Getting Personal

                Putt a swing into his step with golfing gifts this Xmas
            
                So just what is it about golf that has around 50 million people hooked around the world? It's proved itself to be the hard drug of the sports world - once those aspiring rookies take their first swing, there's no stopping them as they turn into club-bearing zombies. Could it be the prestige of playing a rich man's sport? The equipment is certainly not cheap and golf club membership fees are understandably high for the privilege of wandering those manicured fairways. Or could it be for its association with networking? It's a great relaxing way of bonding with your buddies or having a business meeting outside the confines of the stuffy boardroom. Last but not least, there's a lot to be said for the sense of personal accomplishment that comes from a sport of such great skill and precision. Golf is considered the easiest game to learn but the hardest to play; as Sir Winston Churchill put it, "Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose."

If your own experience of golf consists of helping him out of the front door with his clubs, and you don't know your bogeys from your birdies, you may like to learn a few interesting facts about golf. It may surprise you to know that the odds of making a hole in one have been estimated at 1 in 8,606, yet American golfer Harry Lee Bonner succeeded in scoring a total of 68 of them over the space of his 18 year career - quite a mean feat! Few people realise that golf was actually invented in Japan, where the whole country is golf-crazy, with over 2,300 of the most amazing golf courses in the world. And for anyone who wants to play golf somewhere truly out of this world, there are 3 golf balls lying waiting on the moon!

So if the men in your life, or for that matter, the women in your life, have been well and truly zapped by the golf bug, as the festive season approaches, your thoughts will invariably be turning towards xmas gifts and naturally, you will want to celebrate and share in their golfing passion. There is a wide selection of golf-themed Xmas gifts on offer to keep their minds on the fairway while their clubs are stashed away through the winter months. A range of colourful golf-themed books, for instance, are a wise choice that is guaranteed to put a smile on their faces. If ever the avid golfer were to need an excuse to hit the fairways, how about 501 excuses to play golf? This one may be particularly useful for the manager who frequently has to justify his departures from the office to his workforce! Then there's the book of golf's classic clangers, which looks at the funny and embarrassing moments from the history of golf which all those golfing celebrities would most likely rather forget!

Everyone loves to receive xmas gifts which have been personalised, as they show that you have taken the time to create something memorable. Personalising your Xmas gifts has got a lot more creative in recent years and you can even personalise your golf-themed Xmas Gifts for extra impact! If he has never been lucky enough to win a trophy for his golfing prowess, now's your chance to make your golfing buddy's dreams come true with his own pewter trophy engraved with his name or a special message. There's even a personalised mug for the golfer who would love to see his own name carved into the sand bunker, or how about having it spelt out in golf carts on the green? If this were not enough, the personalised golf calendar gives you the chance to run wild by spelling out their name in 12 different golf-themed scenes, which makes it fun to design as well as to give.

The festive season is an expensive time for everyone, so if you're on the lookout for some budget Xmas gifts, look no further. It won't cost the earth to put a smile on his face with Xmas gifts that are subtle but show him that you have put some thought into your choices. A snazzy pair of golf-themed cufflinks for instance, may be just the thing to add a touch of style and sophistication to his wardrobe, or a golf puzzle to keep him sharpening his skills of patience, concentration and precision while he's away from the golf course.

So whether its Xmas gifts or stocking fillers you're looking for, you'll find there's more than enough to choose from to show him you care and support his commitment to the game this festive season. Just remember how long and tedious the winter months can be for your golfing addict and how those golf-themed xmas gifts will bring a smile to his face at Christmas and putt a swing in his step when the Spring comes.