Golf Girl(s) of the Week - Karyn Erb & Katie Miller

Today's Golf Girl of the Week award goes to not one, but two beautiful, blonde Golf Girls: Katie Miller and Karyn Erb.

The stylish sisters grew up in Park Ridge, NJ, with a Dad who was passionate about golf. And he was one of those Dads who couldn't wait to get his kids involved in the game; trips to the driving range and area courses, hours spent watching golf on TV as a family... Jim Miller's passion was genuine, and the girls came to share their Dad's love of the game.

Though they didn't play competitively while growing up, The sisters formed a real bond around the game of golf. After graduating from college, where Karyn majored in finance and Katie in computer science, they decided to start a business together, and Katie suggested golf apparel. Sensing a definite market need for cute golf styles that were both flirty and functional, Kayrn agreed. So these two intrepid entrepreneurs designed their initial line from scratch. Then they sourced quality fabrics and manufacturers, built a user friendly website... and launched GirlsGreen. Their products are awesome. Polos and Tees with detailing that's both trendy and traditional. At the same time. How cool is that?

Now of course, Katie and Karyn are ultra-busy, but not too busy to hit the links whenever possible. And these Golf Girls both agree that many of the skills and diciplines acquired through golf...patience, planning, precision...are mighty useful in the business world too.

Oh, I almost forgot; Guys, make sure you check out GirlsGreen's new Golfer Gift Buckets. Whether she's is a scratch golfer, a bogey golfer or just a beginner, there's an adorable gift bucket that would be just right for your Golf Girl on Valentine's Day.

Weekly Fashion File - TantalizingTartan

When you hear the word Tartan, what do you think of? Probably some sort of stodgy plaid with dark, dominant reds or blues. Or if you happen to be a label whore fashionista, you probably think of the the beige-camel plaid at left and recognize it as the one that lines a Burberry raincoat. Chances are though, like most of us, you don't know for sure what constitutes Tartan.

Wikipedia defines Tartan as "a type of pattern, originating in woven cloth ... particularly associated with Celtic counties and especially Scotland". It goes on to specify that it's woven in such a way that "blocks of colour repeat vertically and horizontally in a distinctive pattern of squares". And I think that pretty much sums it up. But what makes Tartan really interesting is that over the years, specific tartans have become associated with particular clans or families or institutions. And that means there's a Tartan for practically everyone...and guess what? If there's not one for you, you can create one.

My heritage is Irish. 100%. However, I never knew we had a family Tartan. But we do, and it happens to be a beautiful one. Scott from Tartan Golf Grips helped me find it, and ultimately made an awesome putter grip for me...in Hannigan Tartan. From his site you can link to search for your family Tartan or create your own Tartan at the Tartan Design Studio. Believe me, that's fun.

Now when it comes to fairway fashion, Tartan will always have a place at the table. It might not necessarily be the guest of honor, but you can be sure it'll be welcome, adding a distinctive style note to your golf outfits or accessories.

In my quest for winter golf wear last week one of the nicest items I came upon was this knit vest from Ralph Lauren, I ordered one for Nick obvs, and I'm pretty sure he'll love it. For those who assume that Tartan's always going to be stogy or traditional, this pattern mixes it up it every direction, from lime green to sun kissed orange, nothing dull about it.


Also for guys, as the weather warms, is this Tartan polo shirt, which begs the question "why do polo shirts always have to be in solid colors anyway".






As spring turns to summer most guys eventually start thinking shorts. I know, some traditionalist disapprove of shorts, even on the hottest of days. Well these attractive, slightly retro-looking Bermudas from Ralph Lauren would probably be elegant enough to change even the most curmudgeonly mind. They're hot. In a classy way.

Now as far as we ladies are concerned, there are so many tantalizing ways to tartanize. One of my favorites is this windshirt from Lizgolf. The preppy, hot pink and lime color palette brings an exciting edge to a traditional pattern.





While these cropped trousers, also from Lizgolf feature more muted but still surprising hues.









And what about this adorable little Bobby Jones golf skirt? The color blend is described as daiquiri, and I think it would be so cute on Paula or Natalie or ME. Come on...brunettes look good in pink too even if we they happen to be slightly older than the aforementioned blonds. Anyway, I ordered one, so deal with it Nick.



I also ordered a gorgeous pair of green tartan Bermuda shorts from Nordstrom. They're so elegant, I just hope my legs get a bit longer between now and June.








For those who just want to add a touch of Tartan, think accessories. There are lots of them out there. If, like me, you're playing in wintery climes why not pick up a tartan scarf for some stylish warmth...and remember my tip last week about the golf cart blanket? How about a Tartan wrap? I also found caps and visors galore, golf umbrellas, shoe totes, and loads of adorable tartan golf gloves. And for a Golf Girl of the Paula-esque variety there's an endless selection of multi-hued tartan hair ribbons.

So, next time you shop for golf clothes. Take another look at Tartan. You might be stylishly surprised.

Golf Girls Finally Get into the Home of Golf

It took 153 years, but we gals are finally allowed in to golf's oldest establishment! You know...The Royal & Ancient Championship Clubhouse at St. Andrews, Scotland. The R & A for short.

OK. I seriously doubt I'll ever be let in, but professional women golfers will be permitted to penetrate these hallowed halls come July, and the Women's British Open. And that's never happened before.

Now, keep in mind this'll only be allowed during the week of the tournament, August 2-5, but for that golden week, the championship clubhouse will be open to all competitors, caddies, and officials involved with the Open. You see, The Old Course is hosting a women's championship for the first time. Meanwhile, the men's British Open has been held there... like... 27 times.

Don't worry guys, male members will still have access to the clubhouse through the week, but you'll have to enter though a little makeshift locker room thingy. Hope you can handle it.

Comfort Food, an Awesome Wine and a Good Winter Golf Read

Here in New England, and elsewhere in the Northern tier of the US, it looks like there'll be some big time hibernating going on... for the next several weekends at least. Today for example, we're expecting temps to rise to a paltry 28 degrees; tomorrow 14. With high winds and snow squalls both days. More of same for the weekend. It's normal here, we deal with it. As best we can.

To make these non-golf weekends more palatable three things come immediately to mind: comfort food, fine wine and good reading material. For optimum enjoyment they should be savored in front of a roaring fire in cashmere pjs and fluff scuffs.











As far as winter comfort food. I happen to think there's nothing better than fondue. I mean the cheesy kind, that bubbles and drips and coats everything that enters it with pungent goodness.











For the wine...well in a perfect world it would be something like, maybe a 2000 Chateau Margaux.

As for reading material, I think the perfect compliment to an afternoon of hibernation, libation and relaxation would be the fun, fast-paced SortaGolf tale, The Muldooney Revisions. First of all, it's a feel good story if ever there was one, and feel good...is good. Right?

Whether or not you embrace the SortaGolf philosophy, as I surely do, you'll be swept up by this thriller that begins in Northern Scotland with the discovery of the Ancient Rules of Golf which, in a subversive twist, make the game fun. Not agonizing, not frustrating...Fun. Well things quickly go awry as golf purists attempt to squelch all evidence of the ancient rules. The ensuing action takes the reader across thousands of miles and many humorous twists to a final confrontation at Golf House, the hallowed bastion of USGA righteousness. It's well crafted, quick and clever. And, it really makes you think about how and why you play the game. The only problem I can see is that you might find yourself longing to get out on the course and try out the SortaGolf rules...and if you're in our neck of the woods, that may not be possible till April.

Golf Girl of the Week - Karen Palacios-Jansen

Golf Girl of the Week Karen Palacios-Jansen, is the quintessential Golf Girl, the poster-child-perfect embodiment of Golf Girl spirit. Not only is she beautiful, friendly, fashionable and fun (All vital Golf Girl requirements, as determined by ME), she also lives golf to the hilt, with infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy. This GGW does it all: she plays, she teaches, she writes, she consults, she inspires, she promotes... and she's won prestigious awards and accolades for so many of her diverse endeavors! How's that for a Golf Girl of the Week. You can find out lots more about Karen, her background and accomplishments, at her website.















I discovered Karen in my quest for a golf fitness program to take me through the winter months. I wanted something practical (ie., something I could do at home in less than 1/2 hr a day). But I also wanted something that would improve my swing, tone my muscles, increase my flexibility and burn calories. In other words wanted to get a whole lot of benefit out of one simple program. And that's where Karen and Cardiogolf came in. This program...like its inventor, does it all, with remarkable simplicity. I've been doing the program for about two weeks now. It's a breeze and it's working. The other day at the driving range was proof of that. I'm getting more distance, my weight shift is smoother, and my tempo more even... even Nick noticed...and Nick never notices anything about anyone other than himself. I'll be writing about Cardiogolf in more detail as the winter progresses but for now I think I've found a program that's spot-on for me... And I met an inspiring new Golf Girl in the process. BTW, I received an email from Karen a few days ago, from the Bahamas. She was at the Michael Jordan Invitational with her hubby...who just happens to be Olympic Gold Medalist Speed Skater Dan Jansen.

Taylor Hicks or Justin Timberlake: Which One Can Bring Sexy Back ?

The recent Bob Hope Chrysler Classic was more notable for the implausibly icy desert winds, and the "flowing golden tresses" of its obscure winner, than for any amazing golf. As a result, the golf blogs didn't give it too much attention, just a few, nice anecdotal posts here and there.

There was however, one Bob Hope post that inspired the kind of response I dream about generating on my humble blog... and it didn't have much anything to do with golf. Chris Baldwin who writes one of the World Golf Blogs, wrote...an opinionated piece...that derided the replacement of Mouseketeer turned rapper Justin Timberlake, with American Idol Taylor Hicks. Yawn. Or so I thought. Hundreds of spirited, passionate, highly vitriolic comments later, I'm paying attention.

So, shamelessly, I've decided to grab my own small piece of the Taylor vs Justin debate. I've whipped up a little poll that asks which of these so called celebrity golfers you'd like to see at next year's Bob Hope Classic. Obviously Chris has tons more readers than I do, but hopefully we'll get enough response that we can use the results to lobby the tournament directors for next year. Probably not, but at least we'll find out who's more popular...with the readers of Golf Girl's Diary.

So what if you think Taylor Hicks is a Trailer Hick AND you're sure Justin Timberlake is never gonna be able to bring sexy back, even if he kept the receipt? Then you can select...Snoop Dog. I added him as a third possible "celebrity golfer". He knows how to swing a golf club and he knows from golf fashion.

So here's your chance to voice your opinion in this passionate debate.

Which of these guys would you like to see at next year's Bob Hope Classic?
	Justin Timberlake
	Taylor Hicks
	Snoop Dogg
View Results

Note: Don't forget to stop by later today when I present this week's Golf Girl.

Golf Girl's Weekly Fashion File - Winter Golf for Everyone

Inspiration began trickling in last Monday when a sissy-baby blogger, sometimes known as the Golfchick, posted wistfully about playing a round in 40 degree weather. "Well, OK", I gloated, "GolfChick may be a much better golfer, but she's also a spoiled SoCal weather-wimp, not a hearty, fearless New Englander like me". Well, by mid-week it was snowing in Malibu, and everyone, everywhere was complaining about the not-so-golf-friendly weather. Ironically, here in CT we had, up till now, been uncharacteristically spared any real winter frostiness, but that all ended a couple of days ago with the arrival our first snowfall, and a huge mass of Canadian Air...that will probably make its home here for the coming three months. So...this week's Fashion File will focus on Stylish Dressing for a Cold Weather Round.















There's an old saying that goes. "When the weather gets cold, golfers get layering". OK, I just made that up, but in fact, it couldn't be truer, because as a round progresses over two or three ...or more... hours, there are definitely going to be temperature variations. If you want to stay comfortable, you want to be able to take off...put back on...and take off again..with relative ease. But remember: layering is an art form. Particularly on the golf course, where ill-conceived, bulky pieces can interfere with your swing, decrease flexibility or worse yet, make you look overweight and unstylish. Ick. We definitely don't want that, do we? So... how do we put this layered look together, and what are the essential pieces?

I posed the question to Rex Worthington, the always dapper, uber-metrosexual who manages our club's pro shop, and has been known to give me a golf lesson or two, when he feels so inclined. "I would recommend wearing a turtleneck and a Gortex-lined wind shirt" He replied breezily in his ultra sexy elegant British accent. As if that was it...absolutely all you needed. And of course I immediately conjured up images of him setting up at the tee wearing his UnderArmour turtleneck and Lacoste wind shirt .. and absolutely nothing else. The image of his bare-bottomed practice swing wasn't all together unpleasant, but let me not digress, we have work to do here.

OK, there's much more to it than Rex revealed, however, the two pieces he mentioned are, in fact, key elements, so we'll begin with them.

The turtleneck can be either your first or your second layer. I think Rex had something like the the high tech UnderArmour Metal Mock at left in mind, But you could also go for a more conventional wool turtleneck that you might wear over a traditional undershirt, (thermal or otherwise) for about the same level of warmth, and just a bit more bulk.




The wind shirt (or windbreaker, or jacket)is the logical second or third layer. It serves as a shell to protect against wind and/or moisture. This particular piece comes in a multitude of different styles, so make your choice according to your personal preference, but keep in mind that a full zippered jacket will be easier to take off and on than a wind shirt style with half zipper. Depending on temperature the fabric could be light nylon, thermal fleece, Gortex or even wool.


The optional third or fourth layer is there to provide that extra layer of protection on a bitter day. It can take the form of a narrowly cut ski jacket or it can be a vest of some sort. In both cases, this is where you need to give some thought to avoiding the Michelin Tire Man look. With all the styles on the market today though, that should be quite easy to do.

With that you've pretty much got your trunk covered. Now to the bottom.

If it's really cold it might be worth considering a first layer of long johns or Under Armor bike pants... or perhaps wool tights for a woman. In most cases however a good pair of winter trousers will suffice. Corduroy, or wool both work and I sometimes wear velour, I'm big into velour. The one thing I don't abide is denim. I don't know why, I'm not a big stickler for golf course dress codes, but I just don't think jeans belong on a golf course, no matter what the season. Maybe it's because I personally don't like jeans and never wear them? Yes, that might have something to do with it. Anyway Nick wears them when ever he gets the chance and pays no attention to my protests.

So basically, we've got the whole body covered and we can move on to the fun part: accessories. Now it's important to remember that much of one's body heat is lost through the head, hands and feet so these accessories are much more than just decorative. Let's start with socks and shoes. Very important to keep your feet as warm and dry as possible. Your normal golf shoes may well do the trick but do try have a pair that's water resistant. Some of Nike's shoes have a Water Shield lining that claims to be 100% water tight. One of my major gripes is that it can be difficult to find nice golf shoes in dark colors. They're becoming somewhat easier to find now though, thus sparing us from having to break the sacred no white shoes after Labor Day, rule.

As far as socks, you want warm and woolen, beyond that heated socks are available for those with temp sensitive tootsies. Golf mittens? Definitely a good idea when the mercury plunges. Not only are cold hands uncomfortable...for you and those you touch...they're also less flexible and more susceptible to injury.

And what about a winter golf hat? We focused on hats in last weeks fashion file however that was basically done with style in mind. What we're talking about here is something that actually keeps your head warm. So the logical choice would be a wool ski hat and there's an endless array of choices, including those made by the major golf manufacturers. The other option is a headband that just covers and protects the ears. This can be ultra stylish if you have great hair, but it doesn't provide nearly the warmth of the ski cap.

The last thing I can think of is a scarf. Not only does a wool scarf add an additional warming element right around the neck and ears where it's most welcome, but you can also tie it creatively to express your personal style. And... if you happen to be riding, why not bring along a blanket? I brought my cashmere car blanket along a couple of times in the fall and it was cozy and relaxing. Nick said it looked ridiculous to have a blanket in the cart. Of course I ignored him. And next round, I intend to bring a Slanket. See what he thinks of that.

So there you have it, a basic overview on Stylish Dressing for a Winter Round.

A couple of additional cold weather tips:

When dressing for a round of golf, a good rule of thumb is always to dress for ten degrees colder for the golf course. The golf course provides more of an open space where wind variations can be quite extreme.

Clothing made with Gortex is excellent for use in bad weather. Gortex is made to repel water and allow body moisture to escape as water vapor. The fabric also protects the body from wind.

Fleece and velour are cuddly. Cuddly is good.

A small thermos of Irish Coffee, Rum Hot Chocolate or Hot Brandy Cider is works wonders on a cold day. If not, a flask of Canadian Whiskey is an acceptable substitute.

Michelle Wie - Having Fun Down Under

The photo at left was taken earlier today as Michelle watched Andy Roddick defeat Marat Safin at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. She was seen in the same high spirits at a Serena Williams match earlier. No sign of depression, disappointment or defeat. In fact, she looked suspiciously like...a teen having fun.

Earlier this week, after Michelle's decidedly lackluster showing at the Sony Open, I participated in a lively "comments exchange" over at Oobgolf regarding the controversial Ms. Wie. As is wont to happen when the focus is Michelle, the conversation went well beyond its subject, and touched on issues of gender equality, commercialism, fame and merit, in professional golf as it exists today.

I'm linking to this discussion because I think a number of good points were made by everyone, and unlike some other bloggers, I didn't promise "not to post about Michelle Wie (...for at least a week)".

Update - Friday Fashion File has officially been changed to Weekend Fashion File. I'm still fooling around with working on it.

Golf in the Cosmos

I love golf, I love Japanimation, I love intergalactic beauty products... and a wicked hangover busy day precluded me from doing much writing today. But... I found the perfect solution:



Join me tomorrow for Friday Fashion File...assuming I won't have another wild night tonight.

High Flying Swingers in Abu Dhabi

Records have already been shattered in Abu Dhabi. No, not at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship...that doesn't start till tomorrow. I'm talking about the Etihad Airways Swing on the Wing Challenge, where Sweden's Henrik Stenson just beat last year's record drive (by Ian Poulter of England) by 25 yards. He did it by hitting a 721 yard drive ... off the wing of a Boeing 767 aircraft. Pretty impressive. Pretty cool. Congrats Henrik.

Etihad Airways is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and based in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi. They're the lead sponsor of the big ticket $2-million Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Some of world's best will be playing, including Chris DiMarco who's the defending champion, Sergio Garcia, Colin Montgomerie, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, and the aforementioned Wing Winner, Henrik Stenson.

So while Lefty and company are schmoozing with the stars in Palm Desert these guys'll be swinging with the Sheiks in the Arabian Desert...and I think we'll all have lots to talk about come Monday.

Golf Girl of the Week - Jessica Alba

This was as easy as it gets. Way beyond obvious. So I'm not expecting any dessenting comments or emails to appear after this post. Not that I mind dessenting opinions...they're what keep a discussion lively...but I just don't see them happening when the Golf Girl in question is Jessica Marie Alba.

The reasons I'm so completely convinced of Ms. Alba's worthiness of the GGW title are: A) There's not man, woman or child in the world universe who doesn't find her sublimely gorgeous. B) She's got a warm, friendly, accessible personality that's...So. Damn. Appealing. C) She's "into" golf. To what extend she's "into" golf is unclear, but who cares... because A)+ B)= it really doesn't matter. And in all fairness it's clear she has more than a passing interest in our sport. She always mentions golf when asked about her hobbies. She sometimes even refers to herself as a golf dork. Yeah, right Jess.

There are numerous photos on the internet of Jessica playing golf, normally accompanied by that annoying Cash Warren guy (photoshopped out of the image at left). Some even say he and she recently got engaged, but I'm not buying that. She's too good for him...IMHO,he's not even hot. This engagement would definitely be bad news for some of my fellow golf bloggers. Nigel at Illogical Golf and Mark at Balls Out are both openly stalking pursuing the Devine Ms. Alba with their own marriage intentions in mind. Golf Babes the definitive blog for...Golf Babes...has been known to post on J-Alb too.

I don't know how much golf Jess'll be playing in 2007 as she'll be working on 7...that's SEVEN...movies this year, but if this exciting little video clip is any indication, she might not be able to resist a little swing training between premieres.




So there you have it. Jessica Alba, Golf Girl of the Week.

BREAKING NEWS: Jessica and Cash just had a fight. He's history. Loser.

Are We Ready for the Sequel?

Plot: The gripping tale of a statuesque, beautiful and talented young Hawaiian girl with a killer golf game.

Backed by an A-list marketing team, she defies her critics in pursuit of her dream: to play on the PGA tour. Taking advantage of sponsor's exemptions she struggles to make the cut, but tragically flounders time and again.

She then gets accepted to Stanford University,wears lots of Nike, models for Omega, lands a walk-on role on CSI and...still plays golf at a very high level, proving once again, how great it is to be a beautiful, young, talented woman...with an A-list marketing team.


Plot: This much anticipated sequel traces the path of a vertically challenged and portly young Hawaiian boy with a killer golf game and an infectious smile.

With no semblance of a marketing team he plays his way into the Sony Open by shooting a 67 and capturing the lone amateur spot, thus becoming the youngest player in 50 years to make the cut on the PGA Tour. He goes to the final Sunday round tied for eighth and finishes with a very respectable -5, proving that with hard work and iron will, a short, stocky young fellow from a working class background can become a golf hero to millions.

Yep, I think we're ready for the sequel.

Friday Fashion File - Hats On for a Great Golf Look

Inspired by Michelle Wie's ultra hip Nike Newsboy Cap, and this brilliantly funny post by Mulliagan Stu over at Waggle Room, I'm focusing my first ever Friday Fashion File on golf hats.














Hat's have a special place in my heart. You see, I live Danbury, CT, and during 1880s, over five million hats a year were produced here. The town was known as the hat capital of the world. Of course hats went out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century...except when it came to golf. On golf courses hats are still worn by most of us. Whether it's simply a color-coordinated baseball cap or something more distinctive, a hat is a great way to complete a golf look... and make a fashion statement. Michelle's newsboy style, and the buzz it generated, reminds us of that.














Today's Golf Girls have loads of styles to choose from. Beyond the ubiquitous baseball cap, bucket hats, in solids or prints, are a fun, flirty option for summer. A more elegant summer option is a brimmed straw hat. In the fall a plaid English walking cap or a baret like Christina Kim wears looks great. And, I have a feeling we'll be seeing lot's more of those newsboy caps now that Mitchelle has paved the way.









Yes, when it comes to a golf hat, the choices are definitely there. Not all of them are good, however. I've made a few bad ones myself, and they were ultimately outlawed by Nick the fashion police. Oh well, not even Paris Hilton hits a home run every time out.

Pretending Not to Notice Ms. Wie

That seems to be the proper protocol at the Sony Open this year.
Reports out of Oahu have made it sound like the slightly tarnished, teen sensation has been blending in with the guys with almost no fanfare. Going unnoticed. Almost.

Despite a killer sense of style that generated some buzz during practice rounds, Michelle's Nike newsboy cap, dangle earrings and black satin nail polish have failed to leave a much of an impression now that the first round is well underway, and her game, just not happening. Not happening at all, in fact, There are already those who are speculating she'll withdraw.

A Wie withdrawal would undoubtedly be a source of satisfaction to some; the ones who've been insisting that she shouldn't be playing with the men... the ones who see her PGA quest as a marketing scheme that's being imposed on her by others.

She attempted to answer those charges in an interview earlier this week when she responded, "I guess being the only girl on the baseball team when I was 4 years old was also a marketing plan -- NOT! I enjoy it. It's what I want to do".

And I totally believe that. However Luke Donald doesn't. He happens to be atop the Sony leaderboard right now, and he believes Michelle would be better served playing against LPGA players, rather than finishing close to the bottom in men's tournaments. "I don't think you should just strive to make a cut". he said, "If you enter an event, you should be striving to win it."

Yes, some guys people feel that Michelle will be irreparably damaged by these early defeats, whereas I think she'll be just fine, and that's where I believe Mars/Venus comes in: Most of us acknowledge that women are wired differently from men, and/or that we have very different values culturally imposed upon us. I believe that's what allows Michelle to persevere slowly, patiently - despite defeats and criticism - towards her very long term goal, ego intact...where Luke and most other male players, would be destroyed by repeated, severe losses.

After all, it's got to be hard for a guy like Luke Donald, who's options, I'm guessing, would be quite limited outside of golf, to imagine the myriad prospects available to the fetching 17-year-old Ms. Wie; acceptance to Stanford, uber endorsement deals, a huge international fan base and more than a passing interest from hollywood and the fashion world....yeah, you do the math. I'm just going to watch this recent Omega Video again. I'm pretty sure it'll make me forget all about Michelle's less than stellar round today.

Lustworthy Iphone Just Needs a Few Good Golf Widgets

...then it'll be totally, over-the-top lustworthy. OK, it already is. I mean... have you seen it? It seems a lot of bloggers have. Sean, over at The Deep Rough, is the one who came up with the widget suggestion. He suggested a scorecard or GPS yardage application, both of which would be awesome. I was thinking of something like the swing analyser that's in the phone I used to lust for. Anyway, I'm hoping that by June, when the Iphone is available we'll be able to pimp it enhance it with all sorts of golf goodies. In the meantime it's got tons of cool features already.


Here's Steve Jobs demo-ing one of the coolest at MacWorld yesterday:

Yep, that definitely qualifies as lustworthy.

Golf Girl of the Week - Christina Kim

Guess what? I've decided to add a new feature to Golf Girl's Diary: Golf Girl of the Week.

Every Tuesday I'll choose a new one, and like most of what I do here, GGW will be pretty much guided by my own, very subjective whims and feelings. Because like many bloggers, I write about my feelings. It makes me feel good and it's cheaper than therapy.

GGW can be any (certifiable) female with any connection to golf. Any connection what-so-ever. That's how simple it is. Professional Golfers, Amature Golfers, Golf Writers, Golf Fans, Designer's of Golf Stuff...all eligible, as long as they embody the Golf Girl spirit.

So, without delay, I present the first ever Golf Girl of the Week: LPGA star, Christina Kim.

Why Christina? I doubt anyone's asking that question, because it's just so obvious. LIJA saw it. Loud and Clear. They just signed her to an endorsement deal. And Linda Hipp knows from Golf Girls. Of that I'm sure. But there's so much more to Christina than her uber-cool fashion sense. She was the youngest player in LPGA history to top US$1 million in career earnings, and was a winner in each of her first two years on Tour, scoring victories at the 2004 Longs Drugs Challenge and the 2005 Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions. She was a key member of the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup team in 2005 and had three top 10s this past season. (shameless cut & paste on the stats)

Then there are the Christina quotes; my favorite being, “Looking great helps me focus on my game and play my best.” Now that's quintessential Golf Girl.

Of course I had no trouble finding great photos of the first ever Golf Girl of the Week. I made the little collage below, but my favorite Christina photo has to be this one taken by golf photographer and photoblogger extraordinaire, Patrick Michelleti. It captures the very essence of the Golf Girl spirit.

It's going to be really hard to find an encore to Christina Kim, but tune on Tuesday the 16th, when I'll be presenting the next Golf Girl of the Week.

Winter Was Warm

Like many New Englanders, we played lots of golf over the weekend. 9 holes on Saturday - with temperatures hovering around 70 - and 18 on Sunday, when it was just a bit cooler. We played for the first time at Pomperaug Golf Course a 9 hole course in Southbury, that's part of a resort complex. It was a friendly place with a nice variety of holes and length. With so few local courses open however, it was quite crowded and pretty slow going. In fact, that's why we only fit 9 in on Saturday. But that was fine with me as it allowed me to practice my putting and chipping for over an hour while we waited. And my practice session seemed to yield immediate results. I felt good about that. Of course my fairway shots were shit not working well, and as a result I lost tons of balls to the numerous water hazards. All in all though, it was pretty awesome for an early January weekend in our parts, and I'm hoping like hell heck it continues.

"Anyone Who Says 43 is Old, They Can Go to Hell"

...so said Vijay Singh, at the trophy presentation on Maui yesterday.

Winner of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz Championship and first player atop the standings in the FedExCup competition, the often curmudgeonly Mr. Singh, was clearly dismissive of the constant references to his age. In fact, he indicated that he expects to be winning tournaments at age 50 and beyond, pointing out to any remaining sceptics, that he's, "a lot bigger and a lot stronger than Freddie Funk," (who won at 48).

In any case the iron will and extraordinary work ethic of this enigmatic Fijian seems to have enabled him to overcome any age-related ills, as well as rumored personal problems. Because on the wind swept Maui Plantation course, his game was pretty amazing. His swing, his putting...it was all there. "I was really, really focused to do well," he said, simply.

It'll be interesting to see how he does later this week at the Sony Open. Will he be able to keep that focus with the Michelle Wie cacophony grinding in the background? After all Vij is well known for his disapproval of "ladies playing on the men's tour". So, we'll see what happens on Oahu... and I have a feeling it's going to be fun to watch.

Golf Gets a Whole New Era

I'm sure everyone's just waiting for me to weigh in on this, so here are my totally random initial impressions on the first day of the New Era in Golf:

1) Kelly Tilghman's hair did not look as perfect as it usually does. Less straight, less long, less blonde. That's a good thing. Normally I spend most of every show obsessing about her perfect hair. She's such a talented presenter and so perfect in every other way she definitely doesn't deserve need perfect hair. Got that Miss. Perfect?

2) Nick Faldo was warm/fuzzier than we're used to, that's a bad thing. The world does not need a warm/fuzzy Nick Faldo. We need an aloof, arrogant Nick Faldo. We need "Nick The (rhymes with stick)". Mr. Faldo should go right back to the Donald Trump School of Snarkiness for a refresher course. Go Nick. Now.

3) Pat Green's anthem, "Feels Like it Should", contributes a nice dose of sharpness and swagger to Golf Channel's coverage, but a more appropriate title might be "Feels Like it Should and it Should Feel like NASCAR".

4) Will MacKenzie looks a lot like Sean Penn, and that look is really more suited to a surfer dude with a serious adrenalin habit than a professional golfer. I sort of like him though, being a kayaker, rock climber and adrenalin junkie myself. Oh, and he proudly admits to once going a month without a shower. Love that in a guy.

5) Vijay Singh is a class act and will always be. No matter what. Till the end of time.

I Feel A Great Golf Weekend Coming On

The planets seem to be aligning before my eyes, conspiring to produce an extremely decent first weekend of January!

Here we are in CT, where normally the entire month of January is deep frozen and only good for one thing: hibernation. But this weekend it's meant to hit 60; breaking records and paving the way for some great winter golf. I was at the driving range yesterday. The heaters weren't even on and that was just fine. Inspired by a golf resolutions post by Renee at The Forward Tees, I worked on my direction, really concentrating on where I wanted the ball to land. Ultra helpful. Today I'm hitting the gym for some flexibility and strength training. So I'll be all set to enjoy my weekend rounds, won't I? Then we've got the Mercedes-Benz Championship to watch on The Golf Channel. In addition to the new Kelly/Nick pairing, they're promising a pimped out an exciting new graphics package, new music and a little thing called Aim Point that allows an analyst to draw the anticipated line of a putt on the screen. Should be quite cool, I suspect. So yes, this weekend IS looking good for golf.

The only shitty unpleasant thing I have to do is take my Christmas tree down, which is never fun. But it's much easier than putting it up, right? Glass half full on that one.

It's hard to believe that the 2007 is almost a week old isn't it? BTW, I've posted a few photos of our New Year's Eve celebration here on Flickr. They feature various stages of inebriation from tipsy to hammered, as well as several headgear styles and two different venues. It was that kind of night. I'll be adding descriptive text and posting more photos over the next few days. Ad nauseum, one might say, but (some of) you asked for it.

A Few Golf Goals Plans for 2007

It's taking longer than I thought to get my 2007 goals and resolutions established, but my golf goals plans are set.

Golf Practice Goals Plans

* Week one: two days at the range, three at the gym, week two: three at the range two at the gym. Repeat through April.

* 1/2 hour of Persian carpet putting three times a week.

* Winter condition golf practice round once a weekend, weather permitting.

Golf Travel Goals Plans

* Take two to three golf trips between now and April. Possible destinations, FL, AZ, NV, CA.

* Play golf in at least three foreign countries in 2007. Possible destinations, France, Greece, Bolivia, Dubai,Iran, China, New Zealand.

* Play golf in New Orleans before the end of 2007,either at TPC, or better yet, at Lakewood Country Club if it's ready.

That's it. No mention of scores or handicaps yet, you'll notice, I'm not quite there yet. Just some general plans. Make any sense?

Are the Holidays Really Over?

As always the several weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year seemed to go by in a flash...but go on forever. You know what I mean? I just spent today getting reacclimated to real life. It seems strange. Lots of work and no big parties on the horizon. What's that all about?

But, it's OK. I'm really excited about my resolutions and the new golf season. Everything is on sale in January so I'm looking forward to some quality shopping experiences, too (cutting back on shopping was NOT one of my resolutions, obvs) and here in CT, amazingly, the weather is still golf-able and there are still courses open. So 2007 is looking pretty good so far.

Anyway, we had a phenomenal time at Foxwoods ringing the year in. I took lots of crazy photos that are still in my camera. The one above was sent to me by a fellow reveler who obviously has much less on her plate than I do. I'll get mine up by tomorrow though. I'll also be posting some really fascinating compelling fun golf pieces in the coming weeks. So I hope you're ready for 2007, I know I am.