The Week In Golf Fashion: #StormWatch Edition

Welcome to Winter 2017 in California. Sun and fun? Guess again. We have things like atmospheric rivers, flying branches, and freezing temperatures. And by freezing temps I mean the high 50s. It is enough to make us Californians grab a parka and throw a few logs on the fire.

Mother Nature and Dustin Johnson certainly took center stage at The Riv. From a fashion standpoint, Gore-Tex jackets, monochromatic kits, and a guy without a hat stole the show in L.A. Here’s a look back at the week that was in golf fashion.

Dustin Johnson (Adidas Golf)
Props to DJ for becoming the number one player in the world for the first time. I’m guessing there were more than a few snickers at Adidas Golf on Sunday afternoon as Johnson pushed former Adidas brand ambassador Jason Day out of the top spot. From a style standpoint, DJ stuck with what has worked for him. Besides Henrik Stenson, no one does monochromatic looks better than Dustin. If I could just hack off about a half inch from his pant legs, the fit would be perfect.

Kevin Na (WAAC) & Cameron Tringale (Nautica)
I keep thinking the camo trend is going to end at some point, but it is showing no signs of slowing down. Kevin Na and Cameron Tringale both sported camo patterns at Riviera, but they used them in different ways. Na amped up his look with a more colorful take, while Tringale opted for a more subtle approach with a tonal print.

Patrick Rodgers (Nike Golf)
Nike has never shied away from making a social or a fashion statement and it did both during the first round. The brand’s athletes dressed in all black to support the Swoosh’s ‘Equality’ campaign that coincided with Black History Month and the NBA All-Star Game. It was also fitting for the statement to take place at the Genesis Open, a tournament that supports the Tiger Woods Foundation and awards the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption to a minority player. This year that player was Kevin Hall.

Ollie Schniederjans (Matte Grey)
Most people look at Ollie Schniederjans and see the obvious—a well-coiffed guy without a hat. Sure, the lack of hat enhances his look, but we should all be paying attention to the tailoring of his clothes. His pants and shirts fit perfectly and his blue and black combo during the final day was money. Barring a string of appearances pleated pants and oversized shirts, Ollie is a lock for GolfThreads’ 2017 Best Dressed Awards.

Wesley Bryan (Skechers)
Our ‘White Belt Victim of the Week’ is Wesley Bryan. He’s never been afraid to dial up some fun pastels and this vibrant blue and pink kit brought a positive energy to the gloomy conditions. Unfortunately, the only thing the white belt did was cut him in half.

Ryan Blaum (Oakley)
I hate to pick on Ryan Blaum because this is one of the biggest fashion faux pas that many Tour players make—even the best dressed players. Not only are v-notch hems very 2009, but they also make your pants too long. Sure, the v-notch made sense when straight-leg and boot-cut trousers with full breaks were the norm, but modern pants beg to be hemmed with a short break. If you are rockin’ the v-notch, take your pants to the tailor and get them hemmed right at the tip of the v.

Troy Merritt (Galvin Green)
Galvin Green has excelled at cranking out rain gear that is colorful, stylish, and functional for years and this is another example. While most of the field was sporting waterproofs that were as drab as the skies at Riviera, this apple green stripe on Troy Merritt’s jacket provided enough pop to stand out without being over the top.

Kevin Na (WAAC)
No sooner did I read an article in GQ about big logo sweatshirts being cool again than Kevin Na teed it up in this number with his apparel sponsor’s mark emblazoned on the front. I’m not sure that I’m totally in on this trend, but if you feel like getting ahead of the curve, taking a subtle approach with a tonal logo, like Na did, is a good place to start.

Sam Saunders (TravisMathew), Luke List (TravisMathew) & Ben Martin (FootJoy)
I’m not ready to call it a comeback, but I saw more saddle shoes being laced up at Riviera than in recent memory. If you favor classic looks, you really can’t go wrong with saddle shoes. That being said, I’d like to see someone do a more modern version of this iconic style. Maybe our friends at Jack Grace have something in the works.

Billy Horschel (RLX Ralph Lauren & FootJoy)
Speaking of classic kicks, just when you thought Billy Horschel couldn’t possibly improve his shoe game, he took it to another level with these sick FJ Icon Blacks. This is how you keep it fresh and old school at the same time.