Technically, the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere this year falls on March 20th, but the last few days here in the UK have led me to officially declare that spring has arrived — at least from a vibes perspective. As someone slightly obsessed with the weather, a glimmer of sunshine, a blossom bud, and a dry-ish golf course are enough to have me buzzing with anticipation for the next six months of golf.
For those living in the UK, it’s been a particularly grey and wet start to the year, but the good (and dry) times are very close. It’s been a long slog, and it feels like a lifetime since I wrote about the five things I’d be adding to my golf bag for winter at the end of last year. With so little golf over the past month, my golf bag has been nothing more than a dust collector in my hallway. On my first tentative trip to the range earlier this week, I found it still packed with my winter gloves, yellow golf balls, and a half-full coffee flask — definitely time for a refresh.
If you’re getting back into golf this spring, now’s the perfect moment to give your bag a proper sort-out and prepare for the best six-month stretch of the year. Here’s what I’ll be adding (and removing) as we head into golf season.
Lower lofted fairway woods, utility irons & long irons
One thing I always add to my bag in winter is lofted fairway woods and hybrids. My 7-wood is one of my favourite clubs — incredibly useful when the ground is wet and you need easy carry yards that you can’t get from a utility or long iron.
In the colder months, I typically retire my utility iron and even my 4-iron, replacing them with a 7-wood and an extra hybrid. But now, it’s time to swap back. With the ground firming up and lofted carry being less of a priority, a utility iron becomes a great weapon. Stingers, low runners, and fairway-finding tee shots are much more valuable on dry courses, so now’s the time to bring them back and sharpen those skills again.
Gamer golf balls
I’ve been using what can only be described as luminous yellow pebbles over the winter. While they served their purpose well in murky weather, it’s time to return to some of the best golf balls for spring.
As temperatures rise and greens firm up, you want a ball that offers better control and feel around the green. Harder balls are great in cold conditions, but they can feel overly firm and unresponsive when the weather improves. With loose leaves and muddy lies now fading, the need for bright yellow balls is much less, and the risk of losing them in plugged lies is low.
After reading my colleague Joe’s glowing review of the new TaylorMade TP5x, I’m planning to pick up a fresh dozen for the start of the season. I might even grab a Sharpie to add some alignment markings — if I find myself at a particularly slow Friday night.
Sunscreen
Here in the UK, we’re still a few weeks away from the sun being strong enough to burn, but sunscreen is one of those golf bag essentials I like to have ready so I don’t forget.
Last month, I was sent an innovative product called Solex — a sunscreen applicator designed specifically for golfers. It allows you to top up sunscreen during a round without getting greasy hands, and even has a mirror built into the cap so you can check your coverage.
Most golfers apply sunscreen before a round but rarely reapply on the course because of the mess. Considering you can be in the sun for over four hours, topping up is important, and this device solves the problem perfectly. Never thought I’d be this excited about sunscreen, but here we are.
Reusable water bottle
As mentioned earlier, I had to remove an old coffee flask from my golf bag that had been quietly brewing in there for a month. While that gets a deep clean, I’ll be replacing it with a reusable water bottle that will live in my bag all spring and summer.
Much like sunscreen, staying hydrated on the course is something many golfers forget, and it can affect performance. Having a bottle in your bag means you can take advantage of water stations on the course and avoid buying single-use plastic bottles each time.
Premium head covers
I’m a bit of a head cover enthusiast. I’m always on the lookout for the best, most stylish covers, whether from courses I’ve visited or unique designs I’ve found online.
In winter, some of my favourites — especially my bright white leather ones — stay at home to avoid rain and mud damage. During the muddy months, I swap them out for standard stock covers. But now, with the mud subsiding, I’m bringing my two favourites back to restore the style (and vibes) at the top of my bag.
Related Article: 10 Best Golf Polos To Wear For Style And Comfort On The Course
