As the golf shop increasingly becomes a one-stop-shop for members and guests, the accessories category continues to blossom with a combination of old favorites, new players and a growing number of personalization opportunities.
Many facilities are working to bring in a well-curated accessories collection that can be used to dress up the shop for more member and customer engagement, while adding significant dollars to annual shop sales.
“Accessories can make a significant impact on the overall bottom line. When executed well, they can account for upwards of 15 percent of our total merchandise revenue,” says Jackson Davison, PGA, Head Professional at Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan. “They also tend to deliver the strongest margins in the shop, with very little need for markdowns or liquidation. Beyond profitability, accessories create natural opportunities to increase average transaction value, serving as an easy and effective upsell at the point of purchase.”
One of the categories that has driven accessory sales at Harbor Shores is headcovers, which provide great opportunities to showcase the brand and get creative with logos, as well as various images synonymous with the resort. Davison also does well with divot tools, utilizing a local company – Westwood Golf – where they are machined and milled in small batches and then hand finished or hand torched for a special, limited feel.
“Accessories provide a unique opportunity for a facility to differentiate itself through storytelling and product curation,” he says. “Bespoke items are especially important. These are the items guests can’t find anywhere else, which makes them more meaningful and desirable.”
Rob Karnes, PGA, Head Professional at NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio, sees accessories as a true profit center, as they often spur impulse purchases that carry a higher margin than other segments of the golf shop. At the same time, he considers them a source of club pride and special branding opportunities.
“Accessories are the icing on the cake of a great display. Props are fine, but sellable accessories that accentuate a display are far more desirable,” he says. “Our merchandising team is excellent at identifying items by color, function and the ability to complement the theme.”
Karnes also points out that while golfers are most interested in apparel, footwear and equipment, those golf shop items are generally expected and easily anticipated. Accessories offer the NCR merchandising team an opportunity to add an element of surprise to the shop – something fun, interesting and unique that can make the shopping experience more enjoyable.
In addition to core categories like cigars, glass/drinkware, women’s purses and bags, custom headcovers and ball markers, NCR has recently branched out into blankets, coolers, serving trays and personalization on items such as wallets, bag tags and ball markers.
One display that particularly resonated this year was the Masters nesting table, Karnes says, adding, “Shoppers are drawn to sharp displays.
“We try to keep this concept going all year long, although events like the Masters, Kentucky Derby, Ohio State football and University of Dayton basketball are the specific drivers of these displays.”
For Stephen Worthy, PGA, Head Professional at Gunter’s Landing Golf Course in Guntersville, Alabama,accessories are very important to the bottom line, as most are at a 50- to 60-percent markup. He says the challenge comes in finding new items that will continue to keep customers intrigued season after season.
“The best line I get from golfers in the shop is, ‘You always have something different every time we come in.’ That makes me feel like I’m doing a good job,” Worthy says.
Recently, he has been successful with Gunters Landing yardage coins – which were slow at the start because they are more expensive than typical ball markers but have since become one of the golf shop’s most popular items, and FH Wadsworth travel bags.
“I had never done leather products before, but since I brought FH Wadsworth in, the category has been on the rise,” he says. “Golfers are often traveling, and when they see that we carry luggage at their club they love it because it adds a special touch with their course logo on it.”
Here’s a sampling of some of the attention-getting accessories being carried by golf shops across the nation:
Flint & Flame is a family business that designs and manufactures high-carbon German steel knives and accessories, with its top sellers including a double extended sommelier tool where the club logo is etched on the body of the tool and a medallion finishes the box. Also popular is a four-piece classic steak set presented in a double layer wood box, where the club logo can be etched on the blades and the box.
Ororo is a collection of heated vests, jackets and accessories for men and women made to ensure golfers can “stay warm without sacrificing the perfect swing.” The versatile designs provide three-heat settings with rechargeable batteries for comfort both on and off the course. Popular products include the Queen City Hand Warmer and Ororo’s Heated Seat Cushion.
Strokes Gained calls itself the “health brand of golf, built to help players perform at their best from the first tee to the final putt.” The core product is a premium electrolyte stick pack that mixes easily into water and supports hydration, energy and focus during the round. Some golf shops are finding success merchandising Strokes Gained at the counter, while others are incorporating it into tournaments and member-guest gifting.
Tübr Storage leads with its flagship cigar cases – named Best in Show at the 2025 PGA Show Inventor’s Spotlight Awards – which are airtight, weather resistant, float in water and maintain a sleek, modern aesthetic. Building on that success, Tübr is expanding into innovative nicotine pouch storage, bringing the same level of technical engineering and on course durability to a growing category.
Designed for seamless transition on and off the course, Oakley’s lightweight yet protective Shoeone Bag features multi-pocket, convenient storage for golf shoes, eyewear, accessories and valuables. Also, Oakley’s lineup of sunglasses include: Bisphaera, with durable, O Matter frame and expanded lens options; Flak 2.0 XXL, made for performance with enhanced lens coverage and High Definition Optics in a lightweight yet durable design; and Versafuse RX, featuring a TruBridge Sport Unobtainium Nosepad.
Engineered specifically for golf, TITE Eyewear feature patent-pending lens technology that filters precise wavelengths of visible light to control and quiet the visual noise while enhancing contrast, clarity and depth perception. Developed with input from elite players and tour caddies, the debut collection features TITE’s proprietary lens in two offerings (ProGolf and Blue Mirror) across multiple frames and colorways.
Known for bringing comfort, performance, sustainability and everyday versatility to men’s underwear, BN3TH’s fall 2026 styles arriving this month include Pro Ultra, designed with the brand’s best technical fabrics, an elevated fit and the 3D pouch BN3TH is known for; Classic Icon, which delivers invisible 3D support and comfort with a softer, more refined feel; Pro Flex, built for active movement and reliable support; Flex Max; Shoreline Short 2n1; and Essentials.
Solos is “redefining golf sock performance and innovation with a dual commitment to technical excellence and mental health awareness,” the company says. NeuWave arch compression and stability technology provides a precision-engineered fit designed to increase stability and reduce fatigue during play. The socks are crafted from premium Australian merino wool, offering breathability and natural temperature regulation.
OS1st was founded on targeted compression, creating performance sleeves and support products designed to bring relief, stability and comfort where the body needs it most. Over time, that same engineering mindset made its way into socks - not as an accessory, but as an extension of the brand’s core belief that better support leads to better movement. The result is a sock offering enhanced comfort that keeps feet feeling fresh through the entire round, the company says.
STICKIT Magnetic Gear came to market in 2016 with a magnetic rangefinder strap designed to help golfers keep rangefinders secure, visible and within reach. STICKIT has since expanded into a full range of magnetic accessories that includes the first magnetic towel with removable magnetic patch; magnetic landing pads that turn golf bags into a magnetic hub; magnetic headcovers; and the Club Traveler, a protective carry case for drivers and woods during travel.
