By Kathy Bissell
What could be a better combination for gift givers and receivers? Golf and epicurean delights. Think of it as a collision of The Golf Channel, PBS and eBay.
From the least expensive, under $10, to the most, $16,000, there is something here to please your toughest giftee. Each item is spectacular or just plain amazing. So let’s get to the plethora or potential presents.
Inflation fighter
It’s not quite an undersea adventure, but it may come from under the water. Lost Golf Balls, self advertised as the world’s largest recycled golf ball company, sells balls scooped up from the water hazards of 2,000 resorts and clubs in 32 states.
These slightly whacked to seriously dented golf balls are available by brand and by price, depending on how damaged they are. The savings are significant. A dozen Titlest ProV1s can be had for as little as $7.95 a dozen for the extra scruffy range quality ones to $29.95 for practically pristine models.
They might have a team or corporate logo on them, and the lower end ones may be discolored a little. Top of the line they refer to as “one hit wonders,” balls that look like new and play like new and might have a corporate logo or player’s ball mark on them.
Each ball is scrubbed with soap and water after it’s rescued, and then hand sorted by grade and brand before making it into a repackaged dozen. The grades are from AAAA to A. Several brands are available.
The company guarantees their lost golf balls to be the quality they advertise, or you can get a new dozen or your money back. In this age of recycling, why not try a dozen? www.lostgolfballs.com.
Spanx in a golf jacket?
It’s a new men’s rain jacket . . . no wait, it’s a short-sleeved jacket . . . no wait, it’s a vest. What?
Yes, just as Superman used to run into a phone booth and change from a suit to a superman suit, you can now make the same kind of clothing transformation, but right in the middle of the fairway. All you need is the ClimaProof Storm 3-Way Convertible Jacket from Adidas Taylormade.
What you will be able to do quickly is remove the long sleeves when the weather warms up and when you just want a vest, leave the sleeves at home or take them off and stow in your golf bag.
“This jacket gives you so much versatility, you can take the sleeves off and turn it into a vest, you can tailor your jacket to how severe the weather is,” said Justin Rose. “It’s by far the most technologically advanced jacket I’ve ever seen.”
The outerwear is made of four-way stretch fabric to eliminate excess material that typically gets in the way of the swing. It also has a thin-yet-warm and removable 360° compression wrap inner layer that delivers increased support, or how to look five pounds thinner while playing golf. However, Adidas doesn’t promote it as a slimming tool. Instead, they talk about making a full athletic swing with complete freedom. Is that code? $275.
There are pants to match, with adjustable lengths. They have a Velcro strip at the hem for easy pant leg length adjustment. $170.
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Nicklaus in DVD
From best selling 1974 book to video to soon to be best selling DVD, it’s Jack Nicklaus’s timeless “Golf My Way.” A volume so good that many a Tour player kept it on his nightstand during travels. Today’s player can now slip it into his computer and watch and listen to the master.
This instructional series is brought to life in a two-disk DVD set which includes Nicklaus footage that was shot 25 years ago. The instructional material has been remastered to enhance the visual quality.
“From the days of Jack Grout, who taught me the game as a kid and through the decades, to my most recent work with Jim Flick, I have not changed my approach to teaching the game,” Nicklaus said. “My desire is to teach people how to play and enjoy the game just as I was taught.”
“Golf My Way” was the book British Open champion Greg Norman credits for how he first learned the game in the 1970s. K.J. Choi gives credit to “Golf My Way” for teaching him the game, but he learned it in the Korean translation. $59.95 at www.nicklausproshop.com.
Mind Games
Paul Azinger, U.S. Ryder Cup captain, credited his success in leading his team to a system whereby he studied the personalities of his 12 players to figure out how to make partnerships. Now there’s a new book on the topic by Darrin Gee: The Seven Personalities of Golf: Discover Your Inner Golfer to Play Your Best Game.
“I believe that every golfer has his or her own unique style and temperament on the golf course,” Gee said. “This personality can be both positive and negative at times.”
Gee identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each personality and offers advice on how a golfer must periodically borrow traits from other personalities to create a more balanced game.
“Some golfers are naturally aggressive. However, at times, it may be more prudent to tone it down,” he said. “If you are leading the U.S. Open by one shot with one hole to go, there’s no need to attempt heroic shots. Borrowing a more methodical approach might prove more successful in the end.” Does he mean Phil Mickelson on the 18th at Winged Foot?
The Seven Personalities of Golf: Discover Your Inner Golfer to Play Your Best Game offers examples of both professional and amateur golfers who fit in different personality groups. Questionnaires in the book help you determine your personality traits.
According to Gee, the seven personalities that encompass the golfing community are: the Intimidator (Tiger Woods), Swashbuckler (Arnold Palmer), Gamesman (Lee Trevino), Methodologist (Nick Faldo), Steady Eddy (Tom Watson), Laid Back (Fred Couples) and Artist (Seve Ballesteros).
LeRoy Neiman Ryder Cup Prints
LeRoy Neiman, who has created serigraphs of The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday” to President Kennedy, has created a special Ryder Cup piece, adding to series in golf.
Available as a postcard, print or serigraph, the prices range depending on the kind of artwork and signatures. There is a framed commemorative postcard sized piece at an affordable $40, a triple signed Offical Ryder Cup Edition poster at $1,200—autographed by Nick Faldo, Paul Azinger and the artist—and a limited edition serigraph of the same scene for $4,200. Pictured is the 13th island hole at Valhalla. The triple signed print comes with a certificate of authenticity. Other versions are available including a framed Neiman-signed poster for $325.
If Ryder Cup isn’t your favorite event, there are other Neiman golf serigraphs, such as the old course at St. Andrews done in 1987 for $8,000; and a group of four golf prints —Riviera 1992, 16th at Augusta, the 18th at Harbour Town and 17th at TPC Sawgrass—$16,000, the set of four.
During Ryder Cup week, Neiman’s portraits of captains Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo were auctioned for charity. They were said to have a value of $65,000-70,000.
Ryder Cup postcards, posters and serigraphs at www.cobaltartworks.com. Other works at www.leroyneiman.com.
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Deluxe handmade chocolates
Move over Godiva and make room for William Dean chocolates which are not just flavored, but hand painted.
They call it The Art of Chocolate, and they are not kidding. Gone are the outward brown shells. Instead, each chocolate is beautifully painted. It might be purple with orange swooshes or green and yellow with brown racing stripes or red and orange and white with a single brown stripe.
Flavors include: Rosemary Caramel, Biscotti, Peanut Butter Krunch, Key Lime, PB&J, Crème Brulee, Passion Fruit, Venezuelan, Raspberry, Lavender, Macadamia Nut Caramel, Grapefruit & Tarragon Caramel, Pistachio Pomegranate, Cappuccino and Espresso.
Chocolates are sold in gift boxes starting with the 12 piece box for $22.50. Other gift choices include the three tier, 27-piece box, $48. There are also special gift sets: wooden boxes, $47 and $56; a wooden pyramid box, $95; and leather boxes, $72 and $125.
The company is in the process of creating a Web site, and until that is completed, call 727-593-0656.
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It must be the pie
Why do horses run so fast the first Sunday in May? It must be the pie. Derby Pie that is.
The sweet concoction was the creation of George Kern, then manager of the Melrose Inn in Prospect, Ky., northeast of Louisville, and his parents, Walter and Leaudra Kern. The recipe is so secret that even James Bond doesn’t know it, although no one knows if he had a taste while shooting Goldfinger at nearby Fort Knox.
There are spies who would try to steal or just learn the recipe secrets. So far, it is safe.
What we do know is that the recipe contains walnuts and chocolate chips. The smooth melt in your mouth filling? The delicate, buttery crust? Well, only those who make it know for sure.
It’s been reported that the chocolate chips are scattered on the bottom of the shell before the filling goes in and that the filling is poured from a pitcher carefully so the chips don’t move. The crust is supposedly made with shortening. Or was when the family made those, too.
Production remains a family operation, distributed by Kern’s Kitchen. Today, the Kern grandchildren are involved in the pie-making mechanics. The filling recipe is mixed for 10 pies at a time, and each pie is still filled by hand.
While it’s suggested that a topping of whipped cream is an excellent accompaniment, experts say that bourbon whipped cream is not bad either. But just plain pie is very good. And unlike nearly everything else in Kentucky, it does not have bourbon as an ingredient.
During a typical Kentucky Derby, more than 25,000 slices of the pie are served at Churchill Downs.
You can order your Derby Pie from a name you already trust: www.honeybakedcatalog.com. $41.95 per pie, includes shipping.
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It plays in Peoria
Maui Jim sunglasses have long been known for UV protection, glare reduction, superb color, PolarizedPlus and styles that say, “Cool, dude.” After all, their logo is a parrot with shades, and they were invented on Maui.
But one fact about Maui Jim goes right into the vicinity of unbelievable. Today, the exotic prescription, high tech and progressive lenses for the Maui Jim sunglasses are made in Peoria, Ill. That’s right the same town that is home to Caterpillar Inc. How? It was an acquisition where technology overcame geography.
In the mid-1990s, Maui Jim Inc., acquired RLI Vision, which was already in Peoria. So that meant the parrot with the shades bought a winter coat and got a second home on Aloha Lane smack dab in the middle of the great Midwest. Headquarters remain in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Maui Jim offers elegant style and sun protection with special multi-layered lens design. As it happens, the MJ Sport line is perfect for golf, and it now comes in prescription, progressive and even reader lenses in addition to the traditional just-plain-Jim sunglasses. Not all styles are available in all lens types. No matter, because there’s sure to be one to suit.
Several local businesses carry the Maui Jim lines. Wilson & Wilson Optical carries all styles: Classic, Flexon, MJ Sport, MJ Sheilds, Stainless Steel, Titanium Elite and Titanium Sport. Wood, Lanier & Bowman has the Classic and MJ Sport. At Ponte Vedra Eye Associates you’ll find Classic and Flexon. Sawgrass Country Club has Classic Sport Titanium Elite and Titanium Sport. Mayo Clinic Optical features the Classic.
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Crushable, packable hats
Sometimes you find things, and sometimes things find you. Such is the case with Southern Comfort Hats.
Southern Comfort Hats are the inspiration of Julie Talaga and Joanne McGinn, a mother and daughter team who live in Naples, Fla., and when you see the hats you’ll immediately think, “Why didn’t someone make these years ago?”
Take for instance the Beach Babe Hat, which comes in a smashing array of colors including turquoise, hot pink, lime green, a butter yellow, bright orange, bright blue, light blue, lavender and pastel pink. It can be rolled up, stuck in a suitcase or beach bag, and it pops up ready to go.
If you prefer a more subtle neutral straw like the Raffia Crushable or the Crushable Traveler, you’ll get two changeable hatbands with them. And you can even purchase sets of six hat bands with so many color and pattern choices you’ll be gobsmacked when you see them.
In addition to hats, Julie and Joanne have the fabric visor/hat – the hat part comes off and changes it into a visor. And then it reverses to a second color. Seven main colors.
There’s also a fabric visor that rolls and secures itself, again, perfect for the traveling golfer, tennis player or woman who likes to be outdoors.
Southern Comfort Hats are sold only on ebay at the “four ladies only” store. You bid on them. “Asking” prices from $19.95 to $49.95. Hatbands less. Here’s the link you’ll need to find the complete collection: http://stores.ebay.com/fourladiesonly_W0QQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247.
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