More women are hitting the links, changing the complexion of golf while bringing more lively fashion to the fairways.

	Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette Jackie Sorrenti shows off some of the merchandise at her store, Gals On and Off the Green, including an Isisport viscose top ($78) and skirt ($66); and Italian hand-crafted leather golf shoes by Walter Genuin ($335). All merchandise pictured is sold at the store. Click photo for larger image.

As more women make space for themselves on the nation's 16,000 public and private courses, they are drawn to fashion as well as function in everything from skorts, pants and tops to hats, shoes and golf bags.

Jackie Sorrenti wants to help them. Two years ago this month, she opened Gals On and Off the Green, a boutique in Ross that is the area's only fashion retail store specializing strictly in women's golf fashions and accessories.

The store, at 7440 McKnight Road near Ross Park Mall, has chic, colorful clothing by Lilly Pulitzer, Isisport, Jamie Sadock, Adidas, Nike and several other brands. Ms. Sorrenti, who has played golf for a decade, stocks zero to 24 and chic options for plus and petite sizes.

"The larger gals were buying men's shirts, for crying out loud," said Ms. Sorrenti, 39, of Ohio Township.

"We wanted to break the mold in sportswear for women. We wanted women not looking like our fathers and husbands, but dressing so that we can be feminine, and we can be athletes, and we can allow that same clothing to work for us both ways."

Beyond sportswear for on-the-course action, the store has a wide range of ready-to-wear looks that are suitable for after-play dinner, pool parties, beaches and cruises. The variety attracts non-golfing shoppers, who can pick up starter clubs or fun gifts such as colorfully patterned golf bags, whimsical golf club covers and golf-inspired barware and jewelry.

Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette Keri golf bag ($375) and starter clubs ($129-$199). Click photo for larger image.

Regular customers travel from a 70-mile radius, Ms. Sorrenti said, and several women in other states buy through phone orders. Business has been so good that she plans to launch online sales and, perhaps later this year, a second storefront in New Jersey.

"We wanna see: Is it a Pittsburgh anomaly or is it nationwide? I think it's nationwide," she said.

Numbers compiled by the National Golf Foundation suggest she's on to something.

Of the nation's 12.8 million "core" golfers -- those who play at least eight times a year -- about 2.5 million are women. From 1990 to 2004, the annual growth rate for adult core golfers was 2.4 percent for women, more than double the 1.1 percent growth for men.

The difference was even more pronounced among adult occasional golfers in the same time period, who numbered 14.6 million by 2004. The growth rate of women playing one to seven rounds a year was 4.3 percent, compared to 1.7 percent for men.

"It is true that the golf market in general has been flat for a few years and that the two growing sections of the market over the last couple of years are women and juniors," said Susan K. Reed, editor-in-chief of Golf for Women magazine. "There are an estimated 6.5 million women golfers who make up about 25 percent of the golf marketplace. This is up 36 percent since 2000."

	Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette This Navika watch ($60) is styled after a golf club. Click photo for larger image.

Aware that women golfers are about more than just cute clothes, Ms. Sorrenti also hosts an annual women-only charity golfing event and conducts golf-etiquette and rules seminars for women.

The latter is important because golf is "a tough entry sport" whose rules, etiquette, skill level and other attributes can intimidate women, said Laura Neal, public relations director for the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

The trend toward hipper women's golfwear -- and away from boring polo shirts and stiff skirts -- is likely to lure even more women to the greens, Ms. Neal suggested.

Ralph Lauren has designed luxury golfwear for women, and high-end French brand Celine is cashing in this summer with its "Golf Open" luxury mini-collection in tangerine, khaki and white.

"The line between street clothes and golf clothes is blurring," Ms. Neal observed, " and that's attracting more women who saw traditional women's golf clothing as dowdy."