G Clip

Throughout my years of golfing, I’ve developed a system. Tees and and coins in one pocket, pencil and ball mark repair tool in other. If I put my pencil in with the tees, well, it’s hard to tell the difference quickly, and the same can be said of mixing repair tool and coin. If I’m thirsty at the turn and only have three quarters, well, it’s PowerAde or ball markers for the back nine. PowerAde usually wins out.

I’ve tried ball markers in the past. One slipped on to the grip end of my putter, but after losing 27 ball markers in the bottom of my bag I gave up on it. The ball marker you find on gloves is inexcusably cheesy, as are the ones that you find on some shoes. They all paled in comparison to a simple quarter or dime.

Then I tried the 4-in-one G Clip.

The G Clip, from Fine Tune Golf, Inc., is essentially a ball mark repair tool, ball marker, tee holder, and glove holder that attaches to your belt. It holds everything I used to carry in my pockets except the pencil (which has moved to my new bag).

The G Clip clips to your belt and, unlike many belt clips, has a fairly wide clip for even the widest of belts and the men who wear them (you know who you are!). The belt clip is strong, has a hook that prevents it from sliding off, and opens wide for easy clipping and removal. It rests comfortably on your hip and isn’t large enough to be unattractive or to affect any swing you might make.

Each of the four functions is adequately represented. I feel a bit silly going into depth on each of these, but we promise in-depth reviews, and by gosh you’re gonna get one!

Tee Holder
The G Clip holds two tees, and it does so comfortably. My bag holds five or six tees as well, and between the two I rarely have to scrounge through my bag to find a tee during a round. The tees are comfortably secured with a little spring, yet slide out easily when needed. The only problem I found was that my super-skinny (and preferred) 3″ and 4″ Stinger tees slide down further than tees with wider heads. However, with the clip on my hip, even they stay out of my way, and anyone who’s been stuck in the leg or “more sensitive parts” with a super-pointy Stinger tee will appreciate not having the tees in his pocket!

Glove Holder
I don’t wear a glove when I play golf, so some glove-wearing friends gave the velcro glove-holder a try. One remarked that it was much easier than putting your glove in your pocket, though “you lose that Tour player ‘fingers flopping out of your back pocket’ look.” Ah, vanity, thy name is golfer.

The glove holder is made of molded velcro, not looped fabric velcro. It is much more durable than the fabric velcro and should last as long as you have the G Clip. One helpful hint, though: when removing the glove, pull down, not up. You’re less likely to pull the G Clip off of your belt.

Ball Mark Repair Tool
The G Clip ball mark repair tool, or “divot repair tool,” is essentially a two-pronged shish kabob. It’s one thin metal rod bent to have two pointy prongs and a faux handle at the top. It slides in and out of the G Clip easily and does an adequate job of repairing ball marks. My girlfriend, whose fingers are smaller than mine, found it difficult to get a good grip on the fairly small handle to properly work the tool on firmer greens.

Ball Marker
What can you write about a ball marker? It’s a coin-like thing that’s made of metal. The G Clip ball marker does have one nice feature: the underside of the ball mark has an “arrow and spot” to remind you to replace your ball in the original position if you’ve moved it for someone else’s putt. The ball mark is held securely in place by a surprisingly strong magnet, yet frees easily with pressure on the bottom of the marker. The G Clip will accommodate any standard sized ball marker.

Overall
The G Clip weighs only 1 ounce and is available in Graphite, Cobalt Blue (which, if you ask me, is purple), or Clear Green. The G Clip is made of surprisingly strong plastics – I threw mine against a brick wall several times and, aside from a ding and a scratch, it survived admirably.

Some may balk at spending $11.95 on an “organizer” for your glove, ball mark, repair tool, and tees, but the G Clip is a winner in my book. It’s small, convenient, and strong. Better yet, it keeps those pointy Stinger tees well away from my “sensitive parts.” That’s worth twelve bucks any day!