There are several stories of golfers who have put their golf bag away in an outside room, and when they have brought it out again weeks later, have found a hole in it where a rodent has gnawed through the bag to get at some food accidentally left in there.
Even without food involved, there are stories of rodents nesting in golf bags left in sheds, particularly if pockets have been left unzipped.
Forgetfully leaving food in a golf bag can be easily done. A piece of fruit left too long will go mouldy and potentially create a mess. These 8 items are often found lurking in golfers' golf bags, so take care post-round and stay diligent...
Damp proofing
Waterproof golf bags help keep the contents dry. But damp clothing put into the bag intended to be taken out at home later, but instead forgotten about, can be costly.
I kept a cap in my bag for when I go out for a quick knock in the evening and have to cope with the low sun. Taking it out one day I saw it was covered in mould. I can only presume I had put it away damp some time, though I can’t for the life of me think when. All the recommended remedies for removing mould from fabric had no effect, so it had eventually to be junked.
Golf gloves should not be left scrunched up in a golf bag, especially when wet. Remember to take wet gloves out and air dry them. You can start the drying process by patting them down with a towel.
Don’t try to accelerate the process by popping your glove on top of a radiator as it will cause the leather to go hard, crack and shrink. If you put a dirty glove in the washing machine, do so so on a cold and delicate wash for the same reason.
Even if the glove is dry, it is worth taking it out from the bag when you get home and stretching it back to its original shape, as this will bring the natural oils of the leather to the surface and help maintain that suppleness, and then lying it flat.
Or keep the original pouch the glove came in, or use a zipped plastic one, to stow the glove flat in your golf bag.
If caught in the rain when golfing, remember to dry off any headcovers when you get home, and wipe your clubs dry.
Into the groove
Dirty grooves on the clubface of your irons hamper the club’s ability to grip the ball. So clean the grooves of your club, either with warm water, soap and a soft-bristled brush.
You can soak the clubhead in the soapy water but do not submerge the ferule or the shaft, and dry the club thoroughly to avoid rusting.
You can also clean the grips the same way, but without soaking,
The driver head can be cleaned, again keeping the ferrules out of the water, with soapy water and then wiped dry.
