I was inspired to create this pattern by my golfer brother and his birthday: St. Patrick’s Day. This also fell right around the time The Players 2026 was happening.
I always have a good idea for gifts maybe 3-5 days before I need to deliver it, just like this project happened upon me.
Right around March 10, I was out for a morning walk, listening to a podcast about how messy action is better than constant planning, and I finally had a flash of inspiration for a gift for my Irish-descended, avid golfer, shamrock-shake-obsessed brother’s birthday. A waffle crochet golf towel with a shamrock appliqué.
If I’m friends with you, I swear I’m trying to be better at giving gifts in a timely fashion.
The good news: I landed on a pattern and product I’m proud of. Machine washable, with waffle-texture that’s great for keeping clubs clean on course. Plus it celebrates my favorite golfer, Rory McIlroy, and his back-to-back Masters wins.
The bad news: it took a fair amount of trial and error to get the pattern right with getting the shamrock how and where I wanted it, experimenting on the edges, and then weave in the ends.
(Am I the only one who doesn’t finish projects because it means I HAVE TO WEAVE IN THE ENDS?! Ugggh rage. But I digress.)
So here we are two months later, and my brother does not have his towel yet or know it exists. Whoops. It’s going in the mail tomorrow, I promise.
But all that trial and error wasn’t for naught! Excited to bring this pattern formally into the world. Enjoy!
materials
US F Hook / 3.75mm
#2 Fine Weight Cotton Yarn in two colors. I used:
Color A: JubileeYarn Minnesota Cotton Select in Shamrock
Color B: Honestly. No idea. It was scrap yarn from another project. Also cotton and #2 weight.
Scissors
Yarn Needle to weave in ends
Preferred blocking method of choice – I used the hairdryer method.
abbreviations
CH: chain
DC: Double Crochet
FPDC: Front Post Double Crochet
ST / STs: Stitch, stitches
pattern notes
Gauge:
7 waffles = 4” wide
7 waffles = 4” tall
Finish size when laying flat: 16”w x 22”t
the pattern
Starting Chain: With Color A (Shamrock), create a slip knot and chain 83 stitches. Turn.
Row 1: In the third stitch from the hook, double crochet.
Continue to double crochet to the end (81 DCs) and turn.
Row 2: Chain 2 – this does not count as your first DC – and DC in this very first stitch.
*FPDC around the post of the next DC.
DC in the next two stitches.*
Repeat from * to * until the last two stitches.
FPDC, then DC.
Turn!
Row 3: Chain 2 and DC in the very first stitch.
DC in next two stitches.
*FPDC in the next two stitches.
DC in the next stitch.*
Repeat the *2 FPDC and 1 DC* until you have one stitch left
DC.
Turn!
Repeat Row 2 and 3 until you are at 22″ long when laid flat. You should end on a Row 2 – cut yarn and pull through the final DC.
To Finish: Take a deep breath and weave in ends.
To make the Shamrock: I found this very cute pattern from Golden Lucy Crafts, and used Color A to create it. Once the shamrock was complete, I slip stitched in Color B to create an outline. Swapping back to Color A, I sewed it onto the bottom right corner of the towel. Weave in some more ends!
Block using your preferred method.
To attach to a golf bag, I used this carabiner-magnet style golf clip from Amazon, and hooked the carabiner through the open waffle in the upper left corner.