NEWS
Tartan by Alderdyce-McDaniel adds Jackson Park Golf Club in Seattle, Wash., to its Pro Shop Partners program.
Bite Footwear reports record sales at the Haggin Oaks Golf Expo in Sacramento, Calif. Bite had an increase in sales of 65 percent above its monthly average in only three days.
Perry Ellis International Inc. promotes Michael Gann to senior vice president of sales for the company's Corporate and Green Grass divisions.
FEATURE
The Apparel Guy: Addition By Subtraction
With fuel prices jumping and continuing to climb, The Apparel Guy was not surprised to receive this question: With gas prices so high, how can I update my golf wardrobe without spending a fortune?
Answer: The fastest and most inexpensive way to update your golfer's closet is simple -- clean it out.
Eliminate pieces you haven't worn in a year and the things that do not fit. If it has little threads hanging from it or it is faded, throw it out.
I know this is easier to say than do. There are memories in those clothes that are hard to throw away, but you can give them to some worthy organization where someone less fortunate than you can make new memories when they wear them.
You are off to a great start, so take a break for a week, then do the same thing again before you buy something new.
If you did a good job of this, I think you will find magic happening when you look at what is left. More than likely you will find pieces that are of quality and sizes that fit. And there you have it: the basis for real style.
Style and golf fashion are a lot like trying to buy a better golf swing, people are always looking for some secret quick fix, kind of like trying to buy a game. No one wants to believe that the answer to a better golf swing is always in the fundamentals.
Maybe the greatest golf instruction book ever written is Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf," where he spends entire chapters on the grip, on proper alignment, on stance and posture — all fundamentals. If Hogan was writing about style and golf fashion, the first two chapters would be like be about buying quality apparel and wearing only clothes that fit.
Here is a wonderful example. I hate surveys, but I found this interesting. The average active golfer has four or five pairs of golf shoes -- two pairs he wears all the time, one pair that hurts his feet, one pair that just does not fit and, possibly, one pair that is scuffed, stiff and even moldy. Amazing.
So let's update your golf apparel with these fundamentals in mind as you head to the golf store. We are buying a few quality pieces that fit perfectly.
Most often a new belt and new pair of golf shoes is all you need to add real style to traditional the golf wardrobe. And there has never been a better time to buy a new pair of comfortable golf shoes than right now. Etonic, Adidas, ECCO, FootJoy, Nike, Bite, Callaway and many more are flooding the golf footwear market with comfort, style and performance.
Your job after reviewing all the high tech features is very simple: Find a quality pair that works with your existing favorite golf styles and, most importantly, find the pair that fits you perfectly. This means, try them on before you buy. Walk around in them. Don't think, "They look cool, maybe my big toe hits the front, but I know I can break them in."
Trust me. All 10 1/2 D shoes are not the same. This will take a little time and patience just like the golf swing. But what a wonderful foundation for your golf wardrobe. Always build your golf wardrobe from the bottom up. Stay away from anything square-toed, the Pilgrim look is gone. Stay with the classic styles that are free from the next winds of silly fashion.
Learning how to buy golf apparel is more important than what to buy and stay with these fundamentals in all your golf apparel purchases -- slacks, shirts, outerwear. Buying quality pieces that fit perfectly will save you more money than any discount sale you will ever find. Clothes that you wear all the time are always the best investment.
Yes, this also goes for golf belts. You have to try them on to make sure they fit.
Arnie was always hitching up his slacks after every swing, but Greg Norman was the first to make the golf belt so popular. Take a look at the Greg Norman Collection for classic golf belts and great golf apparel (www.gregnormancollection.com).
If you're looking for a very casual look that adds some zip to the bland whites and beiges so often found on the golf course, then take a look at the striped ribbon belts that Polo (www.polo.com) has for summer. They can add to the total casual look and completely change your whole appearance. Polo also has some fun O-ring belts that work great with shorts.
For a classic look -- and cleverly designed with a divot tool and ball mark enclosed in the tip of the belt -- take a look at The Green Friendly Golf Company (www.greenfriendlygolf.com).
So go on and clean out your closet, and watch the magic begin.
Editor's note: We hope you find our monthly "The Apparel Guy" column both practical and lighthearted. Golf Press Association fashion correspondent Bill Giering will answer your golfing fashion and style questions. The column will be both informative and thought provoking. Also, Giering will consult with experts in the golf fashion industry to address your questions. Address your questions to ApparelGuy@gpagolf.com.
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