99; originally $199.99) brings extra convenience and added stability. Its aluminum frame and adjustable height offer durability and comfort as you stroll the course...and it even folds up easily so you can throw it into the back seat for the drive home.
Storage
You never know when a golf round is gonna break out, so the Callaway Golf Trunk Locker ($55.99; originally $69.99) is the perfect trunk accessory to have your shoes and other equipment ready at a moment's notice. With rigid wall dividers, easy-access compartments and even ventilation for stinky golf shoes, it keeps all your golf stuff safely stowed for your next round.
But as any golfer knows, your equipment isn't all you need on the links. The Callaway Cart Cooler ($39.99; originally $49.99) holds up to twelve 12-ounce cans or nine 750 ml bottles for those who can't get to the 19th Hole fast enough.
Or if you'd like to travel a little lighter, but still need some liquid encouragement, the Callaway Cooler Set ($19.99; originally $24.99) is sized perfectly for a 6-pack and ice. It's even got a pair of magnetic can cozies that can be attached to the frame of most golf carts and are strong enough to hold a full can without falling.
The Clothes and Sun Protection
Of course, looking the part is often just as important as your game or your clubs. The Callaway Tour Set, including a hat, clip, par-tees and balls ($23.99; originally $29.99) is all the standard equipment for any avid golfer. With the balls and virtually indestructible par-tees are great, the truly indispensable item here is the canvas cap with the built-in moisture-wicking headband and 30+ UV protection against that always tricky sun.
And speaking of sun protection, proper coverage like the BLUNT Golf Umbrella ($119) may not seem like an essential accessory. But trust us - its fiberglass shaft, a covering wind-tested up to 72 mph and the unique Radial Tensioning System (RTS) that redirects, transfers and distributes the effort used in opening the umbrella throughout the entire canopy surface for easier use will be a godsend, especially on the back nine.