• Give your favorite golfer a gift to use during his next round.dad - golf image by Jeffrey Zalesny from Fotolia.com
  
  If you need a Christmas gift idea for the golfer in your life, think beyond the typical gift cards to sporting goods shops and offer him a present that he can use immediately to improve his game or show his love for the sport. Choose an item that not only suits his personality and golf equipment needs, but also allows you to stay within your gift-giving budget.
  
  

Equipment

• Although your significant other, relative or friend may want to select his own golf clubs and golf bag, present him with an assortment of golf essentials to use on the links. Fill a Christmas gift basket with golf balls, red and green golf tees, a golf club cleaning kit and a towel featuring a holiday design, for instance. Place the objects in a basket wrapped with red and green cellophane or present the gifts in an athletic bag that he can use to tote golf essentials to and from the course.
  
  

Training

• If the man in your life complains about his golf scores, help him improve his game with training videos, equipment or lessons. Play the tuition for private lessons with a golf pro if you're not on a tight budget. If you'd rather buy something more modest, give him a selection of golf instructional videos, books and magazines. Help him practice skills at home with training aids to perfect his swing or putting skills--such as a hitting net, a living room "putting green" and electric ball return, a swing trainer or a "breakaway club" that bends along the club shaft to correct improper form.
  
  

Clothing

• Your favorite golfer can play a round in style if you buy him an assortment of golf clothing and accessories. If he likes to golf in cooler weather, give him a lightweight windbreaker that's large enough so it won't impede his swing. For golf rounds in the summer heat, give him a polo or button-down shirt created with a material designed to wick moisture to keep him dry and cool. If you're unsure of his exact clothing size, fill a Christmas stocking with accessories such as a golf hat or visor, holiday-themed golf socks, a golf glove or a pair of sunglasses to wear on the course.
  
  

Novelty Items

• Let your friend or loved one express his love of golf with golf-related gifts that he can wear, use or display at home or at work. Offer him a coffee mug, paperweight, pencil holder, computer mouse pad, car license plate frame or t-shirt that features a golf-related slogan or design. If you're working with a higher gift budget, buy him a digital golf scorekeeper, a GPS unit that displays the distance and feature of each hole or a golf ball cabinet to display used golf balls from favorite rounds of golf.