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...Protect Yourself From Harmful UV Rays

Ben Crane during fourth round action at The Crowne Plaza Invitational at the Colonial Country Club. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images North America)Chapeau Noir couldn't let the week start without taking a look back on the weekend in style on the PGA and Champion Tours.

What better place to start than with Ben Crane, he once only known for his painfully slow play, who is now becoming better known for his fine play and his fine style, with thanks to Hugo Boss.

Crane is a fellow of fair complexion, so before Chapeau Noir goes ripping him for his outback-style bucket hat. While born of necessity to shield himself from the harsh Texas rays on Sunday at The Crowne Plaza Invitational at the Colonial Country Club, Chapeau Noir encourages Crane to pursue the bucket hat as a tradition - high UV index or not - because his traditional baseball-style cap doesn't really seem to suit him quite as much.

There are times when dressing smart comes before looking smart. Happily for Crane, he may just have stumbled on something that works for him on more than a safety level.

Here's hoping Crane revisits his bucket hat on a frequent basis, and gets a free bowl of soup.

Desirable Dunning

Zach Johnson, 2010 Crown Plaza Invitational. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images North America)Winner Zach Johnson looked great in his trim cut Dunning polos, putting Chapeau Noir's two season old traditional cut Dunning golf polo to shame. Time to upgrade.

Johnson stays true to his nature with conservative colors, as witnessed with his black trouser / white shirt ensemble on Sunday.

More dash than flash works well for Johnson, and we all should take note that when we keep our combinations simple and traditional, people are more likely to notice you for your game than what you're wearing. That said, if your game stinks, dressing as loudly as possible might be a worthwhile distraction for onlookers.

It also helps to dress in basic colours if you feel you may be awarded what looks to be a Stewart tartan jacket for being low man of the week. Chapeau Noir is pained to think of what mind-bending, universe-altering result would have been had Ben Crane won in Johnson's place, proving that how you dress can indeed dictate the outcome of events.

Fred Couples & The Curse of the Ecco Golf Street Premier

The Ecco Golf Street Premier Curse once again befell Fred Couples as he lost in a playoff at the 2010 Senior PGA Championship wearing the highly desirable New Classic Premier shoes and not the uber-popular Golf Street Premier shoes.

Fred Couples during fourth round action at the 2010 Senior PGA Championship. (Photo by Marc Feldman/Getty Images North America)

Coincidence? Perhaps, but as documented here on chapeaunoirgolf.com following the Masters, the only round in which Couples eschewed the Golf Street Premier shoes was his only round in the 70s that week, essentially costing him his second Masters.

CNG Ticker: Peak Performance has launched an interactive online golf game with a twist. Not only does the Peak Performance Online Trophy allow you to dress your avatar in your favorite Peak Performance styles, but if come July 18 you are among the top 16 qualifiers, you will compete head-to-head to decide who goes on to play in the pro-am at this year's KLM Open... A friendly reminder comes from Chapeau Noir's Augusta Bureau Chief that now is the time to get on the mailing list for applications for tickets to the 2012 (not 2011) practice rounds. Send your name, address, daytime telephone number, email address and last four digits of your social security number no later than May 31, 2010, to: 

Masters Tournament 
Practice Rounds 
PO Box 2047 
Augusta, GA 30903-2047