Great Gifts for the Golfer in Your Life

Golf Club Accessories
You know those club-and-ball washers that stand on most tee boxes at golf courses? The ones with the nasty water and filthy rag? The Clubwash ($12.99 at Edwin Watts) eliminates the need to deal with the on-course washers - it snaps right onto a golf bag.

The All-Terrain Cart ($89.97, various merchants) is a pull cart that can go anywhere. We hear NASA is considering this baby for its Mars rover. And if your golfer needs a pull cart that can handle rough terrain, then he or she probably also needs the ...

Search 'N Rescue Ball Retriever ($21.95-$42.95 at TGW). You know the golfer who uses this souped-up version of the ball retriever: He doesn't just hit a lot of balls into the water, he feels compelled to retrieve everyone else's golf balls, too.

Gadgets
The Coleman CartCat Catalytic Heater ($79.99 at Edwin Watts) is a portable space heater for golf carts. Propane not included - but once it is, this contraption will fit into most cart cupholders and help out during those winter rounds.

Dunlop's Golf Scorecard Watch ($79.99 at Target) tells time and has an alarm and calendar. But it also allows the golfer to keep score during a round and holds the scorecards of up to 20 rounds.

For Display
The My Best Score Ever Plaque ($49.99 at Edwin Watts) will let your golfer show off his or her, well, best score ever. It's an attractive, mountable display case to show off that one great scorecard.

Along the same lines, the Scorecard Caddie ($24.95 from the manufacturer) can store up to 220 scorecards, photo-album style.

Smokes and Spirits
If your golfer likes to take a nip on the links - something we don't recommend, but realize many golfers do - this Pewter Embellished Golf Hip Flask ($24.95 at TG) might be the thing.

Many golfers like to fire up a stogey on the course. If your golfer is one of those, take a look at these Cigar Pouches & Cutters ($15, various merchants). They'll keep the cigars fresh (and in one piece) until ready for lighting.

If your golfer's kitchen is already gaudy, a little more gaudiness won't hurt.

So check out the Golf Club Wine Rack ($69.95 at TGW).
And take a look at these golf-themed Gift Baskets.

Organizers & Travel Bags
The Golf Organizer with Bench ($119 through Amazon) provides storage space for two bags and shoes, plus accessories, with a small bench in the middle. A less expensive model ($59.99), sans bench, is available at Sears.

In a similar vein, the Top Flite Golf Trunk Locker ($39.99 at Target) goes in the trunk of the car and carries shoes, hats, jackets, balls, tees and more.

For golfers who do a lot of flying, a Golf Travel Bag is a must. If your traveling golfer doesn't have one, they probably could use one.

Practice Aids
Practice aids and training aids are a dime a dozen (OK, they're actually quite a bit more expensive than a dime a dozen, but we just mean they are ubiquitous). But here are two items that are cheap but sure to be put to good use.

AlmostGolf Balls are practice balls that mimic the flight of real golf balls - but are made from a foam material so as to be safe for use around buildings (think backyard practice). They are much more useful than wiffle balls.

For a cheap training aid that, used correctly, will be more useful than 95-percent of the gadgets out there, try the On Mark Game Improvement in a Can ($8.95 at TGW). It sprays a yellow dye onto the golf clubface so that golfers can track - and work on improving - their points of contact.

Computer and Video Games
"Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004" (various prices for different platforms) is one of the big games this season. The other: "Links 2004."

Or you can find more game suggestions here.

As Seen on TV
Sometimes - OK, frequently - when you've been watching The Golf Channel, you realize that for the past 20 minutes what you've been watching is an infomercial. Do the things advertised in those infomercials actually work?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But here are two we can recommend: The Perfect Club ($99.99 and up, various merchants) and the Lovett Wedge ($99.98 and up from LovettGolf).

Miscellaneous
Guys, here's something we do not recommend you get your wife - unless it's as a gag gift, or unless she's an even bigger golf nut than you are: USGA Golf Dinner Mats ($19.99 set of four).

Is your golfer the type who likes weathervanes? Finds them quaint and charming? Then check out the Golf Weathervane ($39.95). Because it's easier than having a guy on the roof tossing up blades of grass.

Or maybe your golfer needs a little ForeSkin. Hey! Wait just a minute! We mean ForeSkin Skin Care Products. If the name doesn't scare you off, they are well packaged and designed to be attached to the golf bag for easy access.

And if All Else Fails
There's always the golfer's tie: Animal or Sports Headcovers. Or the golfer's fruitcake: Golf Desk Calendars.

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Randall, of Randalls-eBooks