How Do I Use a Golf Towel With a Hole in the Middle?
Quick Answer
A golf towel with a hole in the middle usually has a center slit designed to slip over a club in your bag. Push a clubhead through the slit, let the towel hang on both sides, then keep one section damp for cleaning and another section dry for drying. A good example is the Club Glove center-slit caddie towel.
How to use it in five quick steps
- Find the center slit: Make sure it is a large reinforced opening, not a small grommet for a clip.
- Choose a club: Use a club that normally stays upright in your bag when the towel is hanging.
- Feed the clubhead through: Slide the towel down until the shaft rests naturally inside the slit.
- Create wet and dry zones: Lightly dampen one end while leaving the other end dry.
- Clean as you play: Use the damp area for dirt and grass, then finish with the dry area.
If you have never used a center-slit golf towel, the opening can look a little strange. It is much simpler than it appears.
I treat the hole as the towel’s attachment system. Once it is hanging correctly, the design gives me plenty of fabric without needing a carabiner.
In This Guide
What Is the Hole in the Middle of a Golf Towel For?
The large hole is usually a center slit. Its job is to hold the towel securely over a golf club without a separate clip.
That makes it different from the small metal-reinforced hole found on many compact golf towels.
Center-slit golf towel definition: A center-slit towel has an opening near its middle that allows a clubhead to pass through. The towel then hangs around the club shaft with usable fabric on both sides.
The design is common on larger caddie-style towels. For example, Club Glove lists its Microfiber Caddie Towel at 17 × 40 inches and specifically describes its center slit as a way to secure the towel over golf clubs.
That larger format is useful because you can divide the towel into different working areas.
- Damp area: Loosens soil, grass, and other debris from clubheads.
- Dry area: Removes leftover moisture after cleaning.
- Clean area: Can be reserved for grips or hands.
A center slit also keeps a long towel from simply sliding off the bag. The club shaft passes through the opening, so ordinary movement during walking or riding is less likely to shake it loose.
Do not confuse the large slit with a grommet. A grommet is a much smaller reinforced opening intended for a ring, hook, or carabiner.
The difference matters when attaching the towel. Forcing a clubhead through a small grommet could damage the fabric or reinforcement.
How Do You Attach a Golf Towel With a Center Hole?
Slide the head of a suitable club through the center slit, then let the towel settle around the shaft. You do not need to tie it or add a clip.
I find the easiest method is to attach it while the club is already sitting upright in the bag.
- Open the towel fully. Locate the slit near the center rather than using one of the towel’s edges.
- Pick a convenient club. Choose one that sits high enough for the towel to remain clear of the ground.
- Push the clubhead through. Guide the head carefully through the opening without stretching the stitching unnecessarily.
- Slide the towel downward. Stop when the shaft sits naturally inside the slit.
- Check both hanging ends. They should fall freely without becoming trapped inside the bag.
- Check ground clearance. Reposition the towel if an end drags while you walk or tilt the bag.
I prefer having roughly equal lengths on each side. That gives me easy access to both the damp and dry portions.
You can shift the towel slightly if one side becomes heavily soiled. There is no rule saying both ends must stay perfectly even.
Before using the club supporting the towel, remove the towel or transfer it to another suitable club. That keeps your routine simple and avoids carrying loose fabric with the club you are about to swing.
Section Takeaway: The center slit is the attachment point. Pass a clubhead through it, let the towel rest around the shaft, and confirm that neither end touches the ground.
Should You Wet a Golf Towel Before Playing?
Yes, lightly wetting part of the towel is useful when you expect mud, damp grass, or dirty clubfaces. Keep another section dry so you can remove moisture afterward.
You do not need to soak the entire towel. A dripping towel becomes heavier and leaves you with no clean, dry section.
How I divide a large center-slit towel
I usually think of the hanging towel as two working zones. One lower section handles dirty clubheads, while another stays as clean and dry as possible.
- Wet zone: Use enough water to loosen dirt without saturating the whole towel.
- Dry zone: Use this after cleaning to remove remaining moisture.
- Clean zone: Keep a portion away from muddy clubheads if you want it for hands or grips.
This system is especially useful with a long towel because you have more fabric to rotate through during the round.
Frogger uses a different approach with its 14 × 14-inch Amphibian Golf Towel. That towel has separate wet and dry layers plus a carabiner instead of a center slit.
Can you clean your golf ball with the towel?
You can clean a ball when the Rules allow it. However, you should not assume that you may lift and wipe your ball whenever it becomes dirty.
Under USGA Rule 14.1c, a ball lifted from the putting green may be cleaned. Elsewhere, several specific exceptions restrict cleaning.
The R&A’s Rule 14 guidance covers the same marking, lifting, cleaning, and replacing procedures.
So the towel is useful for a golf ball, but the Rules determine when cleaning is permitted.
Where Should You Hang a Center-Slit Golf Towel?
Hang it where you can reach it easily and where the ends stay clear of the ground. For most golfers, that means a club sitting high in the bag.
The exact position depends on whether you walk, use a push cart, or ride in a golf cart.
On a stand or carry bag
Keep the towel high enough that it does not drag when the bag rests on its legs. Long caddie towels can hang much lower than compact clipped towels.
Check the position while the bag is tilted, not only while it stands vertically.
On a cart bag
Place the towel where it remains accessible after the bag is strapped to the cart. Avoid burying it behind the bag strap.
I also keep the dirty end away from glove pockets and anything I want to keep clean.
What if you do not want it hanging from a club?
A center-slit towel is designed around a club-style attachment, but other towel formats offer different options.
| Towel example | Published size | Attachment | Practical difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club Glove Microfiber Caddie Towel | 17 × 40 in. | Center slit | Large towel hangs over a club without a clip. |
| Frogger Amphibian Towel | 14 × 14 in. | D-clip carabiner | Clips directly to a bag, cart, or suitable loop. |
| Frogger Amphibian Rain Hood Towel | 20 × 20 in. | D-clip carabiner | Uses a clip and wet/dry construction rather than a center slit. |
The best attachment is the one you will reach without thinking. A towel that stays buried in a pocket does little good when your wedge comes back covered with wet grass.
Section Takeaway: Keep a center-slit towel high, reachable, and clear of the ground. The correct location matters more than making the towel look perfectly arranged.
What Mistakes Should You Avoid With a Golf Towel?
The biggest mistake is treating the entire towel as one dirty cleaning surface. Once every section becomes wet and muddy, you lose the dry fabric needed for grips and final drying.
A simple wet-side and dry-side routine solves most problems.
Do not soak the whole towel
Dampen only the amount you need for club cleaning. Keeping part of the towel dry makes it far more useful over 18 holes.
Do not let the towel drag
A long towel can collect sand, mud, fertilizer, and moisture if it touches the ground. Check its height after placing the bag on a stand or cart.
Do not force a club through a small grommet
A small reinforced hole is normally intended for attachment hardware. A center slit is much larger and specifically accommodates a clubhead.
Do not use the dirty club section on your grips
Keep mud and moisture away from the section used for grips or hands. A clean, dry grip is easier to manage than one you just wiped with the dirty end of your towel.
Do not forget to wash it
Remove loose debris and follow the towel manufacturer’s washing instructions. Club Glove, for example, specifies cold water with mild detergent for its microfiber caddie towel.
Avoid leaving a wet, dirty towel sealed in a golf bag for long periods. Letting it dry after the round makes your next setup easier.
Do not overlook what a towel can be used for in practice
A towel can also work as a simple training aid when used under proper instruction. PGA of America publishes coaching material that includes towel-based practice drills.
Pro tip: If you are using a towel for swing-path or contact drills rather than cleaning equipment, work with a PGA professional or another qualified instructor when possible.
Golf Towel With a Hole in the Middle FAQs
Why does my golf towel have a hole in the center?
The opening is usually a center slit designed to fit over a golf club. Passing the clubhead through the slit allows the towel to hang from the shaft without a carabiner, snap, or separate towel ring.
Which club should I put a center-slit towel on?
Use a club that sits securely and keeps the towel high enough to avoid the ground. The exact club is less important than accessibility and clearance, and you can move the towel before using that club.
Should I put the golf towel over my putter?
You can if the towel fits safely and does not interfere with the putter or other clubs. However, many golfers prefer a taller club that keeps a long towel higher and easier to reach.
Should a golf towel be wet or dry?
Keeping both options is more useful. Lightly dampen one portion for clubface cleaning and reserve another portion for drying clubs, grips, or hands.
Can I clean my golf ball with my towel?
Yes, when the Rules of Golf allow the ball to be cleaned. A ball lifted from the putting green may be cleaned, while Rule 14.1c identifies situations elsewhere where cleaning is restricted.
Is the center hole supposed to have a clip?
Usually not when it is a large center slit. Small reinforced grommet holes commonly accept clips, while a wide central opening is designed for the clubhead itself to pass through.
How do I stop a long golf towel from falling off?
Feed the clubhead completely through the center slit and let the shaft settle into the opening. Also check that the towel hangs freely instead of being caught between clubs, straps, or pockets.
The simple rule is this: clubhead through the center slit, damp section for cleaning, dry section for finishing.
Once you set it up that way, a towel with a hole in the middle becomes one of the easiest accessories on your bag to use. Keep it reachable, keep part of it dry, and clean it regularly.