Puma Does Golf

Fans of golf and fashion both may know whose feet are gracing the stylish Puma Golf shoes pictured next-door: none other than 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, a man whose sartorial elegance matches the silky-smoothness of his swing. What in Zeus's name is substance worth without a dram of style mixed in? Absolutely nothin'!

The august Puma name, better known for its historical role in track & field (an early incarnation of the brand was used by Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics), is making a headlong push into the golf world, with shoes and sportswear both. Not only that, the company's ever-hip marketing folks are running a wild competition called the Puma Open, a "series of interactive events" involving equal measures of golf (a nine-hole scramble), alcohol, casino-style games and controlled mayhem (one hole in the tourney is to be played with just a 7-iron!). And seventy-five Puma-clad scenesters showed up at Bethpage Black last week to cheer on their man Ogilvy in style.

The Puma Open hits the LA area June 26th at Brookside in Pasadena. Entry per foursome is $300 and includes dinner, drinks and nine holes of untraditional golf. Yes, looking good in Puma golf gear is paramount, but let's not forget that function leads form -- the company's Swing GTX golf shoe is ultra-comfortable, but also features what they call "Smart Quills" instead of soft spikes, which are optimized for earth-gripping traction. All that and a two-year waterproof warranty. Be like Geoff and go Puma!