The quick answer
Clubs make risky gifts. Drivers, irons, wedges and putters are bought by hand, loft, shaft and length, and the wrong one is a return. The gifts below need none of that.
Under $50, buy a dozen of the ball they already play. Under $100, the same idea buys a dozen of a tour ball. Under $250, a rangefinder is the gift most golfers use every round, and two home launch monitors also fit the budget.
Find out first
- Which ball they play. Look in their bag or ask their playing partners. A dozen of their own ball is never wasted. A dozen of a different ball often ends up in the shag bag.
- Whether they already own a rangefinder. Many golfers do. A second one isn’t much use.
- Whether they play in competitions. Most competitions don’t allow slope readings, so a rangefinder that can switch slope off is the safer pick. See Rangefinders for tournament play.
- Where they would use a launch monitor. Indoors needs a net and room behind the ball. The space each maker asks for is in the table below.
Under $50: a dozen golf balls
Pick by what they play now. If they play a soft, low-priced ball, stay in that group. If they already play a urethane ball, the last four here are urethane balls under $50.
| Specification | TitleistTruFeel | CallawaySupersoft | TitleistTour Soft | SrixonQ-STAR TOUR | Vice GolfPro | SrixonZ-STAR | TitleistAVX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $24.99 (TGW) | $26.99 (Fairway Golf) | $39.99 (TGW) | $39.99 (Srixon) | $39.99 (PGA TOUR Superstore) | $47.99 (Fairway Golf) | $49.99 (TGW) |
| Construction | Not published | Not published | Not recorded | 3-piece | 3-layer | 3-piece | 3-piece |
| Cover | 3.0 TruFlex cover | Hybrid Cover | Not recorded | Urethane | Cast urethane | Urethane | Urethane |
| Feel | Softer | Soft | Soft | Softer | Not recorded | Softer | Very soft |
| Flight | Low | Not recorded | Not recorded | Mid-High | Not recorded | Mid | Not recorded |
Titleist TruFeel and Callaway Supersoft are each maker’s soft, low-priced ball. Titleist recommends the TruFeel “for players who prefer ultra-soft feel, long distance and consistent greenside spin.” Callaway says the Supersoft “is designed for increased ball speed with exceptional soft feel, control, and spin from tee-to-green.”
Titleist Tour Soft sits one step up. Titleist recommends it for players who “prioritize both distance and stopping power, with soft feel.”
Srixon Q-STAR TOUR and Vice Pro both list a urethane cover. Srixon says the Q-STAR TOUR is “tuned for real swing speeds, not just tour speed.” Vice says the Pro “is the ideal balance of distance and control.”
Srixon Z-STAR and Titleist AVX are urethane balls from the makers’ premium lines. Srixon describes “maximum greenside spin” and “Less Driver spin” for the Z-STAR. Titleist recommends the AVX for “low spin in the long game, excellent greenside control, and very soft feel.”
For more on the low-priced balls, see The best golf balls under $35 a dozen.
Under $100: a dozen tour balls
Titleist recommends the Pro V1 for players who “may benefit from mid-trajectory flight, very low long game spin and high short game spin, and softer feel.”
- Construction
- Not published
- Cover
- Cast urethane elastomer
- Compression
- Not published
$57.99
per dozen
See at TGW: Titleist Pro V1Affiliate linkTitleist recommends the Pro V1x for players who “may benefit from higher-trajectory flight, low long game spin with higher short game spin, and firmer feel.”
- Construction
- Not published
- Cover
- Cast urethane elastomer
- Compression
- Not published
$57.99
See at Fairway Golf: Titleist Pro V1xAffiliate linkTaylorMade says the TP5 “is engineered to deliver world-class performance from tee-to-green.”
- Construction
- Not recorded
- Cover
- Not recorded
- Compression
- Not published
$57.99
See at Fairway Golf: TaylorMade TP5Affiliate linkCallaway says the Chrome Tour is for “players who want outstanding performance, exceptional speed, consistent flight and greenside control.”
- Construction
- Not published
- Cover
- Tour Level Urethane Cover
- Compression
- Not published
$57.99
See at DICK'S Sporting Goods: Callaway Chrome TourAffiliate link
A dozen tour balls. The Pro V1, Pro V1x, TP5 and Chrome Tour are each under $60 a dozen at the stores we check. The Pro V1 and Pro V1x differ in the way Titleist describes: the Pro V1 for “mid-trajectory flight” and “softer feel,” the Pro V1x for “higher-trajectory flight” and “firmer feel.” How to choose a golf ball explains the rest.
Under $250: a rangefinder or a home launch monitor
Rangefinders
| Specification | Shot ScopePRO L2 | Voice CaddieLaser FIT | Shot ScopePRO ZR | NikonCOOLSHOT 20i GIII | Blue TeesCaptain Air | Precision ProNX10 Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $129.99 (Shot Scope) | $199.99 (DICK'S Sporting Goods) | $199.99 (DICK'S Sporting Goods) | $239.95 (DICK'S Sporting Goods) | $199.99 (Blue Tees Golf) | $199.99 (Global Golf) |
| Turning slope off | Can be switched off | Slope Integration with Tournament Mode | Can be switched off | Not published | External slope switch | Slope switch |
| Max range | 700 yards | 800 yards | 1,500 yards | 800 yards | 1,000 yards | 999 yards |
| Magnification | 6× | 6× | 6× | 6× | 6× | 6× |
| Battery | Replaceable CR2 3V | Rechargeable Li-Polymer 500mAh | Replaceable CR2 | 1 CR2 Lithium Battery (DC 3V) | USB-C rechargeable | CR2 3V Replaceable |
| Water rating | Water resistant | Not published | Water resistant | Rainproof | IP65 | Not published |
All six show slope. The table’s slope row says how each one turns it off for tournament play, where the maker says. The Voice Caddie and Blue Tees are rechargeable; the other four take a CR2 battery. For what more money buys, see What the extra money buys in a rangefinder and Golf rangefinders under $300.
Home launch monitors
| Specification | Shot ScopeLM1 | RapsodoMLM1 |
|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $199.99 (TGW) | $199.99 (Global Golf) |
| Tracking | Doppler radar | Doppler radar paired with an iPhone or iPad camera |
| Where it works | Indoor and outdoor use | Full indoor/outdoor use |
| Space needed | 55 inches / 1.4 m behind the ball | Unit 6–8 ft behind the ball, facing down the target line. Into a net: net at least 8 ft in front of the ball. Outdoors: at least 60–80 ft of ball flight |
| Subscription | No subscription: Shot Scope includes a free lifetime subscription to the Shot Scope app | MLM1 Premium Membership $99.99/year (non-transferable); a Premium trial is included with purchase |
The two differ in what comes with them. Shot Scope says the LM1 needs no subscription and shows its numbers on its own screen. The Rapsodo MLM1 works through an iPhone or iPad, and its Premium Membership is a yearly fee after the trial. Check that they have the right phone before you buy it. What a home launch monitor can and cannot tell you explains what these numbers mean.
A golf bag
Ping says the Moonlite is “just what you need for your outing to a par-3 course, or to the driving range for a practice session with a few clubs.”
- Bag type
- Carry
- Top dividers
- 2
- Pockets
- 3
$110
See at TGW: Ping MoonliteAffiliate linkJones Sports Co.
Original Jones
Jones says “This is the golf bag that started it all in 1971 and has become one of the most iconic bags in the game.”
- Bag type
- Carry
- Top dividers
- 3
- Pockets
- 3
$185
Black/White colorway; the Kodiak colorway is $220
Callaway says the Chase Stand Bag “offers exceptional value for golfers seeking quality and convenience.”
- Bag type
- Stand
- Top dividers
- 4
- Pockets
- 8
$229.99
See at Fairway Golf: Callaway Chase StandAffiliate link
The PING Moonlite is a light carry bag for the range or a short course. PING says it is “just what you need for your outing to a par-3 course, or to the driving range for a practice session with a few clubs.” It is made for a few clubs, not a full set.
The Jones Original Jones is a simple carry bag. Jones calls it “the golf bag that started it all in 1971.” The Callaway Chase Stand is a stand bag: Callaway lists 4 lb, a 4-way top with full-length dividers and 8 pockets, and says it offers “the perfect balance of performance and value.” If they ride in a cart most rounds, a stand bag or cart bag suits them better than a carry bag; see Stand bag, cart bag or carry bag.
Prices
Prices on this page are the latest ones we checked at each retailer. Holiday sales change them often, and the retailer’s page always has today’s price.
Sources
- Evidence: Researched
Titleist publishes the TruFeel player recommendation, its TruTouch core and “soft 3.0 TruFlex cover”, its “penetrating low ball flight”, an FAQ that gives it a softer feel than Velocity and Tour Soft, and a list price per dozen. It gives no piece count, cover material or compression number, and its spin comparison scales show no rating in text.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Callaway publishes the Supersoft core and cover names, its positioning and a list price.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Titleist publishes the Tour Soft player recommendation and a list price per dozen. The specification sections of the page could not be read.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon publishes the Q-STAR TOUR construction, urethane cover, compression (74), feel, flight and price. Its spin ratings are shown as graphics, not text.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Vice publishes the Pro construction, cast urethane cover, compression (90), swing-speed fit and its price per dozen. It describes the feel as “smooth, balanced” and the flight as “slightly lower” or “slightly flatter” than other Vice models; those words are not recorded as levels.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon’s main Z-STAR page publishes the Z-STAR’s 3-piece urethane construction, “premium urethane cover”, compression of 88, feel, flight, “Less Driver spin”, “maximum greenside spin” and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. The page’s model comparison reads “CONSTRUCTION 3PC Urethane, COMPRESSION 88, FEEL Softer, FLIGHT Mid”, and Srixon’s ball selector table (https://us.dunlopsports.com/srixon/golf-ball-selector-fitting.html) also lists 88. The page shows spin as filled bars with no words.
- Evidence: Researched
Titleist publishes the AVX construction, urethane cover, its player recommendation (low long-game spin, greenside control, very soft feel) and a list price per dozen. Its feel, flight and spin comparison scales are graphics with no rating marked in text, so flight and greenside spin are not recorded.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Titleist publishes the Pro V1 cover material, its player recommendation and a list price per dozen.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Titleist publishes the Pro V1x cover material, its player recommendation (flight, long-game spin, short-game spin, feel) and a list price per dozen.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
TaylorMade publishes the TP5 positioning, a comparison chart (feel, driver flight, driver spin, wedge spin) and a list price.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Callaway publishes the Chrome Tour cover, its positioning, a comparison table (feel, long-game spin, short-game spin) and a list price.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Ping publishes the Moonlite Carry Bag top, weight, club capacity, pocket count and volume, strap and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Shot Scope publishes the PRO L2 range, magnification, slope, water resistance, battery type and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Voice Caddie publishes the Laser FIT measuring range, magnification, display, slope integration, battery type and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Shot Scope publishes the PRO ZR range, magnification, adaptive slope that switches off, LCD display with red/black optics, water resistance, battery and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Nikon publishes the COOLSHOT 20i GIII range, magnification, incline/decline mode, rainproof construction, power source and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Blue Tees publishes the Captain Air range, magnification, display type, slope switch, IP65 rating, battery and GPS/app features.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Precision Pro publishes the NX10 Slope measurement and flag range, magnification, slope switch, battery and selling price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Shot Scope publishes the LM1 Doppler radar sensor, indoor and outdoor use, five metrics, setup distance, free app, battery and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Rapsodo publishes the MLM1 radar-and-camera tracking, indoor/outdoor use, metric list, setup distances, app and Premium Membership price, and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Jones publishes the Original Jones Bag dimensions, divider, club capacity, pocket count, strap and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Callaway publishes the Chase Stand Bag weight, dimensions, top and dividers, pocket count, strap description and list price.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.