Attaching a golf towel to your bag might seem like a simple task, but the way you do it can have a genuine impact on your convenience and performance during a round. A well-placed towel is your immediate assistant for clean clubs, dry hands, and a clear mind before every shot. This guide will walk you through everything from the different types of towels and attachment methods to some pro-level strategies for keeping your gear in top shape.
Why Your Golf Towel is a Non-Negotiable Piece of Gear
Before we get into the “how,” let’s talk about the “why.” A golf towel isn’t just for show. As a coach, I see so many players neglect this simple tool, and it consistently costs them control and confidence. Your towel performs several critical functions that directly influence the quality of your shots.
- Clean Club Grooves: This is a big one. Dirt, mud, and grass packed into the grooves of your irons and wedges will dramatically reduce the spin you can generate. Less spin means less control, especially on approach shots into the green. A shot that should bite and stop might instead release and run an extra 20 feet past the hole. A quick wipe after each shot keeps your grooves clean and ready to perform as designed.
- A Clean Golf Ball: You’re allowed to mark, lift, and clean your ball on the putting green, and you should take advantage of it every single time. A muddy or "out-of-balance" golf ball won't fly straight. A stray speck of dirt can send your perfect putt offline. Having a damp, clean towel ready makes this a quick and thoughtless routine.
- Dry Hands and Grips: On a hot, humid day or during a light rain, your grip is your only connection to the club. Sweaty hands or a wet grip can cause the club to slip at the top of your swing or, even worse, during impact. This is a primary cause of wild hooks and pushes. A dry, accessible towel for your hands and grips is essential for maintaining control when conditions get slick.
Simply put, a clean club strikes a clean ball more consistently. The more consistent your contact and spin, the more predictable your shots become. It all starts with having a towel handy and using it often.
Choosing the Right Tool: Not All Towels Are Created Equal
The type of towel you use matters. When you’re shopping for one or pulling one out of your closet, consider these factors. They will influence not only how well the towel works but also how you’ll attach it.
Material Matters: Microfiber vs. Cotton
Microfiber Towels: These have become the standard in modern golf, and for good reason. The tiny fibers are exceptional at trapping dirt and absorbing water. Many popular designs feature a "waffle" texture, which is fantastic for getting deep into club grooves to remove stubborn mud. They also dry quickly, which is a bonus on damp days. For pure club-cleaning performance, microfiber is tough to beat.
Cotton Towels: The classic choice. A good quality cotton towel feels soft and is highly absorbent, making it excellent for drying your hands, face, and grips. While it can certainly clean clubs, it’s not quite as effective as a microfiber waffle design for scrubbing caked-on dirt. Many players like the plush feel of cotton, especially when playing in the heat and needing to wipe away sweat.
Size and Style
Golf towels range from small, personal-sized cloths to large "tour" towels that drape over the whole bag. Larger towels offer more surface area, so you can designate one part as wet for club cleaning and keep another part dry for your hands. Smaller towels are less cumbersome but may get saturated with water or dirt more quickly.
Built-In Attachment Features
Finally, look at how the towel is designed to be attached. This is the most important factor in making the process easy.
- Grommet and Carabiner: The most common setup. A metal or plastic ring (grommet) is punched into a corner or the top center of the towel, allowing a simple carabiner clip to pass through.
- Center Slit or Loop: A popular style on tour, this towel features a slit or opening in the very center. This allows you to drape it cleanly over an alignment stick or a club, offering a tidy, professional look.
- No Features: Some towels are just that - towels. Don't worry, you can still attach them effectively with a few simple tricks we'll cover below.
The Fundamentals of Attachment: Where to Put It
Where you place your towel on the bag can make a big difference in terms of accessibility and keeping it clean. The goal is to put it somewhere you can reach without thinking, but also where it won’t drag on the ground or get tangled.
Common Attachment Points on a Golf Bag:
- The Towel Ring: Most golf bags have a dedicated metal or plastic ring designed specifically for this purpose. It’s usually located on the side of the bag near the top cuff. This is the most common and obvious spot.
- The Main Handle: If your carry or cart bag has a large, molded grab handle, this can be a great place to loop or clip a towel. It keeps it high off the ground and easy to reach.
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For towels with a center slit, using an alignment stick as the anchor is a fantastic method. The towel drapes over your clubs without hanging too low. - Umbrella Holder: Some bags have loops and straps for holding an umbrella. When you're not carrying one, these can sometimes be repurposed to secure a towel.
Consideration for walkiers: If you use a push cart or carry your bag, pay attention to how low the towel hangs. A long towel clipped to a low point on the bag can easily drag on wet or muddy ground, defeating its purpose. In this case, attaching it higher on the bag is much better.
Step-by-Step Guide to Common Attachment Methods
Alright, let’s get down to business. Here are the most effective ways to secure your towel to your bag, from the most traditional method to some clever workarounds.
Method 1: The Carabiner Clip
This is the classic, foolproof method for any towel that comes with a built-in grommet.
- Secure the Carabiner to the Towel: Open the gate on your carabiner clip and pass it through the metal grommet on your towel. Let the gate close.
- Clip it to the Bag: Locate the dedicated towel ring on your golf bag. Clip the carabiner directly onto this ring. If your bag doesn't have a ring, you can clip it to any sturdy part of the handle hardware or even the stand mechanism (on carry bags).
A Quick Tip: The cheap plastic carabiners that sometimes come with towels can break easily. I recommend swapping it out for a solid, lightweight metal carabiner from a hardware or outdoor store for a more reliable hold.
Method 2: The Center Slit Drape (The "Pro Look")
This is my personal favorite. It looks clean, keeps the towel off the ground, and provides easy access to both sides of the towel. It's designed for towels with that distinct slit in the very middle.
- Find the Opening: Hold your towel up and locate the centered slit, which usually runs parallel to the towel's length.
- Thread a Club or Stick: Take a club you don't use often (like a 3-iron for many) or an alignment stick and simply pass it through the towel's opening until the towel is resting on the middle of the shaft.
- Place it in the Bag: Return the club or alignment stick to its spot in your bag. The towel will now be cleanly draped over the top of your clubs.
This method keeps your towel high and dry, and it’s arguably the most professional-looking setup in the book.
Method 3: The Simple Bag Strap Weave
No grommet, no slit, no problem. If you just have a basic towel, you can use your bag’s own straps or handles to hold it securely.
- Fold the Towel: Fold your towel in half, either lengthwise or widthwise depending on how large it is.
- Find an Anchor point: Look a solid anchor on your bag, such as the point where the main carry strap connects to your bag or robust part of the cart pass through channel straps
- Weave/Feed the Towel: feed the tail-end or folded-end of the towel either in between you bag handle, or around the cart strap/bag strap an anchor points. After feeding one end of the towel through the given anchor point, simple feed the opposite side of the towel through the loop you created – pulling on the free-hanging end to complete a simple “Larks Head” knot.
This method isn't as secure as a carabiner or center slit, but it's a perfectly functional way to get by in a pinch. It works best on cart bags with large handles.
The Two-Towel System: An Advanced Strategy
For players who are serious about playing in any condition, I often recommend the two-towel system. It's a simple concept that solves the common problem of using the same towel for a muddy club and your sweaty hands.
- The "Work" Towel: This is your primary, larger towel. Attach it to your bag using one of the methods above. Keep one half of it damp by pouring a little water on it at the start of your round. This half is exclusively for cleaning clubs and balls. The other half stays dry.
- The "Personal" Towel: This is a second, smaller, and always-dry towel. You can clip this to a belt loop on your pants or simply tuck it into your back pocket. This towel is only for your hands and grips. Just before a shot, you have a perfectly dry, clean towel ready without even reaching for your bag.
This system ensures you always have the right tool for the job. You'll never get mud from your wedge onto your hands, or dry your grip with a damp, dirty corner of a towel ever again.
Final Thoughts
Putting some thought into how you choose and attach your golf towel is a small detail that pays off. It brings a level of preparation and convenience to your round, allowing you to focus on your shot with clean gear and a confident grip instead of fumbling around with a misplaced or muddy accessory.
Staying prepared on the course goes beyond just your physical equipment. Knowing the right shot to play, the best target to aim for, or how to handle a tricky lie requires strategy. That's where we can help. With Caddie AI, you have an expert golf coach in your pocket, ready 24/7 to provide on-course strategy or answer any golf question you might have. You can even snap a photo of a strange lie, and we’ll tell you the smartest way to play it, removing the guesswork so you can swing with confidence.