The most popular product on the PGA Tour is one you probably never heard of (product spotlight)

Today, I'm going to tell you about a piece of golf gear that isn't a household name, but it should be.

This product is used by about 90 percent of players on the PGA and LPGA tours, far more than any club, bag, ball, putter, glove, or shoe.

But here's the real shocker: all of these players use it by choice; not one of them is paid to do so. 

You might think a tour-approved product like this would cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, but it can be purchased for less than $25.

The product is...the Seaforth Rain Hood.

Don't laugh.

If you have ever been on a golf course when it starts to rain (and who hasn't?) this small, inexpensive accessory can keep you playing, as opposed to bailing out due to wet grips and forfeiting an expensive green fee.

There are a lot of different rain covers out there, to be sure.

What makes the Seaforth Rain Hood so popular with the most demanding players in the world?

First, it's small and packable. When not in use, the rain hood rolls up to the size of a sleeve of balls. I don't care who you are, nobody wants more bulk in their bag.

Second, it goes on fast. The Seaforth Rain Hood slips effortlessly over the top of your clubs and stays put with an elastic band. (You can further secure it with snaps and straps.) To me, a rain hood doesn't make sense if water gets in while you're struggling to put it on.

Third, it keeps clubs and grips dry during play. The Seaforth Rain Hood is, of course, lightweight and waterproof, but there's more to it than meets the eye.

Once your clubs are under the hood, you still need access to them, right? Well, this hood has been tweaked over the years based on input from tour players and their caddies to: 1) provide fast, one-hand access to the clubs, 2) keep rain out while doing it, and 3) provide enough space for a dry towel, too.

Again, given all the competing (but less popular) rain covers on the market, doing all this is not as simple as it sounds, but Seaforth obviously got it right.

According to the company (and the Darrell Survey, the firm that tracks equipment usage on tour), the top players on the PGA and LPGA tours use the product, and if anyone ever needed a durable rain hood, it's Tiger Woods.

By the way, if you are an extreme mudder, the company also makes the Seaforth Slicker, which surrounds and protects your entire bag from the elements. It works particularly well on stand bags.  Seaforth also makes a full line of rain accessories, including hats, cold weather cart mitts, and waterproof yardage book covers.

I understand that the Seaforth Rain Hood is one of those things you don't really want to buy, because you hope you'll never need it (kind of like insurance).

But do yourself a favor. Buy it, put it in your bag and forget about it.

I assure you, one of these days, whether you're playing locally or on a golf vacation, you'll realize it was the best $25 you ever spent.

Seaforth Golf Bag Rain Hood
(Available in black, Navy blue, and dark green)

Craig Better is one of the founding editors of Golf Vacation Insider. In addition to traveling to 15 foreign countries, he has twice traveled across America to play golf courses in all 50 United States. Prior to joining Golf Vacation Insider, Craig was a freelance writer who contributed to GOLF Magazine, Travel + Leisure Golf, Maxim Magazine, USAToday.com, and co-authored Zagat Survey’s book, America’s Top Golf Courses.
3 Comments

Yes, the hood will work with long putters. No problem

Will it accomodate a 52 inch long putter? Please let me know.

I know Ken Doig and his family. Maybe we all have a little genius hidden inside ourselves and the Doigs have found theirs. The remarkable thing is that this ingenius and simply elegant hood actually got to market. I have one in each of my three bags and like Allstate - I wouldn't go out without one. JP

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The most popular product on the PGA Tour is one you probably never heard of (product spotlight)