Gifts for a Golfer (UK)

At this time of year many people are scurrying around wondering what to give to a relative or friend. Preferably it should be something they don’t already have, or something that will be of special interest.

So what do you buy for a golfer?

Well Amazon.co.uk have a great range of options. Here is just a small sample of the choice:

• How about a box of golf balls? They’re always getting lost or mislaid. A fresh supply will surely be appreciated.
• Or is your special person still carrying his or her golf bag around on a shoulder? Would a golfing trolley be appreciated?
• Maybe the bag itself is getting worse for wear. Friends on the course will surely admire a smart new golf bag.
• Possibly you have a family member who is just starting out as a golfer. What about a package set of clubs and bag?
• Would a driving or chipping net, or a putting mat be a big help in practice? Such training aids can help make a big difference to a person’s game.
• A gadget enthusiast might like a golf GPS, a laser range finder or a handheld electronic caddy. A golfing gadget might be a hole-in-one for your gift-giving.
• Or if none of these catches your imagination, why not have a look at our display of golf books.

The range of possibilities is enormous. Use your imagination and your choice of gift can be targeted directly on the interests of its recipient.

For more gift ideas take a look at our Golfing Store UK - or Golfing Store USA

The Golf Ball - A Technological Wonder

When anything moves through the air, whether an arrow or an aeroplane, the science of aerodynamics comes into play. This is no less true for the golf ball. From simple balls, probably made of carefully carved wood, in the early days of the sport in Scotland the golf ball has come a long way.

In the 17th century there was a major development. High quality golf balls began to be made from tightly compacted goos feathers surrounded by a thin leather cover, made from eith horse or cow hide. The technology, although now it appears quite basic, was in fact highly innovative at the time. The feathers and leather were assembled while wet, and then on drying the leather shrank, the feathers expanded, and a hard, tightly formed ball was created.

These golf balls were expensive to make as each had to be separately handcrafted, and eventually further progress was made. As tropical supplies of rubber became more widely available this newly popular raw material was pressed into the service of golf. Some thing like mass production became feasible, and good balls became more accessible to a wider range of golfers.

However, there was a problem. With modern knowledge it can now be seen that the aerodynamics of a smooth-surfaced rubber golf ball were not ideal. It was harder to hit a rubber ball the same distance as one of the old style feather balls.

As knowledge of air flow around moving objects became more advanced it was possible to design golf balls for maximum performance. The dimples currently seen on golf balls are there for a reason. They aid the flow of air, and allow the ball to be hit further. The pocket of low pressure behind a moving smooth-surfaced ball drags it back, whereas dimples create a form of turbulence around the ball which eases its passage through the air.

These and other changes steadily improved the performance of golfers, both as to the length and controllability of shots, until at last in 1921 the modern standard weight and size golf ball emerged. There is now a wide variety of golf balls. They must comply with certain basic criteria to be acceptable for competition use, but still the technology advances.

Clubbed To Death? Your Wallet May Think So.

Anyone who takes up golf will have one immediate and expensive concern to take care of – the equipment. And we are not talking about offensively garish knitwear and those hats with sun visors on them although, if you are interested, those will cost a pretty penny too. No, think more along the lines of the equipment you will need in order to actually play the game. If you are going to play golf with any kind of regularity, and any kind of seriousness, then let’s just say that golf clubs – in both senses of the word “clubs” – will take up quite a bit of your disposable income.

This piece, though, will concentrate on the clubs that you carry around with you, the ones you use to hit the ball. A casual glance may have you believing that these are very simple items, made from metal, wood or some combination thereof, with a rubber grip. But if you are to fit in down at the country club, you will need state-of-the-art clubs to play with. The latest clubs are all the result of a lot of research and some extremely technical design work, built to optimise the distance you can get on your drives, the spin on your approach shots, and the accuracy in your putting game. These are the kinds of club that Woods, Mickelson and Els use and, although they won’t make you play like the professionals, they will give you some of the advantages those guys have.

The fact is, for a decent beginner’s set of golf clubs you will be looking at potentially getting no change from an outlay of $300. This will be a set that contains three woods (unfortunately, not Tiger – he would help anyone’s game), five irons, a driver, a putter and two recovery clubs (usually a pitching wedge and a sand wedge). There are more clubs available, and the average professional will have a few more in their bag so that every situation is covered. But those guys can afford to pay a caddy to carry their bag, and pay them handsomely to carry more weight. Unless you have that kind of money to spend, it is worth taking into account that the average beginners’ sets will suit your needs admirably, and individual clubs can always be added as and when you feel the need (and as your caddy’s upper-body strength improves).