Look what’s
under the tree!
Golf gifts for 2004
By Kiel Christianson,
Senior Writer
(Dec. 6, 2004) – Two and a half weeks until Christmas. Well, it’s a bit early for me personally to start thinking about shopping, but I know there are those traditionalists out there who feel like the gifts actually have to be under the tree by Christmas morning to make it seem like a holiday, so here we go.
Books
As partial to the written word as I am, books are always my first choice for gifts. Here are two brand new future classics.
When Golf is a Ball: A Lifetime of Fun and Adventure in the Game by Dr. Gary Wiren (Clock Tower Press or golfaroundtheworld.com, $23). Dr. Wiren is not only one of the most well-respected golf teachers in the world, he is also one of the most widely traveled and best educated. This book is a compilation of anecdotes about famous players, fellow pros, his own travels, and his own golf philosophy. The sections are short, snappy, and as addictive as Pringles; you can’t read just one.
Old
Man and the Tee by Turk Pipkin (St. Martin’s Press, $25). Pipkin
is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer for publications as far afield
as Golf Digest and Playboy.
In short: Pipkin a writer’s writer who can spin a good yarn just as easily
out of cobwebs and duct tape as fine silk. This is the story of how he
rededicated himself to the game in the memory of his late father. Pipkin,
like all of us at one time or another, had to remind himself how great
the game is. To do so, he spent a year trying to shave ten strokes off
his 16 handicap. Much harder than getting a big fish in a boat, and more
entertaining.
Apparel
It’s nice to look cool (and dry) on the links
Sun Mountain's Stormtight collection includes a waterproof, breathable short-sleeve rain shirt and rain vest. Stormtight Short Sleeve is a half-zip pullover that offers guaranteed waterproof protection with the comfort of short sleeves (MSRP $80). Stormtight Vest is a waterproof, breathable half-zip pullover offering total freedom of motion ($70).
For
that special two-ball partner in your life, golf clothing doesn’t get
much hipper than Lija by Linda Hipp (lijastyle.com).
Vancouver, Canada-based designer Linda Hipp, Lija (pronounced lee-zha)
is golf’s most fashion-forward, upscale women’s apparel line. Lija allows
creative, independent women to look feminine and feel comfortable on-
and off-course. The fastest growing brand in women’s golf, Lija’s 2005
Collection features 160 fun, trend-setting pieces found in more than 750
retailers in North America, including Marshall Fields and Nordstrom.
Bags
The one piece of golf gear you can actually buy for someone else is a bag. They don’t have to swing it to make sure it fits.
Burton
Golf (burtongolf.com) has just introduced the Club-Lok bag (MSRP
$190), which promises to protect your clubs from theft. You’d be amazed
how many clubs get stolen each year, including those of Tour Pros. Nancy
Lopez recently had her sticks swiped from an airline flight. The Club-Lok
system is not the first
locking golf bag, but it appears to be the most secure (stay tuned
for a full review), and it looks really cool.
So you have your clubs all locked in the Club-Lok, but you still need a travel bag to keep the clubheads from getting dinged. If you want to travel in style – the style of many Tour Pros – you can’t do better than Club Glove’s Last Bag (MSRP $249). This soft-sided (think easy storage) yet extremely heavy-duty travel bag is both easy to maneuver and solid as a rock. (Keep an eye out for a full review!)
Big Ticket Item
How good have you been this year? If you deserve one of these, you’ve been downright saintly!
SofTrak
Putting Greens (unitedturf.com, (877) MY-GREEN) are high-performance,
low-maintenance synthetic putting greens offered exclusively by Wichita,
Kansas-based United Turf Industries. These very realistic greens hold
shots from as far out as 125 yards and are virtually maintenance free.
Owners of SofTrak greens include PGA (Fred Couples, Steve Flesch), Champions
(Bruce Lietzke) and LPGA (Donna Andrews) Tour players. Costs range between
$5,000 and $75,000, depending on green size and shape.
Socking Stuffers
Golf should be fun. So should golf gifts.
Golf Rules Quick Reference Stroke Play Guide ($9, golfrulesmadeeasy.com)
is a handy, easy-to-read guide to the rules of the game that promises
to take five strokes off your score just by using the rules to your advantage.
(Raise your hand if you can take off seven by not paying attention to
the rules at all.)
Minnesota-based
BogeyPro (bogeypro.com) produces perhaps the most creative
golf gifts on the market. Founder Arik Nordby is an advertising guy by
trade, and it shows in the instantly likeable, imminently memorable golf
balls (Zero Distance, No Spin, and Poor Control – all of which are actually
decent balls made by Wilson), tee shirts (which diagram the best way to
break a club or throw your entire bag), and tournament prize packs (Underachiever
Awards, Loudest Profanity, Most Balls Lost). This stuff is a hoot!
From all of us at TravelGolf.com, may your holidays be filled with love, and your next scorecard be filled with birdies.
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
STICKS
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