The past year was a momentous one in the pro golf world. So too goes for the recreational golf sphere. The pandemic boom was not a fluke, and more people are playing golf than ever before.
The 7 best tips that worked for GOLF staffers in 2022
That also means there are more of us out there hunting for the best values in a game that can be prohibitively expensive at times. Fortunately for you, our GOLF staff is full of avid golfers just as hungry for deals as you.
To help you get the best bang for your buck in the coming year, we compiled a list of some of the best values we found in the game in 2022, from cheap tee times at great golf courses, to the best golf gadgets and beyond, here are our picks.
Sean Zak, senior editor (@Sean_Zak): I didn’t make this purchase, I want to be clear about that. But seemingly everyone around me did: The wedge set from Costco. It’s totally fine if golf at the highest level is an expensive, customized pursuit just like skiing. But we need the lower levels, too. And it seems my Midwestern 20-handicap buddies have found a winner in these Costco wedges.
Kirkland Signature 3-piece Golf Wedge Set
Connor Federico, video producer and editor: I think it’s crazy that the Course Screener from Open Links Golf is a free service. If you’re visiting a new place in the U.S. or Canada and are looking for somewhere to play golf, this site gets it done. Pins on the map sorted by private, semi-private, public, resort and munis help filter exactly what you’re looking for. Reliable course reviews and greens fees info make this site way better for golfers than your average search engine. It’s also a great tool for planning a golf trip to the Caribbean, Ireland or Australia!
James Colgan, assistant editor (@jamescolgan26): Hard to beat that kinda deal, Connor, but I’ll try my hand. In the early summer months, I would go as far as to say the $26 twilight rate at the Red Course at Bethpage State Park is not just the best deal of my year, but the best deal in all of golf. (Don’t bother trying for a tee time, though, those have all been booked up.)
Tim Reilly, director of social media and commerce (@LifeOfTimReilly): This one snuck in at the buzzer before the ball dropped on 2022, but G-Tech’s newly released heated vest is the best apparel added to my wardrobe this year. Hand up, I’m a self-admitted baby once the temperatures begin to drop. I can’t stand being cold. This heated vest has been a game-changer for me. I’ve worn it to play golf, take dog walks, commuting, and really to anything that required me to be outside for an extended period of time in the month I’ve had it. At this point I leave it on a hook by the door so I don’t leave home without it in the winter. It’s not a bargain purchase, but you will get some serious value out of this heated vest.
Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): I gave a shoutout to Lawsonia in my “My favorite course I played in 2022” story, so I’ll go another route here and point you all toward the Penn Ohio Golf Trail. I did this two years ago — and wrote about it here — and I’m going back next year. Here’s why: I had pitched a few spots to a friend for a 2023 trip, including the bargain here, and after looking at the price, he said, “Really?!” Really. For $450, we’re getting four rounds of golf, lodging and home-cooked breakfasts. That’s value.
Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): Not sure how anyone can top the two-pack of Morpilot UV flashlights that my golf buddies and I picked up on Amazon for $18. With those torches in hand, we went golf-ball hunting on a cool fall night at a local course and unearthed more than 150 balls in less than an hour. No, Piastowski, THAT is value.
Morpilot UV Flashlights
