How Big Are Golf Towels – Uses, Types And Its Alternatives
Golf towels are a useful accessory to have with your golf bag. While including one or more golf towels with your golf clubs is not a necessity in golf, it is nice to have.
This question is actually a bit silly, in that it presumes that a golf towel is something like the kind of towel you would use after a shower or on the beach.
A Golf Towel is Not the Size of a Bath Towel
If you are new to golf and wondering, no, a golf towel is not a bath towel. You do not use it to shower after a golf game. You can use a standard bath towel to do that.
People who play golf don’t suddenly morph into a new kind of human being after a golf game. They use exactly the same type of bath towels as everyone else.
A golf towel is also not a beach towel. No, you would not use your “golf towel” to sit on the green while you wait for the other golf players to hit their shots. That would make you look really, really stupid. It would also be a bad idea, as you would get in the way of other players, and potentially become a target for flying golf balls.
A Golf Towel is Like a Large Hand Towel or Kitchen Towel
A golf towel can be many sizes, but it is most similar to a large kitchen towel in size. One type of large golf towel sold at the Budget Golf website is 24 inches long by 15 inches wide.
What Is a Golf Towel Used For?
What exactly is a golf towel used for in the game of golf?
So, we have already established that a golf towel is not a special type of bath towel that you would use after a game of golf. It is also not the type of towel you would use to sit on a golf course and have a beer while watching your friends finish their putts.
A golf towel is a utility towel. It is meant to be used primarily to clean golf balls and golf clubs during gameplay. Golf clubs and balls can get quite dirty during a standard game of golf.
This is especially true when you are a new player and prone to hitting your ball into the weeds on the side of the fairway. When you are playing golf after a rainstorm, this can be especially bad news if you get the ball stuck in an area that is muddy and wet.
A muddy golf ball won’t fly as high or as far. A muddy golf club such as an iron or a fairway wood will be less accurate and more likely to send the ball off into the nether realms.
Therefore, to have a better game of golf, you need a golf towel. Golf towels are a very direct, low-tech way of removing mud and grime off of your golf clubs, golf balls, and hands.
Places You Can Get Golf Towels
Golf towels are pretty cheap and can run anywhere from a few bucks to $20. You can also use any sort of towel such as a kitchen towel for your golf towels. But it is better to use official golf towels for your golf game, which we will explain in the next section. First, let us look at where you can get golf towels:
1. Online Stores that Sell Golf Supplies
You can find tons of online stores that specialize in golf supplies and some that sell these supplies at wholesale prices. Big box online stores such as Walmart and Amazon also sell golf towels in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
2. Your Local Golf Shop
Your local golf shop will have lots of golf towels, some with company logos and maybe even some with local flair.
3. Your Favorite Golf Course or Golf Club
You can probably buy a golf towel at the golf course or your private golf club. They will often have ones available with logos for the golf course or club on them.
4. Sporting Goods Stores
Sporting goods stores will usually have some golf towels for sale. Dick’s Sporting Goods fully committed to golf when it bought the Top Flite golf brand from Callaway. They are a good place to get inexpensive golf supplies.
Alternatives to Golf Towels
Let us say that you are running out to the golf course and your regular golf towel is really dirty. You can use alternatives, and it is nice to know they are available in a pinch.
However, if you are new to golf and wondering why you should spend $10 on a golf towel when you can use an old towel from home, we would say: Don’t be a cheapskate. Here is why:
The benefit of using an “official” golf towel instead of a hand towel from your home bathroom is this: Real golf towels have rings or carabiners attached that connect to a special hook on your golf bag. That hook is actually designed to carry your golf towel.
Certainly, you can stuff a kitchen towel into the pocket of your golf bag, but this towel will not dry while it is in there. That said, here are some alternatives to golf towels:
1. Kitchen Towels or Hand Towels
No, these towels will not be designed with a ring attached that allows them to be clipped to the golf bag. You might be able to jury rig some sort of ring or attachment. In the least, you could wrap one corner in a rubber band and see if that will hook to your golf bag. Just watch out, as it might fall off quite easily if you do not have it well-secured.
2. Paper Towels or Tissues
No, you probably do not want to have a standard roll of paper towels in your golf bag. It would be too large and unwieldy. However, you could use some travel paper towels or other types of wipes. Do be careful, however. Some wet wipes may have ingredients that could harm your golf balls or clubs. Test it out first on a small spot before applying too liberally.
3. Ball Washing Stations
Many golf courses have ball washing stations with water and soap where you can clean off a dirty golf ball. Even if you do have a golf towel on hand, it is usually better to use one of these golf ball stations as it will do a better job of cleaning the ball and your towel won’t get super dirty. You can use your towel to dry off the golf ball once it has been cleaned in the ball cleaner.
Types of Golf Towels
You can find golf towels made out of many different types of fabric, including:
1. Cotton Terrycloth
This is a standard fabric for towels such as kitchen towels, and it makes for a fine, basic golf towel.
2. Cotton Velour
Cotton velour has a side that is smooth and almost shiny, and this looks a bit lusher and may be kinder to your golf balls.
3. Polyester Microfiber
A lot of people do not realize that all microfiber is a type of polyester. This is a synthetic fabric that is made up of very small, tiny threads so the surface is really smooth and soft.
Microfiber towels will dry very quickly, and they are of such a smooth surface that they are regularly used to clean delicate objects such as eyeglasses, LCD TVs, and smartphone screens. This smooth fabric, as you might expect, should keep your new clubs in pristine shape.
Microfiber golf towels are the most expensive and can run $20 per towel. Some golfers feel they are worth the added cost, but many do not. Your mileage may vary.
Taking Care of Your Golf Towel
Golf towels do need to be washed on a regular basis or they will get grimy and unusable. Follow the directions on your particular golf towel to wash it safely. Because of the attached ring or clip, you may not be able to throw your golf towel into the wash like you would a normal towel.
Golf Towels: A Recommended Item for Your Golf Bag
Now that you know exactly what golf towels are and are not, you can get a few golf towels to have on hand for your golf game. Golf towels come in all sorts of different colors and styles, so you can find one to match your golf bag and clubs.
