Affordable golf gifts can still be found

'Tis the season to be jolly - except the gloomy economy is making that old holiday jingle seem like folly.

Luckily, golfers are easy to please (as a rule) if you get them something connected to the game.

Here are eight gifts in a tight price range for the times that will more than satisfy your golfer's needs and soul. With almost a month to go, you'll be way ahead of the holiday game - especially if you shop on-line.

GOLF RULES QUICK REFERENCE

OK, so the title won't necessarily blow your giftee's golf socks off, but the content will. For those who really do care how to play the game correctly and can't get through "The Rules of Golf,'' here's a book that makes the deciphering of the rules as easy as playing from the forward tees. The book, by Yves C. Ton-That has sold 200,000 copies in the last six months and more than 500,000 copies since it was printed in 2004 in 25 languages. How else can you make an impact on your golfer for just $8.95? Available at www.golfrulesmadeeasy.com.

GOLF IN SCOTTSDALE

That's right, another book. You wanted golf socks instead? Sorry, because Scottsdale author and historian Joan Fudala's new book is a much better choice at $19.99. For 100 years, golf in Scottsdale has challenged and entertained professionals, duffers and spectators alike, and Fudala has put together a nice string of birdies in the way of priceless photos and information about how the game grew in Scottsdale to where it is today. If it comes down to a book with a lot of character(s), "Golf in Scottsdale'' can be purchased at www.arcadiapublishing.com.

HOW TO HIT EVERY SHOT

Egad, not another book, you're saying! Well, if you want to stay within your Scrooge-like budget this year, and the quality of the gift is more important than giving an inexpensive gag, books are great buys these days. Golf Magazine's "How to Hit Every Shot'' from the Top 100 Teachers in America is pretty hard to beat, and is the first fully illustrated book we've seen that has virtually every shot covered in your hacker's repertoire. It's also priced right at $29.95 - a low sum for a coffee table-styled book. To order, visit www.golf.com.

SOUTHWESTPGA GOLF PASS

This is perhaps the most sought-after/sold holiday gift for Arizona golfers in the past decade, and you can expect another 25,000 passes to be sold for 2009. For $125, golfers get to save 50 percent (weekdays) and 25 percent (weekends) on advertised green fees at 76 courses throughout Arizona. And these are the good ones, too, layouts like Eagle Mountain, Gold Canyonand the Trilogy at Vistancia. You'll also get a year's subscription to either Golf Digest or Golf World. Available at participating clubs and at www.southwestpgagolfpass.com.

Q-LINK PGA TOUR LINE

Q-Link is the standard when it comes to scientifically proven bracelets that help to harness your golfer's energies. Linked to more than 120 champions on the PGA and Champions tours, Q-Link has been going strong since the company came up with its sympathetic resonance technology (SRT-3), which the company claims will optimize your wellness, balance and health. Available in three metals, the Q-Links sell for $129-$199 and can be purchased at www.qlinkproducts.com.

THE RADAR

For golf geeks who know too much about ball flight monitors and MOI, here is the perfect companion piece at about one-tenth the cost. The Radar is the first-ever portable/affordable device with radar that provides immediate feedback on shots ranging from 40 yards to 400 yards, which holds up for everybody but Bubba Watson. From velocity to carry to distance, The Radar claims to record 100,000 measurements from the moment of ball impact. A real deal at $199, The Radar can be under your golfer's tree by visiting www.vjsradar.com.

THE GOLF MATBY VIJAY SINGH

This product has been around for years mostly in the Astroturf-styled form, but the Golf Mat by Vijay Singh is a unique system that creates the same sensation of "give'' at impact as taking a divot off real grass. Seriously, it works! The Golf Mat is so giving it encourages a player to hit down and through without injury. With a lifespan of more than 200,000 swings, it's almost Vijay-proof and costs just $225. To get your golfer to quit making backyard divots, visit www.thegolfmat.net.

A GIRL'S ON-COURSE SURVIVAL GUIDE TO GOLF

N-ooo! Y-esss, another book and it's the ideal present if your golfer is female, a beginner and loves the game but can't quite grasp it yet. In fact, the book by Christina Ricci (the golfer, not the actress) is pretty in its pink cover/pages, incredibly well-written and photographed, and so full of vital information even a guy who wants to pick up the game could benefit from it. At $19.99 you will be hard-pressed to give her a gift she'll enjoy more. To purchase, visit www.thomasnelson.com.

LPGA scoring average (18 holes)

Lorena Ochoa 69.6988

Annika Sorenstam 70.4691

Paula Creamer 70.5556

Yani Tseng 70.7653

Cristie Kerr 70.8842

LPGA money leaders

Lorena Ochoa $2,763,193

Paula Creamer $1,823,992

Yani Tseng $1,752,086

Annika Sorenstam $1,735,912

Helen Alfredsson $1,431,408

by the numbers