NEWS
FootJoy reports that Scott Verplank, winner of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, wore its innovative ReelFit golf shoes en route to victory.
Champ reports that the Spanish Open winner wore Champ-manufactured spikes. The winner sported the CDT cleat, a unique spike specially-designed and made for Hi-Tec shoes.
FASHION
The influence of color
By Vartan Kupelian
GPA Fashion Correspondent
Anybody who follows golf knows that red has special significance for Tiger Woods.
It is, according to his mother, Kultida, his son's power color. Kultida is into astrology. Tiger is a Capricorn and red is the power color for Capricorn. Woods has never played a Sunday round of golf as a professional without wearing some shade of red. The payoff has been historic. Woods has won 56 times in 11 seasons as a professional, including 12 major championships.
That Woods should flourish in a favorite color shouldn't come as a surprise to golfers. We all have preferred colors and outfits, colors that make us feel better, more confident and perhaps more intense.
There is a psychology to colors.
Presidents wear red ties. Guests on television talk shows await their appearance in a green room. Bad guys wear black hats. Good guys wear white hats. Purple is associated with royalty.
There is nothing haphazard about how colors are used in marketing to attract attention and send messages.
"For us, color is incredibly important," said Mitzi MacCallum, divisional merchandise manager for Nike. "The consumer has to feel the color is right for them. We take it very seriously. It's a very important part of our process."
Nike's Tiger Woods Collection, while still conservative, according to MacCallum, is "willing to take a little bit of a chance in terms of color." The Tour Collection isn't quite as adventurous.
"It's [a] more traditional [look] for the Tour and more forward fashion colors when doing the Tiger Woods Collections," MacCallum said. "It seems to work well for us. We see it in our consumers -- a little more edgy, maybe a little more aggressive will tend to wear more fashion colors.
"Two purposes for color are retail floor attraction and actual purchase."
It will come as no surprise that among women choices for colors are much wider.
"They're willing to experiment with a lot more choices and are more open to color combinations," MacCallum said. "Women have a lot more fashion savvy."
The apparel you wear on a golf course says a great deal about your inclinations and personality. It can give you an advantage. It may even tip off opponents to how you approach the game -- if those opponents can translate the language of colors.
What might your choices in golf apparel colors say about you and your golf game?
White
This is a popular color in fashion because of its neutrality. It goes with everything -- and if white is your color, it probably means you are eager to please those around you and get along with others.
White is not a color worn easily because it so readily shows dirt and stains. Doctors wear white to imply cleanliness. Those who choose white are meticulous in their hygiene and habits. It is a conservative color and the golfer who always wears white shirts is likely to take a conservative approach to his game.
Red
Red will get you noticed. An extreme color, red is all about intensity -- and that's a perfect fit for Woods. Red is emotional and while Woods isn't normally associated with emotion, he has shown a soft side of this steely competitor. The embraces with his late father, Earl, and the tears flowing freely on the 72nd green at Royal Liverpool last year after Woods won the Open Championship complete the snapshot of golf's greatest active champion.
Red is the most energetic color in the palette. Red is an appetite stimulant. That's why you see it so often in restaurants and in restaurant names, Red Lobster and Red Robin among them.
Blue
Many people won't admit to having red or black as a favorite color. Many will say that blue is their favorite simply because it is so popular there is little chance it will result in a negative reaction.
Blue, the color of the ocean and sky, is tranquil. It has a soothing effect, on and off the golf course. Blue is said to symbolize loyalty.
"We sell a lot of blues very well," MacCallum said. "Every season when designing a line, we make sure we have two or three good blues in our Tour Collection that a guy is going to want to pick up and wear."
Men wear blue suits because blue is considered a business color and shows reliability.
Black
Bad guys wear black but it is a popular color because it makes people appear thinner. Black is timeless.
Black and yellow are danger colors. Black cats, black market and black Mondays are all ominous signs.
Green
The Green Jacket, golf's most recognizable symbol of success, goes to the winner of the Masters. Augusta National Golf Club selected the color to represent the emerald green fairways of course.
Green has a calming effect. That's why waiting rooms for television personalities are painted and called the green room. In many societies, green is believed to have great healing powers, which may explain why it is worn in operating rooms by surgeons.
Yellow
A great color for golf because it is cheery and happy. But it may not be a great color for golfers because people are said to lose their tempers more often in rooms that are yellow.
Why is yellow used for legal pads? It enhances concentration.
Why is yellow used in packaging for weight loss products? It speeds metabolism.
Purple
Yes, it's the color of royalty and sophistication. It is also feminine so is usually rejected by men. Because it is rare, those who wear it may be viewed as artificial.
Brown
The reliable color. It's an earth tone. In any shade, light or dark, it denotes basic, genuine qualities.
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