The monthly model

By Matt Slater
Golf editor

Golf and fashion have long been uneasy bed partners. But unlike other sports, golf's sartorial problems have usually been a case of too much, as opposed to too little.

If ever a sport deserved a dressing down for crimes against fashion it would be golf, and now it seems that dressing down is being delivered.

Sophie likes to get as low as possible to read her putts

Unsurprisingly, the first shot in what is likely to be a lengthy war before the last remnants of polyester plaid have been defeated has come from Italy.

Sophie Sandolo, not a stranger to the court of clothing crimes herself, has decided shock therapy is needed. So she has burnt her bra, and her slacks, and her jumper.

The 5'6" blonde unveiled her new look by means of that time-honoured sporting statement of intent, the launch of an "explosive" calendar in a Milan disco.

This is another area where golf has been a little backwards about coming forward in recent years.

While the likes of Ian Poulter and Freddie Jacobson have been tireless in their efforts to promote golf as a safe haven for those who want to wear fancy-dress trousers or white belts and sweat bands, "fairway fluff" calendars have been conspicuous by their absence.

Sandolo's "sexy" effort fills that void, and relieves John Daly of his claim to owning the most famous breasts in golf.

"Golf needs more visibility, glamour and a new image," explained the European tour's 44th breast, sorry, best, player in 2004.

Nick Faldo in the kind of knitwear that scared even Ronnie Corbett

"My first sexy calendar is intended to represent my love for golf, my desire for freedom and a touch of coquetry. I'm instinctively attracted by fashion, elegance and glamour.

"I've tried to bring my small contribution and hopefully open new doors which could bring more notoriety to the sport I play and I love so much."

It's unclear how small that contribution is - the calendar's front cover has been "tastefully" shot - but notoriety is a given.

Now I'm not saying marketing graduate Sandolo is cynical enough to pursue the Anna Kournikova path to sporting riches, but the 2003 Spanish Open runner-up is no Annika Sorenstam either.

And it is already fairly safe to say that Sandolo can forget an honorary membership at Wentworth, the headquarters of the European men's tour.

Last year, the curtain-twitchers that still run the game in Surrey got their knickers in a twist about Liz Hoad.

It seems the 39-year-old sales and marketing manager hadn't always been the eight-handicap golfer she is now. Back in 1983 she was a handy 36DD cupper on page three.

Sophie's sartorial choices haven't always been so tasteful

Despite once playing on the Ladies European Tour - although we know how lax their dress code has become - Hoad found herself stripped once more, but this time it was only her playing privileges that went.

Now Hoad, who once dated the Queen's cousin Lord Lichfield, racing driver James Hunt and golf legend Seve Ballesteros (but not on the same date - that really would require a lot of front), is no longer welcome at Ernie Els' home course.

"I was told my background was much too raunchy for the fuddy duddies who run Wentworth," Hoad told The Sun, who started an immediate campaign to have her unbraed, sorry, unbarred.

"Lady members were worried I would be seducing their husbands on the fairways."

It seems nobody asked the male members what they thought.

One thing is certain, however, the days when golfers could be dismissed out of hand as tubby tartan-wearers are over. The likes of Sandolo and Hoad have proven that golfers can look good in a variety of states of undress.

The sport might not be Ruud Gullit sexy just yet, but with Sandolo only 28 her best is in front of her. Let's just hope Craig Stadler doesn't get any ideas for 2006.