Markers look like the simplest promotional item in golf. Four decisions separate one that is still in a pocket next season from one that is not.

Start with the finish

Die-struck enamel puts the colour in recessed cells with raised metal lines around it, so wear lands on metal.

A printed marker under a clear dome takes that wear on the dome, which hazes with scratches and yellows in prolonged sun. Choose it only when the artwork genuinely cannot be built from separated colours.

Ask about the magnet, not just the clip

A weak magnet loses markers. A very strong one pulls the clip off the cap when the marker is removed.

Ask what strength has been fitted and whether it was matched to the clip. If the supplier cannot answer, they fitted whatever was in the drawer.

Ask for a gauge on the divot tool

Thin metal splays at the prongs and never recovers. “Heavy duty” is not a specification.

Also watch the design: a very slim body or a long thin prong will fail regardless of plating.

Keep the profile low

Other players putt over your marker. A thick chip marker is a genuine nuisance and gets left in the bag.

If you want the size of a chip, get one with a removable low-profile centre disc — that is the marker most golfers will actually place.

What to send when you ask for a quote

Artwork, quantity, whether it is going on a clip or a tool, and how it is being handed out. The last answer decides the packing, which on an event day matters more than the product.