What Items Am I Responsible to Have Ready in My Pocket When Playing Golf?

A round of golf is a lot smoother when you're not constantly digging through your bag for a tee or asking your buddy to borrow a ball marker. Being prepared with the right items in your pockets does more than just save time, it helps you stay focused on the only thing that matters - your next shot. This guide will walk you through exactly what you should have at the ready, from the non-negotiables to the small things that make a big difference on the course.

The Non-Negotiables: Your Everyday Carry for the Course

Think of these as the absolute baseline. If you step onto the first tee without these, you’re making the game unnecessarily complicated for yourself and potentially for others. A prepared golfer is a respected golfer, and these items are the foundation.

A Divot Repair Tool

This isn't just a suggestion, it’s a responsibility. Every golfer leaves a mark on the green when their shot lands, called a pitch mark. Leaving it unrepaired not only creates a bumpy and unfair putting surface for the groups behind you, but it can also damage the green for weeks. Carrying a divot repair tool (and knowing how to use it) is the number one sign of a golfer who respects the game and the course.

How to use it properly: Many players make the mistake of using the tool like a lever, prying the soil and grass upwards. This tears the roots and does more harm than good. The correct method is to:

• Insert the prongs into the turf at the edge of the pitch mark.
• Gently push the turf from the outside of the mark towards the center. a bit like using a spade to push dirt back in hole.
• Work your way around the indentation, pushing inwards from all sides.
• Once you've closed the gap, gently tap the repaired area with the bottom of your putter to smooth it out.

Committing this simple action to memory will make you a favorite of every groundskeeper and playing partner.

Ball Markers

When your ball is on the putting green, you can't just leave it there if it’s in another player's line of putt. You need to mark its spot, pick it up, and place it back down a moment later. While a coin works just fine, having a dedicated ball marker (or a few) is standard practice. They're often thin, brightly colored, a and less likely to interfere with another ball than a bulky quarter might be.

Pro Tip: Keep more than one. They’re small, easily lost, and it’s always good to have a backup. Many come as magnetic attachments to a hat clip or a divot tool, which is a fantastic way to keep them accessible withoutジャンジャン them in your pocket.

Extra Golf Tees

This one almost goes without saying, but you'd be surprised how many players have to ask for a tee on the second hole. Whether you’re using a wooden or plastic tee, they break, get lost, or fly off into another dimension after a solid drive. Don't be that person caught without one.

Your goal is to have enough in your pocket to last the entire round without needing a refill from your bag. Shoving a handful into your pocket before you start is all it takes. This simple habit keeps the pace of play moving and removes a pointless distraction from your pre-shot routine.

Leveling Up: The Smart Golfer's Pocket Setup

Once you have the basics down, you can start thinking like a seasoned player. True on-course preparedness is about efficiency. It’s a game of routines, and organizing your pockets helps you build a smooth, repeatable process on every hole.

A Minimum of Two Golf Balls

You should always have at least two balls in your pocket: the one you’re playing, and a spare. Why? Think about hitting a tee shot that sails toward the trees. You suspect it might be lost or out of bounds. The rules allow you to hit a "provisional" ball from the same spot, so you dont have a to take a long walk back of shame, should you not find your original sphere.

Fumbling through your bag to find another ball right after a bad shot just pours salt in the wound and slows everyone down. Having one ready in your pocket lets you quickly tee up the provisional, announce it to your group, and hit again. It shows you know the rules and respect everyone's time.

A Spare Golf Glove

On a hot, humid day, your hand is going to sweat. A sweaty glove loses its tackiness, and the club can start to slip during your swing. A small slip at impact is the difference between a perfect draw and a wild slice. Similarly, if you get caught in a bit of rain, your glove will get slick in a hurry. Having a fresh, dry glove in a ziplock bag in your pocket can feel like a complete game-changer when you need it most. Swap it out mid-round and you’ll instantly get that sense of control back.

Organize Your Pockets by Function

Here's a small but powerful system many experienced golfers use to keep things systematic. For a right-handed golfer (reverse if you're a lefty):

• Right Pocket: This is your action pocket. It should hold the items you need to put the ball in play: your primary golf ball and your tees. Simple. Quick access. No clutter.
• Left Pocket: This is your maintenance pocket. It holds the items you use after the shot or around the greens: your divot repair tool, ball marker, and a spare ball. This separation means you won’t accidentally pull out a clump of tees when all you needed was your ball marker on the green.
• Back Right Pocket: This is the universal home for your glove when you’re putting. Taking your glove off for putting can improve your feel an d keeps the palm of your glove in a good condition for longer. Popping it here on the way up to the geen becomes a great cue-for-your-brain, that "it is feel time."
• Back Left pocket: this is traditionally where the scorecard (and a pen /pencil) is to be found. But a growing number of golfers rely on a smartphone app instead

This simple system minimizes fumbling and helps build a solid, repeatable on-course routine.

Beyond the Pocket: The "Arm's Reach" Gear

While not technically in your pocket, these items should be so easily accessible on your bag that they might as well be. Burying them means you wont use them, and that's a big mistake.

A Clean Towel

A golf-towel is arguably has manifold purposes: it cleans dirt from your club grooves after your shot (vital for spin consistency), it dries your grips in wet conditions, it cleans your ball on the green, and wipe the sweat from your forehead on a scorching day. Always have one hanging a on the outside loopof your a bag, not tucked inside.

Water and a Simple Snack

A round of golf takes over four hours. You will get dehydrated, and your blood sugar will drop. Most mental mistakes, bad decisions, and temper flashes happen on the back nine not because of golf but because players ran out of 'physical fuel.' Drink water on every single tee box, whether you feel thirsty or not. Pack a simple snack like a banana, nuts, or a protein bar to eat around the turn. This is as important as any "golf club " in your bag.

Final Thoughts

In the end, what you carry in your pockets reflects your approach to the game. Being prepared with these essentials demonstrates respect for the course, for your fellow players, and for your own performance. It puts an end an all distractions, and allows you to focus fully on hitting great shots.

Beyond these physical items, the great preparation also means being mentally ready, having instant accessto an answer when you stumbleupona tricky strategic decision. For those moments when you're unsure about club selection or how to approach a challenging hole on a course, there’s times where getting help is simply priceless. A good playing partner is one option. The downside tough, his opinions often are wrong. With the power of A I we've built a personal coach for your pocket. Caddie AI acts as your 24/7 on-course advisor and can even assess pictures, analyse your lie an d give advice when a shotgets really tricky. Wehelp takethe guesswork out of course management,so that a golfer is left with one less ' to worryabout' thingand one more reaosn a golfer cand play every shotwith total commitment