CONNOISSEUR: GIFTS, TRAVELS & TOYS

IF THE SHOE FITS
The new Cypress golf shoe ($89) from Lady Fairway combines the latest fashion and advanced shoe technology for a perfect fit from heel to toe. The neutral white-and-putty color scheme goes with any outfit, and a plush 4.5 mm removable innersole makes this shoe lightweight and comfortable. The Cypress has a one-year waterproof guarantee. Ask for details at your Associate Club pro shop, or call 800-770-LADY.

LOOKING GOOD
Bushnell Sports Optics Worldwide has introduced the Yardage Pro Compact 600 laser range finder ($399). Designed to instantaneously provide golfers with accurate measurements to a wide variety of targets without the need for reflectors, this compact product features the sensitivity and versatility of its larger counterparts, but weighs just 10 ounces. Bushnell cites research that 91 percent of all golfers believe they can accurately judge distances, but most will be off by more than 20 yards. For more information, call 888-BSO-KWIK.

PICTURE THIS
Want to travel with a purpose and study with some of the best international photographers? Toscana Photographic Workshop is offering a variety of workshops this summer in the Tuscany region of Italy. Topics include digital photo instruction, landscape and nature, photojournalism, and portraiture. If you don’t have a week, a series of three-day workshops is being offered in September and October. Visit www.tpw.it for the most up-to-date information.

WHITE COLLAR WHITE WATER
With its new Corporate Adventure division, O.A.R.S. (Outdoor Adventure River Specialists) offers customized, adventure-based professional development programs in several wilderness locations throughout the West. The corporate packages include team-building retreats, employee rewards programs, and unusual business meetings. For a free catalog on the corporate programs as well as other adventure vacations, call O.A.R.S. at 800-346-6277 or browse the Web site at www.oars.com.

OPEN SPIRIT
To commemorate the 100th playing of the U.S. Open, noted California sculptor Richard MacDonald, in collaboration with the Pebble Beach Co., has created a 15-foot bronze monument that will be positioned at the main spectator entrance weeks before the event tees off. MacDonald, one of the most collected figurative bronze sculptors at work today, is the same artist who won international acclaim for “The Flair,” a 24-foot, three-ton bronze monument of a gymnast sculpted for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. The front pedestal of the sculpture will carry the names of the previous 99 U.S. Open winners, with a special area reserved for the golfer who conquers Pebble Beach in June. The reverse side will incorporate space for the next 100 Open winners. MacDonald’s work has been featured in numerous art books throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, while another devoted to his achievements is in progress. His sculpture, original drawings, and fine prints may be seen at his galleries in California (Carmel, Laguna Beach, Pebble Beach, and San Francisco), and in major city galleries worldwide.

JOIN THE CLUB
With its new line of Tight Lies2 drivers ($249 each in graphite), Adams Golf wants to help the golfer who often tees off with a fairway wood to obtain control and accuracy. The new drivers come in 8.5-, 9.5-, and 10.5-degree lofts. Also new for this golf season from Adams is a line of Tight Lies2 metal woods ($249 each in graphite) designed for women. The woods are available in 1-, 3-, 5-, 7-, and 9-wood models. For more information, visit www.adamsgolf.com.