The caddy golf towel and the tour golf towel both use a centre-slit design and cover similar ground on the course, but they are different products built for different conditions. The caddy format is a full-length 55x105cm cotton towel: maximum surface area, maximum absorbency per wipe, the format used on tour for competitive play in all weather. The tour format is a mid-length 40x100cm microfibre towel: lighter, faster drying, and better suited to walking rounds in moderate conditions. The right choice depends on how often you play, what conditions you play in, and whether you walk or ride.
Size and Surface Area
The caddy towel at 55x105cm provides approximately 58% more total surface than the tour format at 40x100cm. That additional surface area matters across 18 holes because both halves of the towel are in continuous use: one damp for cleaning, one dry for finishing. As the round progresses, each half becomes progressively less effective as it absorbs more moisture and debris. More total surface means more usable material available by the time you reach the back nine.
On a wet round, where clubs pick up mud and grass on every iron shot, the surface area difference is pronounced. A smaller towel can reach saturation before the 14th hole on a heavy day. A caddy towel, used correctly, holds enough dry material to clean through 18 holes without both halves becoming equally wet.
Material: Cotton vs Microfibre
The caddy towel uses 550GSM 100% cotton. The tour towel uses 400GSM waffle microfibre. These materials perform differently in ways that matter on the course.
Cotton holds more water per wipe than microfibre at equivalent GSM because the fibre structure of cotton is naturally hollow and draws moisture into the fibre body. A 550GSM cotton towel absorbs a full wipe's worth of water in one pass without re-contact.
Microfibre at 400GSM with a waffle weave cleans more efficiently per wipe for dry debris: grass particles, dry mud, sand. The split-filament structure of microfibre grips fine particles mechanically. It also dries faster between wipes because the channel structure of the waffle weave allows airflow.
Cotton and microfibre absorb moisture through different mechanisms. Cotton fibres are naturally hydrophilic: the fibre structure draws water in by capillary action. Microfibre relies on the massive surface area created by splitting each filament into dozens of micro-strands. A single microfibre thread contains dozens of filaments, each of which holds moisture on its surface. In heavy rain, cotton's bulk absorption handles more water per wipe. In dry conditions with fine debris, microfibre's filament grip picks up more per pass.
Attachment Method
Both formats use a reinforced centre-slit with a hanging loop. The setup method is identical: thread through a club neck, alignment stick, or bag loop, with both halves hanging free. The difference is in how each format drapes.
The caddy towel at 55x105cm hangs lower on the bag. On a standing bag, this is fine. On a walking bag, the lower edge of a full-length caddy towel can approach ground level, particularly on shorter bag designs. The drape-through method (threading through club necks rather than draping over the bag top) keeps it higher and avoids ground contact.
The tour towel at 40x100cm sits higher on the bag when set up the same way, making it the easier choice for walking rounds where ground clearance matters.
On-Course Performance Comparison
| Scenario | Caddy Format | Tour Format |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive or medal rounds | First choice | Works well |
| Walking round, dry to moderate | Good | First choice |
| Buggy or electric trolley round | First choice | Works well |
| Walking round, wet UK conditions | First choice | Good |
| Light Sunday bag | Heavy for some | First choice |
| Year-round all-weather play | First choice | Good |
Which Should You Choose?
Choose the caddy format if you play regularly, compete, or play in wet conditions. The extra surface and cotton absorbency mean you finish the round with a functional towel rather than a saturated one.
Choose the tour format if you walk a light bag, play predominantly in dry summer conditions, or prefer a lighter setup. The microfibre dries faster and the shorter length is easier to manage on a walking bag.
Both formats attach the same way and both maintain a wet and dry zone system across the round. The decision comes down to conditions and bag setup rather than a performance hierarchy. For a detailed breakdown of the material differences, see our guide on microfibre vs cotton golf towels. For context on why GSM matters across both formats, see the golf towel GSM guide.
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All three formats are compared by dimension in the golf towel size guide.
