I Tried Golf’s Most Viral Gadget. It Really Surprised Me

One afternoon, I was minding my own business scrolling through Instagram and I came across a golf product that I ordered immediately.

Admittedly, I am prone to impulse golf purchases. However, I don’t remember ever pulling out the credit card this fast for any other purchase.

I attribute my “ParWalker, take my money!” response to a perfect combination of cleverness, playability and mom-and-pop shop production. Maybe it was just the name.

How could I not buy a golf gadget called The Dangler?

In the summers, I walk the course

I’ve mentioned it in previous articles but I like to walk with my bag on my back during the summer rounds. It started last summer with me wondering if I could carry and survive the round. As it turned out, I enjoyed the walk and played well.

Since then, I’ve shifted my gear toward improving my carrying experience. I play a lighter Vessel Player Carbon Air bag and I make sure not to pack unnecessary gear like dozens of golf balls.

For my off-course training, I now walk/jog in my neighborhood with a 20-pound GORUCK Weighted Vest. Yes, that was challenging initially, but I can tell it makes a difference in terms of strength and endurance.

Through a combination of bag and body work, the bag-on-back rounds are proving easier and easier as the summer progresses.

Golf should be fun

Although it may sound like I am taking my golf very seriously these days, I am not. The central golf theme for me is that I play for fun. Not that offhanded “winning is fun” bullshit, either.

I play to socialize with my friends. We celebrate the good shots and trash talk the bad ones. Ideally, I remember the camaraderie and forget what I shot by the time I get home.

(If I remember my score, it probably was not a good one.)

This quote from their blog let me know that ParWalker and I shared a similar mindset.

Golf is a lot like life — you plan your shot, take your swing, and then you deal with where the ball lands (hopefully not in the rough!). The walk between shots is where you actually live the round.

That’s the idea ParWalker was built on. Not the golf swing. The walk.

Spilled sodas summon sadness

That is where The Dangler enters the picture. One of the problems with casual carrying is that you lack a safe place to store your open container. It’s going to spill if you place it anywhere except in your hand.

When you go to take your shot, you’ll likely need to set that $10 adult soda on the grass. This can lead to unpleasant knock-over and/or abandonment situations.

Neither of those situations adds fun to a round.

With The Dangler, you have a place to secure your beverage. You’ll never abandon it in the rough or accidentally kick it over again.

Simplicity is the secret

ParWalker went through six prototypes to come up with the final version of The Dangler. The goal was to make a cupholder for the walking golfer. Although it sounds like a simple goal, there is more involved than one might think.

Consider that the beverage needs to remain spill-free when the bag is lifted and set on the ground. Obviously, having beer splash down your legs as you walk is not acceptable, either. Holding a can was just one piece of a complex puzzle.

What they finally produced was a product that is simple to use and amazingly effective.

Using The Dangler

The Dangler is so simple to use. First, you remove it from the included carrying case. Next you extend the central shaft and rotate the basket 90 degrees. Finally, just clip it on your bag and you are ready to carry your Cutwater.

To eliminate spills, ParWalker does recommend that you take the first sip from your beverage before placing the can in the holder. That’s not a big ask. Who doesn’t take the first sip before placing a can in a cupholder?

From there, you just walk and The Dangler will keep your beverage secured. It reminds me a bit of the swivel cupholders you find on speedboats. It moves as you move, keeping the can level.

At the end of your round, unhook it, fold it up and pack it back in the bag.

The highest praise I can give The Dangler is that I forgot it was there as I walked the course. Any added weight is not noticeable nor is the slight swing of the holder as it moves back and forth to stay level.

The Dangler accommodates multiple can sizes. Skinny, standard and pint cans all stayed secure. The only thing that I didn’t try was a 24-ounce can. I think those may be too big. After my next king can purchase, I’ll report back.

Occasionally during play, I wished I could reach my beverage while I was walking. The Dangler hangs too low for access while walking. Ultimately, this was a non-issue as taking a sip before or after walking to my ball worked just fine.

$40 well spent

Unlike many other impulse purchases, I feel no buyer’s remorse regarding The Dangler. The $39.99 price tag did initially give me a bit of pause but the product seemed so perfect for the walking golfer that I had to give it a shot.

Once I discovered the story behind the ParWalker brand, I worried less about the $40 risk. Even if The Dangler ended up a bust, I felt good knowing that my money would at least helping ParWalker grow.

Thankfully, The Dangler is a great product. It transitioned from golf novelty to golf staple in a single round. Maybe even by the end of the first hole. Now that I’ve used it, I can’t imagine not having it attached to my bag.

If you are really hung up on the $40 price, think of other situations when you can use it. You can probably also attach The Dangler to a stroller or even to the waistband of your jeans while you walk the dog. The non-golf use of The Dangler is limited only by your creativity.

For those of you who are wondering, I didn’t stress test The Dangler to failure. That said, I see nothing so far that makes me question its longevity. Just remember to remove it before you toss your bag in the trunk and you should be fine.

The Dangler addresses a need on the course, is made by real people, and only costs $40. If you are a walking golfer, you’ll want to pick one of these up.

Head on over to ParWalker and get your hands on The Dangler at ParWalker.com