Golf Girls

Skirt + Tight = Skite

It's a simple concept. A classic "why didn't I think of that?" idea.

But I didn't, Mary Jane Parrish did.  The enterprising Florida tennis-player-turned-sportswear-designer invented the Skite, a one-piece, multi-tasking skirt/tight hybrid that works wonderfully for golf... and a whole plethora of other activities, athletic and otherwise.

Here's the thing, for the majority of female body types... young, old, large or lean... a short skirt actually creates a flattering silhouette.  However, many women shy away from the look for fear of over-exposure... and that's where the leggings come into play.

Completely opaque and attached to the skirt, they're available in several cuts, from short... to Capri... to ankle-length, allowing a gal to choose the amount of leg coverage that suits her. Plus, with a couple of different fits, three basic solid colors and panoply of prints to choose from, one can customise the look to a particular sport or activity.

Yes, a Skite is quite the versatile vestment.  Have a look at their website theskite.com for additional info and check out their blog skitebuzz.blogspot.com for more on the back story.  Then of course, there's a Skite facebook page to keep you completely up-to-date on all things Skite as they develop.

A hat tip for this great golf fashion find goes to the always observant and sartorially sensitive Courtney Capps, (who always looks great in his Khakis).

Skites hit the tennis courts -  Fairways are the next frontier

Sharmila Nicollet...... walking    -    photo: Golf Digest Online

We first wrote about Sharmila Nicollet in December of 2007 when she won a challenge match, paired with Laura Davies, at the EMAAR-MGF Ladies Masters, India's first ever LET event.

Just 16 at the time, the talented Bangalore beauty impressed Davies who told reporters, "I played with this 16-year-old girl and I can say from my experience she has the potential to become a really good player".

Four years later Nicollet is 20,  and she'll have "the whole of India" behind her as she enters the third round of the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School tomorrow in a three-way tie for second...  just one shot behind leader, Jodi Ewart (England).  

The 90-hole Q-School Final is being played on the two world-class courses at La Manga Club, in Murcia, Spain.

Golf is now the fastest growing sport in India... a country where cricket is revered... and to have this charismatic young golfer playing in global competitions at the highest level will surely be an  inspiration for other Indian women who aspire to play the game... either recreationally or professionally.

Oh, and FYI, if you're into following professional golfers on Twitter, @MissNicollet 's tweets are often remarkably drôle perceptive awesome.

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Through myriad matches and diverse opponents Ian James Poulter prevailed, defeating fellow Englishman Paul Casey to take the title at Accenture Match Play.

Some immediately proclaimed it a huge win while others brushed it off as no big deal. Poulter himself was sanguine, and satisfied with a maiden PGA Tour victory that he felt had "...been a long time coming." And having written about Ian Poulter for several years now... mainly puff pieces that revolved are porkpie hats or pink patent leather golf shoes... I had to agree with that sentiment.

Back a couple of years ago, before golf discovered social media... when the message was still largely controlled by a handful of prestigious print publications with substantial ad revenues, Ian Poulter was often ridiculed. Or at the very least, he was looked down upon as a something of a buffoon; spoiled, subversive Eurotrash... style over substance.

Any on-course brush with brilliance was considered a fluke, or written off as an anomaly. And when he appeared in the altogether and proclaimed himself a possible successor to Tiger Woods, many a golf scribe became downright indignant.

That this preening, self-indulgent, slightly louche, Rod-Stewart-look-alike would compare himself to our clean cut, self-disciplined, always-above-reproach Tiger Woods was outrageous and insulting.

Flash forward two years: the golf media landscape has been transformed by the digital age and declining ad dollars, and our ever-exemplary golf champion has been exposed as a man living a lie... a rather salacious, smarmy lie at that. As for Ian James Poulter he's still strutting around like a peacock, in purple plaid and various shades of pink. ~ But at number five in the world, with a PGA Tour under his white alligator belt, most are taking him quite seriously.