These 4 BIFL products are the unsung heroes of my golf game

This year I celebrated perhaps the universe’s greatest indicator of childhood aging.

I ran out of Christmas presents to ask for.

As I’ve written quite extensively for this website, I’m a bit of a ruthless pragmatist. I have a passion for quality and… utility – trying to own only a few things, but to deeply value those things and use them often. I don’t make purchases easily or hastily, and I view brand loyalty as something that must be earned every day, not something that can be bought. (Why I remain a New York Giants fan despite these qualities is honestly beyond my comprehension.)

Maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised when my Christmas list included just two items: boxer shorts and socks. There has never been a more useful Christmas gift than underwear – never a gift that will so surely benefit the daily pursuits of life. And if you’re me, there’s never been more important Christmas gift to get because I’m an underwear snob.

It doesn’t make me happy to tell you that I regularly try to buy underwear with sky-high price tags. It gives me no joy to tell you that I know all about the latest and greatest technology in socks and underwear. But it’s inevitably true, and at Christmas this year socks and underwear brought a smile to my face, because these four products are unavoidably and undeniably wonderful – exactly the kind of high-quality, long-lasting, high-quality products that make me glad to be alive. I’ve used these products to get through even the hottest and roughest days on the golf course in (comparative) comfort, so I can vouch for their usefulness as a golf product, but I’ve also used them pretty much every day of my life out the course, so I can vouch for their resilience and cordiality in all of life’s other endeavors, such as hiking, skiing, walking, running, dancing at weddings and, on rare occasions, sleeping. If you’re smart, all four will soon be part of your wardrobe.

4. Damn cool merino wool hiking socks

I can hear you now.

“Walking socks for golf? What a loser!”

I can also tell you what I know, which is that merino wool is God’s gift for sock making. It’s actually the material of the highest quality for sweat wicking and temperature regulation known to man, and a Good Merino wool socks can be worn in temperatures from the 90s to 20s without any second thoughts.

Why Damn tough Merino wool hiking socks versus the competition? Well, only because Darn Tough is the kind of American brand that delivers on its money and offers a lifetime warranty on every sock purchased.

Do you find yourself darning your socks at night like Eleanor Rigby? Send Darn Tough an email or call and they will send you a label to get a new pair back.

Yes, the price tag is higher than other sock brands. And yes, you should be sure to wear golf shoes that hide the dark colors (if you like a monochromatic look, I don’t). But the quality of the product is second to none (and their regular white sock varieties, especially the higher cushion variety, are just as reliable).

3. Lululemon Always in Motion Boxer Shorts

Four years ago, Delta Airlines made the serious mistake of losing my luggage on the way to Europe, which resulted in my first visit to Lululemon for a pair of Always In Motion boxers.

I had seen the boxers online before and, like most Lulu products, was generally impressed by the exorbitant price tag. But I was in trouble and decided to pull the trigger.

A month later I bought two more pairs. And then three more. And then five couples. And then, finally, one day I looked at my wardrobe and realized that the Always In Motion boxers were actually the only thing I owned.

Four years later, I still own that first pair. Since that first day with Lulu, they haven’t slowed down a bit, and neither have their siblings.

Lululemon Always In Motion Boxer Shorts (5-pack)

The good things. These boxer shorts have an ergonomic design and super soft, quick-drying fabric for total comfort during exercise or on the go.

2. Skims 5 inch cotton briefs

Kardashian-approved products aren’t exactly my first priority as a consumer, and in fact it’s probably fair to suggest that I wouldn’t orient my life around such products even if they became the predominant form of currency in the wake of nuclear Armageddon.

But I enjoy a good pair of boxers, damn it, and the Skims cotton 5-inch briefs are just that.

While Lulu briefs are great because of the durable synthetic material, Skims are pretty much the gold standard for cotton briefs. The design is so comfortable that it often betrays the material and leaves you behind feeling like you’re wearing something decidedly younger than plain old cotton.

Skims 5-inch cotton boxer shorts (3-pack)

Say goodbye to chafing and hello to your new favorite underwear with this 3-pack of boxer shorts. Made from our unmistakably soft, mid-weight cotton, these briefs give you a snug fit that lets you breathe.

1. Feetures Elite Max Cushion running socks

Another epic, high-quality, thick but not hot pair of socks that are perfectly capable in a wide range of elements and can be beaten to hell without the risk of falling apart. So nice that I wear them while writing this story.