A golf umbrella protects golfers from the rain and the sun. It is designed to be much larger than a standard umbrella, to protect both the golfer and his or her cart. While originally designed for the golfer on the course, it is also used by non-golfers in cities and elsewhere to provide better protection than smaller umbrellas that might not fully protect against the rain.

Most golf umbrellas measure between 60 and 65 inches (about 152 and 165 cm), and some are as large as 70 inches (about 178 cm). To keep the golf umbrella from being too heavy, it is generally made with a shaft fashioned out of fiberglass. The golf umbrella's spreaders are also made out of this material. Other than being lightweight, another advantage to using fiberglass is that it renders the golf umbrella lightning resistant.

The large size and sturdiness of the canopy of the golf umbrella helps prevent strong winds from turning the umbrella inside out. An ergonomic handle is another important feature, since a golfer will want to make sure that his or her hand is kept in a natural position while holding it. Gripping the golf umbrella shouldn't make the hand cramp as this could affect the golfer's swing.