Most golf headcovers only need a wipe with a damp cloth and a little mild soap to lift marks. Many fabric headcovers can go through the washing machine on a delicate cycle if the care label allows it, while leather should only ever be wiped. Whatever the material, the headcover must be completely dry before it goes back on the club.
Headcovers pick up mud, grass stains and the general grime of a season without anyone noticing. This guide covers how to clean each common material, how to dry them properly, and how to keep them cleaner in the first place.
How often should you clean a golf headcover?
Clean a headcover when it's visibly marked, and give it a proper clean once or twice a season. There's no need to wash it after every round.
Spot cleaning as you go does most of the work. A mark wiped off the same day comes away easily. The same mark left for a month sets into the fabric.
A fuller clean makes sense at natural breaks: the end of the summer, before the clubs go away for winter, or before a new season. It's also worth doing after a particularly muddy or wet spell, when grime has worked into the fabric.
The lining needs attention too. The inside of the headcover is what sits against your driver's crown. If grit builds up in there, the headcover can mark the club it's meant to protect.
How do you spot clean a headcover?
Use a soft cloth, warm water and a small amount of mild soap. Work gently on the mark rather than scrubbing.
- Brush off loose dirt first. Let mud dry, then brush it away with a soft brush or your fingers. Wiping wet mud tends to spread it.
- Dampen a cloth. Use warm water and a drop of mild soap or washing-up liquid. The cloth should be damp, not soaking.
- Work the mark gently. Dab or wipe in small circles. Seamus Golf's care guide recommends brushing "gently in a circle with a soft-bristled brush" or dabbing "with a soft cotton cloth".
- Rinse the area. Go over it again with a cloth dampened in clean water to lift any soap.
- Let it dry fully. Leave it off the club until it's completely dry inside and out.
Test any cleaner on a hidden patch first, such as near the inside rim, to make sure it doesn't affect the colour.
Can you put a headcover in the washing machine?
Often, yes, if it's a fabric headcover and the care label doesn't say otherwise. Use a delicate cycle at a low temperature, and never machine wash leather.
I mostly just wipe mine down when there are marks on them. But as long as they're on a delicate wash, you can get away with putting fabric headcovers in the washing machine. A mesh laundry bag helps protect the shape, and a low spin means less creasing.
Check the label before you do. Different fabrics, linings and constructions respond differently, and the manufacturer knows its own product best. If there's no label and you're unsure, stick to spot cleaning.
Skip the tumble dryer. Let the headcover dry naturally, and reshape it while it's damp so it dries in the right form.
How do you clean different headcover materials?
The method depends on the outer material. Here's how to treat the most common ones.
Knit and wool. These are the most delicate. Hand wash in cool water with a gentle wool detergent, or use a wool cycle if the label allows. Don't wring them, because wool stretches when wet. Press the water out with a towel and dry the headcover flat.
Sherpa and fleece. Spot clean with a damp cloth, or use a delicate wash if the label allows. The pile is the part to look after. Once the headcover is dry, run your fingers or a soft brush through the pile to lift it. Good sherpa recovers well. Cheaper fleece can mat flat after washing, and a matted pile is hard to bring back.
Woven fabrics such as tartan and houndstooth. Dense woven fabrics are among the easiest to clean. Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild soap. Because the pattern is woven into the fabric rather than printed on the surface, careful cleaning won't lift or crack it the way it can with a printed design.
Leather and synthetic leather. Never soak or machine wash. Wipe with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, dry with a soft towel straight away, then let it air dry. Real leather benefits from an occasional leather conditioner to stop it drying out and cracking.
Linings. Most linings can't be reached easily, especially in a structured headcover. Shake out any grit, then wipe inside with a barely damp cloth. A soft lining such as microfiber velvet is easy to keep clean this way.
How should you dry a headcover?
Dry it off the club, fully, before it goes back on. A damp headcover on a driver traps moisture against the clubhead.
Titleist's club care guidance is direct about this: "Storing golf clubs in wet headcovers can lead to rust and corrosion and may not be covered by the warranty." It recommends that "your golf clubs and headcover be completely dry before storage."
Seamus Golf suggests hanging a wet headcover or laying it flat to dry "as soon as you can", and stuffing it with crumpled newspaper to draw moisture out of the inside. The newspaper also helps a structured headcover hold its shape while it dries.
Give it longer than you think. The outside of a headcover can feel dry while the lining and seams are still damp. Leave it overnight before it goes back on the club.
How can you keep headcovers cleaner in the first place?
Keep them off the ground. Most of the dirt on a headcover comes from being dropped on a wet tee or a muddy path while the club is out.
When I take a headcover off, it goes on top of the golf bag, or over the top of my alignment stick cover. That sticks out a little further than the clubs, so it's easy to slot the headcover over it. It stays clean, and I always know where it is. Our guide to how to stop losing your headcover covers a few more places that work.
Bad weather is the other thing to manage. A headcover that gets soaked and then sits in a damp bag will pick up a musty smell and can lose its shape. Our guide to what to do with your clubs after a wet round covers that.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wash a headcover with the rest of my laundry?
It's better to wash it on its own or with similar delicate items, on a gentle cycle with a mesh bag. Heavy items in the same load can crush the shape or rough up the pile.
How do I get a smell out of a golf headcover?
Wash or spot clean it as normal, then make sure it dries completely. Musty smells usually come from a headcover that stayed damp, so drying it properly after wet rounds stops the smell coming back.
Should I clean my driver before putting a clean headcover back on?
Yes. Wipe the clubhead with a damp cloth and dry it. Titleist recommends mild soap and water and then drying "with a soft cotton cloth". There's no point putting a clean headcover on a gritty club.
Looking after a headcover for years
A good headcover should still look right after several seasons. Most of that comes down to keeping it off the ground and drying it properly, rather than how often it's washed.
Our driver headcovers are lined in microfiber velvet and made from fabrics chosen to hold up: sherpa fleece on The Bothy, and woven houndstooth and tartan on The Greenside and The Heritage. Before the clubs go away for the colder months, read our guide to storing golf clubs over winter.