Let's face it. Sometimes we screw up at Christmas. The great and glorious thing about Valentine's Day is that it allows the holiday-impaired among us to make amends for the recent debacle.
So, in the spirit of amends, of bygones, of water underneath bridges and buried hatchets everywhere — oh, right, and of love, too — here is a list of great golf-related swag for the upcoming (golf-)lovers' holiday:
Nike One Vapor golf balls
This year, Nike Golf has extended the successful Nike One golf ball line to include the Nike One Vapor ($40/doz.), a 70-compression ball specifically designed for swing speeds slightly above 80 mph, yet possessing all the high-end, largely invisible, power-transfer technology of the One line.
If you want to go high-end (and higher swing-speed), Nike also has introduced the One Tour and One Tour D ($58/doz).
The Ultimate Driving Machine golf bag
With the economy staggering around like John Daly at Hooter's, perhaps it's not a good time to splurge on a BMW, but you can still afford to indulge in the BMW lifestyle.
The BMW Golf Stand Bag ($225) is the ultimate companion on the green. Designed by OGIO, this rugged, lightweight bag has an anti-twist Torq strap, 10-section opening for easy access to clubs and dedicated holders for gloves, bottle, towel, tees, umbrella and numerous pockets.
If you are a big BMW fan, the stand bag is part of the BMW Lifestyle Golf Collection, which includes clothing, accessories and other golf items.
TAG Heuer 27° AIR sunglasses
TAG Heuer's new 27° AIR sunglasses ($245-$365) are so named because of the angle at which the arms fold along their innovative, heavy-duty titanium hinges. They feature a single-frame design and 18 interchangeable shields — one for each hole on the course.
In fact, these glasses are designed with the golfer in mind. Key for golfers: They have no bottom rim, allowing for uninterrupted downward vision. That doe-eyed golfer in your life will enjoy the contrast-enhancing, glare-reducing Polarized Brown Precision shield and the Photochromic Prime shield, which varies its light-blocking based on ambient light, letting you move from an early tee time to the heat of the day without switching sunglasses.
Ecco New Classic Hydromax golf shoes
Danish shoemaker Ecco has just been named the "Official Footwear Supplier" to the 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. And if there's any one tournament that prides itself on style and pizzazz, well, it's that star-studded confab.
The New Classic Hydromax ($180) is one of those rare women's golf shoes that doesn't sacrifice stability and performance just to look pretty. But it actually does look pretty, too. Whether you're shopping for a guy or a gal, the Ecco line is about as stylish (and comfortable) as golf shoes come.
Nike Air Zoom Vapor golf shoes
The Nike Air Zoom Vapor golf shoe ($176), in both men's and women's versions, just hit stores a few days ago.
Billed as the lightest performance shoe on the market, the Vapor is made with a one-piece microfiber upper that is lightweight, strong, waterproof and breathable. The high-end synthetic upper material is more durable than leather, more form-fitting to the foot and will not stretch over time.
A toast!
One way to help her (or him) forget about your past failures in the gift-giving department is to simply get her (or him) drunk.
Wine.com is bundling three golf-themed wines — an Arnold Palmer Cabernet, a Nick Faldo Shiraz and a Guardian Peak Frontier Red or Shiraz (Ernie Els) - and pegging the whole lot at a price that meets or beats many a single bottle of champagne ($50).
Of course if you cannot do without bubbly, Greg Norman also offers a sparkling Chardonnay pinot noir.
A little ‘us’ time
And, of course, the best way to impress the golfer you love on Valentine's Day is with a golf trip. The Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort is the home of three Pete Dye-designed golf courses, and now you can get a Love Deal on Feb. 14 in the form of a "Love Is In the Air" Deal at Pete Dye's Vegas Courses.
Champagne. Wine. Golf. Pete Dye. Las Vegas. What more could golfing lovers ask for on a Valentine's Day?
At Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort, twosomes can sign up for $125 per couple for a special shotgun event on Feb. 14th on the Sun Mountain layout. The price includes breakfast with a champagne toast, a bottle of wine to share in the cart and other contests and prizes. For more information, call (866) 456-9912 or click here.
That ought to get you back in from the doghouse ... at least until next year.