Why the Nalgene bottle is a golf choice
A round of golf over 18 holes often takes four to five hours, and during that time you walk several kilometres, often in direct sun with no shade between the holes. That makes hydration a practical matter, not a side issue. This collection consists of two hard-plastic Nalgene bottles: Nalgene Waterbottle - 1L and Nalgene Waterbottle - 0.5L. Nalgene is known for its leak-proof screw cap and its impact-resistant material, which are precisely the two qualities that matter most when the bottle is shaking around in a golf bag over a whole round. The lid is attached to a loop, so you won't lose it on the fairway, and the wide opening makes it easy to fill with ice or rinse out afterwards.
The 1-litre bottle or the half-litre bottle
The choice between the two sizes comes down to how long you're out and how much you want to carry. Nalgene Waterbottle - 1L lasts longer before it needs refilling and suits the player who plays the full 18-hole round without wanting to stop at the clubhouse. Nalgene Waterbottle - 0.5L weighs less, takes up less room in the bag's bottle holder and is a natural choice for nine holes, for a range session or as a complement to the litre bottle on a hot day. Many people bring both: the large one for drinking, the small one filled with sports drink or extra water.
How much water you need on the course
An adult needs more fluid during physical activity outdoors, and a round of golf in summer heat can easily cost more than a litre of sweat over four to five hours. As a rule of thumb, it works to drink regularly throughout the round rather than gulping it all down at once, so the litre bottle suits those who want to carry their whole requirement from the first tee. If it's really hot, it's perfectly reasonable to top up at the ninth hole if the course has a kiosk or tap there. Don't wait until you feel thirsty, because by then you're already behind, and fatigue and poorer concentration on the final holes are often linked to too little fluid.
Hard-plastic Nalgene compared to insulated steel bottles
Many golf bottles on the market are double-walled steel and are marketed on keeping the drink cold for a long time. Nalgene is instead a single-walled bottle in impact-resistant plastic, and that difference has both advantages and disadvantages. The plastic doesn't insulate the same way double-walled steel does, so if you want to keep the water really cold on a whole hot day, you fill the bottle with ice before the round. On the other hand, the plastic bottle is lighter, can be dropped on the ground without denting, and the wide opening makes filling with ice easy. It also weighs less in the bag, which you notice if you carry it yourself rather than using a trolley.
Is the bottle dishwasher safe?
The Nalgene bottles in this series are dishwasher safe, which is the easiest route to a clean bottle between rounds. Place both the bottle and the lid in the top rack. If you've had sports drink or squash in the bottle, it pays to rinse it out the same day, as sugar otherwise settles in the threads of the cap. The wide opening means you can reach in to clean it by hand with a bottle brush if you prefer. Let the bottle dry with the lid off so that trapped moisture and odour don't develop.
The water bottle as part of the equipment
A bottle is a small but constant part of what you bring onto the course, much like golf towels and a cap that shades your eyes. These items are visible in the bag round after round, and a bottle that stays leak-proof and can be tossed onto the ground saves you both wet golf clothes and irritation. If you want to complement the rest of your course equipment, you'll find more accessories with us, and if you're looking for a gift for a golfer, a durable bottle together with something from our christmas guide is a choice that will actually get used.
