Golfweek

One of the most overlooked pieces of golf fashion is the glove. But the woman behind LilyBeth Golf is out to change that.

You likely haven’t heard of the brand yet, but get ready for a big splash this summer as LilyBeth launches its inaugural line of equipment – gloves, balls and club head covers.

After getting a glimpse of what this company has to offer during this year’s PGA Merchandise Show, I promise it’s worth the wait.

Fashion has been a lifetime passion of LilyBeth owner and president Elizabeth Gamber. She’s a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology of New York City and worked for Ralph Lauren for several years.

Now, Gamber is melding her fashion expertise with her love of golf to create some fun and feminine accessories to rock the fairways.

The one-of-a-kind gloves – trendy, yet practical – are guaranteed to spruce up any fairway ensemble. The gloves are made with high-quality leather and LilyBeth guarantees that they’ll last longer than any other product on the market. The designs are fresh and rare.

Here’s another bonus: the gloves are priced at just $22.

I look forward to putting a pair of LilyBeth ...

America’s oldest clothiers, Brooks Brothers, announced Thursday that it will be joining forces with the Home of Golf, St. Andrews Links, in an apparel partnership.

The two companies will produce, market and distribute a co-branded collection of men’s and women’s sportswear and accessories. This collection will include apparel and accessories for men, women and children and will launch in spring 2011.

Brooks Brothers has created a limited edition men’s polo shirt commemorating this year’s British Open at St. Andrews in advance of the launch. The polo will be on sale at the Old Course Shop in April and at select Brooks Brothers stores in June. The performance pique polo shirts will be uniquely numbered from 1 to 2010, and are available in royal blue in honor of the Open Championship.

Claudio Del Vecchio, chairman and chief executive officer of Brooks Brothers, said in a release: “It’s the perfect pairing of two legendary brands. Brooks Brothers’ iconic products with St. Andrews’ unparalleled history in the world of golf makes it a winning combination. The opportunity to expand both brands’ reach and visibility is tremendous.”

Brooks Brothers sponsors PGA Tour player Scott Verplank, and also serves ...

The return of Tiger Woods has been the talk of the town. Now, with a firm start date at Augusta National next month, I only have one question: What will he wear? Will we see a new and improved Tiger?

Wardrobe choices might be the last thing on Tiger’s mind, but I sure hope he knows that his fairway ensemble is very important. It is going to be like an actor getting ready for the set. And this isn’t a dress rehearsal.

Every year, Tiger’s presence at Augusta National dominates the event. This year the scrutiny will soar through the roof. He needs to make the first-impression outfit a fantastic one – not something too loud, but subtle and classy.

One other question: Will Tiger return to his Sunday red? Or was that the old Tiger? I hope the red shirt returns.

I bet we’ll see Tiger dressed as crisp and sharp as ever.

The CA Championship was an epic feat for Ernie Els. But it was also a coming out party for Charles Schwartzel. Not many people had heard of this dashing, young South African, but they sure have now! And we can get used to seeing him a whole lot more now that he has qualified for the Masters.

It was sure fun watching Els and Schwartzel battle down the stretch at Doral.

The most amusing part about this story is Schwartzel was a guest at the Els residence. And although they may have been sharing the same company and dinner menu, it was quite clear that they didn’t share a wardrobe.

Their clothing choices were on the opposite ends of the style spectrum, but still horrendous choices. Schwartzel gets a bit of credit for the signature head-to-toe Gary Player black look. But was the open shirt necessary? It looked like Chewbacca finally decided to pick up the game. The visor didn’t work either. I liked the basic choice, Schwartzel should try another button or two in the future. Especially at Augusta!

Then there was Ernie. I don’t have a lot to say about his outfits – ever. There really ...

Izod G and Tehama launched their 2010 collection at the end of January. These two collections featured great designs, bright colors and innovative ideas. My personal favorite was the kids line from Izod G. It stole the show!

Calling all fashionistas! Golfweek wants women to share their opinions on the hottest trends and looks in golf. Cast your votes – and see your answers in an upcoming special issue.

• • • 

The LPGA has a new glamour girl.

Rookie Beatriz Recari, a down-to-earth 22-year-old from Pamplona, Spain (better known as the town where the Running of the Bulls takes place), grew up in a sports-oriented family. Her father was a professional European soccer coach and had Recari playing the game from a young age. She was introduced to golf as an 11-year-old, but only because of doctor’s orders to no longer play soccer. After taking some lessons, it was clear that she was a natural, and at age 18 she turned pro. In four short years she has a Ladies European Tour victory and now has full status on both the LET and LPGA for 2010.

On top of being young, beautiful and talented, Recari loves fashion. She told me she only shops once a year but when she does, she does it right, indulging in luxury Italian brands like Gucci and Dolce. On the course she enjoys wearing color, skorts and, in particular, one Swedish brand – Daily Sportswear – her apparel sponsor. She found the clothing company while she searching for golf clothes on the Internet, called the company to express interest in the collections and Daily Sportswear and her ...

This is big news, everyone. I think the fashion police are finally getting to our most frequent offenders, the players that haven’t always been the trendiest of the group. Yet, somehow, all the stars seem to be in alignment this week at Doral.

Watch out for the purple gang – Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Mike Weir (pictured above).

I know what you are thinking – these guys are never on the leaderboard of style. Au contraire, my dear, because this week they are all looking sharp. They must have gotten the memo that purple is one of the colors this season.

We like the change of pace and will watch for some similar looks on the weekend!

Now seems like a good time to mention a player that we have yet to write about in this blog, Erica Blasberg.

This Puma-wearing Arizona alum has a substantial fan base. Her Web site, which sends users her tournament schedule and extracurricular activities, should really send a few weekly fashion tip, too.

Blasberg’s style and elegance on the fairways sets a great example for fashionable, young golfers. She deserves a good chunk of credit for Puma’s rise on the golf fashion radar.

Ever wonder why the players who sport Puma mix and match their outfits so well? Players coordinate each outfit in Puma’s seasonal line, and the brand has accessories to go along each outfit, too.

This bold brand is made for the bravest of the brave, which is exactly why Puma and Blasberg make a good team.

One of the icons of fashion – Barbie – has just turned 51 years old, and after all the beach houses and Corvettes, she’s finally headed for the fairways.

LPGA standout Brittany Lincicome was among 10 women chosen to be an ambassador in Barbie’s “I can be…” marketing campaign.

“Golf has always been a big part of my life,” Lincicome said in a statement. “It has helped teach me discipline and perseverance and has also allowed me to have fun while doing something I love. I am thrilled to partner with the Barbie brand to help introduce and inspire more girls to take an active interest in the sport of golf.”

It’s nice to see that Barbie featured in a golf setting, and I think Brittany will be a fantastic ambassador. And the greatest part of the marketing campaign is the message that girls can be sporty and beautiful at the same time.

Brittany and Barbie plan to host junior clinics across the country to get girls interested and help them learn the game of golf. The Barbie brand will also introduce a new signature line of clubs that come with several accessories. Of course, all will be available ...

Our new fashion show – “Make Me Over – Golfweek Style” – will run on Golfweek.com every other Tuesday.

Here’s the first episode. Enjoy!

In this seemingly never-ending winter golf season, layering your clothing is key. From marathon runners to college golfers, athletes are finding new ways to stay warm while competing. And most importantly, they’re doing it all without apparel interference. Staying warm is essential to keep your muscles loose and limber. It’s also important to do so without adding restriction or access fabric in places that can sometimes prohibit certain movements. With cooler temps in the mornings and at dusk, golfers need to remember to bundle up to help keep their core body temperature regulated. However, there is a fine line between bundling up and bulking up.

One great option seen on fairways? Nike’s Thermasleeves.

Rather than wearing bulky jackets, sweaters or vests, the Thermasleeve allows for easy on and off application. They also provide UV protection and have Dri-FIT moisture-wicking properties that help to regulate your body temperature.

So, next time you’re headed to the course and are unsure of how many layers to wear, consider grabbing a set of Thermasleeves and feel the warmth only where you want it.

Some may think that being blessed with the name Tommy Armour is a free pass to Easy Street, but it’s not easy as you might think. Being “No. 3” comes with its perks, but it also comes with a whole lot of expectations. I spoke with one of golf’s most recognizable names, Tommy Armour III, and got the inside scoop on his very interesting – yet simple – fashion sense.

• • • 

Do you conform your style according to how the week is going? For example: When you are at the top of the leaderboard, do you tend to spice it up a little?

No, I pretty much know what I am going to wear the week before. I like to lay it all out for approval. I tend to be a very monochromatic dresser – black and whites only. I don’t venture out of those colors too much. I am not too sure why, but I just like to keep it classy.

Why do you have to wear a new glove every day?

I just love the way they feel. It is kind of an odd thing I like to do - a luxury, if you will. It was just a little ...

Conventional wisdom says there is a tipping point that launches every trend and that just one person can be held responsible for the movement.

Let’s apply this wisdom to the crazy colors, accessories and patterns in golf fashion. Can we figure out who is the father of golf course plumage?

Let’s start with the usual suspects – Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Payne Stewart, Greg Norman, Jesper Parnevick and Ian Poulter come to mind. Is it one of them? Or maybe it’s just a local guy who wore a dashing ensemble in a crowd at the British Open and everyone gravitated to his theme? Or maybe the tour has gone through multiple trends? Whatever, I’m about to get to the bottom of it.

All notable names above represent different styles. Hogan and Palmer had a classic, yet elegant look. Player had the chic and conservative black look. Stewart brought back “The Hogan,” but added his own twists. Norman started the accessory era with the hat and the blond locks. Parnevick brought in a new Swedish dimension with wild colors and off-the-cuff patterns. Poulter followed in the European footsteps and added his own personality.

Did one player ...

With the girls wearing pink in Singapore, it seems fitting that the boys should wear blue, and coincidentally, that’s exactly what they did.

From Ian Poulter to Y.E. Yang (and many others, too), there were so many blue outfits at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, it was hard to keep track. Check out my list of players who made the best and worst dressed in blue.

Rickie Fowler – Saturday in head-to-toe Puma. His look worked because he is young, edgy and was in contention. It’s definitely a bold look that can’t be worn everyday, but Rickie pulled it off with confidence.

Ian Poulter – Friday and Saturday in his own IJP Designs. Poulter, of all people, can pull off almost any fashion statement. Whether he’s wearing a Union Jack vest or head-to-toe pink, Poulter is one of the leading trendsetters on Tour.

Hunter Mahan – Sunday in Under Armour. Mahan’s look worked for two reasons. First, he ended Sunday afternoon holding a trophy, and that is by far the best accessory. Second, his outfit was more realistic for all the players at home watching. This is something that any guy could actually wear.

Camilo Villegas – Thursday ...