Where do You Put the Head Covers During a Shot?

[DeadMan]

I put on top of my bag, but it's really either stuff it into a divider hole (putter cover), on the alignment stick (driver or wood cover), or just directly on top of the bag (iron covers).

[Bonvivant]

I'm surprised no trolley users have chimed in.

For me, the putter cover either goes in the slot where the putter was, or in my back left pocket during a putt. Sometimes on the ground if it isn't sitting in my pocket in a nice way.

For driver/wood/hybrid, it usually goes in the mesh carrying area on my trolley. I often can tell that I am going to be taking a 3W or hybrid for my upcoming shot, so I pull the club out of the bag, remove the cover, and place it in the mesh area all before I get to the ball. Make stroke, then start walking while reversing the process in motion. Sometimes if I can't tell that I am going to use one of those clubs, the first part is done over the ball, but I always put it back on while in motion.

[Sandy Divot]

1 hour ago, Bonvivant said:

I'm surprised no trolley users have chimed in.

For me, the putter cover either goes in the slot where the putter was, or in my back left pocket during a putt. Sometimes on the ground if it isn't sitting in my pocket in a nice way.

For driver/wood/hybrid, it usually goes in the mesh carrying area on my trolley. I often can tell that I am going to be taking a 3W or hybrid for my upcoming shot, so I pull the club out of the bag, remove the cover, and place it in the mesh area all before I get to the ball. Make stroke, then start walking while reversing the process in motion. Sometimes if I can't tell that I am going to use one of those clubs, the first part is done over the ball, but I always put it back on while in motion.

I have a Kangaroo trolley with a basket. I usually put them in the basket. I wasn't going to respond, but you sounded disappointed that no trolley owners had chimed in.

[No Mulligans]

My bag has a separate slot for the putter and the putter sits below the shafts of the other clubs in the bag.  I take the cover off before the round and leave it in a bag pocket.

I grab my driver or woods and while approaching my shot I pull the head cover off and drop it on the ground near my stance.  After the shot I put my head cover back on while approaching my cart.  I usually am using a trolley but I do this with a trolley or a cart.  It's a patterned habit, I don't forget my head cover.

Perhaps on the OCD side of things, but this is driven by pace of play.  There are a bunch of little things one can do to improve pace of play and this  one, albeit a small one.

[Carl3]

My putter head cover never leaves the big pocket on the side of my bag. My driver and 3w head cover go in the cart basket upon first use and stay there. Obsessing about head covers might mean someone spent too much on their clubs. The guys with iron covers crack me up. I picture them sleeping Naked in bed with their clubs every night.

If you look at a “What’s in my bag” for a touring pro, most of their clubs look like well-used implements, beat to hell.

oh, someone mentioned pace of play. Golfers fiddling with their head covers can get annoying. 

Edited January 19, 2021 by Carl3

[billchao]

I voted other for both. The only place I haven’t put any of my head covers that’s on the pill is in my pocket.

[djake]

I try to build as much consistency with this and my what I do with my gear.  Lost a club when I was young and it is a constant reminder.  

I said cart as that pertains to when I walk I have a push cart and put my head cover in the pocket.  With a golf cart I usually toss it on the seat, sometimes in the basket but I know it is in one of those two spots.

  I always leave my head covers on until I use a club so they don't get marked up with club chatter.

 

[Darkfrog]

I have a penchant for losing headcovers and towels, so I have learned to be very meticulous when using them.

When I use my driver, 3W or hybrid, I take the headcover off, partially stuff it into a hole in the bag so it won't fall out, or fall in, and then replace it immediately after hitting a ball. If I happen to have alignment sticks in my bag, I'll put the headcover over the alignment sticks.

I don't have iron headcovers, but if I did, I think I would put them in my pocket when taking a shot.

For putter, I take the headcover off and stick it in the side pocket of my bag, which is empty and always open, then replace it before putting the putter away.

No one asked, but for towels, I secure them to my bag with a carabiner. Only way to avoid losing one every week.

[dagolfer18]

Depends on whether I’m riding or walking.

If I’m walking (which is the case 95% of the time), I’ll put it on top of the bag so I can see it easily when I go to put the club back. If I’m riding, I’ll probably put it in that little compartment behind the seats when I tee off and put it back on the club at the end of the round. 

[StogiesAndBogeys]

I typically take them off and chuck them into the cart basket until the end of the round and forget about it. I'll certainly agree that fiddling with them mid round is a pain. I've always wondered what most people do and it seems like tucking them neatly into the bag / onto alignment sticks is the move. Thanks for all of the responses. This forum is pretty sweet. 

[Golfingdad]

I do almost every one of these over the course of a given round (the logistics of a driver cover in my pocket notwithstanding) except for one glaring standout - tossing all the covers in the cart basket.

What would even be the point of owning hesdcovers if you’re gonna do that? I’m baffled.

[StogiesAndBogeys]

That sir, is a great point. I suppose leaving them on while they sit in the garage is useless compared to keeping them on during the round while the clubs are banging around in the cart / walking. To be fair. I've never thought so much about head covers and their usage so much since joining this forum, so thank you for that. 😅 

[Greg 504]

I voted "on top of bag" for both, although at times I have placed them on the seat of the cart as I walk to my shot.

I used to put them partially in the slot where the club resides. After a round last year, I found my hybrid cover missing and was upset I had lost it. When I got home and was cleaning my gear, I found the cover had fallen into the club hole and had made it's way clear to the bottom of the bag. Had a helluva time getting that bastard out of their fishing around with alignment sticks. Nearly took me 5 beers to get it out. So no, I do not do that anymore.

[Carl3]

7 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

I do almost every one of these over the course of a given round (the logistics of a driver cover in my pocket notwithstanding) except for one glaring standout - tossing all the covers in the cart basket.

What would even be the point of owning hesdcovers if you’re gonna do that? I’m baffled.

IMO Head covers are for when you throw them back in the trunk or when you put them in your travel bag to protect them from the baggage handlers from hell.

oh, maybe use them more often the first year you own the driver, 3w or putter. After they get their first nick, who cares. It adds character to your clubs.

head covers were used on woods back when they were persimmon works of art that had kind of a lacquered string binding the wood head to the shaft. I could see irons causing damage to those heads. Putter covers came in the age of the $500 gem. Needed a little something extra to make you feel like you got your money’s worth. 

Head covers are also good (and free) advertisement for manufacturers.

I do know a guy who buys and sells clubs in kind of an arbitrage situation. He sees a deal, buys them and plays them for a while then sells them for as much or more than he paid. I think he is one of those that puts the prophylactics on his irons, lol.

Edited January 20, 2021 by Carl3

[colin007]

On 1/19/2021 at 7:40 AM, boogielicious said:

I stuff the cover in the slot where the club was.

This is the correct answer.

[Carl3]

Once upon a time there were a lot more woods with numbers closer together:

head covers would help to keep you mistaking your 1 wood from your 2 wood  or your 3 wood from 4 wood.

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by Carl3

[iacas]

Dings don’t add character to your $500 driver. No. They create a distraction or something that screws with alignment 10-14 times per round.

And they hurt resale value for frequent traders.

[Golfingdad]

10 hours ago, StogiesAndBogeys said:

That sir, is a great point. I suppose leaving them on while they sit in the garage is useless compared to keeping them on during the round while the clubs are banging around in the cart / walking. To be fair. I've never thought so much about head covers and their usage so much since joining this forum, so thank you for that. 😅 

 

3 hours ago, Carl3 said:

IMO Head covers are for when you throw them back in the trunk or when you put them in your travel bag to protect them from the baggage handlers from hell.

oh, maybe use them more often the first year you own the driver, 3w or putter. After they get their first nick, who cares. It adds character to your clubs.

head covers were used on woods back when they were persimmon works of art that had kind of a lacquered string binding the wood head to the shaft. I could see irons causing damage to those heads. Putter covers came in the age of the $500 gem. Needed a little something extra to make you feel like you got your money’s worth. 

Head covers are also good (and free) advertisement for manufacturers.

I do know a guy who buys and sells clubs in kind of an arbitrage situation. He sees a deal, buys them and plays them for a while then sells them for as much or more than he paid. I think he is one of those that puts the prophylactics on his irons, lol.

Yeah, I mean it's no big deal - many of us have them simply because they came with the clubs lol.  My thought was that if we cared about the club getting scratches at all, it seems that during a round they're bouncing around a lot more than at any other time in their lifetime, including sitting in the car trunk.

But you're right that they're just like any other expensive item, including cars; you're extra worried about them like they're newborn babies up until that first scratch or ding.  After that?  Meh, who cares haha!