Hey, sons and daughters. Put down the ugly sweater. Back away from the gag gift. Step it up this year and give dad something he'll really dig, namely a Father's Day treat that will foster his love for the game of golf. Following are six items that PutterZone.com highly recommends as great Father's Day golf gifts for dad: Perfecta Putt ($37)
The Perfecta Putt is a simple yet super-cool practice aid that will help your dad raise his game. Shaped like a spool, the Perfecta Putt features two aluminum discs that are the same diameter as a traditional golf hole. The discs are spring loaded with just enough pressure to trap the ball where it enters the “cup,” offering precise feedback on the accuracy of the putt. It can be used indoors and outdoors, but is most compelling as a fun office distraction. Now pops has no excuse not to practice his putting.
Knet “Used” Golf Balls (Prices Vary)
What’s better than giving dad a dozen of his favorite golf balls? How about two dozen? Of course, that can get a little pricey, especially if he hits Titleist ProV1x balls. But before you break the bank or settle for a mere dozen, check out KnetGolf.com, a leading purveyor of “used” balls. We employ the quotation marks because, in fact, you can purchase balls that are in mint condition, but at a 20 percent or more savings over comparable brand-new balls. The savings get even steeper if you move down to Grade A balls, which are still pretty snazzy and perfectly playable, if lacking the new ball luster.
Bad Lies Book ($20 on Amazon) We’ve all been there, and so has your dad—the fried egg in the bunker, the impossible shot from the forest, the ball buried in the weeds. Well, now it’s time for pops to chuckle at someone else’s misfortune as the photographic book Bad Lies takes him on a tour of the worst lies imaginable. Such as the one near the alligator. Or the one wedged in the crook of a tree. Or the one under the mushroom. Indeed, hilarity ensues as you flip the pages of this book, thinking, “There but for the grace of God go I…” Oddly, many of the photos in this book have nothing to do with bad lies, but they are striking nonetheless. And we’ll wager that dad won’t have a problem with the gratuitous shots of Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer.
Putting Arc (Models from $36 to $89)
Back in the day—that is, your father’s day—the common instructional maxim on the greens was, “Straight back and straight through.” So forgive pops if he’s unaware of the arcing stroke, which is widely employed on the professional tours. A straight-back-and-through stroke seems logical, until you consider that your torso isn’t perpendicular to the target line. A more natural approach is to let physics take its course, resulting in a gentle arcing club path. The Putting Arc will help enlighten your father, teaching and reinforcing the fundamentals of an arcing stroke. The downside? He might start kicking your ass on the greens.
Rule 21 Pocket Towel ($30 for Four Pack)
When he’s working on the car or in the yard, it’s cool for dad to wipe his filthy hands on his jeans. But on the golf course? Not so cool. But what else is he supposed to do when he discovers his muddy ball on the green , with his towel fastened to his bag in the cart 30 yards away? Enter the Rule 21 golf towel. This ingenious and stylish little towel fits in the back pocket. A waterproof shell faces the pants, keeping you dry and clean. Meanwhile, a soft moist terrycloth on the inside does the dirty work. You just dip the towel in water prior to playing, wring it out, jam it in your pocket and off you go. Now dad can play the gentleman’s game and still look like a gentleman by the end of the round.
Golf Pride Personalized Golf Grips (Starting at $62 for Set)
It's time for dad to get a grip and replace the worn-out grips on his sticks. Now you can help him do it in style with custom grips by Golf Pride, which will laser engrave his name (or nickname or another short phrase of your choice) right on the grip itself. How cool is that? The personalized grip kits can be purchased at the Golf Pride web site. Each kit includes 13 professional grips, as well two-way tape and solvent, a rubber vise clamp and an instructional CD-ROM for installation. Of course, your dad can always just take the grips down to a local golf shop and have them do it if he's too busy replacing the engine block in his truck or doing some other studly thing that dads do.
Cleveland Classic BRZ Bronze Putter ($89)
Is your dad still playing with a sorry old stick, either too frugal or stubborn to make a change? Well, then it’s your duty to drag him kicking and screaming into the 21st century, and you can’t go wrong with the rock-solid and eminently affordable Cleveland Classic BRZ putter. The traditional shapes will appeal to your father’s eye, as will the luscious bronze finish, which evokes the good old days of the classic manganese bronze PING Anser putters. But in terms of feel and performance, the BRZ putter is entirely modern, giving dad some extra edge on the greens.
Your dad has spent a lifetime suffering with stuff that boggles the next generation's collective mind. Cloth diapers? Black and white television? Leaded gasoline? Wooden 3-woods? Well, to that list you can now add the standard golf head cover (you know, the one that is designed to piss you off as you struggle to jam it over your driver), because Sumi-G has reinvented the category. The Sumi-G head cover snaps onto your driver with quick, efficient ease. No tugging, and thus no cursing. How do they do it? The club head slips into a little swivel pocket, which is then secured into a hard protective outer shell with a clip that snaps onto the shaft. Hasn't dad suffered enough? You know the answer, and now you know what to do about it.
