I’m not a merch guy or a gear head. Pro-shop memorabilia does nothing for me, and the newest club in my bag is three years old. On the course and off it, I’ve noticed a pattern: I don’t like shopping, and the less stuff around me, the happier I am.
That doesn’t mean I’ve sworn off material possessions. I recognize their value, especially when I’m on the go. And with travel as my beat for GOLF, I’m on the go a lot — hustling through airports, hopping into rental cars, hauling my sticks to this course and that.
None of this is hardship. But it can be a hassle if I don’t have the right things with me. There’s nothing like travel to clarify what you really need — and what you don’t. Thinking back on this past year, here are 5 items I wouldn’t want to do without.
KJUS Pro3L Rain Jacket
Plenty of outerwear will keep you dry, but much of it makes you look like you’re prepping for a moon landing or restricts you like a straight jacket. The Pro3L does neither. It’s sleek, breathable, stretchable and loaded with smart, almost sneaky performance touches — rain gutters at the wrists, a hidden waist cinch that cuts bulk when you’re chipping and putting, and a featherweight feel that all but disappears once you pull it on. Think Burberry meets Batman: the aesthetic of a high-fashion house crossed with Alfred’s knack for futuristic gadgetry. Dry never looked so good, or moved so well.
Club Glove Golf Travel Bag
This is not a fresh discovery. It’s more like an old friend. I’ve had my Club Glove for the better part of a decade, and it has taken a beating on all six continents where golf is played. It has yet to tear or fray, and its zipper’s teeth remain in perfect shape. I wish the same were true of me. The bags are industrial-strength, with tough straps and nylon-reinforced stitching, in-line skate wheels that glide quietly over airport floors, and pockets for shoes and sundries you don’t know you’ll need until you do. Three sizes cover every kind of golf bag. They pack snugly around your clubs and fold down neatly when empty. The Tour-pro user list is long — DJ, JT, Rory, Brooks, and others — but those guys fly private. This bag is a luxury the rest of us can actually afford, and one that will likely outlast us. Pro tip: don’t forget to buy the arm bar as a safeguard against snapped drivers. The airlines will replace lost clubs, but they won’t reimburse for damage.
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Payntr X 004 Golf Shoes
I have bone spurs on my heels that would make a rooster proud. Don’t get me started on my bunions. So you can imagine my delight in discovering these Payntrs, which come with something called a Blister-Free PMX Fit Heel. I don’t know what the acronym means, but I do know they guarantee the shoes with a blister-free warranty, and I haven’t had to send mine back. They’re water-resistant but still ventilated, flexible but supportive, that rare shoe you can walk in all day without having to triage your feet at night.
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Sun Bum Sunscreen
Breaking news: sunscreen is supposed to protect you from the sun. But on a golf trip, you want it to do more. You want something that lasts, doesn’t feel greasy, doesn’t leave you looking like a mime, and doesn’t drip into your eyes on the back nine. Sun Bum checks all those boxes. It’s moisturizing, it rubs in cleanly, and you can get it in a TSA-friendly, 3-ounce tube, which is nice, as sunscreen only works if it doesn’t get confiscated at security.
Buc-ee’s Hill Country Beef Jerky
Like Tiger, I can’t play when my glutes aren’t firing, and I’m even worse when my stomach’s grumbling. So I always keep a snack in the bag. The problem is that many “energy bars” sold in pro shops are candy bars in health-food wrapping. Jerky, though — good jerky — is different. High-protein, easy to carry, slow to spoil and actually tasty. Buc-ee’s Hill Country Beef Jerky has become a go-to. It keeps me fueled, steady and ready to make at least one good swing before lunch. There are more than a dozen flavors, but the old-school “steakhouse” version suits me fine.
