gmhTODAY 11 gmhToday Nov Dec 2016 | Page 86

it’s YOUR swing with Don DeLorenzo Give the Gift of Golf For Christmas W hat do I give the golfer in my family for Christmas? That question is on the mind of countless gift hunters as we enter the holiday season. Golfers need everything from the spikes on the bottom of their shoes to the hats on the top of their heads. But just picking out the right gift or equipment can be painstaking when you don’t know what their preferences are. To help streamline your shopping experience I have broken golfer wants into four different areas: equipment, instruction, experience and tech items. be brought back to “tweak” with any customization your golfer needs for height, grip size etc. So don’t be afraid to purchase the clubs thinking you would be stuck with them if they weren’t right. But do check with the golf shop about their return policy. Let me add, this usually is not the case at a department or big box store so go to a golf shop! The same is true for individual clubs like a new driver, putter or wedge. Returning them to get the correct shaft or length is no problem. Equipment Instruction is something that golfers often won’t buy for themselves. Admitting that one is not profi cient at something and that help is needed is not in most people’s DNA. So get your golfer a package of lessons. Tell him you are tired of hearing him come home from a round of golf complaining about how many balls he lost or how many three putts he had. PGA Golf professionals are trained to teach the golf swing. They can help your frustrated golfer fi x the swing fl aw that has been plaguing him or start your beginning golfer off on the right foot. Lessons generally cost about $50 each with discounts given for packages and groups. You can purchase one lesson for a certain area of the golf game or a series of lessons that covers all of it. If you have a beginning golfer on your Christmas list, this is a must. Don’t start a beginner off in golf without lessons!!! Nothing excites a golfer more than having that long slender box under the tree that holds a set of new golf clubs. But unless you just robbed Fort Knox, that might be off the list. A set of premium clubs start in the area of $800 and go up from there. Many avid golfers are particular and have maybe already hinted as to their favorite brand (Titleist, Callaway, Taylor Made, etc) and style (AP2, XR or M2). Golf professionals and golf shops are can help you through the process of purchasing the right set for your golfer. Often times, you can get the set that they want and it can Instruction Experience The golf experience is my favorite gift to give… or receive! Watch your golfer’s eyes light up when he/she opens a gift certificate for a foursome to play at his/her favorite golf course. Or buy her tickets to attend the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am. How about a weekend golf package to Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas or Bandon Dunes in Oregon? All these areas are golf meccas with packages that can be as short as a weekend or as long as you want. How about a week-long golf camp? You can send your linkster away to fine tune their game to a place like Scottsdale, Orlando or Myrtle Beach. The list is as long as your checkbook is deep. High Tech High tech has hit golf just like every other part of life. There are a few items that golfers really like to have. Range finders have become popular over the last few years and keep getting better. This gadget tells your 86 GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 gmhtoday.com