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The Best & Worst Christmas Golf Gifts

By: Golfshake Editor | Fri 29 Nov 2019


The clock is ticking down to Christmas and its unique flavour of festive cheer, rampant commercialisation and excessive calorie intake. When it comes to the art of receiving gifts, it can be an especially anxious time for a golfer, with unimaginative friends and relatives knowing that you love the game, but expecting you to appreciate any old tat that is related to the ancient pastime. 

Most golfers have nightmare stories of parcels they have unwrapped, whether it be toilet putting mats or exploding golf balls, something we have previously covered. It's never a good look to appear ungrateful, but what can you expect!

Golf Toilet Mat

We asked the Golfshake Team for their tales of stocking disappointment, but also for examples of wonderful gifts, just for the sake of balance. After all, it is the time of year to be jolly and merry. Apparently.

Best & Worst Christmas Golf Gifts

Matt Holbrook revealed: "I've had them all, including the toilet golf set on three occasions! Last year, I had the emoji golf balls that are still sitting in the box. Two years ago, my sister brought me the 'golf ball finding glasses' that were hideous. 

"Anyway, the best gifts for me are always balls and gloves, stuff that you would only go and buy yourself - as long as you leave the correct hints to make sure you get the right ones."

Golfshake's Darren Ramowski said: "I'm not a fan of people buying me golf balls. Golfers are very particular about their balls. I also dislike everyday objects that have some random golf theme applied - like this stationery set!

Stationery Set

"My best gift was...I've not actually had one!"

Oh, Darren. Someone needs to write a letter to Santa.

Golfshake Ambassador Andy Picken is well accustomed to the dodgy golf gift. "For years I received some creatively awful golf related Christmas presents. How many chocolate golf balls can you have? Too Many!

"There is nothing worse than a golf ball with an emoji logo on it. It would be like a rock to hit. Discreetly straight into the bin before Boxing Day was over. I take that back. There is! It's a set of joke golf balls one of which explodes in a puff of smoke.

"A few years ago, I decided to avoid this by ensuring that all my nearest and dearest have access to a simple straightforward list of things that I would like. It allows people to combine and ensures I am a happy golfer on Christmas morning.

My most memorable Christmas gift was my membership to the Hole-in-One Club. It cost £5 providing insurance against a hole-in-one during a competitive round. This gift took me halfway round the world.

Mel Davies added his perspective. "My best golf present would be the first “proper” driver I had off my wife a good few years back, a Cobra F Speed. Absolutely loved it and to this day I would say it’s right up there with any other drivers I’ve used.

"The worst present(s) would have to be the old classic golf ball monogrammer that would only last for a couple of shots and the initials would disappear. The other shocker of a present was a box of “refurbished balls” I received. I think their version of refurbished was to clean any dirt off and put them in a box! They had cuts and scuffs over every single one. They were that poor I didn’t even put them in my practice balls bag."

New balls for Mel this Christmas, please.

Golfshake's Kevin Paver shared this image of a novelty mug he received, but we can't decide whether it should be considered Best or Worst? Opinion is divided.

Golf Mug

Finally, Golfshake's Kieran Clark reflected: "I wouldn't consider anything to be the worst. I'll take whatever you have! Being the prudent, unfashionable, unfussy golfer that I am, it would take something truly awful for me to emotionally reject it.

"The best Christmas gift I have received is an easier one to recall. Just as I was taking the game more seriously in my teens, I opened an envelope on the mantle piece one festive morning to reveal confirmation of a membership - my first - at the picturesque Muthill Golf Club in Perthshire, a wonderful nine-hole layout. I was taken aback by this present, it was the pathway to the next stage of getting into golf properly, coming just months after my parents had separated, making it an emotionally charged Christmas, but this was a meaningful and deeply appreciated gesture that I remember fondly."

Possible Ideas

So, the above should provide examples of what to avoid, but it would be remiss of us not to share some potential ideas for a golf themed Christmas present.

There is something for everyone at Christmas, especially if you are a golfer. 

Let us know what your best and worst gifts have been!


What do you think? post your thoughts and feedback on the Golfshake Forum: https://forum.golfshake.com/


Tags: gear daily picks Christmas Apparel



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