Why Use the Best Golf Towels?

Created: Tuesday, 08 March 2016 14:23

What's the easiest way to anger a golfer? Ask them if golf is a sport. Whether you're a weekend golfer, or you play professionally, you know what it takes to experience success on the course.

Many would argue that golf isn't just a sport — it's the hardest sport, and it's an endurance sport. Golfers are endurance athletes who must have the strength, power and smarts to accurately tee off, strategize along the fairways and keep total focus on the course.

You can't argue that golfing is easy. Anyone who's ever played a round knows it's not. All of this concentration and strength can take its toll on the mind and body. Yet the game demands golfers be at peak concentration for at least four hours.

Given the great demands of this popular sport, golfers need to rely on the right equipment to support their game. And one of the most important pieces of equipment — and one most often overlooked — is the golf towel.

Read on to learn why golf towels are important, how the pros use them to improve their game and how you can find the best golf towels for you.

What Constitutes a Golf Towel?

When you think of a golf towel, chances are grommets come to mind. The quintessential golf towel has a grommet in one corner. This grommet allows you to use a bag clip to secure the towel in a convenient spot on the upper portion of your golf bag. You can conveniently attach it, and then detach it when you need to use it, change it out and wash it.

Some golf towel clips have a swivel mount. You attach the towel in the same way as using a standard clip. The advantage is convenience: You simply grab the towel and pull it upwards to use it. Dry your hands, clean off your ball or whatever you need. Simply release it, and it drops right back into position — no unclipping and re-clipping required. Some golfers swear by the swivel mount.

As far as golf towel materials, they run the gamut. Mostly, you'll find the same fiber blends as in other small towels, such as hand towels. Cotton is a popular choice, whether it's 100 percent or a cotton blend. Microfiber blends — which are one-part nylon and two-parts polyester — is also a common golf towel material. When it comes down to it, the material may not be as important as the fact it can be machine-washed. Golfers need towels that are easy to wash and stand up to repeated use for years.

Size varies more than material. You can find golf towels in all sorts of sizes. You'll find ones slightly larger than a standard handkerchief to ones comparable to a standard bath towel.

Other than size, brands and color are the other two most varied factors. You'll find towels in every color, as well as towels marked with a logo. You can even get towels personalized for you. There are plenty of brands out there, some touting almost miracle-like results for your game when you use one. Some golfers will back up these inflated branding messages, while others are fine using the complementary ones the course provides. Most fall in between, looking for a solid golf towel that gets the job done for an affordable price.

What Are Golf Towels Used For?

Sure, your golf bag is chocked full of important golf gear. Balls and golf clubs may be the stars, but did you realize the piece of equipment you use the most is undoubtedly the one that's hanging off the back of your cart? It's the humble golf towel. When it's wet and rainy, golf towels take center stage on the course.

Even the USGA recognizes the importance of these lowly pieces of equipment. According to their rules, golfers can have a handkerchief or towel wrapped around the golf club grip during play. Ask any golfer on the course, and you can bet they have at least one trusty golf towel tucked away in their golf bag or dangling from it.

So, how do pros use golf towels? Most golfers don't hit the greens without three different towels in their bag. It comes down to three uses: cleaning/drying, personal care and cooling.

1. Golf Towels for Cleaning and Drying

   

   The best golf towels for cleaning and drying are smaller in size and lighter in weight. They usually are made of a super-absorbent microfiber blend. And most have a clip for easy use.

   The primary role of this golf towel is to keep your equipment — from golf balls to golf clubs — in peak playing condition. Use this towel to tackle the dirt in your iron's grooves, buff off grass stains from your golf balls and de-sand your putter. Clip one on your bag or stick it in your pocket for the quickest access.

   These can be the hardest-working towels in your bag. Many golfers go through a few a season. By having a few, you can protect your personal-use golf towel. You won't be tempted to use your personal towel when your cleaning/drying towel gets too dirty.

   And let's not underplay the importance of the cleaning/drying towel. They give you more than just a polished and clean-looking club — they can have a positive effect on your game. Dirty clubs are not as accurate, and they result in bad shots. Sure, a club brush or golf tee point can be helpful removing clumps of caked dirt from grooves in your ball or club head, but a damp towel can just do the job better.

   When you're nowhere near a ball washer, just dampen your golf towel, and problem solved. It thoroughly cleans your equipment, removing harmful dirt and grit that would otherwise wear away grooves and wear down the integrity of your clubface after awhile. With the best golf towel, your clubs will have a smooth, polished look.

   When you're playing on a wet course, cleaning/drying towels become even more important. Whether it just rained, or you're fighting early-morning dew, you can use your cleaning/drying golf towel to dry off your ball. Between strokes, you'll be able to keep your clubs dry — key for making complete contact with the ball and not slipping off the clubface, which are two stroke essentials. By keeping them dry, you're also protecting them from rust. And every golfer knows a rusty club is an under-performing club.

   When it's hot out, you're sweating. That sweat gets on your golf grip, compromising your hold and form. You can use your cleaning/drying golf towel to wipe the grip down before taking your shot. You'll enjoy a stickier grip and a better overall performance as a result.

   Some pro golfers use a golf towel after every shot, regardless of course conditions. It's an ingrained part of their routine, a step they don't even realize they are doing. Wiping off the ball and club keeps them clean from even those particles you might not see, such as damaging fertilizers.

   Hang your towels on a ring or hook near the top of your bag for easy access. Today's golf bags offer these rings or hooks as standard features for this particular use. Consider having a spot for two towels: a wet and a dry one. Hang your wet one on the hook and tuck the dry one in the bag compartment. That way, when you need to clean off your equipment, you can grab the damp towel and wipe your club or ball. Then, take the dry towel and buff it to a polished, dry shine.

2. Golf Towels for Personal Use

   When you have golf towels dedicated to cleaning and drying your equipment, you can preserve some towels to use on your person. Your drying/cleaning towels can have dirt, grass stains, pond water, fertilizer and other chemicals. Your personal-use towel, however, needs to be free of all debris.

   

   A personal-use towel is as important to your golf game as a cleaning/drying towel because it provides you with focus. When you can focus on the match ahead of you — instead of losing your concentration from being too hot and beads of sweat itching your skin — your performance will be better. Keeping distractions to a minimum will give you your best game, and that includes keeping yourself clean, cool and sweat-free. When you're feeling comfortable, you can take your best shots.

   Even though personal-use golf towels aren't a game-requirement, many golfers will argue they are one of the most important components. When the temperatures are in the 90s, and you're facing a big game, getting rid of excess sweat will give you the advantage you need.

   Personal-use golf towels are small towels you use during play. Wipe your hands and face dry before you advance to the next hole. In hot weather, use them to get rid of sweat on your brow and hands. Even in cooler weather, your personal-use towel can remove dirt and any traces of sweat from your grip, so you enjoy a better shot.

   There are plenty of personal-use golf towels out there. While you could use the same towel for personal use as you do for drying and cleaning equipment, you may want to purchase some personal-use towels in a different color. That way, you won't get them confused on the course. You can find ones you attach to your bag, and the best ones are made of absorbent material.

   

   Instead of a small towel, some golfers prefer super-soft large towels to get the job done. With a larger towel, you can get more coverage. When one part of the towel becomes dirty after wiping your hands, head, arms and face, simply move to another section.

3. A Cooling Towel

   Ever see those golfers on the course with a dirty, damp towel wrapped around their neck, staining their shirt as excess water drips everywhere? It's not a good look.

   On summer's hottest days, some golfers get desperate, dampening their dirty personal-use towels — or, worse yet, their equipment cleaning and drying towels — and wrapping them around their necks in a sad attempt to get and stay cool. Don't be one of these underprepared golfers. Grab a cooling towel for golf, one of the most minor investments that offers the biggest returns on your game.

   

   With the best golf towel made for cooling, you can get cool and stay that way. Often, cooling towels for golf feel like a cloth you'd use to clean the lenses in your glasses. But instead, they're meant to get wet — and stay that way.

   To activate their cooling power, all you need to do is wet it, wring it and then take each end and pull it in a quick snapping motion. This last step is key. By snapping the towel, you're giving it air flow that will kick-start the cooling. Within moments, the towel is cool and will stay at this refreshing temperature for at least a couple of hours.

   Best of all, it's easy to re-activate the cooling when the towel starts to get warmer. Just snap it again — by holding the ends and pulling it apart quickly — and you'll have a refreshing towel once again. You don't even need to wet it every time!

   How does a cooling towel keep you cool? It will regulate the rate that water can evaporate, providing a prolonged cooling experience.

   When it comes to hot days, cooling towels are a must-have. When you're cool and comfortable, you're collected. When you're collected, you're able to focus on the challenge at hand. When you can focus, you can get in the zone and do without thinking. The best games are played in the zone, and a golf cooling towel can get you there.

   Just don't ever break the cardinal rule of the cooling towel: Don't use a cooling towel to wipe off your golf balls, clubs or other equipment. It's not what they're for, and it can ruin the towel's integrity. You won't get the cooling power you want if you've used it for the wrong reasons.

Using Your Golf Towel for Practice

A successful golf outing begins with the right equipment — and plenty of practice under your belt. Golf towels can provide you with just that!

A pro golfer often practices their yardages. The best golfers know what each club in their bag can do — they know how far they can hit the ball with each choice. To get that knowledge, you need to practice using your clubs.

For example, take one of your clubs — a 5-Iron, for example — and use a full swing. Measure how far you hit the ball. Let's say you hit it a distance of 230 yards. Now, practice using that 5-Iron to hit that 230 yards consistently.

What's the easiest way to practice hitting this yardage? Putting a golf towel down 230 yards away, then hitting your golf ball full swing with that golf towel in your sights. You want to ultimately hit that golf towel the majority of the time. It may take hours and hours, and hundreds and hundreds of golf balls, but it can — and should — be done.

Once you know your ideal yardage for each club and practice it to perfection, you'll be in prime shape for the best game in your life. Any pro golfer will tell you the investment you make in practice will pay off bigtime on the course.

What to Look for in the Best Golf Towels

For a successful golf outing, you need the right equipment. Professional and recreational golfers alike understand how important having the best equipment is. That's why the average golfer spends $2,776 on golf each year.

That's a lot of money, and the golf towel is a tiny portion of it. Yet, the right golf towel can make a huge difference in your success on the course.

Even those weekend golfers — the ones who don't have the professional backing to buy top-of-the-line, best-of-the-best equipment — want to find the best golf towels. After all, they're one piece of equipment that can make a huge difference without having to drop a significant amount of cash. Every golfer wants the best golf towel they can find.

So, how do you find the best golf towels for you? Before you buy your next golf towel, consider the following factors:

• Absorbency — One of the most frustrating experiences on the course is a golf towel that doesn't absorb moisture quickly. A towel that lets the water just run off of it is completely useless. Make sure the towel you're thinking about buying is made of an absorbent material. Look for 100-percent cotton or a microfiber waffle-weave construction. When it comes to cleaning/drying towels for equipment and personal-use towels, absorbency is key.

• Cleaning Ability — If you're looking for a towel with amazing cleaning ability, choose microfiber. Compared to cotton, microfiber is the clear winner when it comes to cleaning ability. A microfiber towel will act as a magnet for dirt. Best of all, this hard-hitting, dirt-busting material is gentle. You can use it on your expensive clubs and balls without fear. It gets the dirt off without leaving a scratch, no matter the surface. Whether it's plastic, glass, chrome or any other delicate surface, it gets the job done without leaving a mark. If a towel is just smudging dirt and requiring a lot of elbow grease, upgrade to microfiber.
• Convenience — The best golf towels are easy to access. That means they need a golf towel clip that's simple to push open and close. If you're spending any amount of time on the course lining up your golf towel clip to shut it, you're doing it wrong. Spend a few bucks on clips that use today's technology, and you'll save yourself the hassle, inconvenience and focus-losing moments that a bad towel clip causes. If you want to always have your towel attached to your bag, get a swivel towel clip. Just grab, pull and release when you're done.

• Feel — The feel is most important for your personal-use golf towels. When you put it up to your face, you want it to be soft and wicking. You don't want it to be slick. When it comes to personal-use towels, cotton is your best bet. It feels much nicer against the skin than microfiber. That's why most golfers hit the course with a cotton golf towel for personal use and a couple of microfiber ones for cleaning and drying equipment.
• Size — Size comes down to how you plan on using your towel. You can get away with a smaller golf towel for those relaxed games in moderate weather. On more challenging courses and in hotter weather, you'll want a larger towel that's super absorbent. Since you base size on your needs for that particular day, it's best if you buy a range of sizes. You'll always have the right size on hand!
• Price — For some lucky golfers, they don't have a golf budget. They'll buy whatever is marketed as the best. Dropping major money on a golf towel isn't a concern. If you're like most golfers, however, you don't want to spend big bucks on a golf towel — and you don't have to! You'll find the best golf towels that get the job done are the ones that don't cost an arm and a leg.

Get the Best Golf Towels Without Spending a Lot

At Towel Super Center, we make it easy to get the best golf towels without dropping a lot of cash. Check out our large selection of golf towels and stock up on these game-changing essentials today!