Accessory Review:
Daphne’s Headcovers
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

Question: what do Ernie Els, Justin Leonard, Aaron Baddeley, Bubba Watson, Laura Diaz, Meg Mellon, Amy Hung, Lorena Ochoa and Tiger Woods all have in common? Answer: all of these golfers carry an animal headcover from Daphne’s Headcovers in their bags.

We’re all familiar with Frank, Woods’s headcover mascot. Els has a lion, Leonard a yellow lab, Badds a koala, Bubba a pink chimp, Pepper an eagle (good choice), Diaz a golden retriever, Mallon a border collie, Hung a Survivor Celebration Kitty (to inspire, educate and empower cancer survivors), and Ochoa a Mexican flag. Add your humble scribe to the mix: I now carry a baby Emperor penguin in my bag as a hybrid headcover. It’s one of the latest covers from Daphne’s Headcovers – the original animal headcover company.

Here’s the scoop on Daphne’s Headcovers. The Phoenix, Arizona-based company is owned by Jane Spicer and her husband, Steve. Jane and her mother, Daphne, founded the business more than 25 years ago with the intention of making enough money to buy a sailboat. A quarter of a century later, and after many sailing adventures, the company is as strong as ever. Heck, when you can claim creation of Frank, you carry a lot of clout.

From conception to completion, every headcover from Daphne’s Headcovers – more than 200 and growing – is created with an eye on quality, function, form and attention to minute detail. After all, they are more than just critters: they’re protecting valuable golf clubs. Daphne’s Headcovers places the factory phone number on each creation. “We are so convinced of our quality that should anything ever go wrong with one of our products, we will fix or replace it at our expense,” company literature explains.

Listen, if I am to abandon my 2-iron, then I want my hybrid to be in good hands – rather, the hands of a baby Emperor penguin. In fact, my fuzzy little friend will fit a fairway wood or putter, too. The Velcro closure makes protecting my hybrid a snap.

Daphne’s Headcovers’ 2008 lineup also includes: Survivor Celebration Kitty, a pink tabby feline from which a portion of proceeds benefits the Marathon of Miracles Foundation; Monkey Made of Sockies, a portion of proceeds for Play Golf America; and Lion and Monkey Hybrids – full bodies with heads, arms and legs.

My baby Emperor penguin needs a name. Frank is taken. With apologies to Birdie Kim, how about, Birdie? I like it. And you’ll like Daphne’s Headcovers creations. For a complete lineup, visit the company web site, www.daphnesheadcovers.com.