IN THE PINK
The special edition, handcrafted Vertu Ascent Pink luxury mobile phone
($5,700) features the same leather that graces the interior of the Aston
Martin, a strip of polished keys on the front of the phone matching the
ceramic pillow, and soft pink backlighting that adds a touch of femininity
to the sapphire crystal screen. The handset is packaged with its own
matching pink crocodile holster, in a special pink package. www.vertu.com
COVER UP
If you’re zipping out for a quick set, here’s a great accessory. The
Holloway tennis racket cover ($158) from henry.brown bags has a zipper
closure with a grosgrain ribbon pull that can hold any size racket securely
in place. Also: an adjustable strap accented with heavy chrome hardware, and
an interior zipper pocket. Available in a variety of fabric combinations and
with monogramming. www.henrybrownbags.com
SHARPSHOOTER
Golf Links to the Past now offers this replica of Bobby Jones’ famed
putter ($250). Handcrafted in St. Andrews, Scotland, and fully playable, the
putter’s head is stamped with the original Wm. M. Winton of Acton cleekmark
(the mark of the clubmaker), as well as Jones’ signature. The putter is
finished with a beautiful hickory shaft and an authentic suede grip.
www.golfspast.com
CHARM HER FOR SPRING
Bette & Court has tagged this striking new collection as "Snake
Charmer." Mix and match a variety of black, white, and printed separates
including this printed top of cotton and spandex jersey. And don’t leave
home without the one-size bucket hat. Yes, skorts and cropped pants will be
back on the golf course this spring. www.bette-court.com
ADVENTURE IN A BOX
Here’s something for that tough-to-buy-for person on your gift list.
Order an experience! And it will come in a box. Great American Days has
packed a variety of experiential gifts, including hot-air balloon rides,
cooking lessons, skydiving, flying jet fighters, being a rodeo cowboy, and
more. The specially designed gift box arrives with a gift certificate, your
personal message, details about your chosen activity, and a camera.
www.GreatAmericanDays.com
TEA TIME
This Zen Tea Set ($69) of four cups and saucers and a matching teapot
with trivet is handmade in Vietnam. The set has an attractive black matte
finish on the outside with a two-tone crackle glaze interior in burgundy and
cream. www.world-shoppe.com
A SHOE IN
The Tour 360 ($180) from adidas Golf is serious golf equipment. The new
shoe is named for the combination of technologies it employs (the list is
long) and the way it surrounds the foot. In addition to the technology
package, the Tour 360 is progressive in design with an advanced silhouette
and bold colors. www.adidasgolf.com
GLASS MASTER
From Scotland’s Twists Glass studio comes this stunning handmade glass
vessel. The vibrant twists of color were inspired by a glass marble won by
Michael Hunter as a schoolboy. Now, in addition to his large vessels, he
produces paperweights in worldwide limited editions of 20 and tableware made
with authentic 18th century techniques. All work is signed and dated. For
information, e-mail twists@supanet.com
KIDS STUFF
These patented Accu-Length junior golf clubs grow with your child.
Simply applied, permanent space inserts allow parents to expand the clubs
one inch at a time for custom-fit clubs for kids ages 3-13. Accu-Length
comes in four models for children of different heights. www.acculength.com
HOLIDAY DREAMING
Let the dreaming begin. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class made its debut at
the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and is expected to arrive in U.S.
showrooms in early 2006. The new auto has paired an aggressive and
commanding design with revolutionary technology, such as Night View infrared
driving assistance and other support systems for safety and comfort.
www.mbusa.com, www.mercedes-benz.com
SUSTAINABLE GIFT
Somewhere in a forgotten corner of the world, a family struggling with
hunger and poverty could help sustain itself if it had some livestock. Enter
Heifer International and its gifting program. You can fund all or part of
the cost to provide farm animals and training in sustainable agriculture to
poor families with marginal resources. (For example, a goat costs $120 or a
share for $10.) At the same time, you’ll have a meaningful gift for your
family members, employees, or clients. www.heifer.org
TAKE A SIP
Charbay, a family owned micro-distillery, adds Green Tea Vodka to the
popular realm of flavored vodkas. The vodka is flavored with a blend of
whole-leaf green teas imported from the Anhwei Province of China.
www.charbay.com
THE NEW NEUTRAL
Pink returns in 2006 as the neutral color for golf apparel. The Paradise
collection from Sport Haley gives the woman golfer a complete on-course
wardrobe selection of polos, sweaters, vests, skirts, cropped pants, shorts,
jackets, and accessories. Most welcome for those early spring rounds will be
the 3/4-length sleeves for certain polos and sweaters. www.sporthaley.com
PARTY TIME
Whether you’re planning a large holiday party or dinner for a small
group of friends, the new red Raclette grill ($120) from Swissmar will add
style and elegance to the gathering. Raclettes allow for a variety of
interesting and healthy meals, from crepes and grilled vegetables to
skewered fish and meats. www.swissmar.com
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
From Syntax, Ölevia LCD TVs feature high-resolution and high-contrast
ratios, fast response times, wide viewing angles, built-in TV tuners,
Picture-in-Picture capability, HDTV component inputs, and a VGA input for
easy connection to a PC. Ölevia models allow for viewing of TV or DVDs while
simultaneously surfing the Web or accessing standard PC desktop functions.
www.syntaxgroups.com
WRAP IT
Any woman golfer would welcome this gift under the tree. From Fairway &
Greene come these quilted jackets ($125) and vests ($90) in the season’s
best colors to complement any outfit. www.fairwayandgreene.com
BOOKSHELF
• Edelbrock: Made in USA by Tom Madigan. Here’s a gift for hot
rodders. From the board tracks to the dry lakes to today’s manufacturing
facilities of Edelbrock Corp., this volume tells the history of the
performance aftermarket as it unfolds around Vic Edelbrock Sr. and other
pioneers of performance.
• Slim and None by Dan Jenkins. This sequel to The Money-Whipped Steer Job Three-Jack Give-Up Artist brings back Bobby Joe Grooves, who is 44 and out to win a major golf championship. You know by the title what his chances are. But it’s now or never for Bobby Joe.
GET SPORTING
Say hello to Sassy Visors, each hand constructed and embellished with an
assortment of trims including grosgrain designer fabric bows, rhinestone
hearts, and more. This lighthearted collection is available in a variety of
colors and styles. The Sassy line also features T-shirts and footwear.
www.sassytootsies.com
FOR THE CHAMP
Tell him he’s a champion with a gift from the Champions Collection from
Ben Hogan Apparel. Pick from a variety of separates including this favorite
four-colored striped polo with banded sleeves. Made from 100 percent
double-mercerized cotton. www.benhogan.com
IN THE BAG
Golf Telebag ($139.95) is a hard-case, collapsible golf travel bag that
fits over a golfer’s existing bag. But collapsibility is just the start. The
hard case is constructed of three connecting modules, each slightly larger
than the next. So, like a telescope, the modules fit within each other to
reduce the Telebag’s size — fits most models of golf bags.
www.golftelebag.com
SUNNY SIDE
Sunlight Saunas has introduced new freestanding, wooden saunas that use
Solocarbon technology. Instead of convection heat, these saunas use infrared
light — the same healing energy that is released naturally by the sun. The
line of saunas uses a magnetized locking system for easy assembly and a more
hypoallergenic experience. www.sunlightsaunas.com