That early March snowfall on the Front Range closed courses but sent bargain-hunting, trend-tracking golfers to the Colorado Golf Expo. Here are five of their hits.
“Big Blind.” Pins and Aces, the young shirt company based in Arvada, has built its brand on color and whimsy. Surprise, surprise, the top seller at the Expo was this relatively subdued tan pattern featuring the four suits in a deck of cards in white. Just goes to show that golfers have been watching the PGA Tour telecasts, where cream and tan have made a big comeback this season. www.pinsandaces.com
“Maldives.” There’s nothing subdued about the new, mostly hot pink, lightweight golf cart bag from Sassy Caddy, the Denver producer of bags and accessories for sporting women. Covered in pockets and including dividers, a putter well, a detachable purse and a rain hood, the Maldives weighs only 5.5 pounds before we weigh it down with our stuff. www.sassycaddy.com
“Qi4D.” It sounds like a robot’s name, and there’s plenty of high tech behind TaylorMade’s popular new driver: Qi=the Quest for Inertia and 4D=the pillars of distance. Lenny’s club fitter Sam Marley said that while the local retailer sold plenty of wedges, Spyder and Odyssey putters, and other clubs from Ping and Callaway, golfers were drawn to the faster/farther temptation of the Qi4D. www.lennysskiandgolf.com
“Roadtrip!” Even in a spacious new venue, the Golf Expo felt a little crowded in the aisle where three golf destinations easy to access from Colorado lined up in a row. There they were: Mesquite, Laughlin and The Ledges of St. George, beckoning to Denver golfers who apparently had cases of cabin fever despite the mild winter. And right next to the Arizona and Utah destinations, Troon’s courses in the Hawaiian Islands made a strong case for a much longer trip.
“Over Armor.” Anybody who’s invested in a fancy golf bag and high-tech clubs and then tossed them in the bed of the truck or the doggie compartment could make good use of this new design out of Wyoming. Think of it as a full-length overcoat for your golf bag: It’s durable, washable and – someday this might be important again – waterproof! www.overarmorgolf.com
Veteran journalist Susan Fornoff has written about golf for publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, ColoradoBiz magazine and her own GottaGoGolf.com. She provides the voice of “Molly McMulligan,” the CGA’s on-course consultant on golf for fun. Mr. McMulligan, Keith DuBay, is also an accomplished journalist and especially enjoys reviewing golf courses. Email the McMulligans at mollymcmulligan@gmail.com.
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