Sharmila Nicollet Shines in Spain at LET Qualifying School

Sharmila Nicollet...... walking    -    photo: Golf Digest Online

We first wrote about Sharmila Nicollet in December of 2007 when she won a challenge match, paired with Laura Davies, at the EMAAR-MGF Ladies Masters, India's first ever LET event.

Just 16 at the time, the talented Bangalore beauty impressed Davies who told reporters, "I played with this 16-year-old girl and I can say from my experience she has the potential to become a really good player".

Four years later Nicollet is 20,  and she'll have "the whole of India" behind her as she enters the third round of the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School tomorrow in a three-way tie for second...  just one shot behind leader, Jodi Ewart (England).  

The 90-hole Q-School Final is being played on the two world-class courses at La Manga Club, in Murcia, Spain.

Golf is now the fastest growing sport in India... a country where cricket is revered... and to have this charismatic young golfer playing in global competitions at the highest level will surely be an  inspiration for other Indian women who aspire to play the game... either recreationally or professionally.

Oh, and FYI, if you're into following professional golfers on Twitter, @MissNicollet 's tweets are often remarkably drôle perceptive awesome.

A Variation on the Golf Club Sex Discrimination Theme

I don't imagine Steve Frye is very popular on the fairways of Eagle Vines Vineyards & Golf Club.  At least not on Ladies Day.

Mr. Frye, it turns out, is currently attempting to put the kibosh on "Ladies Day" at Eagle Vines, alleging that when he visited the Napa Valley course  on Monday, Dec. 13, 2010, they were illegally charging male golfers $44 for green and cart fees vs $30 for women... because it was "Ladies Day".

 So, Frye has filed a sex discrimination lawsuit ...against a promotion designed to attract more women to play. The Frye vs. Eagle Vines case is scheduled for a hearing on May 22 in Napa County Superior Court. Read more about the case at NapaValleyRegister.com. 

Though many are dismissing Frye's suit as frivolous, The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has supposedly sent a letter to Eagle Vines saying "possible disciplinary action could be taken against the club’s alcoholic beverage license".

This sets a troubling precedent when you consider that courses offering all kinds of golf promotions... discounts for public safety and military personnel, Junior and Senior discounts, etc... could now be subject to costly lawsuits.  If that happens all golfers may end up paying more for their rounds.  And Steven Frye may wish he'd never attempted to squelch "Ladies Day".

Tees the Season: Fore Contextual Ads & Personalization

She loves golf and the color pink. There's an ornament for that.     From: PersonalizationMall.com

For the past couple of days I've been followed relentlessly... by a tiny lady in a golf cart.  She wears pink from head to toe and carries her clubs in a pink bag.

As I navigate the net, she appears everywhere; lurking in my sidebar with a perpetually miniacal radiant smile.  And just when I feel like I've finally lost her... there she is again.  If she wasn't so cute, the word stalker might even come to mind.

This Golf Chick© Personalized Ornament is a perfect example of of the amazing... and slightly disconcerting... power of internet advertising in the era of social context. And, chances are, if you haven't yet found your own version of this smiling rose colored divot diva, you will.  Even if you don't use social networks like facebook and twitter. You probably use search engines, everyone (except my father) does, and in doing so you're providing rich fodder for some well-targeted, very persistent, advertising.

My husband who shuns the social sites and looks down upon online oversharing, has been pursued by a mysterious silver plated cigar cutter for the past couple of weeks, and the secretive cigar aficionado doesn't seem to mind one bit, in fact I think he even ordered one... for self-gifting purposes.

I'll probably order a couple of the little golf cart ladies too.  Not for myself (my holiday decorating style is understated and traditional) but for a couple of the gals I play golf with during the summer.  It's cute and inexpensive... and the personalization makes it special.  And the best part is I didn't have to go looking for it - she it found me. Thanks to contextual advertising.