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Earlier this spring, the fine folks at Ashworth golf contacted Chapeau Noir with an interesting proposal -- to transform an individual of Chapeau Noir's choosing who was in need of a wardrobe refresh.

The parameters of the Ashworth reset project (no, we won't call it a makeover) were simple -- find a man with a deep rooted passion for golf, who, due to unforeseen circumstances, finds himself in an inexplicable golf fashion rut that no links loving man should be forced to bear. Chapeau Noir knew of such a man, a man who goes by the pseudonym Fandyman, a man not entirely unlike golf's version of the mystical Sidd Finch, baseball's fictional phenomenon, famously created by George Plimpton in the April 1, 1985 edition of Sports Illustrated.

Rare unretouched photo of fandyman during the Ashworth reset process. Ignore the nanyboy cavity backs at bottom right. Pffft.

Fandyman, who recently turned 40, is a devoted husband and father of two children under three years of age. Subsequently, he is up to his eyeballs in parental responsibility, rarely having the opportunity to squeeze in a small bucket at the range much less a quick 18 early on a Sunday morning. Yet, legend of his feats of golf strength and accuracy endure.

Though Fandyman's round count is down in the low single digits -- amounting to two or perhaps three rounds a season at this point -- his handicap remains just as low due to his natural born ability to hit a rather historic set of implements that he insists are superior to today's modern 'advances'.

Take for example his MacGregor Tourney Eye-O-Matic persimmon driver, which he can carry more than 270 yards on the fly seemingly without effort, as straight as a die. Fandyman has a short game to match his prodigious length and accuracy, but curiously he carries only one wedge in his old leather bag, as part of a matched set of Hogan Director irons. Fandyman simply points the face of his wedge to the sky on the rare occasion when he is in need of a delicate flop around the green. Perhaps not surprisingly, an original Wilson 8802 putter rounds out his tools of choice. Though Chapeau Noir is quite sure he'd prefer to continue playing Titleist Tour Balatas, Fandyman has shown a weakness of waterlogged Titleist PRO V1x's, which he says carry the right amount of extra weight that allows him to impart a variety of spins depending on the slope at which the hole sits. This despite Chapeau Noir's insistence that modern golf ball covers are not nearly as porous as the feathery.

But on to the most pressing matter at hand -- the apparel. Fandyman's previously preferred golf stylings were highlighted by meticulously laundered and tastefully paired selections from Original Penguin. Sadly, Fandyman's golf wear quickly became subject to all manner of parenting related stains and rips, the sources of which will go unmentioned so as to preserve what dignity he now retains.

If there is a man more deserving of an apparel transformation, Chapeau Noir was hard pressed to think of one, save perhaps for Ian Poulter. Burn!

For this apparel reset, Ashworth was kind enough to outfit Fandyman in yet to be released items from Ashworth's 2011 Fall/Winter collection, because Fandyman is always ahead of the proverbial curve. A true man of contradictions considering his steadfast devotion to the near antique age of his golf clubs.

The most interesting man in the world? He obviously hasn't met Fandyman, who from time to time can be cajoled into flying balls over driving range fences for the amusement of weekday hacks who incessantly torture themselves with 'player pail' sized buckets of balls at suburban golf ball whacking outposts as bleary-eyed expectant mothers with small children in tow at the adjoining theme based miniature golf course strain for a glimpse of the living legend.

Not entirely unlike the lifetime stipend extended to another unique Canadian golf talent, Ashworth has generously outfitted Fandyman with select EZ-Tech Performance polos (here's the first, and the second), a finely crafted dark grey sleeveless sweater, each of which can be mixed and matched with the accompanying classic check short and trousers. It is Chapeau Noir's suspicion that Fandyman will opt to employ the trouser in the majority of golf occasions, as they will sufficiently mask the power derived from his no less than intimidating quads, honed through years of competitive swimming and water polo play. Marvelous.

Ashworth Fall/Winter 2011 collection, as worn by Fandyman. You are suitably impressed.

Though Fandyman is not one to be trifled with on the range, the course, or for that matter in the pool, he is kind to all who approach, and it is his gentle nature that belies his mostly hidden talents. Through Ashworth, Chapeau Noir feels that Fandyman will be able to continue to successfully preserve, if not significantly enhance his game, for his image as one who truly belongs in the golf lifestyle can now be sustained.

• View the Ashworth Fall / Winter 2011 Fandyman Reset Gallery

Postscript

Though Chapeau Noir has taken poetic licence and amped up the hyperbole meter to 11 for this post, he would sincerely like to thank Ashworth for participating in the golf wardrobe reset of Fandyman. Fandyman is a big hitter in all aspects of life, as it was he who forced Chapeau Noir into creating this blog, at pen point one afternoon in the summer of 2009.