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Health & Fitness

2012 HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS TO IMPRESS ANY GOLFER ON A SHOPPER'S LIST:

Golfsmith will sell millions of golf balls, tons of golf tees and tens of thousands of golf shirts this holiday season. They have gift ideas for the golfer on your shopping list.

Did you know 30 million Americans play or love the game of golf?

Finding just the right holiday gift for a golfer is a daunting task, especially if the shopper does not play golf. For some, selecting a golf related gift is more challenging than sinking a hole in one.  Many rely on the old standby present to wrap up— golf balls.  Golfsmith International, the largest golf retailer in the world with more than 150 stores throughout North America and a robust online store www.golfsmith.com, will sell millions of golf balls, along with tons of golf tees and tens of thousands of golf shirts just in the month leading up to the December holidays.

There are many other affordable options for golfers or for those gift hunters on a budget.

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Golfsmith is taking the guesswork out of shopping for the golfer on anyone’s shopping list. Here is a summary of hot new products, economical choices and equipment trends that will make your golfer cheery this holiday season, make them play better and will help them stand out on the golf course.

GIFT IDEAS FEATURE NEW EQUIPMENT TRENDS, DESIGNS TECHNOLOGY AND DEALS

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HIGH TECHNOLOGY

Instant Performance Analyzers with Smart Phone Apps: There are a number of new smartphone apps which use external technology connected to a club or even golf glove and then provide instant analysis of a golfer’s swing.  This first of its kind technology allows a golfer to improve with every stroke.  PING has an iPhone / iPod touch cradle that clips onto a putter, using the company's iPing app to help improve every stroke. GolfSense makes a 3D Golf Swing Analyzer that attaches to golf gloves and provides feedback right on the user’s mobile device.  Here’s an overview: http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/display/?page=ps/golf-swing-analyzers

Home Golf Simulator:  Bring the most renowned golf course from all over the world to the comfort of your home. Today’s golf simulators use advanced technology to give you a truly realistic indoor golfing experience. The Dancin' Dogg OptiShot Infrared Golf Simulator combines pinpoint accurate swing analysis in a three-dimensional visual golf environment. The visual golf software provides visual feedback of each shot from club head speed and face angle impact to your swing path and distance traveled to the pin. You can practice or play replicated world-class golf courses with up to four players. http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30035591/dancin-dogg-optishot-infrared-golf-simulator 

GPS and Rangefinders: Without an expert caddie at your side, there's a lot of guesswork in determining distance to the hole, and various course targets, such as bunkers or stream carries. The latest generation of golf GPS units give you quick and accurate guidance from anywhere on the course and are essential high-tech tools to complement your golf game. With GPS and Rangefinders, you can get a bird’s eye view of the course with accurate yardage to the hole and displayed landmarks on the course. http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/category/gps-rangefinders

MOTOACTV™ Golf Edition: is a new cutting-edge GPS Golf tracker, virtual caddy and online clubhouse. You can track your golf game on up to 20,000 courses worldwide right from your wrist. GPS tracks the front, center and back distances to green and to hazards. A virtual caddy keeps track of your scorecards, clubs and key statistics. Plus, you can sync your rounds wirelessly to visualize and study your game online at MOTOACTV.com and view rounds from the Pros. Track data like total steps taken, distance covered and calories burned on the course - it’s the ultimate way to stay fit and shave shots from your score. http://www.golfsmith.com/search?Ntt=Motorola

ACCESSORIES & GADGETS

Golf Balls Ablaze with Color: Golfsmith will sell millions of golf balls during the holiday rush and yellow golf balls will be a popular item because yellow is the most visible color in the spectrum. Tests show improved visibility of yellow golf balls since they’re twice as easy to see as standard white golf balls. Yellow allows golfers to visualize tee shots better and see the entire ball flight. One in ten golf balls sold this year will be yellow with major manufacturers Titleist, Bridgestone, Srixon and Nike going yellow. With a new generation of golfers embracing color the greens may very well soon turn yellow. http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30050258/srixon-trispeed-tour-yellow-golf-balls

Personalized Golf Balls:  Personalization is hot this year. Golfsmith can create personalized golf balls featuring a slog, name or even logo for that golfing man in your life. Only at Golfsmith, there is no extra charge on select-name brand golf balls when personalization is added: http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/display/?page=ps/2012-spring-free-ball-personalization

Customized Golf Tees: Give a one of a kind gift that will remind your golfer of your thoughtfulness each time they tee off. Top quality golf tees can be emblazoned with a name or personal message for your favorite golfer. The quality and stability of a wooden tee is unmatched, and now you can personalize up to three lines of 24 characters each for your own unique tee!. http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30025893/pride-golf-tee-co-personalized-2-1-8

Head Turning Club Head Covers:  Protecting your clubs while dressing up your golf bag is possible with sports themed head covers and Daphne’s Oversized Head covers which include a loveable, animal inspired portfolio with hundreds of friendly, furry faces. Distinctive head covers are a great conversation piece and range from your favorite pet, animal or creature to your favorite college and pro sports team. http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30049672/daphne-oversized-headcover

Swinging Beverage Holder: Drinking a beverage and driving a cart on a bumpy golf course don’t mix.  Now, golfers can avoid spills when the cart’s shocks can’t handle the terrain with the clip-on Bag Boy Beverage Holder.  This self-leveling beverage holder sways with the motion of the cart, to help prevent spills. It can be used on other devices like boats, strollers and lawnmowers.  http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30036071/bag-boy-beverage-holder

Golf Cart Heater: The personal heater that makes the golfing season last well into the next season allowing the user to place it right in a beverage holder and keep warm even on the chilliest of days on the links. Coleman’s new model comes with new features and a contemporary design — all at the same price. The GolfCat can also be used away from the golf course, in your shop, garage, ball games or for emergency heat. http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30025748/coleman-golf-cart-heater

FASHION APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES

Bright & Bold Patterns & Tons of Colorful Fashion: Brighten up any golfers round and turn a few heads with a bold and colorful selection of fairway fashion. Bright, strong statements with a heavy dose of neon are gracing golf courses from leading apparel outfitters like Nike, Oakley, Lacoste, Puma Travis Mathew and adidas.  Here are some examples: http://www.golfsmith.com/display?page=after-18-golf-apparel/fall2012/puma-fall-01

New Types of Cool, Moisture Wicking Fabrics: A major trend in the golf apparel industry is new  fabrics  and a variety and products including manmade fibers mixed with recycled bamboo or using new synthetic mixtures with natural content like cotton.  These performance fabrics are designed to wick away moisture and keep the wearer dry, cool and to allow the clothing not to cling or bind, or inhibit performance.   There are even fabrics that possess an anti-microbial finish and offer UV sun protection to the wearer. http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30076128/callaway-mens-solid-wicking-jacquard-polohttp://www.golfsmith.com/product/30036642/assorted-womens-logo-bamboo-polyester-polo

Distinctive Golf Gloves: Golf gloves have gone high tech, too. With more supple and comfortable designs, advanced ventilation and enhanced flexibility, today’s high tech golf gloves have exceptional moisture resistance and the finest feel engineered to stay softer longer for round-long comfort. There’s also a variety of new colors and patterns: http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/search/golf-gloves

Not Your Grandpa’s Golf Shoes -- Traditional Golf Spikes Replaced by Cool, Comfy Street Kicks: Golf shoes are the foundation of a swing and stance. Gone are Grandpa’s saddle shoes and patent leather golf spikes. They’ve been replaced by a wide variety of styles including “street shoes” from the biggest names in golf: FootJoy, adidas, Nike, Callaway, ECCO, TRUE linkswear and others. Today’s shoes are worn for on and off course comfort and offer improved traction and stability. There are even golf shoes that feel like you are playing golf barefoot.  Fan favorite golfer Freddy Couples, who wears Ecco Golf street shoes, led a sea change in golf shoe styles. Other hot category sellers include the Nike Dunk, adidas samba (like the dance) and golf sandals http://www.golfsmith.com/display?page=ps/2012-golf-shoes http://www.golfsmith.com/search?Ntt=sandles

Belly Putters: The belly putter is no longer deemed a “mature man’s” putter. When 25-year-old Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship last year, he was the first golfer to win a major championship using something other than a standard-length putter. His win and recent Ryder Cup performance have generated a new trend and caused registers to ring. The New York Times reported belly putter sales surged 400 percent in 2011 leading every major brand from Odyssey to Nike to TaylorMade to launch bellies and PING has introduced the first-ever USGA approved adjustable shaft belly putter. A number of new models are on the market and retailers like Golfsmith offers a variety of choices. Visit: http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/display/?page=ps/belly-putters 

Club Advancements:  The envelope has been pushed with technological advancements when it comes to customized, longer-hitting tools for the game. If you’re looking to sport the latest drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons and putters from biggest brands like Adams, Callaway, Cobra, Cleveland, Nike, TaylorMade, Titleist there’s plenty of great clubs to pick from!

Today's drivers are more specialized than ever. With a few twists of a wrench, golfers can adjust face angle, loft and lie and can also alter a club’s specs to meet their desired ball flight or add a few additional yards. The TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver uses Flight Control Technology (FCT), so you can adjust the loft and face angle on your shots. A thick-thin crown design creates a lower center of gravity, which promotes higher launch and guaranteed added distance of 17 or more yards. Callaway’s RAZR Fit Driver combines Forged Composite and OptiFit Technology with adjustable features so golfers can dial in their ideal settings and hit drives with distance and accuracy like never before. Cobra’s AMP Driver (Advanced Material Placement) has Adjustable Flight Technology which offers three simple face–angle settings (Open, Neutral and Closed) to optimize ball flight for increased distance and improved accuracy.

Golfing Gifts Ideas under $40.00

Brush T’s: This will help with anyone’s drive.  Now, you can launch your drives without resistance or deflection and gain up to seven additional yards without changing equipment. The innovative Brush-t allows you to tee your ball on flexible synthetic bristles that bend on impact, creating a feel of driving the ball off the air. These bristles provide significantly less resistance which produces dramatically longer and straighter drives.   $7.99 http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30025637/brush-t-3-1-8-golf-tees-two-pack-       

 

Bionic Glove:   Every golfer can use a new glove and this one is different.  The Bionic Golf Glove was designed by a leading orthopedic hand surgeon to be a unique "hand support system" for golfers. Twelve anatomical pads on the Bionic Golf Glove allow for a lighter grip, providing greater club control, increased swing speed and greater distance. $24.99 http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30026265/bionic-technologies-men-s-golf-glove 

Putting Mat With Hazards:  Even when the weather doesn’t cooperate to get out on the links, your favorite golfer can practice anytime. The Jef World of Golf Putting Mat with Hazards features a sandtrap and water hazards, and its incline helps develop true firmness of stroke. Great for indoor or outdoor use, the mat includes a regulation-sized cup.  $39.99 http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30037614/golf-gifts-gallery-putting-mat-with-hazards 

Neon Short Sleeved Polo’s:   Neon colors are hot this year on the course and no one offers the variety, styles and colors in polo style shirts than Golfsmith.   Top names such as adidas, Snake Eyes and Lynx are now available in a variety of colors and moisture wicking fabrics.  Prices $9.98-$40.00 http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/search/mens-polos?Nu=p_style_number&Ntk=All&Ns=p_price|0&ItemPerPage=20&referer=%2fps%2fsearch.php%2fmens-polos&N=1572&TabVw=0&Xx=G

Golfsmith.com Outlet:   One of the best sources to find great golf gifts for those on a budget is the Golfsmith.com’s online Outlet.  Currently, there are more than 100 gifts under $40.00 at 30% to 75% off retail prices.   These specially priced products are not available in retail locations but can be found at the Golfsmith.com Outlet store: http://www.golfsmith.com/ol/search.php?Ne=5&N=1847838+4294965587+1847846&Ntk=All

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