Can Adidas adiPURE Golf Shoes Provide a Good Fit for Nick Faldo?

Nick Faldo, in days of yore a carpet fitter and now Knighted by the Queen and afforded the title of "Sir" has been tapped to be a delegate of sophistication for Adidas Golf footwear.

About fifty years ago Adidas first entered the sports marketplace producing shoes for soccer and running, hardly a brand for the jet-set. Endorsement deals combining world-class athletes with "street cred" has helped Adidas to improve their visibility revitalizing the brand for both lifestyle and leisure activites as well as remaining a brand for "everyman".

The Faldo-Adidas connection surely makes a good "fit".

With a unique upscale and trendy look, adidas may have a winner with the adiPURE golf shoe opting for the combination of form and function. And, at this time in his career Faldo concludes, "I think it fits my stages in golf and my position in television," adding that the adiPURE line suits him because of trendy yet traditional appeal.

"The adiPURE premium apparel and footwear line speaks to the sophisticated golfer. The adiPURE line has infinite elegance and superior performance with clean designs, contemporary styling and groundbreaking technologies, built to anticipate the needs of the competitive purist."

Patricia Dahan, Senior Director of Global Apparel conveyed, "The product is timeless. It features styling that is well-tailored and incorporates all of the core technologies, but with fabrications that have a very luxurious and sophisticated feel giving the line a modern look."

Timeless elegance, top-shelf craftsmanship and eye-catching designs are important but now it's time for the comfort test. If the new adiPURE by Adidas can combine style and performance with a wide enough berth for extra wide feet, Adidas will have a winner!

Of course, the most important question for a golf gal is, "When will Adidas extend the line to include women golf apparel?" The stylish adidas Festuca shoe by Stella McCartney is a good start...

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Global Golf Re-Think to be tackled in Turkey?

Greg Norman and Annika Sorenstam have set themselves apart from the average professional golfer through exploration and success within the business landscape. From course design to clothing lines, these two entrepreneurs are ringing up millions in sales outside of the realm of golf, offering them name recognition to those who have never even picked up a golf club.

Both Norman and Sorenstam will be guest speakers during the seventh annual Golf Business Forum sponsored by KPMG. Held in Belek, Turkey, this conference is far from where the average golfer would have considered trekking for a few rounds and a glass of Raki but now appears to be making an international splash.

Why Turkey?

It seems that Turkey is becoming golf's new Portugal with the Turkish Golf Federation ambitiously planning about a hundred new courses within the next fifteen years. The mild weather and central location for Europeans are particularly attractive and the real estate is currently a great value.

Colin Montgomerie and Nick Faldo have already designed courses in Turkey and Hilton Hotels designated Turkey as one of it's key development regions recently adding their first luxury resort and spa in Dalaman on the south west coast.

The Golf Business Forum's theme of 'Rethink, Redesign, Reposition the Global Golf Industry' will tackle the future of golf and real estate, the impact of golf in the Olympics, environmental and sustainability issues as well as Turkey and China's ambitions as emerging markets.

Here is a look into the Golf Business Forum agenda:

• Standing out from the Crowd: Developers on Marketing, Positioning and Branding. Communicating their thoughts on the issue will be Mario Natarelli, CEO of global branding consultancy FutureBrand, with leading developers from Turkey, Greece and Middle East.

• How does the future look for professional golf? After years of sustained growth, fuelled by broadcaster and sponsorship demand, has professional golf run out of steam? Greg Norman plus Ernie Els’ agent, Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, join the debate.

• Here come the girls. With increasing numbers of women in the workplace and with more money to spend, can women play in a man’s world and break down barriers? Annika Sorenstam as well as Alex Armas, CEO of Ladies European Tour, think so and both will be taking center stage to explain.

• Discover Turkey and its wealth of opportunity.  It is already one of the hottest new destinations for golf tourism with plans to build many more courses, but is Turkey the new Spain or Portugal?

• Maximizing profits through design and operations. A practical, workshop style session, focused on golf operations, business management, sales and marketing, procurement, agronomy, food and beverage as well as optimizing the design of your clubhouse.

• The environment – guidelines to environmental best practice. Find out why the environment is fast becoming golf’s greatest challenge and potentially it’s greatest asset.

The 2010 Golf Business Forum will be held at Gloria Hotels and Resorts, arguably one of the most exclusive complexes on the Turkish Riviera.

Set within the glorious Mediterranean landscape, Gloria Resort has everything I look for when I travel; two championship golf courses, private beach, pools with water slides, three five star luxury hotels within the complex with a select number of villas and suites.

If you involved in golf tourism or with international golf course development, consider further investigation into the 2010 Golf Business Forum.

Tiger Woods still has the game but should Mickelson get the glory?

Cheering on Phil Mickelson at the Masters this weekend was easy to do. His charisma emanated from all corners of Augusta National Golf Club; the world could feel his warmth. Lefty pulled the golf fans into his world, making sure to smile and greet all as he walked through Amen Corner and down the home stretch.

After sinking a birdie at eighteen to place his name among three-time winners such as Sam Snead and Jimmy Demaret, Mickelson greeted his wife Amy and their children with honesty and passion that most women would have swooned over. There was probably not a dry eye in the entire viewing audience.

In stark contrast, Tiger Woods' dissatisfaction with his fourth place finish was barely gracious. There was no mention of how K.J. Choi kept pace over four grueling days at Augusta, no positive reinforcements about his own game and certainly not the Tiger Woods who grew up in front of our eyes.

With cursing and apologies becoming more frequent and Woods literally falling to pieces in front of our eyes, the old Tiger is gone and the new Woods is far from warm and fuzzy.

Golf has always tried to maintain a positive, wholesome image. With Tiger Woods' shift from family man to player, could Phil Mickelson be the new genuine image and front man of the sport?

Whereas Woods was swearing on the course and "coming across as a little petulant -- not terribly gracious in defeat," said Bob Dorfman, executive creative director for Baker Street Advertising, Mickelson's family man image was seen as a role model and could make advertisers take notice.

One problem with Mickelson as a leading man is that he is not as recognizable as Woods. Phil hasn't gained the facial or name recognition and a person like him needs wins and that center stage in publicity to keep him in the public eye," concludes John Antil, Professor of Marketing at the University of Delaware.

That lack of visibility could change with wins and only if Mickelson decides that the spotlight is what he truly wants.

Of course being in the spotlight has it's own disadvantages. With rumors now circulating about a fling between Amy Mickelson and Michael Jordan and a love child from Phil, perhaps it is better if Mickelson keeps his head down?