Choi Hye-jin Fan Gift Penguin Head Cover "Female Athletes Prefer Cute Animals," Woods' "Tiger" and Wolff's "Wolf" "Men Are Predators"
[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Head covers are important."
‘LPGA Tour star rookie’ Choi Hye-jin (23, Lotte) recently received a penguin driver head cover made by her fans. The nickname ‘Penguin’ was given to her since middle school due to her similar appearance. Her fan cafe is also named ‘Penguins.’ Head covers prevent golf clubs from hitting each other and damaging the head and shaft during car trunk transport or course movement. Players add their preferences to express unique personalities. You can even tell their playing style.
▲ Choi Hye-jin ‘Penguin’, Lim Hee-jeong ‘Desert Fox’ = Choi Hye-jin is a leading star who achieved three consecutive KLPGA Tour Player of the Year awards from 2018 to 2020. She has accumulated 10 wins including 2 as an amateur. Last year, she ended without a title, falling short by ‘2%’. At the end of the year, she went through the LPGA Tour Qualifying (Q) Series and moved to the U.S. She is off to a good start with a tie for 8th at the Gainbridge LPGA in January and a tie for 15th at the Drive On Championship in February.
Lim Hee-jeong (22, Korea Land & Housing Corporation) is nicknamed ‘Desert Fox.’ A cute fox head cover can be seen on her golf bag. Female players usually prefer gentle animals or character products like dogs and cats. For example, Paula Creamer’s ‘leopard’ has a long pink tail, and Natalie Gulbis’s ‘lion’ features a gentle-looking old man, showing a different vibe even among wild animals. Kim Hyo-joo (27) once caught attention with a green ‘Pororo’ head cover.
Tiger Woods (left) is known for the "Tiger," while Matthew Wolff's trademark head cover is the "Wolf," as his name suggests.
▲ Woods ‘Tiger’, Wolff ‘Wolf’ = Male players tend to have more aggressive images, such as ‘Tiger’ for golf emperor Tiger Woods and ‘Wolf’ for Matthew Wolff (both from the U.S.). Both players’ names match their head covers. Woods’s father, Earl Woods, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and Green Beret veteran, named him after a friend who fought in the Vietnam War, meaning "to dominate the field like a tiger and reign as the world’s best player." The tiger is essentially his trademark.
Ernie Els (South Africa) and John Daly (U.S.), who once fiercely competed with Woods for the ‘Number 1’ spot, both use ‘lion’ head covers. The mane-shaped head covers evoke wildness. Daly was known for many eccentric behaviors, such as throwing clubs into lakes or quitting rounds when shots didn’t go well. It is interesting that Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), the ‘next golf emperor,’ has a ‘Saint Bernard’ head cover, showing his love for dogs.
▲ Watson and Poulter "Making Money with Head Covers" = Masters champion Bubba Watson (U.S.) and Ian Poulter (England) have earned extra income by utilizing head covers. Watson is a prime example. He created a head cover resembling himself with long hair and his favorite overalls. He is a left-hander and often sports a pink driver head cover, attracting spotlight with his unique tastes. Poulter focused on his ‘face’ for his head cover.
Amateur golfers mostly get free head covers when purchasing drivers. Recently, golf equipment companies have introduced premium strategies such as leather head covers, which is worth noting. However, it means you don’t necessarily have to spend money to buy one. There are also iron head covers. Nonetheless, head covers require meticulous aftercare by naturally drying them right after rounds. Remember that many foreign substances can actually damage golf clubs.
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