Golf

by Paul Leahy, PGA Golf Pro/Director of Golf at The Oaks

Gifts for the golfer

The holidays are sneaking up quickly and if you are struggling to find that perfect gift for the golf enthusiast in your life, let’s take a look at some options that are sure to please. Like many products and goods this year, golf equipment and other golf related items have been in short supply. New clubs are as much as three months out and golf bags are just as tough to get. So what should I be looking for?

New clubs are still a viable option, but think out of the box so to speak. Instead of buying new clubs, if you can find them, purchase a gift certificate from your local PGA Professional for custom club fitting. You can always add a little money to the certificate to help with the clubs once fitted or slip in some cash along with it. The benefits of this is they will get customfitted clubs, will be able to order what they want and they will be tailored to their specific swing characteristics.

Hopefully, the supply chain will loosen up next spring so products will be readily available. The majority of the Lake’s golf courses have PGA certified club fitters on staff. Osage National Golf Resort and Eldon Golf Club have indoor simulators for off-season fittings so they can be ready for the spring season.

Speaking of indoor golf, simulator time is another perfect gift for the golf lover on your list. The LOZ Golf Lounge in Osage Beach opened last winter and simulator time would make a perfect gift. Osage National Resort and the Eldon Golf Club also have simulators to play and challenge your friends to a round of golf at your favorite course. If you have friends or relatives in St. Louis, Kansas City or other metro areas Top Golf gift cards make the perfect stocking stuffer for that hard to buy for golf enthusiast.

Electronics are also popular. Bushnell has their Wingman speaker that also doubles as a GPS yardage device and its magnetic design affixes the unit securely to the cart as you play. There are 36,000

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pre-loaded courses, a built-in USB port for charging other devices, removable remote and 10 hour battery life making this a great gift for any golfer.

Portable simulators and launch monitors are also all the rage. From the Garmin Approach R10, the Flight Scope Mevo or the Rapsodo mobile launch monitor you can treat that golfer that loves to analyze his game for under $600. The units can be used indoors or out and some even have video capability. Golfers will be able to check their swing speed, launch angle, spin rates and more to take their game to the next level. Check out the features of these portable units and see which one suits your needs. The Oaks at Margaritaville is an authorized dealer for the Rapsodo monitor, so stop in and they can show you all the features.

Opti-Shot is another reasonably-priced option for an indoor simulator. Priced at $399 it comes with 18 preloaded courses to play. For the golfer who has room in their house, this will make the perfect gift, and maybe they will invite you over for a game!

A GPS Watch also makes a great gift and the Garmin Approach S62 watch has been a popular choice. Starting at $499 this watch has so many features you’ll want to wear it for everyday use so you are never without it when you hit the course.

Golf lessons with a PGA Professional make great gifts as well. Purchase one or a series of lessons for that special someone. If you want to learn as well, how about a couples lesson. You can show your spouse you want to join them on the course by giving the gift of a lesson for two. The best part is that your spouse doesn’t have to teach you!

Another unique gift I found is a personalized “A History of Golf” book featuring authentic articles from the New York Times. Personalize the cover with the name of the recipient and it will be the centerpiece of any golfer’s coffee table or man cave. They will have endless hours reliving Bobby Jones Grand Slam, Jack Nicklaus’ 18 majors and the rise of Tiger Woods and much more.

If you must be boring and give golf balls this year, customize them. Most companies offer free customization over the holiday season. Imprint them with their name, nickname or a funny saying. Three lines of script is the max so have fun it. A dozen is typically all you have to buy and they will love showing them off to their friend next spring on the course. Be creative, I’ve seen golf balls imprinted with such things as “If found call John Smith and their phone number.” I wonder if any of these balls every got returned. Check with your local golf course. I am sure they would be happy to order them for you.

Indoor putting mats have also made a comeback in the last several years. The Perfect Practice Putting Mat is one of those great gift items. Endorsed by PGA Professional Dustin Johnson this product will be a hit in any golfer’s household.

Have some fun this holiday season by giving some unique gifts to your golfing friends and family. Hopefully everyone will be able to give gifts inperson this season and be able to ring in 2022 with all your golfing buddies. All the best and will see you on the course next year!