Patch Picks: 7 Perfect Father's Day Gifts

Father's Day is coming up quick, and you don't want to wait until the last minute to scrounge up another tie or bottle of cologne to give dad. You know how much he means to you, so this year, take the chance to show that.

This week's Patch Picks provide specific, well thought-out gift ideas for you to choose from, or that might inspire you to come up with your own perfect way to say, "You're my no. 1 dad."

Patch Picks: 7 Perfect Father's Day Gifts

• The Sports Dad — Sign you and your dad up for instructional lessons at , a 10,000 square foot baseball and softball training facility in Brentwood. This is a great way to learn and play the sports year-round, and can be in an individual or team setting.
• The Foodie — Is your dad the ultimate gourmet, constantly in the kitchen experimenting and turning out tasty meals? Help him stock up on unique spices, vinegars and oils from and . Or, speaking of Vom Fass, sign him up for a cooking class at the store with , held once a month.
• The Golf Geek — According to employees at , the new Nike white golf belt is the hot new accessory for golfers to wear while playing a cool 18 rounds. The belt features a sleek nike logo buckle and looks good with any color.
• The Techie — Does your dad love buying the newest gadgets and gizmos? If he doesn't already have an iPod Touch, it might be the perfect gift - it goes beyond normal iPod functions with new iOS 4 technology, allowing you to shoot video or watch movies, among other entertainment features. This is a pricier item but a perfect excuse to go dutch with your siblings and up the ante this year. Find it at the Apple store at the St. Louis Galleria mall.
• The Outdoorsman — This can include interests ranging from camping and hiking to hunting or fishing. It could be as simple a gift as a new Nalgene bottle, or a new pair of hunting boots. Head into the Brentwood store to browse, or shop online for a 20 percent discount at the outlet store, good through June 16.
• The DIY Dad — With summer rolling around, your dad might be the handyman type, outdoors fixing decks, roofs and screen doors while the weather is good. Head to Home Depot to check out the Dremel Trio Tool Kit for easy sanding, routing and cutting. The Trio can cut through metal, wood, drywall and more, with 360 degree turning capabilities.
• The Cultural Dad - Is yours passionate about music or books? Treat him with a trip through time at the Johnny Cash Father's Day Bash at The Gaslight Theater. Give him something light and fun to read with Paul Madriani's Steve Martini: Trader of Secrets, a free-for-all thriller of a book with lawyers, NASA scientists, government schemes and millions of dollars in cash.