Before I say anything else about the multitude of products designed to protect you and your gear from the elements, let me first say this; 2009 is a big year for umbrellas.  Yeah… I know.  Umbrellas aren’t the sexiest pieces of gear you’ll find on the golf course.  They’re not as much fun as a new driver, they won’t inspire envy like a Scotty Cameron putter.  They’re actually about as exciting as the double-bogey on 18 that drops you into triple digits.  Of course, all of that is only true until the skies open up.  That’s when the umbrella becomes one of the key pieces of equipment that allows you to keep playing while the other men (if you can call them that) are heading back to the clubhouse.

In addition to the 3 umbrellas I’ve chosen for the guide, I’ve also got great products to protect you from the sun, keep your clubs dry (even when they’re out of your bag), and an amazing line of outerwear designed to keep you comfortable no matter what Mother Nature decides to throw at you.  While it may sound strange, apart from the drivers (Qwowi loves the Big Dog), Sunshine & Rain may be my favorite section of this year’s Golf Guide.

Sunshine

No ball caps here boys (and girls), not that there’s anything wrong with a ball cap.  I like a good cap as much as the next guy, but my guess is that all of you reading this probably already own a cap (or a visor), and if you don’t, it’s not because you don’t know where to find them.  Every golf company makes a cap (several actually), as do several other specialty companies (like Ahead, and Pukka).  You can find a good cap anywhere, but for those of you looking for something a little bit outside of the norm…

Wallaroo Hats

A bit more stylish than a ball cap, many of  the Australia-inspired, Wallaroo hats offer UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) 50+, meaning they block over 97.5% of UV Rays.  Does thank Yankees cap you wear do that?  No, it doesn’t.  Does your Yankee cap reek of sweat and money poorly spent, yes, yes it does.   That Yankee cap is probably going to give you Leprosy.  You’re skin is probably going to fall off because of that Yankees hat… but again, I digress.   The Wallaroo lineup offers plenty of options to choose from (6 for men – about 60 for women…60 might be an exaggeration, but only slightly).

My new friends at Wallaroo were kind enough to send me one of their Jasper models to look at.  The Jasper is extremely lightweight and adjustable.  It’s also designed to keep your head cool in the sun, which is important, because the last thing you want on a 95° day is hot air trapped under your hat cooking your head and what not.   It’s structured, but not rigid, meaning it holds its shape without getting all floppy.  I also happen to think it’s a great looking hat, although my wife isn’t sold (what does she know – she married me).

The 3″ brim keeps the sun off of your face and neck, and it also has a chinstrap (we’re not talking NFL helmet style or anything) to keep in place when the wind gets to being unruly.  Sure, the full brim style isn’t for everyone, but for sophisticated dudes like me, it’s pretty sweet.  Of course, if golf isn’t your thing, your Wallaroo hat is equally suited for a fishing trip, lazy boat ride, or just hanging out with the family.  It’s also worth noting, a Wallaroo hat will not give you Leprosy.

The Wallaroo Jasper retails for $36.  As I mentioned, additional styles are available for women, men, and children too.  More information can be found at www.wallaroohats.com.

Tifosi Optics Eyewear

When you golf from dawn to dusk (nightfall actually) like I sometimes do, the sun can be a real problem.  Nevermind the heat and the potential for sunburn, high noon can be rough on the eyes.  It gets even worse when you find yourself teeing off into the setting sun.  Sure, sunsets make for great photographs, but beyond that, it’s absolutely brutal.   Point is, every golfer needs a good pair of sunglasses.  That’s where Tifosi Optics comes in.

The Tifosi lineup includes everything you’d expect from a quality name in eyewear with a couple of  really cool little twists.  Sure, they’ve got a ton of styles for men, women, and kids.  Sure the heavy duty frames (either Smart Metal Titanium  or something called Grilamid TR-90) can be bent and twisted every which way and yet still retain their shape.  Yes, the lenses are impact resistant, and ya, you betcha, they all come with a lifetime warranty.  All of that is really good, but what makes Tifosi Optics so compelling is not that they make really nice sunglasses.  What’s compelling is that Tifosi is a high-tech, sports oriented company with a product focus on golf (this is after all, a golf guide).  Tifosi doesn’t just make sunglasses, they make sunglasses for golfers.

Several of Tifosi’s styles are available with GT (Golf/Tennis) lenses.  This specially designed tint provides a contrast enhancement aid which makes it a bit easier for the golfer to read greens and follow the ball in flight.  Tifosi also offers tints designed to make life easier for trail runners, cyclists, and of course, fishermen.  Polarized lenses are available, as are Fototec lenses which dynamically adjust to changing daylight conditions.  Many Tifosi styles come with interchangeable lenses, and several models can be fitted with prescription lenses as well.  I’ve had a chance to look at four different Tifosi designs, and what I really like is that, although they’re designed with golf in mind, they’re stylish enough to be worn of the course.

No doubt there’s a lot to love about Tifosi Optics, but the coolest thing of all is that every pair of Tifosi eyewear I priced out online retails for less than $60.  Compare that to a pair of O…nevermind.  My point is, with Tifosi you don’t have to spend a lot for a great pair of sun glasses.

I’ll post a complete review of Tifosi sunglasses once spring arrives.  Until then, you can view all the Tifosi styles as well as find out more information about Tifosi technologies like Fototec, GT, and Grilamid TR-90 at www.tifosioptics.com.

Rain

Here we are in 2009 and people are still finding ways to reinvent the umbrella.  I’ve elected to cover 3 different options here because I think each has something unique to offer.  Granted, a large number of golfers will simply grab the cheapest umbrella they can find at Dick’s Sporting Goods (that’s how I picked my first one out anyway), but if you spend just a little bit of time looking at what’s available, you’ll quickly find that there’s a lot more to an umbrella than simply blocking the rain.

Gip2 Umbrella

The Grip2 Umbrella from Stinger Solutions (the company’s first consumer product), features a unique secondary grip that provides more flexibility when holding, positioning, and stabilizing the umbrella in wind and rain.  That secondary grip can be locked into place at any point along the Grip2′s shaft.  The company contends that gripping higher on the shaft reduces arm and hand strain, particularly on windy days.

Featuring a 64″ vented (windproof) crown, dual rubberized grips, and fiberglass construction (shaft and ribs) provides a comfort and flexibility not often found in umbrellas.

More information can be found at www.stingersolutions.com.

Mibrella

The Mibrella is interesting for a couple of reasons.  First, unlike the overwhelming majority of umbrellas on the market today, the Mibrella is asymmetrical.  The shaft, instead of being placed at the center point of the canopy,  is placed forward, making the Mibrella look anything but ordinary.  As strange as it may look, the distinctive shape provides the same coverage as you’d get from a 72″ canopy on a more conventional round umbrella.

The second really cool feature of the Mibrella is the included Load-N-Go holder.  The Load-N-Go attaches to any riding card and acts as a holder that allows for a fully expanded Mibrella to be driven around the course.  There’s no need to collapse and reopen the Mibrella as you move from hole to hole.  It sounds simple, but it’s a really, really good idea.

The folks behind the Mibrella are taking an interesting approach to retail distribution.  You won’t find the Mibrella anywhere online or in any big box sporting goods stores.  Instead, the Mibrella will only be available through on course pro shops.  More information is available from www.mibrella.com.

Davek Golf Umbrella

Rounding out the umbrella category (I can pretty much assure you this is the last time we’ll have an umbrella category), is a new product from high-end umbrella manufacturer, Davek.  The Davek offering features a 60″ canopy which utilizes what Davek calls a “Duplex Frame”, dual-canopy design which allows wind to pass through the umbrella (instead of going all Mary Poppins on you).  Unlike other dual-canopy systems, the top vent is not tied to the bottom; instead it uses a dual rib frame system to keep the top canopy secured tightly to the bottom canopy.

What I really like about the new Davek, however, is the patent-pending “anchor spike”.  Made from aluminum allow, the anchor spike extends from the handle with just a simple twist.  Push the spike into the turf and your fully open Davek umbrella stays firmly in place, allowing you to focus on your shot instead of chasing your umbrella down the fairway.  Once anchored, the Davek umbrella can also support a club or two, which means no more unnecessarily soggy grips.  The spike might also come in handy should your playing partner start to get a little mouthy.  I’m just sayin’.

For those concerned about such things, the fiberglass reinforced canopy of the Davek golf umbrella is constructed from a microweave 190 thread count fabric, which not only sounds like you could sleep on it, but more importantly will keep the rain from leaking through.  The Davek Golf Umbrella will be available from select retailers sometime in February.  More information can be found at www.davekny.com

G-Glove

The G-Glove solves a problem common to most golfers, and it does it so simply that quite frankly, somebody probably should have thought of it sooner.  Until now, when playing in moist, damp, or muddy conditions, golfers have had very few options for keeping their grips dry, especially on those occasions when you’ve got to hoof around with more than one club (cart path only, the wedge/putter two-step, etc.).  The G-Glove, a rubberized, sheath, pocket, cover…whatever you want to call it, slips over the grips of 1 or 2 golf clubs, providing an impenetrable barrier between the nasty stuff  (moisture, mud, sand, pesticides) and your grips.

The G-Glove is flexible enough to be folded, crammed, and stuffed in your pocket or in your golf bag.  It also comes with a clip so you can attach it directly if you chose.  Unlike a towel it won’t soak through.  And unlike those divot tools designed to keep your grips off the ground, you’re unlikely to leave it behind buried in the sod.  The G-Glove comes in bright colors too, which will go a long way towards preventing those U-turns that end with questions like “did you guys find a wedge back on #12″?  The G-Glove retails for $23.95.   More information is available at www.g-glove.com.

Columbia Sportswear Titanium Performance Golf Gear (PGG).

Sure, it’s very easy to dress for the weather when you know what’s coming, but what happens when you play your golf where the weather is as unpredictable as the trajectory (and direction) of my lob wedge (trust me folks, it ain’t pretty)?  It is exactly this type of unpredictable and often nasty climate that led to the creation of Columbia’s first ever collection of all-weather golf apparel; Titanium Performance Golf Gear (PGG for short).

The caddies at Oregon’s world famous Bandon Dunes Resort were under constant siege from the ever-changing climate of the Pacific Northwest.  Columbia, realizing that the caddies were on a never-ending quest for something more practical, offered to help create something fashionable, comfortable, and perhaps most importantly, durable enough to handle the uncertain conditions they face on a day to day basis; often some of the most brutal anywhere .  What Columbia came up with for the Bandon caddies must have worked – and worked well, because this spring, Columbia is making the same line of clothing available to golfers everywhere.

The Columbia gear, which includes, jackets, parkas, and rain pants, utilizes a new technology which allows the fabric to quietly stretch during the golf swing.  This already sounds a whole lot better than my baggy rain jacket.  PGG also utilizes other popular Columbia technologies like Omni-Shade (which works like sunscreen built into the jacket) and Omni-Tech (makes the fabric both lightweight and breathable).  What Columbia has managed to create is nothing less than the most functionally versatile all-weather golf apparel on the planet.

Better still, much of the new line is interchange-compatible so you can lose a couple of layers during your winter trip to Florida, or add a layer when you’re playing someplace less hospitable, like Bandon Dunes or Whistling Straits (anybody got any free passes?).  In addition to solid colors, select pieces of the new line will be available in patterns, and plaids.  Yes!

Expect to find more information at www.columbia.com in the very near future.