LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS GOLF GIFTS

There is still time to buy last minute golf presents!  These great gifts check the boxes on authenticity, value and are MacDuff Guaranteed! (whatever that means!)

LEE WYBRANSKI  -  GORGEOUS GOLF ART

Another stellar year for Mr. Wybranski and his prolific workload, including the cover of the November Masters Annual. Lee's work has become highly collectible and his website features his iconic posters as well as one-off originals.  www.leewybranski.com  

FLAG BAG  -  COOL BAGS

Take a look at these - Golf bags made from flown golf flags. A brilliant idea from golf superintendent, Josh Smith (he's also an extraordinary painter!). The bags are hand-made by Macdonald Leathergoods in Portland, OR. (Fair warning - your special bag may take a wee while - you'll need to collect flags and then plan how your bag will look)   www.flagbaggolfco.com

TIN CUP  -  THE BEST BALL MARKER

A golf gift you can give golfers and know they will use it. The rules of golf state that you should mark your golf ball before playing and Tin Cup has made this a simple process for hundreds of thousands of golfers since 2010. www.tin-cup.com

TWO GREAT GOLF BOOKS

I loved both of these tomes and think you will too. The first is by Jay Revell and titled The Nine Virtues of Golf. It's a short, very entertaining read and every "real" golfer will recognize themselves in Jay's prose. www.amazon.com

The next recommendation is One for the Memory Banks by Luke Reese. The book is a glorious travalogue around the courses of Great Britain and Ireland featuring tall tales from Luke and his pals. www.thememorybanks.com

Christmas Golf Gift Guide

Here’s our 2018 Golf Gift Guide that checks the boxes on authenticity, great value and are “MacDuff Guaranteed” to bring a smile to the face of any real golfer. 

LEE WYBRANSKI - GOLF ART

Lee has had another outstanding year in 2018 creating official artwork for the majors and the Ryder Cup. Lee's work has become highly collectable and his website features his iconic posters as well as one off originals. www.leewybranski.com

MACDUFF CANDLES - SWEET SMELLING CANDLES

We introduced our own golf themed candles in 2017. This year we have a number of gorgeous Christmas scents including Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Stick, Cranberry Crush and Peppermint Candy. Beautifully packaged and ready for the tree. We also have a gorgeous Yoga themed gift collection, called The Chakra Range. www.macduffcandles.com

SEAMUS GOLF - PORTLAND CRAFTSMANSHIP

We have always been big fans of Portland based, Seamus Golf. Their core products are unique headcovers designed from literally hundreds of tartans and other fabrics. They also have introduced all manner of new items that continue to amaze us. These include ball marks, hand made golf bags, hip flasks, restored golf clubs and pitchforks. You'll find great gift items and different price points on their site, each one handcrafted by our friends in Oregon. www.seamusgolf.com

TIN CUP - THE BEST BALL MARKER

This is a golf gift you can safely give golfers and know they will use it. The rules of golf state that you should mark your golf ball before playing and Tin Cup has made this a simple process for hundreds of thousands of golfers since 2010. www.tin-cup.com

TOM COYNE'S A COURSE CALLED SCOTLAND - MY FAVORITE READ

My favorite golf book of the year, Tom's book is a worthy follow up to his Irish tome about golf in Ireland. www.amazon.com

MacDuff's 2016 Father's Day Gift Guide

It's a tradition for the final Sunday of the U.S. Open to be played on Father's Day, and as a father it is one that is much appreciated. My main gift each year is to get to watch the golf with few distractions and it doesn't get much better than Oakmont Country Club. It's in my personal Top 10 in the world and with the recent tree removal the course looks better than ever. As well as the gift of golf on television here are five great gift options you can forward on, leave on the printer or tweet out to children, wives and anyone else you may think could buy you a gift!

Beltology
At Beltology they believe belts should stretch! Their belts have no holes, as the prong passes smoothly through the webbing (fabric or leather) allowing for a comfortable and adjustable fit - after lunch for example! Read More Here

Holderness & Bourne
Alex Holderness and John Bourne never much cared for the exhaustive and hyper athletic styling associated with most modern golf apparel. They believe the branding should be subtle with classic styling and a tailored fit. I agree and am a H&B convert! Read More Here

Lee Wybranski
Lee is one of the leading golf artists in the world. This year he has once again created work for the major championships and the perfect gift for dad would be his Oakmont poster shown below. It features the famous church pews bunkers on the 4th and 5th holes and if you look hard you'll see the famous Oakmont squirrel. Read More Here

Links Candles
This new range of golf themed scented candles will be a big hit with dads. Full disclosure, we own this company and it's been fascinating how many dads have declared their passion for scented candles! The range based on the elements of the game includes, Dirt, Fescue, Ocean and Pine. Read More Here

Tin Cup
The only way to really make your mark on a golf ball is with a Tin Cup. They are available in over 140 designs and a new section of specially priced custom cups gives you a good chance of finding a unique cup for dad and his golf balls. How long he can keep it in play is his responsibility! Read More Here

Six Great Christmas Gifts

Like many people in this country I can't really think about Christmas until Thanksgiving is over. The perpetual "holiday creep" taking hold is so unnecessary and so blatantly led by retailers stuck with too much inventory. OK, I have that off my chest...on with my Pick 6 for Christmas.

1. Links to St Andrews - Love Letters to the Home of Golf - This extraordinary 350 page book passionately compiled by Josh Evenson is an ode to the first town of golf. www.linkstostandrews.com

2. Beltology - The perfect belt on and off the golf course. With enough stretch to take in a full lunch and dozens of colors and styles to choose from Beltology belts are instant classics. www.beltology.com

3. Tin Cup - Yes, I'm biased as I have been on board since the beginning with this cool golf ball marking stencil. It's available in 150 design and and also custom designs. www.tin-cup.com

4. Best Made Co - It's just not the same unless I get something from one of my favorite online retailers. They sell cool, well made American products, like this match striker - Go see at www.bestmadeco.com

5. Lee Wybranski - Lee created the official posters for three Majors in 2015. His iconic imagery is extraordinary and his work is a fitting reminder of the great courses and memorable events played through the year. www.leewybranski.com

6. Bob Dylan's All the Songs - Maybe it's just because I really want this book that it made the list. But, if you like music then you owe it yourself to find the reason behind Mr. Zimmerman's genius. And for less than $30 on Amazon.com

A Wonderful New Golf Book - Love Letters to the Home of Golf

Who doesn't love St Andrews? Well, if you are a golfer and you don't love it, either you haven't been there or you haven't been there enough! It is without doubt the greatest golf town in the world.

I was fortunate to attend University in Glasgow and as a member of the golf team we played many matches at truly great courses, including, naturally, The Old Course. I have great memories of those days and also in more recent times; walking around the town, staying in the Dunvegan and The Old Course Hotels, popping into the Jigger Inn, recreating Chariots of Fire on the beach and much more!

Thistle by Michael Klein

A fine young man, Josh Evenson, a North Dakota native, who attended the University of St Andrews, has gone many steps further than simply blogging about the Auld Grey Toon! Josh, along with an A list of the world's greatest artists, golfers and writers has created an extraordinary volume about the town, fetchingly entitled Links to St Andrews - Love Letters to the Home of Golf. He puts it best in his personal description of the book,

"Links to St Andrews is about links of many kinds in the world of golf and in life: links between fathers and sons, between coaches and athletes, between the past and the present, between an undulating expanse of grass and the swing of a club, between a town and those who fall under its spell."

Josh Evenson

Josh has travelled the world compiling this mighty tome with contributions from Messrs. Nicklaus, Palmer and Player, Annika, Greg, Tom - you know, all those for whom only one name is sufficient. And it doesn't stop there; the artwork is extraordinary, as is the art direction. The stories are compelling and tell so many aspects of the centuries old town, most of which I was unaware of. So, if like me, you love St Andrews, buy yourself a present and for less than half the price of a driver (which I almost guarantee won't be in your bag in a year) you can own one of the truly great golf books produced in my memory.

There are several editions of the book including a very special edition that includes the signatures of the 100 contributors, signed on hand made paper pressed from the grasses of St Andrews (I kid you not!). Good luck getting one of those! There is another limited edition tier coming at $295 signed by the writers and artists and includes a leather slip case. Available online right now is the "standard" edition, although there is absolutely nothing "standard" about this book. This version is $150 and likely to sell out fast. Although sans signatures it has everything you need to look at and read.

A sketch by Lee Wybranski

Josh undertook this venture with a passion and integrity rarely seen in Generation X and the result speaks for itself. This is a book you are going to want to own, read, study and read again. It's for sale on the Links to St Andrews website here.

The 144th Open Championship at The Old Course

It's The Open, The British, the British Open, the Open Championship - a major so good they named it four times. Call it what you will (and even as a Brit, I'm not hung up on the title), it's always very special when it is played in the Auld Grey Toon of St Andrews over The Old Course.

I was at University in Scotland (in Glasgow) and have played The Old Course many, many times in competitive and friendly matches. I even got it around in under par on one occasion. Ok, you don't really care about my score, but like all golfers I feel the need to tell you!

The real reason for this quick blog is to highlight my friend, Lee Wybranski's latest Official Poster for the Championship. Featuring a wonderful view down the 18th highlighted by The Swilcan Bridge, R & A Clubhouse and Hamilton Grand, it's a gorgeous addition to any golf collection. You can buy a signed copy here on his website.

The 2015 U.S. Open Poster by Lee Wybranski

The U.S. Open is almost upon us again and this year will be a fascinating test at Chambers Bay in the Pacific Northwest. This is the first time for the national championship in that part of the country and the USGA should be congratulated for their bold choice. The players, naturally, are already moaning and groaning about the golf course - most notably, those who haven't visited the site! Listen, I represented professional golfers for over a decade and have literally never been to a golf course where one of them wasn't complaining about something! Once they get there and see the Robert Trent Jones II golf course, which resembles, but isn't, a links golf course, all will be forgotten. These guys are so good that they can play anywhere, in any conditions and once again a champion will be crowned. I do know it's a tough walk for the crowd, so I'll be enjoying my Father's Day watching on television.

So, all of that brings me to the magnificent official poster for the event created by my friend, artist Lee Wybranski. Lee is based in the delightful town of Flagstaff, Arizona and this is his eighth poster celebrating the USGA' s premier event. Lee has always said that "the poster is an advertisement" and uses iconic imagery, as well as using strong copy lines to tell the story of the course and area. This year's story features the 16th hole and captures the Sounder train running along Puget Sound with the iconic "Lone Fir" tree in the distance. Look even closer and you will see a Seahawk in the clouds above the golf course and the snow capped Olympic Mountains in the distance. The poster is wonderfully observed and beautifully executed.

For the last couple of months we have been working with Lee to re-design his website and you can now see many originals, posters, prints, as well as his extraordinary brand and logo work on his new site here. The talent of Lee and his team knows no bounds and the depth of his work in the golf business is amazing. You may also be surprised to see his non-golf and special commission work that includes many special events and bold contemporary work.

You can visit Lee's new site here and buy the 2015 U.S. Open poster here.

Christmas Gift Guide

It's that time of the year again - seems to come quicker each year doesn't it? So, in keeping with tradition here's our Christmas Gift Guide featuring clients and even some who aren't clients, but we love their products! Here are my six of the best.

BELTOLOGY

No more boring belts! That's what they say at this cool new belt company based in New York. Beltology belts have many colors to choose from, each made from a unique stretch material and achieving adjustability by eliminating holes. The styles are perfect for golf and for business and with beautiful packaging are an ideal gift for the holidays. Take a look at their site here.

CLUB CHAMPION

If you play golf and haven't been fitted, then you have a problem. I can almost guarantee you are not playing with the right equipment and as a result you are not getting everything out of your game. I was recently fitted and had shafts that were way too stiff for the amount of golf I play and practice - it's no good looking like a hero in the parking lot with blades and 6.5 stiff shafts if you hit them poorly! So, leave a few subtle hints and you could get a gift certificate for a proper club fitting at one of the ten Club Champion locations around the country. Read More Here.

JOSH SMITH GOLF LANDSCAPES

Tom Doak's newly published, revised version of his Confidential Guide features artwork by the incredibly talented golf landscape artist, Josh Smith. The hole on the cover is the 6th at Cornwall's St. Enodoc and Josh has released a limited edition of 31 pieces of the artwork on canvas. The artwork measures 24 inches square and is hand finished and stretched by Josh and is $825. You can order by emailing me here. By the way, Mr. Doak has the original!

LEE WYBRANSKI POSTERS

Lee has had another outstanding year creating official artwork for all of the major championships. His distinctive style is well represented here in this special "Open Package" featuring Pinehurst No. 2 and Royal Liverpool. Lee's work has become highly collectable and his website features his iconic posters as well as one off originals. You can see all of his work here.

SEAMUS GOLF

We have always been big fans of Portland based Seamus Golf. Their core products are unique headcovers designed from literally hundreds of tartans and other fabrics. In 2015, they introduced all manner of new items that continue to amaze us. These include ball marks, restored golf clubs, pitchforks and most recently a wash bag. You'll find great gift items and different price points on their site, each one handcrafted by our friends in Oregon. The website is here.

TIN CUP

This is a golf gift you can safely give golfers and know they will use it. The rules of golf do state that you should mark your golf ball before playing and Tin Cup has made this a simple process for hundreds of thousands of golfers over the last five years - which is nice! Buy a gift package here.

Our 3rd Annual Christmas Gift Guide

Are you looking for a cool and truly authentic golf gift? Then you have come to the right place. Yes, they are all clients and I make no excuses for promoting their terrific American made products. Hey, it's my blog! There are in alphabetical order, so here we go.

Josh Smith Golf Landscapes

Josh's day job is as a golf course superintendent at the wonderful California Club in San Francisco. By night he turns into golf landscape painter extraordinaire! Josh's much acclaimed work hangs in many Top 100 clubs and also in the offices of many of the great architects in the game today. His work includes the Bandon courses, Ballyneal, Pebble and many more. As well as private commissions, Josh has a series of limited edition giclees on canvas available of many of his paintings. They are $825 and this includes hand finishing by Josh, hand stretching onto stretcher bars, so they are ready for framing and also fedex. These limited editions of only 30 pieces are stunning! Take a look at his site here and if you like what you see email me and I can take your order! 

Lee Wybranski

It's been quite a year for Lee as he worked on all four major championships, including creating the official posters for the U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship. (At The Masters he painted a series of limited edition pen and ink drawings). There are a couple of great offerings in particular I wanted to bring to your attention. The first of these is a limited edition print of the U.S. Open poster personally signed by the champion, Justin Rose. A significant percentage of the proceeds benefits The Kate & Justin Rose Foundation, a charity created to "inspire children from the inside out: through nutrition, education and experiences." You can read more about the charity here. The 100 pieces in the limited edition are priced at $281 - the same number as Justin's winning score at Merion. You can reserve one of these unique pieces by emailing me here.
The other cool gift is the "Summer Slam" collection of 3 majors posters of Merion, Muirfield and Oak Hill. Available at a special package price and all signed by Lee, why not buy one for yourself and give the others as gifts. You can buy the collection here.

MacKenzie Walker Golf Bags
Todd Rohrer and his intrepid band of Portland craftsmen make the best leather golf bags in the world...bar none. Handmade from the finest leather and customized with initials, logos and more (including secret pockets) these golf bags make a statement. For me, they say I love golf, I want to walk and I am serious about the history and tradition of the game. MacKenzie has no need for useless double straps and ten pockets - these bags have what you need, where you want it. They are available in many colors and finishes and they will last you a lifetime and then some. You can read more here.

Seamus Golf

Another Portland based company is Seamus Golf. They have created a cool niche by making authentic woolen head covers crafted from the finest fabrics from Scottish and American wool mills. And I love them! Seamus covers are now in many of the country's best pro shops and the full range is available online. At MacDuff, we commissioned our own tartan covers from MacDuff fabric (see below) and they make perfect gifts. Can you see that little leather tab with our logo? - love it!  Buy them here.

Stitch Golf

Stitch makes gorgeous leather head covers - plain and simple. These instant classics made in Cary, North Carolina have garnered high praise across the country as well as on Tour and I can attest to the cool good looks and admiring glances from fellow golfers. This month Stitch has launched the Italian Collection and those green ones have my name written on them! But be quick, because they are a limited edition and will go fast. You can see all the new covers here.

Tin Cup

Tin Cup continues to grow and more and more people are "making their mark" before teeing it up. With over 140 designs as well as the opportunity to create a unique custom cup, everyone should be marking their ball with this great little American made product. A great way to buy Cups is the Foursome Package - you get four cups, clips, leather valuables pouches and pens - so choose your favorite and give the others as gifts. Three presents solved in one go...perfect! Buy the Foursome Package here.

Father's Day Gift Guide - Five Authentic Gifts

I make no excuses with our Father's Day Gift Guide. All of these fine golf companies are clients and we are very proud to work with them. I'm sure you'll find something very cool here for Dad. One key thing to note with all of these great gifts - they are ALL Made in America. Which is nice!

1. Josh Smith Golf Landscapes. Josh paints gorgeous golf landscapes. His portfolio runs from Bandon Dunes Resort to Pebble Beach and many wonderful courses in between. We recently found three perfect, limited edition, tubed giclees on archive paper in a cupboard. The images are Royal County Down (3rd hole), Bandon Trails (3rd hole) and Pebble Beach (7th hole as it was in 1929 - above). Just because it is you, we are offering these for $195 each, including USPS shipping. There are three left and that's it! - if you would like one email me at nick@macduffconsulting.com and we'll get it out the same day to you.

2. Lee Wybranski Art & Design. Lee is having quite a year and his latest poster for the USGA for this year's U.S. Open at Merion is another stunning piece. Featuring the iconic red wicker basket, it is perfect for Dad's den! You can buy it here on the USGA's site. If you would like to explore more of Lee's work have a look at his website here.

3. MacKenzie Walker Golf Bag Company. Todd Rohrer, way out west in Portland, Oregon produces the best golf bags in the business - bar none! Now this gift takes some thought and perhaps input from your father to produce a one off handcrafted piece of magic. I have been guided through the process three times by Todd and each golf bag is a work of art! Some would say they are expensive at $845, but think about it - you spend that on a set of clubs and two years later switch them out and they are worth about $50! The MacKenzie will last a lifetime and the memory will be priceless. Have a look at the amazing selection of leathers here.

4. Stitch Golf. Based in North Carolina, Stitch makes amazing leather headcovers and other cool leather accessories - I have their #1 iPad cover! We first came across Stitch last year and in a short period of time they have made huge strides at retail and with consumers. Look out for their Merion U.S. Open covers if you are at the tournament - but be quick, because they are going to fly off the shelves! Read more about Stitch here.

5. Tin Cup. The Father's Day Package here is a great way to choose the best cup to fit Dad's golf game. Plus it includes a couple of pens, poker chip and leather valuables pouch. Tin Cup is now in over 1,400 retail outlets in the U.S. as well as being on line here with 140 designs. In addition you could create a one off custom design here.