The Druzy Putting Green: A Rather Odd Piece of Golf Jewelry

At first, I didn't know what to make of it.

The headline presents it as a "Cocktail Ring for the Golf Wife" but the styling seems altogether too rustic to complement a contemporary cocktail dress.  The oxidized silver certainly isn't very shiny, and the Garnet Druzy Uvarovite... that crystallized green rock that represents the putting surface... appears to have seen better days.  However it's the silver flag stick that really renders this ring unwearable. Can you imagine what it would be like to wear a ring like this around town... or even just out to dinner?  I can: with an unwieldy object like that on my finger, I'm quite sure I'd end up hurting someone ...or tearing something.  In any case, I'm quite certain disaster would ensue. Then there's the price: $890.00.  It's not quite in my range.

So when a friend of mine showed me this photo the other day I wasn't too impressed.  However I will admit that it's unique.  So with that in mind, I'm posting it, and those who like unique may wish give this ring a second look here.

Fashion Inspires Fairway Fauna - Women's Golf Style Gets Wild

The plethora of awesome animal prints appearing on golf bags this Spring is a trend that's moved from fashion runways to country club fairways with with the stealth of a mountain lion.

The Spring/Summer 2012 collections presented by top designers last fall, included a diverse array of animal print satchels, clutches, totes and hobo bags from the likes of Gucci, Lanvin and Alexander McQueen... to name just a few. Golf designers have transitioned the trend to create a slew of sophisticated, animal print golf bags.

The same exotic skins appear to have inspired golf apparel designers this season, with everything from leopard trimmed polos to zebra striped skorts.  Lady golfers can also display their wild streak with a myriad of animal print accessories this season.  Be it ball marker or a belt... a cap or visor... you'll probably find it this season.  Oh, and don't forget footware;  zebra striped golf shoes... and multi-species women's golf socks are out there too, so why not give animal prints a try this golf season... and make your walk in the park a bit wilder. 

You can find animal prints galore and so much else at Lori's Golf Shop.  Lori's is one of our stellar sponsors!

Multi-tasking Golf Fashion Innovation: Skirt + Tight = Skite

Skirt + Tight = Skite

It's a simple concept. A classic "why didn't I think of that?" idea.

But I didn't, Mary Jane Parrish did.  The enterprising Florida tennis-player-turned-sportswear-designer invented the Skite, a one-piece, multi-tasking skirt/tight hybrid that works wonderfully for golf... and a whole plethora of other activities, athletic and otherwise.

Here's the thing, for the majority of female body types... young, old, large or lean... a short skirt actually creates a flattering silhouette.  However, many women shy away from the look for fear of over-exposure... and that's where the leggings come into play.

Completely opaque and attached to the skirt, they're available in several cuts, from short... to Capri... to ankle-length, allowing a gal to choose the amount of leg coverage that suits her. Plus, with a couple of different fits, three basic solid colors and panoply of prints to choose from, one can customise the look to a particular sport or activity.

Yes, a Skite is quite the versatile vestment.  Have a look at their website theskite.com for additional info and check out their blog skitebuzz.blogspot.com for more on the back story.  Then of course, there's a Skite facebook page to keep you completely up-to-date on all things Skite as they develop.

A hat tip for this great golf fashion find goes to the always observant and sartorially sensitive Courtney Capps, (who always looks great in his Khakis).

Skites hit the tennis courts -  Fairways are the next frontier

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.

My Favorite Global Golf Ball Marker

Don't get me wrong... I like an over-the-top ball marker as much as anyone.

For example, I love TRI Markers. The fine gold and platinum circles encrusted with precious stones are available in an number of different color combinations and can be had for $1,500 and up... way up actually: $10,000 for the diamond-on-platinum.  A statement-making accessory if ever there was one. --->

I also like the ultra-flat ones that snap onto a magnetic clip.  Sometimes they're customizable with photos, or slogans... or anything that inspires. I received one in the shape of a butterfly for my birthday last year.  It always brings me luck... bad luck.  It's now relegated to my jewelry box (for future re-gifting to some unsuspecting soul).

My favorite ball markers are Blingo.  Designed by Swarovski crystals give them sparkle... and they clip on.  And what I like most is that you can customize them by choosing the colors of crystals you want.

This all brings me to a discovery I made a couple of days ago while rummaging through our attic: the tiny coin pictured above. It's actually smaller than our US dime... and has delicate scalloped edges.  It appears to be from HongKong, and with it there was a huge box of forgotten coinage from all over the globe. I've decided to go through it and create a set of global golf markers.  They'll each tell a story and together they'll symbolize the increasingly global nature of the game.