I hadn’t actually planned on devoting a day’s worth of the 2009 Gear Guide to women’s golf, but the number of responses I got to my product inquiries from the makers of gear for women was so tremendous, I figured I’d throw a section together or the ladies.  After all, how hard could it be?  Golf is golf, right?

As it turns out, golf stops being golf (at least as I know it) when I find myself on the verge of discussing capri pants and minis.  What the heck do I know about a skort?  The men’s game is all about clubs, and gadgets, and the latest ProV1 – and in hindsight, this is where I made my biggest mistake.  While I can tell you all about the hottest clubs for 2009, when it comes to the ladies, I’m so far out of my element that it’s a reasonably safe bet that I’m going to embarrass myself before this post is done.

The lady’s game, as you women no doubt already know, is decidedly different.  If I didn’t know any better I think your game wasn’t played with clubs at all.  There’s not a whole lot of attention given to women’s clubs, and I suppose that’s largely to do with the fact that pretty much all the same equipment offered to the boys is available for the girls too (albeit with a bit more pastel).  A smarter man would have learned a lesson from my wife’s closet.  I could be wrong, but I get the sense that a good bit of women’s golf, like so many other things for the ladies, is less about the gear, and more about the clothing and accessories.

Thankfully for you all wonderful women golfers out there, there are a handful of great sites like; Golf Girl’s Diary, Real Women Golf, and The Pink Diva Golf Blog, that can start to fill in some of the gaping holes I’ve no doubt left in this post.  So with all of that said, it is with a tremendous sense of humility that I present Qwowi’s 2009 Golf Guide for Women (such as it is).

Apparel

Call it mailing it in if you will, but I’m not even going to attempt taking on the world of women’s golf apparel.  Yes, I know it’s shameful given how much of the women’s golf industry is focused on apparel.  Without putting my foot in my mouth (I hope), I will acknowledge the tremendous debt that I and my golfing buddies owe to companies like; Lija, GG Blue, Jofit, and Trigelle, who are responsible for all of the sexy women’s golf apparel we’re going to enjoy seeing all summer long.  What can I say, some guys are into the cheerleader thing, some like naughty schoolgirls, or nurses, or even sexy librarians with Tina Fey glasses, me, at this risk of divulging too much, I’ve got a thing for a woman in a cute little golf outfit.

I was going to keep my fantasies to myself and skip women’s apparel altogether, but because I am a man, and not a very smart one at that, I’m going to go ahead and share with you one of my favorite lines of golf fashion for women.

PUMA

While there’s not nearly enough space to cover the complete PUMA lineup (and it is extensive), I wanted to make sure everyone knows that the same awesome (and chafe-free) Invisibonding technology I talked about in my men’s apparel post is available to women as well.  Just like the men’s version, the women’s Invisibonding Polo is made from  a moisture wicking stretch fabric that moves with you as you swing.  While it’s every bit as technologically advanced as the men’s version, the lady’s model has the added advantage of versatility.  The cleverly designed collar can be worn as either a mock or a polo.  As a man, I feel a bit cheated.

My friends at PUMA tell me that the Invisibonding Polo goes very nicely with their Golf Patterned Skirt with Inner Skort.  The skirt features a fabric belt and invisible zip opening to give you an added touch of elegance out there on the links.

More information about the entire PUMA women’s lineup is available at golf.puma.com.

Accessories

While all of the same on course accessories I discussed for the guys, work equally as well for the ladies, I did come across a couple of products with a decidedly feminine slant that I think no female golfer will want to be without.

SporteeGal Journal

Designed for both beginning and advanced “golfer gals” alike, the SporteeGal Journal offers a stylish way for the female golfer (although I suppose there’s no good reason why a man couldn’t use it ) to keep track of  her golf game.

The SporteeGal Journal is divided up into 5 unique sections, which provide a structure to help you organize your thoughts, while still leaving plenty of room to let your creative juices flow.  There’s a section to record rounds – either detailed performance or just memories of the fun you just had.  The beauty of the SporteeGal Journal’s design is that it’s flexible enough for you to keep track of whatever it is that’s important to you.

About so much more than just sharing your feelings; additional sections include Goals (set goals and track progress), Practice (track visits to the range), Notes (whatever you want them to be), and Photos (a place to store your favorite photos from the course).  The 6-ring SporteeGal Journal is made of durable nylon and includes two interior pockets for storing those scorecards worth keeping (never had one of those myself).  The SporteeGal Journal comes in chocolate brown with pink trim.

Later this year look for Workout, Tennis, and Marathon Journals from SporteeGal.  The SporteeGal Journal is available for $26.95 from www.sporteegal.com.

Cool-It Caddy

About the only thing guys like me worry about keeping cool on the golf course are our beers, and perhaps the occasional turkey sandwich.  Some women, however, take on the added burden of looking great, which means you have to worry about keeping your makeup cool too.  I’m certainly no expert, but my guess is that 95° heat and a tube of lipstick is anything but an ideal combination.  This is exactly why the Cool-It Caddy was invented.

Before use, simply throw the Cool-It Caddy into your freezer and just let it chill.  The entire cooling mechanism is self-contained within the bag, so you’ll never have to worry about gel packs or other inserts that are easily lost.  Once you’re ready to go, toss your cosmetics, medication (or whatever else you might have that needs to stay cool) into the Cool-It Caddy, and you’re ready to hit the links.  The Cool-It Caddy is small enough to ft into most any golf bag, so you can keep it with you at all times.

Available in black, pink, and zebra print, the $39.95 Cool-It Caddy should start shipping by May.  More information is available at www.cool-itcaddy.com.

Sandbaggers Golf Shoes

For over 22 years now, Sandbaggers has been making golf shoes exclusively for women.  While I could get irate and file some sort of discrimination lawsuit, I feel like my time would be better spent celebrating this adorable lineup of high-quality, stylish, and comfortable footwear.

While I don’t understand shoes, and I definitely don’t understand women, I do understand that something bizarre happens when you put the two together.  We men, we’re less than particular about our footwear.  As a group, we’ll buy just about anything you stick Tiger Woods’ name on.  Women, however, wouldn’t be nearly as inclined to buy a shoe just because it has Natalie Gulbis’ name on it.  Incidentally, I’ll buy just about anything with Natlie Gulbis on it, but there I go digressing again.

For 2009, Sandbaggers is offering its first ever series of modified fit shoes.  The shoes in the new Contour Collection are more tapered through the heel and arch.  All of the models in the Contour Collection feature a narrower fitting heel with ample padding to help ensure a soft, yet snug fit.  The asymmetrical design of the toe box better matches the contour of the foot.  Other features include a two density flexible grip sole, built in orthotics, and steel shanks; all of which provide additional comfort.

While there are too many models to list here, I’m personally fond of the Riley Black (shown right).  It’s cute, classy, but still has a hint of a naughty school girl thing going on.  Clearly men should not be allowed to write about women’s shoes, but if it’s any consolation, my wife thinks they’re cute too, and she really (I mean REALLY) knows shoes.

More information, including the complete Contour Collection is available at www.mysandbaggers.com.

Madcapz

You know what the problem with most golf caps is?  They’re made for men.  Sure you can find a pink Titleist hat, but  at the end of the day it’s just a man’s cap in a more girly color.  The issue I’ve just described is exactly how Madcaps came to be.  Madcapz founder, Carrie Bell, scoured the malls and the Internet looking for a baseball style cap that was distinctly feminine.  Unable to find anything colorful and fun, Carrie took it upon herself to create her own.  Her initial designs proved popular with family and friends and so Madcapz was born.

In a very short period of time the Madcapz lineup has grown to include 60 distinct patterns with new ones being added constantly.  In addition to women’s hats, the Madcapz lineup now includes visors (both curly cord and self-fastening closures available) and caps for both children and infants.  Among the vast selection of colorful patterns are seasonal themes, animal and animal prints, flowers and leaves, dots, and when all else fails, pink.  Some of the visors features golf and tennis themed patterns.

Unlike most baseball caps on the market today, Madcapz are designed to fit women.  Proudly made in the USA, Madcapz not only offer protection from the sun, but they make you feel fabulous.  Ladies, when you feel fabulous, you are fabulous.

Madcapz infant styles are $10.00 (my buddy’s kid could totally rock the Razzle Dazzle).  Kids sizes are 14.99.  Visors are $12.99.  Full-sized hats will run you $19.99.

More information, including the complete Madcapz lineup is available at www.madcapz.net.

Golf Bags

It’s quite possible that I may not know anything about skirts, and skorts, and women’s golf apparel in general.  I’ll never understand why it takes my wife nearly an hour to get ready to go to the gym.  In fact, I may be a total idiot when it comes to just about all things woman, and I’m alright with that.  But that said, I know golf bags, and I know women like to carry a lot of stuff (isn’t a golf bag just a purse for your golf clubs?), so If you haven’t put any stock into a word I’ve said so far, it’s time to pay attention, because I’m finally back in my element.

Bennington Ladies Couture

I talked about a couple of Bennington bags in my golf bag post, but since Bennington features a few designs exclusively for the ladies, I wanted to include them here.  Bennington offers a ladies edition of their very cool Quiet Organizer bag, as well as a Miss Bennington model which is available in a zebra print, but what I really want to talk to you about is the sophisticated femininity that is the Bennington Ladies Couture.

The Ladies Couture features a 15-way top.  Among its 7 forward-facing pockets are a fleece-lined valuables pocket, and an insulated drink holder.  The Ladies Couture features a removable embroidery flap, dual lift handles, and something not found on any men’s golf bag; a matching clutch purse.  Suddenly I have bag envy.

The Bennington Ladies Couture is available in Rose, Blue polka-dot, Black polka-dot, Gold, and my personal favorite, the Argyle shown here on the right.

Retail price for the Ladies Couture is around $169.  More information is available from www.benningtongolf.com.

OGIO Cougar

First I should mention that OGIO offers a couple of great stand bags for the woman who likes to travel light (I’m laughing at the very notion).  For dedicated walkers there’s the very svelte, 4.2 lbs, Featherlight.  Slightly larger, and offering some additional storage space for all of your girlie stuff is the OGIO Diva.  In addition to an outstanding selection of OGIO’s other patented features, the Diva is the first women’s bag to feature the Arc Lite stand system for rapid, snag free, deployment of the legs.  Given more time I’d also tell you about OGIO’s full-sized offering for you ladies, the Shadow.  More than just a neutered man’s bag (apologies), the Shadow is one of the few full-sized cart bags actually designed for women.

What I really want to talk about is the OGIO’s new Cougar cart bag.  Who doesn’t love a cougar, right?  The Cougar features OGIO’s famous 15-way, 10″ Uniter top.  It’s got 6 forward facing pockets, including a fleece-lined valuables pocket.  Other distinctly OGIO features found on the Cougar include a Ball Silo, velcro glove/putter cover strip, external tee holders, elastic towel loop, and full length umbrella containment.  Like any true Cougar, the OGIO bag is as much about substance as it is great looks.

The OGIO Cougar is the perfect bag for the woman who knows what she wants, and more importantly, knows how to get it.  With a style that’s everything we’ve come to expect from OGIO, the hot new Cougar is the first golf bag that’s as sexy as you are…almost.

Street price for the OGIO Cougar is roughly $140.  More information is available from www.ogio.com

Scotty Cameron My Girl Putter

Finally, for the girl who pretty much gets everything she wants, I offer up the only actual golf club on this list; the brand new Scotty Cameron My Girl ‘08.  Released in December, the limited edition Fleur De Lis My Girl is the the only real choice for the girl who has everything – or at least wants everything.

A true lady will no doubt appreciate the beauty in the details of this feminine take on a classic putter.  The new My Girl is, after all, a fresh take on Scotty’s popular Button Back Newport design.  Made from 303 Stainless steel, the My Girl is perfectly proportioned with 33″ of length and 20 grams of sole weight.  It’s also worth mentioning that it’s got enough pink accents to satisfy the girliest of golfing girls.

Equal parts glamour and game, the My Girl comes with the tour proven Baby T grip (more girly accents).  A new shaft and matching pink headcover complete the ensemble.

Limited to 1000 pieces worldwide, if you’re fortunate enough to find the Fleur De Lis My Girl, you can expect to pay between $700 and $900.  Did I mention the pink?

More information is available at www.scottycameron.com