Golf Style: Persistent Perceptions of Sartorial Shortcomings

The Boys of the Bad Pants Open

A reputation, once it becomes ingrained in the minds of the masses, can be almost impossible to shake... and golf, over the years, has developed a sartorial reputation that's decidedly sordid.

Thanks to decades of garish polyester pants, generations of dorky saddle shoes and endless incidents of argyle abuse, golf fashion has become a joke in the minds of many... with Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack as its poster boy.  The perception persists, particularly among those who don't follow the sport, despite the wealth of sophisticated golf styles available today from top designers and a roster of young golf stars with who could hold their own on the runways of Paris as well as the fairways of Augusta National.

"Golf style is an oxymoron along the lines of airline food or congressional ethics."

So began a review of Nike's new Dunk NG Golf Shoes in Freshness, a new style/trend/consumer publication that addresses itself to a discerning community of global consumers.  The shoes, which were recently released in Japan, are of the popular street shoe/casual/sneaker-like variety, in other words, the antithesis of the aforementioned dorky saddle shoes and the review, after beginning with that inauspicious comparison ended on an optimistic note:

"... the brand is doing what it can to rehabilitate golf’s image. This Dunk NG, equipped with Scorpion Stinger Spikes and Tri-LOK system, features a crisp White/Court Green-Black colorway that injects a modicum of street style to the gentleman’s game. They still don’t make golf cool, but it’s a start."

The reviewer... by the sounds of it... isn't much into golf, and his perceptions are probably pretty representative of the non-golfing public in general.  For those of us more immersed in the sport - as spectators or players - it may be unsettling to think that despite the best efforts of designers like Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste and Ralph Lauren... and even with stars like Ricky Fowler, Rory McIlroy and Ryo Ishikawa... golf, in the minds of many, still isn't considered cool.

Of Impressive Golf Trophies and Amazing Wedding Cakes

The sky blue Wedgwood cup that Hunter Mahan won yesterday at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship, is one of golf's most distinctive trophies.

Named after golden age golf legend Walter Hagen, it will be the second piece of Wedgwood on Mr. Mahan's trophy shelf.

in 2010 Mahan won the WGC Bridgestone Invitational, and took home the yellow-and-black Wedgwood Gary Player Cup.  You see, each of the four World Golf Championship events boasts  a distinctive Wedgwood trophy.  They're all  designed in a variation of the distinctive Jasperware style, inspired by cameo glass and embellished with ancient roman motifs ... and each bears the name of a famous golfer. 

After winning in Arizona yesterday Mahan suggested that it would be nice to have all four of the WGC trophies eventually. In the meantime there's an impressive new trend in wedding cake design based on the same Portland blue Jasperware style that inspired the Accenture trophy... and an astounding variety of towering Wedgwood cakes can be found on the websites of wedding planners and lifestyle experts.

As you may know Hunter Mahan married his beautiful wife Kandi just last year.  But if the couple should decide to renew their vows, they may wish to select a blue and white color scheme... and a cake to match their latest trophy.

Of Pin-up Models, Calendar Contests and Golf's Top Dogs

When someone says "golf pin-up" or "golf calendar model" it generally brings to mind images like like this.  Or perhaps, this.

In other words you picture a shapely lady in a revealing outfit... with maybe a golf club or two in the mix. Anything else is optional/irreverent.

Well, earlier today I discovered a different kind of "golf pin-up". One with a slightly less libidinous aesthetic.

TurfNet.com is a site for the superintendents, the often under-heralded professionals who manage the labor, time, materials and financial resources needed to care for the fairways and greens of the courses we play on.  In addition the tutorials, job boards and equipment listings, there are myriad blogs and articles that provide an interesting and enlightening look and the extraordinary effort required to keep even the most modest golf courses up to par.  It's a fascinating glimpse into the multi-faceted world of a profession that we golfers depend on for our favorite recreational activity... but one most of us know very little about.

Then there's the calendar... and this is a feature that totally transcends golf.

"Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, Hedy Lamarr... and Tank; just a few of history's most popular pin-up models." 

That's how the TurfNet Superintendent's Best Friend Calendar's call for models is presented, and every year since 2002, 14 fabulous golf course dogs have been selected to grace the pages of this very special calendar.  The 2012 nominees are presented in their own video, and there are numerous other videos in the site's TurfNetTV section that present all of the beguiling canines in their photogenic glory. The quality of the photos is, quite simply, amazing.  The variety of different breeds and the diversity of the courses they inhabit is remarkable, and the way the dogs pose... and project ownership of their respective domains... is enchanting.
 
So when you've got a bit of time to spare head over to TurfNet, and check out the awesome golf course dogs.  I guarantee they'll lift your spirits.

Golf History - The Double-Edged Sword of a Bittersweet Past

"Golf must change now"

The PGA of America's recently unveiled grow-the-game initiative, Golf 2.0, is based on that belief, and efforts to make the game more friendly, accessible and fun are already underway at courses and clubs across America.

The goals are lofty;  Golf 2.0 is aiming for a 50 percent increase in the U.S. golfer population by 2020, to upwards of 40 million.  Some say such goals are unrealistic, and that may be true, but they are the stated goals, and one thing that is clear is that a substantial part any increase be attracting, welcoming and retaining non-traditional golf consumers: minorities, women, families.  Hence the "Drive for Diversity" element.

As it did for many who love golf, the motivation behind Golf 2.0 resonated with me. It made me think about the things I love about the game, and how I might be able to communicate these elements  to new players... or perspective players.  That's where I came up against the double-edged sword.

There are the obvious attributes of golf... the camaraderie and the competition, the park-like settings... the things almost everyone can relate to,  but beyond those basics, there's a wide variety of places where golf lovers find the game's wonderment. However those places don't necessarily represent the most inclusive aspects of the game.  Take for example, golf history.

One of the things I really love l about the game is its unique history.  I savor stories of golf's golden age; stories about the creation of iconic courses, and the unlikely outcomes of early tournaments.  I also delight in photographs and illustrations that bring this early epoch to life.  However I realize that in sharing golf's proud, picturesque history one must also deal with its history of exclusion; The PGA’s “Caucasian Only” rule was on the books until 1961, and Augusta National didn't admit its first Black member until 1991.  Jews and Catholics have also faced discrimination, and women still can't become members of the cloistered club.  Ironically,  the very populations golf 2.0 is attempting to woo are likely to be "turned off" rather than inspired by the game's history.

In the recent wake Golf 2.0's launch, I came upon a series of articles written by corporate diversity expert, Andrés Tapia. In addition to his work with top corporations on diversity programs Tapia is a prominent speaker and author of, The Inclusion Paradox, a book about diversity and its relevance to business and organizational success.  The three part series, "Golf Mythology: What the “Gentlemen’s Game tells us about European American Culture”  is Tapia's exploration of the history of golf in America, and the game's strong bond with European-American corporate culture.  His overview allows one to imagine how certain exclusionary behaviors may have emerged to distort golf's aspirational ideals.

"...inclusion requires not only that we learn and know more about others, but also that we actually start by trying to learn more about ourselves."

To my mind that's most applicable and important takeaway for the advancement of Golf 2.0, and particularly its Drive for Diversity component, and when it comes to golf history, the past offers no shortage of inspiration for new golfers.  However they should probably be advised to avoid some of the fashion foibles that marked the game's early years. 

Sergio Garcia Seems to Have Found His Happy Place

Prowess at the poker table, talent on the tennis court and killer keepie uppy skills,  we've seen ample evidence of Sergio Garcia's alternate proficiencies.  But as we all know, the sometimes-tempestuous Spaniard plays golf for a living, though there were times these past couple of years, when he appeared to take little pleasure in the game. 

Today however, Señor Garcia seemed ready to handle whatever golf may throw at him as he raced up the leaderboard at Riviera Country Club with a best-of-the-week, seven-under-par 64 that included two eagles.  And... it's looking like the "best player never to win a major" may lose that undistinguished honor before too long.

Rising Commodity Prices & The Fate of a Popular Golf Course

Corn, it seems, is the culprit.

The U.S. government’s backing of corn-based ethanol has created steady demand for the classic mid-western crop and hastened a steep rise in the value of land that can produce it.  Rising global demand for grain certainly plays a role as well.

In Mason County, IL this is a welcome reversal of fortunes for families who struggled during the farm crisis, but it's putting one of the area's most popular golf courses at risk. 

Crane Creek Golf Course, a highly-rated 18 hole course in Kilbourne, will go one the auction block next week, part of 347 acres owned by Chicago-based St. Andrews Properties, Inc.

The property will be sold in five different tracts,  three of which contain the front nine holes, the back nine holes and the clubhouse. Those three would need to be purchased together in order to keep the golf course, and golfers across the state are hoping that happens, but there are also some major doubts. 

Ken Nofziger works for Murray Wise Associates, the firm in charge of the auction, and he speculates that the golf course may not be around for much longer, stating “Where commodity prices and land prices are today it wouldn’t be surprising if somebody stepped up and said we could make a lot of money if we convert it back to farmland."  Additional details on the precarious case of Crane Creek appear in this pjstar.com piece,

The auction will take place on Tuesday, February 21.

Back9 Network Brings a Postmodern Playbook to Golf

I'm guessing you're already onto this story, as it's being talked about all over the place: Golf's got a new network... and it's called Back9.

The Back9 Network has been in development for a while now - for those of us watching from behind the scenes the wait has sometimes seemed interminable - but creating a new network from the ground up is a massive undertaking, and now that the foundation's been methodically laid out for this multimedia golf lifestyle and entertainment destination, we're getting our first look at some of what's to come. 

With its mission, "to offer entertaining and edgy content that fuses the sport of golf with the exciting lifestyle that surrounds it",  Back9 is creating original content, a glimpse of which is presented in their launch video from the PGA Merchandise show a couple of weeks ago.  Clearly, it's the antithesis of elitist, stogy, sedate and other adjectives unflattering adjectives often associated with the game.

We the obsessive readers and writers of golf blogs... the passionate fans and players of a game we know has the potential to bring people together... have long lamented the lack of innovative golf media offerings.  In fact, it's precisely that "creative content deficit" that motivated many of the best independent golf bloggers to start writing about the game years ago.  Back9 Network is built upon that same motivation, and ready to take it to new level.  The network plans to be broadcasting by late spring, and delivery will be multi-platform, providing simultaneous distribution over the Internet and mobile devices. Follow Back9 on Facebook and Twitter for the latest.

Golden Age Golf Greetings on Valentine's Day

Golf Greetings is just one of my boards on Pinterest

The early part of the 20th Century is known as the "golden age of golf".  Many of the greatest courses in America were designed during those years by architects like Donald Ross and A.W. Tillinghast.

Apparently, it was also a fine time for the creation of whimsical golf greeting cards, among them this collection of golf Valentines.

Wishing you a romantic day with plenty of chocolate, and flowers... and perhaps even a round of golf with your sweetheart... or not. 

If you're both highly competitive it might be better to bypass the course today and opt for the candlelight dinner.

Of Spanish Golfers and an Oversized Arabian Coffee Pot

We've written about weird/wonderful golf trophies several times in the past, touching on the whimsicality of some and the creepiness of others.

One of the most impressive however, has got to be the massive Arabian coffee pot awarded to the winner of the Dubai Desert Classic.

This past week the gigantic carafe was on display again.  Throughout the week, it sat on the sidelines at Emirates Golf Club as a strong field of players battled it out on the course.

In the end it was Rafael Cabrera-Bello who won the pot trophy,  holding off a strong field that included Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer ...among others.  It was the third time... in three years... that a Spanish champion emerged victorious at this event.  You may remember our posts on the victories of Miguel Angel Jimenez and Alvaro Quiros who won in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

This year however, the win was Rafa's, and when the time came to kiss the trophy, he chose to bite it instead.  That's a Spanish thing too,  initiated by another athletic Rafa, tennis star Rafael Nadal.  Many have asked what the gesture signifies, and I don't really know the answer to that.  I just know it's caught on, and now professional and amateur athletes in various sports are doing it... all over the world.

The victory was undoubtedly a huge for Señor Cabrera-Bello who hasn't had a win since October 2009 at the Austrian Open.  It's a stellar start to his season... and the ginormous Arabian coffee pot looks like it was quite a mouthful.

Ryo Ishikawa's Six Days in the Snow, a Yearly Tradition

From the Arabian gulf to the the American West, last week saw many of the world's top golfers playing in places both arid and sun-drenched.

Such was definitely not the case for Ryo Ishikawa. Instead of a week in Abu Dhabi or Phoenix, the Japanese golfer hit the snow covered hills of Yuzawa, a winter resort in the mountains north of Tokyo.

The intense physical training of cross country camp has become a annual tradition for the Japan's top ranked golfer, and includes a number of rigorous challenges on the snow and in the gym, as well as mental coaching with emphasis on "relaxation of the mind to achieve high performance in tense situations."  That, and fact that this training takes place far from the fairways and greens, might explain the strategy behind Ishikawa's annual pilgrimage. After all, it wasn't long ago that Japan's young gun was described as far 'too intense' and too focused on golf. 

The change of venue will be short lived however, as Ryo now heads back to the US in hopes of earning a place at the 2012 Masters.  Currently ranked 53rd,  he'll need to be in the world's top 50 to assure himself a spot and... starting with the Northern Trust Open next week...  has a maximum of five events in which to do it.


Needless to say, we'll be pulling for him at each one.  Special thanks to awesome Japanese golf girl, @usagihiyoko for the regular Ryo-updates.

Naked at the Golf Course - A Naughty Fad Hits the Fairways

Remember planking?

About a year ago it was quite the fad.  For several months you couldn't go anywhere on the internet without running into the image of someone's rigid body, face down arms with arms their sides, in an incongruous location.  The craze was completely global, and for a while people were planking everywhere, from the Pyramids of Egypt to the floor of the NY public library. The more dexterous among them could be found perilously positioned in overhead luggage bins, on top of towering billboards and high in the branches of trees.  Golf courses presented creative plankers with numerous options, as well. 

However like most internet memes, planking's popularity was short lived, and after spawning some interesting off-shoots, ( teapotting - owling - Tebowing) it's settled into internet oblivion where it will languish while other fads step up to enjoy their fifteen minutes. So along comes... Dogging.

In fact, dogging's been around for quite a while, but it now seems poised to reach planking-like levels of popularity.  With dogging, the supposedly staid and solicitous Brits have taken things to a naughty new level, and they've got one golf course doing some emergency reputation management.

Dogging... in a nutshell... is a variation on planking that incorporates sex, nudity and some very social networking.  Also included are elements of swinging and voyeurism... all in the great outdoors.  As with planking, the object is to produce a photograph... or video... that will ultimately be posted to the internet.  But an effective "dogging post" must illustrate a sexual situation, either with nudity or with something a bit more graphic blatantly pornographic. Unlike planking no particular body position is required, though, not surprisingly, some degree of rigidity is often featured in dogging posts.

Once practiced almost exclusively in cars at rural parks, or on isolated lover's lanes, dogging has transcended those cloistered confines and is now taking place in public parks, suburban parking lots, on village lanes... and on golf courses.  Till now, most of the "golf dogging" was done on anonymous fairways or in ubiquitous pot bunkers, but last week Lincoln Golf Center in Thorpe-on-the-Hill, found itself in a rather embrassing position when a curvaceous female dogger boldly flaunted her assets in front of their facility's sign... and then posted photographic proof on her "dogging profile page".  Not to be outdone, several of her fellow doggers made a beeline for the golf center and posted similar shots. Now the family-friendly course is scrambling to "clean things up".  Hopefully legitimate patrons will understand the situation and continue to patronize the center.  Meanwhile, with evidence that dogging is finding its way to the US,  course owners here may want to stay alert to avoid their own dodgy dogging dilemmas.

By the way, in case you're wondering how this fad came to be known as dogging (I certainly was), it seems "walking the dog" was often used with unsuspecting spouses as pretext for clandestine encounters that resulted in cyber-exhibitionism.  As the practice became more popular it came to be known as dogging... and the rest, as they say, is history.

Scourge or Savior? Varying Perspectives on the "Social Golfer"

The message finally seems to be resonating throughout the golf business world: for this industry to be sustainable it's going to need to embrace some changes.

A decade of decline in participation, which ironically coincided with a period of overheated development, has left many who make their living in golf, in a precarious position.  A position that doesn't allow for an exclusionary image... or even the perception of one.

From the PGA of America's recently unveiled Golf 2.0 to the USGA's "Tee it Forward" initiative, to the ongoing efforts The First Tee there's a fresh emphasis on increased accessibility and openness ...on making the game less intimidating and more friendly, fun, affordable. The theory is that all those good things will make a wider swath of the population want to take up the game... and stick with it. Women, families and young people... under-represented among today's golf population... are being courted with particular zeal, as they clearly represent the best hope for growth.

However, while strategic plans reflect this change in direction, and industry stakeholders appear to have collectively embraced it,  I'm not sure everyone's being completely honest with themselves when it comes to welcoming a new... and different... attitude to the golf course.

This thought came to me while reading a recent article by inspiring LPGA player, Judy Rankin.  In Breaking With Tradition, the Hall of Fame golfer writes about the often subtle, country club "traditions" that continue to make the game less-than-welcoming, ...and suggests some smart, out-of-the-box actions to address the twin issues of time and difficulty, so often cited as barriers.

The 26 time LPGA Tour winner is clearly an advocate for upping the openness and accessibility of golf, none-the-less, towards the end of her article there were a couple of paragraphs that made me wonder if avid, competitive golfers are really ready to welcome the "social golfer".

What can women do to help promote change? For starters, we can approach golf more like a sport and less like a social event. A round of golf, although friendly, should not be a chat session. You wouldn't take a break from your serve in tennis to talk for a minute. Women are faster than the general perception, but some could still play faster.


Female golfers also need to step it up on the equipment side. Good equipment is crucial to better play for slower swing speeds. Women should get informed about what's new, and those who can afford it should experiment. Technology levels the playing field, and we need to invest in the game that now really wants to invest in us.

Now here's the thing, I know quite a few golfers (including ...at times ...myself) who play purely for fun.  They rarely keep score and aren't particularly concerned with setting or achieving goals.  This may be due to lack of time or they may just not be competitive by nature.  These folks enjoy "the game", "the social event" and "the outdoor experience" in equal parts, and they generally play with used balls and equipment that's slightly, um, "retro",  but... they're as well-versed in golf etiquette as the most avid competitive golfers, thus pace-of-play is never a problem with them. In fact, they often find themselves slowed down by the more "competitive, goal-oriented types" who A. search endlessly for their expensive lost balls B. mark every single putt C. spend excessive time reading greens D. obsessively wash their balls and replace their club covers.

Don't get me wrong, I see where Judy Rankin is coming from and agree that players... male or female... who don't adhere fully to the rules of golf etiquette and pace-of-play are an anathema to the game.  What concerns me though, is that in the midst of this unprecedented industry-wide effort to grow the game and keep players in it, there may still be a substantial block of "avid golfers" who aren't quite ready to set out the welcome mat for anyone they consider a "social golfer".  In fact, there's already ample evidence of this on the golf message boards.

The fact is, "Social Golfers" will need to be a key part of any strategy that aspires to drive new players to the game and even more so when the goal involves re-engaging lapsed players.  What this makes clear to me is that the programs being put into place to grow the game must include new and innovative approaches to communicating, teaching and reinforcing golf etiquette.  More than anything else this may eventually lead to a warmer welcome for new players and a more positive  perspective on "Social Golfers".