Holiday Gift Guide by Shane Sharp

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

By Shane Sharp

Sometimes the only way to fit in a round of golf is to get it in early. And that’s certainly the theme with holiday shopping this season, what with all the supply chain and shipping hazards (to borrow from golf parlance). So to speed along the pace of play, here’s a roundup of golf gifts ranging from equipment and apparel to training aids and apps.

Radmor Golf Fall + Fall & Winter Collection

Saving the planet one piece of golf apparel at a time is an ambitious resolution. But that’s just what Radmor Golf has set out to do. The Seattle-based golf apparel company is the only brand in the golf industry to eliminate the use of “virgin” polyester at the garment level – a harmful material used in the vast majority of “stretch” and “moisture wicking” fabrics.

In doing so, Radmor Golf has reduced the amount of recycled ocean polyester and recycled nylon to just 10%, almost unheard of in the apparel business. Instead, founders Scott Morrison and Bob Conrad rely primarily on BCI organic and extra-long staple Pima cotton, two of the softest, most durable cottons available.

Radmor’s new fall and winter collection features a curated assortment of high-performance, refreshingly casual polo shirts, corduroy and knit pants and t-shirts in fall colors like sage and blue graphite. And as golfers battle the elements this winter, or just want to stay toasty, Radmor’s hoodies, sweatshirts are popular plays, and its weather-resistant Moscrip Jacket is perfect for rainy or blustery days.

For Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Radmor is planning a “site-wide” sale with savings ranging from 30 to 50%.

Shop: www.radmorgolf.com

OnCore Golf + VERO X1

Buffalo, N.Y.-based OnCore Golf has carved out a formidable position in the direct-to-consumer ball category over the past decade. Its perimeter-weighted, three-ball lineup

includes the high-compression VERO X1, award-winning mid-compression ELIXR and low-compression AVANT 55. Little wonder that Charles Schwab, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott have invested in the company.

The VERO X1 ($39.99) is nothing short of a technological marvel, replete with a metal-infused mantle and enhanced perimeter-weighting that produces the highest allowable velocity off the club face. According to independent testing recently conducted by Golf EQ, OnCore Golf’s VERO X1 bested Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x in distance and delivered 60% less side spin. Professional golfer Erik Compton just switched to the VERO X1 after rigorous testing and says it is the longest, straightest ball he’s ever played.

Be on the lookout for OnCore’s Black Friday promotion, which officials say will be one of the biggest sales in company history.

Shop: www.oncoregolf.com.

TRUE linkswear + Foray X + Sport

The walking-focused golf shoe brand headed up by Jason Moore and his brother / PGA TOUR player Ryan Moore debuted several new lines this year including its wildly popular TRUE Pebble and Dead Golfer collections. Rounding into the final stretch of 2021, these Pacific Northwest pioneers are bolstered by an $11.25 million investment from private equity firm KarpReilly.

Recently, TRUE debuted the limited-edition Queen of Clubs Foray X True Knit II ($175), its first collaboration with the women’s golf apparel brand Foray Golf. The shoes come wrapped in a Foray-designed carry bag perfect for travel or just storing the shoes at home. Foray has also added several unique finishes to the shoe, including a translucent sole under which sits the Queen of Clubs artwork.

The Moore brothers are all about comfort and performance, and TRUE’s Sport Series was just unveiled in November to rave reviews. Engineered for the eternal pursuit of par and the grinders and early risers, as the TRUE crew likes to say, the Sport’s adaptive upper is both breathable and waterproof, a one-two punch any diehard golfer would relish. It’s offered in two models, OG ($165) and Lux ($175).

TRUE is planning a Black Friday sale with killer “final sale” deals on older models, big-time savings on top-selling collections and free gift cards with certain levels of spending.

Shop: www.truelinkswear.com.

Sun Mountain + Cirque Rain Gear

Let’s face it, there will be times this winter when the weather says “no” to golf. With Sun Mountain’s new Cirque rain gear, golfers are now free to say “no” right back. Cirque is the company’s top-of-the-line waterproof lineup and is its most breathable rain suit to-date. The jacket and pants are extremely lightweight, waterproof, and breathable due their three-layer construction.

The breathable waterproof membrane has a 20k waterproof

rating and an elite 50k breathability rating. Key is the four-way stretch fabric that makes this rain suit ultimately playable – a must for golfers who actually want to be able to perform amid the elements, not just play. Cirque is available in Men’s FullZip Jacket at $299.99 and Pants at $259.99.

Shop: www.sunmountain.com

PeakVision + GX6 + SL9

PeakVision’s Dual Zone lenses give golfers something they simply don’t get with any other eyewear: an upper zone for blocking harmful UV rays and a lower zone that elucidates green topography. If Neo and Trinity from the Matrix played golf, they’d wear “Peaks.” For the holidays and into 2022, the company is leaning hard into its GX6 ($127.50 on sale) and SL9 ($118.99 on sale) models.

The GX6 is made from aluminum magnesium, a much lighter and more durable frame material. The frame’s temple pieces also feature rubberized technology for added gripping, spring hinges for added flexibility, and a fully adjustable nose bridge. SL9 features a fully adjustable hypoallergenic nose bridge for maximized performance and spring hinges for added flexibility.

Shop: www.peakvision.com

Southern Tide Polos + Quarter Zips

Greenville, S.C.-based Southern Tide knows exactly how to stay in its lane. After all, when your logo is a Skipjack (fish), you can’t exactly start cranking out heavy wool hoodies and joggers. Instead, this unapologetically preppy brand is sticking with long sleeve polos and quarter zips this winter, perfect for golfers in tropical or temperate climates seeking a little shelter from the 50s and 60s.

The Driver Heather Long Sleeve Performance Polo ($99) is a classic piece with a classic fit with plenty of stretch for ease of movement on the course and Southern Tide’s usual UV protection. The Cruiser Heather Micro Striped Performance Quarter Zip Pullover ($110) features stretch and moisturewicking fabric and is offered in five colors. And when it does rain in Southern Tide country, the Intracoastal Quarter Zip Pullover ($165) affords ample protection.

Shop: www.southerntide.com.

Peter Millar + Hoodies

Golf’s leading bespoke brand is getting into the hoodie game, and early indications are that Raleigh, N.C.-based Peter Millar has come to play. At the top of the line is the

cozy Excursionist Flex Popover Hoodie ($378), crafted in Europe with Italian Merino wool. It features a tailored-fit with a dash of performance yarn to give it just enough stretch for playability.

Next up is the Crown Crafted Merino Waffle Hoodie ($248), a slightly more formal hoodie, if there is such a thing, with Merino wool sewn in a waffle knit pattern for a visibly comfy texture. And what’s a great hoodie without a pair of golf joggers? Peter Millar’s Apollo Performance Pants ($99) are available in navy blue and iron, and perfect for on- and offcourse wear.

Shop: www.petermillar.com

DownUnder Board + 2.0 Tour Edition

For the most part of golf’s storied history, training aides have focused almost entirely on the upper body, whether it’s swing plane, path or impact. The DownUnder Board is eschewing tradition by helping golfers active their lower bodies. More than 100 Tour pros are using the “DUB,” including Brendon Todd, Harold Varner III, Luke Donald and Christina Kim.

The DUB 2.0 Tour Edition was released earlier this year featuring adjustable width for a variety of different swing types ranging from full to chipping, and even putting. It can also be rotated for golfers who prefer to flare their feet for additional rotation. The DUB was invented by renown Australian golfer and instructor Bradley Hughes, who’s focused on creating a solution for stabilizing the lower body during the golf swing

Using the board is a cinch: just set the width and rotation, apply pressure to the board with the inside of the feet and make a golf swing. Hughes recommends taking several swings without a ball, first, to get a feel for it. The DUB 2.0 Tour Edition was available on sale for $99.50 as of this writing, including an instructional video from Hughes. It’s regularly $109.

Shop: www.downunderboard.com

Arccos Caddie + Link

Arccos Caddie operates via Smart Sensors screwed into the ends of club grips, or via Smart Grips and provides golfers with shot tracking, smart distances for clubs, a range finder, strokes gained analytics and more. Users simply download the app, pair their clubs via Bluetooth connection, download the course they’re playing and away they go.

And now with Arccos Caddie Link, golfers can now leave their phones in their bags, golf cart or pushcart and still enjoy the full-suite of Arccos features. Link is a wearable clip that attaches to a player’s belt or waistband, records shots and transfers the data via Bluetooth connection to the base smartphone. Because it frees up the phone’s microphone, golfers can listen to music, sporting events or take videos on the course.

Link retails for $129, and it can be bundled with Smart Sensors (14, one for each club including a putter sensor) for $279.99 for a 10% savings.

Shop: www.arccosgolf.com

Pinehurst Resort + Donald Ross Package

If couples give each other new vehicles for Christmas, is it crazy to think a golf package, at only around a 1/20th of the price, would be an over-the-top gift? Pinehurst Resort’s Donald Ross Package is an absolute bargain in the “offseason,” offering golfers a chance to experience the Cradle of American Golf at over 50% off the peak spring and fall rates. Packages include two nights’ accommodations in any of the resort’s three hotels, villas or condos and three rounds of golf on any of its nine courses.

And because all that golf makes for a hungry group, Pinehurst also throws in its famous Southern-style breakfast each morning and a three-course dinner every evening of your stay. The Donald Ross Package starts at $692 per player from Nov. 28 – Feb. 28 (note: the Carolina Hotel will be closed Dec. 19 – Jan. 5). Playing the famed No. 2 requires a $125 surcharge, but it’s more than worth the add-on this time of year to experience the site of the 2024 U.S. Open (and 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047).