Gift ideas for golfers

The right gift for a golfer is rarely an object. Players already have their clubs, their shoes, three faded gloves: what they lack are rounds on new courses, a lesson that unlocks their short game, a weekend in which golf is the pretext. The ideas below focus on experiences rather than brands and models, with the price and the year whenever the club or hotel states them.

1. A round to give: the green fee voucher

The simplest option is the gift green fee. Golf Club Biella Le Betulle offers it explicitly: the green fee can be given as a gift with a voucher requested online from the club's website. The 2026 rate card distinguishes FIG members, who are exempt from VAT, from other guests: for 18 holes, 75 euros on weekdays and 110 on weekends and holidays for the former, 90 and 130 euros, VAT included, for the latter.

For a more spectacular gift there is Pevero Golf Club on the Costa Smeralda: the 2026 price list for 18 holes runs from 120 to 180 euros, depending on the season, with a maximum handicap of 54 and a dress code (no jeans or T-shirts). Before giving a round, two things are worth knowing. First: not every club sells vouchers, and many ask you to book the tee time through the office. Second: the recipient must meet the entry requirements, starting with a handicap and a card from a recognised federation.

2. The first lesson, for beginners

If the recipient is a beginner, an hour with the pro is worth more than any object. Some examples:

• At Golf Club Folgaria, in summer, every Saturday from 5 to 6 pm there is a group lesson for people who have never played, at 20 euros per person by reservation.
• At Asiago the GOLFPOP Card costs 20 euros, includes one lesson and is valid until the end of the following year.
• At Conero Golf Club the four-hour basic course costs 100 euros, with equipment and balls provided, followed by an eight-hour introductory course at 200 euros.
• At Quellenhof Luxury Resort Passeier the professional Gordon Hume gives 25-minute private lessons from 38 euros, and a three-hour trial course for beginners, also in a family version.

For these prices the clubs do not state the reference year, so they should be reconfirmed when booking. The advice is simple: give the first lesson together with a second one, because a single hour is not enough to tell whether golf is for you.

3. A stay with golf built in

For those who already play, the best gift is a weekend on a new course. Three packages:

• Villa d'Este, on Lake Como: the 2026 golf package, valid from 21 March to 21 November with a minimum of two nights, includes breakfast, one 18-hole green fee, a golf cart and club hire. If the gift is for next year, ask the hotel for the conditions.
• Verdura Resort, in Sicily: the Golf Inclusive Offer includes two green fees per room per night on the Links or the Shore course, the practice range and a 30-minute lesson with Trackman. One thing to note: as of 3 October 2026 the West Shore is open but undergoing the introduction of Bermuda grass, with areas that may not be at their best until spring 2027, and the Executive is closed for the same reason.
• Parkhotel Marlena, in Marlengo (adults only): for those starting from zero there is "Handicap in 5 days", four days with 10 hours of individual lessons, green fee, balls and club hire, and at the end the handicap exam of the Italian Golf Federation.

Prices for stays vary by date and room: check the hotels' websites.

4. Items: what is useful and what to avoid

If you really want an object, the Rules of Golf help you avoid mistakes. Rule 4.3a allows the use of a plain glove conforming to the Equipment Rules, of resin, powders and other agents to dry or moisten the hands, and of devices to gauge distance or direction. It prohibits instead tools that measure elevation changes, wind speed or help with alignment, and music to time the swing. Translated into gifts:

• A rangefinder or a wrist GPS: legitimate, provided it does not also measure elevation. If your friend plays in competitions, check the functions.
• A set of gloves, because there are always fewer than needed.
• Towels, ball markers and pitch repairers personalised with initials: small, inexpensive, used on every round.
• A bag rain cover or a shoe bag.

One limit to remember: no gift can let anyone add a fifteenth club to the bag. Rule 4.1b allows 14, and the penalty in stroke play reaches four strokes per round.

5. The gift for the whole family

For children there are dedicated golf lessons: at Villa d'Este the hotel offers two-hour lessons for young people aged 5 to 14 at Golf Club Villa d'Este. It is a gift that turns the holiday into something the children remember.

Summary