What should a golf bag have? How do you stock your golf bag for the course?

Today, I’ll recap the golf bag necessities you need to show up ready to go. From ball markers, to alignment sticks, training aids, and everything in between.

After playing this game for several decades, I know how important it is to have your bag stocked for playing golf and practicing. Consider this your golf bag checklist for all types of players so you’re prepared for anything on the course. 

Golf Bag Necessities 

Key Takeaways 

• You need the right golf bag necessities so you’re prepared on the golf course.
• The basics include golf tees, balls, divot tool, and ball markers.
• Other staples include a golf towel(s), gloves, club brush, headcovers, rain hoods and more.
• You can also keep accessories in your bag including a golf watch, launch monitor, yardage books, and other gadgets to improve your game.

Keep reading for a full breakdown of each item to make sure you’re not missing any essentials in your bag.

The Basics

Before getting into the more advanced necessities to have in your golf bag, let’s start with the basics. Aside from your golf clubs – which you’re allowed to carry 14 – you want to have: 

• Tees: You want to have plenty of tee so you don’t have to search for old ones on the tee box or ask fellow playing partners. It’s best to carry the same size of tees to tee your driver up consistently. 

• Divot tool: You need at least one divot tool to repair pitch marks on the green. Make it a goal to always repair your divot and at least one more to keep the course in great shape (and hopefully get some good karma from the Golf Gods).

• Ball marker(s): You’ll also need at least one ball marker. This can be something as simple as a coin (preferably a quarter, as it’s hard to spot a penny or dime on the greens). Or, bigger markers like a poker chip. It’s a good idea to always carry a smaller and bigger one in case you need to move it to get out of your playing partner’s line. 

• Golf Balls: Another staple in your bag is several sleeves of golf balls. I like to have a mix of used and new ones at all times. Always have a Sharpie in your bag to easily mark your ball and differentiate from your playing partners.  This is how many balls we recommend you carry.

Golf Bag Staples

Now that you have the basics, there are some other golf accessories that you should have as well. 

• Golf Gloves: While you aren’t required to wear a golf glove, it’s highly recommended. Nearly every professional golfer wears a glove and rotates them throughout the round to keep their hands dry for a better grip. It’s a good idea to carry several gloves to switch out every 3–6 holes, depending on weather conditions. They also make gloves for cold, rain, and extreme heat. If you’re playing winter golf, consider adding a pair of mittens to keep your hands warm between shots.

• Towels. Another essential is always having at least one towel but prefer a second smaller one too. I use a large towel to clean my clubs with and a smaller one to take with me to the green to clean my ball with after it’s marked. Cleaning your grooves can have a big impact on your spin rates, distance, and accuracy. While cleaning your ball on the greens and between holes can also have a pivotal effect on your performance. 

• Headcovers. It’s a good idea to keep your headcovers on your woods/hybrids at all times. This will ensure they don’t rattle around in your cart and also protect them in case you want to sell them in the future. Plus, who likes looking down at a dinged, scuffed up golf club? 

• Alignment sticks. If you want to make the most of your practice sessions, you need to make sure you’re aimed correctly. Too many golfers forget to pick targets and neglect their aim, which can lead to some bad habits. Always carry a few alignment sticks to help with all types of practice. Paired with the Tour Aim practice aid, you’ll have a wildly effective practice session. 

• Optional: Golf Ball Retriever. If you’re a beginner and just getting started, you might consider having a golf ball retriever too. Balls aren’t cheap and a retriever can help you grab some errant shots that are in the water or out of bounds that you can’t reach. Check out our best retrievers now. 

• Optional: First Aid Kit. I’m someone that would rather have more than not enough in my bag. That’s why I carry a small first aid kit in case I need a band to help with a golf blister or tape. I also like to have extra Advil, allergy pills, extra contacts, sunscreen, chapstick, and other medication you might need during the round. 

Other Golf Accessories

Now that I’ve covered the staples, here are some other items you might want to consider adding to your golf bag. 

Tripod or iRangeSports Stick

Another valuable practice tool to help your game is something to record your swing regularly. While a collapsible tripod is an option, it takes up room in your bag and doesn’t do well in windy conditions. That’s why we recommend the iRangeSports Stick – read our full review here. 

When you record your swing, you can easily analyze it using one of the best golf apps or send it to a coach for further review. Not to mention record your short game performance as well. 

Personal Launch Monitor 

If you’re an avid golfer, you might want to consider one of the best personal launch monitor devices as well. This will take your practice up a notch by helping you learn more about distance, ball speed, clubhead speed, launch angle, and a ton of other metrics. 

Most of the affordable ones (not Foresight Sports or Trackman) are very small and easy to keep in your bag at all times. Some of them – like the Flightscope Mevo – are no bigger than the size of your palm and won’t take up very much space. 

A lot of the apps pair with an app for even more detailed information. Check out some of our reviews from top-rated launch monitors:

Speed Training Devices

Speed is so important in golf, as every 1 mph more with a driver equals about 2.5 yards more extra distance. If you can add 5 mph to your average driver speed, you’ll hit it nearly 15 yards longer, which will make golf a lot easier.  

Here is a quick recap of the most common speed training devices (all of which have their own speed training protocols to follow):

• SuperSpeed Golf: The first option is SuperSpeed Golf, which was one of the first speed training options. These are three weighted sticks (red, blue, green) – which have different weighting. Read our full review here. 

• Rypstick: The second option is Rypstick which is another weighted club, but this one has interchangeable weights. Plus, unlike the others in this list, it’s the only club that is the length of a driver, which makes it more realistic to hitting a driver. Read our full review here. 

• The Stack System: The final option is The Stack System, which gained a lot of popularity after Matthew Fitzpatrick gained a ton of speed in 2022 and won the US Open. It does require a launch monitor or speed sensor, but is only one club and fits in your bag with ease. Read our full review here. 

Each of these speed training systems also has a warm-up protocol which is different from a full speed training session. These are good to use as part of your warm-up routine to loosen up and improve tempo before the round. 

deWiz Golf Watch

Another great tool to help improve your practice session is the deWiz Golf watch. This isn’t your normal golf watch that helps with a tee shot and approach shot strategy. It’s not GPS based, either.

Instead, it’s a swing coach on your wrist. This small device is worn while you swing to help you learn more about backswing length, tempo, path, and other parts of your swing. 

It makes it easy to analyze your swing and provides suggestions on how to fix certain issues. Read our full review of the deWiz Golf Watch now. 

Full Swing Training Aids

There are a ton of training aids in the industry and can help with nearly any type of issue. Some are small and easy to carry in your bag like 

Putting Aids

Lastly, let’s not forget about different types of training aids for putting. 

• Devil Ball – a small aid that is the size of a golf ball that makes putting a lot more challenging in practice. 
• Putting Tutor – a small device designed by Phil Mickelson and Dave Pelz to improve your start line. 
• Pro Path Putting Mirror – read our full review of this device now, as a putting mirror can make a huge difference in your setup and overall putting performance. 

My Experience

I’m a bit of a pack rat as I don’t ever carry my bag but will use a push cart sometimes. But most of the time I’m riding in a golf cart, so if my bag is heavier, it doesn’t make a big difference. I prefer having more than not enough so that I’m ready for anything during the round.

For example, one time it was very windy and my eyes got dry, which led to my contact falling out. Luckily, I had an extra one in my bag, otherwise I would’ve been playing nearly blind. 

I also can’t stress enough how important it is to have enough food and drinks with you. If you get dehydrated or hungry, it’s going to hurt performance and make it hard to concentrate. 

Final Thoughts 

Carry the basics and more in your golf bag to always be prepared on the golf course. It’s a good idea in the offseason to clean your bag out and make sure it’s stocked with everything you need for the new season. 

Next, make sure to learn the proper way to organize your golf bag so you don’t lose any clubs.