What’s in your bag: The best golf accessories of 2019

For those of us in more seasonal golf locations, the coming of the Masters each year marks the unofficial start of the golf season. Lord only knows what all’s accumulated in the depths of your golf bag since last season, so before you go trunk slamming to your first tee shot of 2019, it’d be wise to take inventory.

We’re skipping past the obvious golf necessities — count your clubs, clean your grooves and wash your balls — and focusing on what’s in your bag’s extra pockets: tools and accessories. There is no shortage of these products on the market, from gimmicky to practical and everything in between, but the items below are sure to earn a permanent spot in your on-course arsenal.

Birdicorn divot tool

Birdicorn bottle openerThe tagline “The best divot tool in golf,” is a little misleading when you’re talking about Birdicorn’s claim-to-fame. Don’t get us wrong, it is the best repair tool on the market, but that’s literally a fraction of what this product can do. Birdicorn‘s genius lightweight design packs 6 functions into one easy-to-use tool; a repair tool, putting alignment aid, grip rest, bottle opener, line stencil, and ball mark holder (fits any 1″ ball marker). The compact, ergonomical design fits comfortably in your pocket, meaning you’ll have absolutely no reason to leave pocked greens behind you on the course. Birdicorn tools are made from CNC anodized aluminum for longevity, and come in a wide range of colors and matching ball makers — or you can take it to the next level and choose a custom design. In short, Birdicorn is simply “the best tool in golf.”

Ampcaddy speaker

Amp Caddy speakerWhether controversial or not, CGB believes golf and music go hand-in-hand — there’s nothing like the sounds of Nature when the beat drops. Ampcaddy knows exactly what we’re talking about and has delivered us from the days of shitty cellphone speakers and clunky wired setups. As a matter of fact, the Ampcaddy is a speaker designed specifically for the golf course with directional audio features (keeping the music from disturbing other golfers), an adjustable attachment clamp, a rechargeable lithium battery, 33′ of Bluetooth connectivity and a weather/shockproof housing. Don’t worry about keeping your connected devices safe, secured and fully charged, either — Ampcaddy’s portable charger has two USB ports for multiple devices, and the phone holder keeps your device from going anywhere. Like keeping the tunes to yourself? Ampcaddy’s bluetooth ear buds and beanies keep you jamming on and off the course, anytime, anywhere. Hey DJ, play that song for me.

Electric Golf sunglasses

Electric GolfYour fashion choices on the course are your own business — though we hope you’re at least trying — but protecting yourself from the elements is important stuff. Electric Golf sunglasses represents the best of both worlds with affordable, stylish, and high performing eyewear specifically designed for all golfers. The company’s offerings are a perfect substitute to their often overpriced competitors without skimping on performance, including the Knoxville Pro which earned a Golf Digest Editor’s Choice Award for best eyewear in 2018. Accompanying Electric’s golf-centric designs is a variety of lens options to make sure you get the exact style and performance you’re looking for. As your Electric sunglasses become your go-to, you’ll want to keep an eye out for anything else the company may be up to — its award-winning design team is constantly cranking out some of the hottest golf accessories and apparel you’re going to find.

Pins & Aces headcovers

Pins&Aces head coversSticking with the theme of style and performance, don’t forget about your club heads. Pins & Aces has bust onto the headcover scene with quality, stand-out styles that are sure to draw attention to your bag. While we may be partial to the company’s Colorado Collection, the Keep America Great! collection, sporting a likening of 45 himself complete with a tuft of yellow hair, has become a hot-list item (and a sure conversation starter). Available in sets or driver through rescue, Pins & Aces headcovers are all hand-made from premium leather to ensure the highest quality and longevity. Bigly.

Haywood Golf Slope rangefinder

Haywood Slope RangefinderHaywood Golf is making a name for itself in the golf club game with stunning wedges — rumor has it a full set of irons is in the offing, too — but that’s not all the company is about. HG’s Slope rangefinder is perfect for golfers aiming, quite literally, to up their game. With 500 yards of range, 6x magnification, slope adjustment and even more features, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better value for $175. It may seem menial, but knowing your distance from the pin or target area makes all the difference in making a confident swing on the ball. HG’s compact design is easy to hold, water resistant, and also comes with a hard carry case to keep the unit safe in your bag. With a plethora of rangefinders now touting dozens of features, something like the HG Slope is an excellent product to test the waters with at a lower price. You may not find a better value when when you’re shopping for rangefinders.

Uther golf towels

Uther golf towelsGolf can be a dirty game — in more ways than one. But if you let all the dirt and grime build up on your club heads unchecked, it’ll start affecting your ball striking. Golf towels, the ever-preferred cleaning method, have always been a must-have, and another way to flash a little personal flare on your bag. Uther plays that game better than most by producing the most durable and stylish golf towels we’ve been able to find. Keeping your clubs clean is the easy part, selecting a print from Uther’s ample offerings will prove much more difficult. It’s literally impossible to find a Uther towel you wouldn’t want on your bag — you can even customize your own to make sure of it.

Asher Golf gloves

Asher golf gloves“Look good, feel good, play better” usually rings true, but like everything else, the difference is in the details. Asher Golf specializes in the details of premium golf gloves. Asher gloves come in a wide variety of colors and styles, including NBA logos and collabs with other brands. Made from high quality leathers and durable velcro and palm inserts, these gloves are also made to last — more than you can say about the wrinkled mass of dried leather at the bottom of your bag. With styles and color sure to match any ensemble, durable materials, and a price point much lower than other premium gloves, there’s no reason not to give Asher a swing.

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Daniel Erdman, Founder of Uther, turned golf towels into art

Uther-group-towels

Photo Courtesy G&E Magazine

Creativity. It’s everything when starting a brand. That original idea that separates yours from the pack. You see an opportunity in the market. Something is missing and you know you can fill that gap. Instead of waiting for someone else to take the initiative, you start to create. All of a sudden, that idea is a reality. A rather innovative one at that.

This is the story of Daniel Erdman. A guy from the Great White North who is most certainly a creative. And with this mindset, he has taken the boring old golf towel and turned it into an art with his up-and-coming brand, Uther.

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@_paige.renee with Platinum Plaid 😎 #golfswag

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And the golf towels are just the start. Uther seems poised to follow the path set forth by renowned brands of our generation. Begin with one product, master it, and expand. Bonobos started with pants. Mizzen + Main was created around an innovative dress shirt. MVMT was founded on the basis of an affordable, stylish watch. Uther brought their unique towels into the marketplace and have some exciting products dropping in 2018.

With great ambitions for his brand, it was a pleasure speaking with Dan about his entrepreneurial journey so far. Here is what he had to say:

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Photo courtesy G&E Magazine

G&E: Tell us a little about your background?

Dan: I live in Canada so golfing up here is, of course, a lot more limited than in the US. One of my first jobs was working as a back-shop attendant at a local golf course, Thornhill Club. I then later worked at a predominantly female club, Ladies Golf Club of Toronto and finally a public course called Richmond Hill Golf Club. My experience juggling around those clubs gave me a great insight into what’s working and what’s missing at clubs.

When did you first start playing golf, and why did you pick up the game?

The stereotype is true, a ton of people play hockey in Canada and if it weren’t for hockey, I probably wouldn’t haven’t started playing golf so early on. It was a natural transition for me and my hockey buddies to play golf in the summer ounce the hockey season was over.

What made you want to start Uther?

Working in the back-shop, especially private clubs, I saw rows of bags which all looked the same and knew there had to be something that can make them fun and unique. Golf towels are a necessity for golfers so thought why not make them fun and blend art and function.

So how did you come up with the name Uther?

We’ve gotten a ton of people asking how we pronounce it whether “Oother”, “U-ther” or “other”, the latter is correct but we don’t mind any other way of saying it. We set out to be the “other” brand in the marketplace and create products no other companies are creating. We’re purposeful with all the products we create and each product must have a special feature that really stands apart from other products on the market or we just won’t produce it.

Have you engaged in any other entrepreneurial ventures prior to Uther?

Late November 2015 to the start of Uther around April 2016, I worked on a training aid that didn’t make it to market. We worked on about 4 prototypes and the minimum order quantity was greater than like 10,000 pieces so I reached the point where it was best to pursue the golf towel idea.

What doors have opened as a result of Uther?

Creating relationships with people around the world. For example, it’s offered the chance to collaborate with people in Australia, Sweden and Hungry, there’s not a lot of occupations that allow that.

What is your vision for yourself and your company in the future?

It would be great to have Uther be a top golf brand in the next 5 – 10 years.

What have you learned most from starting Uther?

Probably organization. Especially as your growing, you need to have system puts in place to keep running efficiently.

How does Uther engage with the community?

We’re most active on Instagram but you can catch us on all social media channels. We also have a newsletter to stay in touch with our customers. You can sign up at the bottom of our webpage on our site.

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Rapid Fire Q&A Round

Who is your greatest inspiration?

Ben Francis, owner of Gymshark. What they’ve done in such a short period of time is inspirational.

What’s your favorite time of year to play a round? Time of day?

I’m a sucker for vacation golf. In terms of time of day, nothing beats being the first on the course right when the sun is rising.

If you could play 18 with anyone, who would it be?

If anyone throughout history it has to be Arnie.

Will there be any new product releases in the near future at Uther?

We have some new hats releasing the next couple weeks. We also have a new product that we’ve been working on the last year releasing mid-January. Stay tuned!

This story first appeared on G&E Magazine.

G&E Magazine is a digital publication dedicated to the world of golf and entrepreneurship, bringing to life the journeys of people who are taking their enthusiasm for golf and are turning it into their career in remarkable fashion. Follow G&E on Instagram (@gandemagazine), Facebook (gandemagazine), and Twitter (@gandemagazine).