Who is ready to dust off those clubs? If you are like me, this is the time of year when I start itching for longer days and warmer weather. Unfortunately, Mother Nature seems to have other plans. In the meantime, now is the opportunity to plan your wardrobe for the season ahead. After three days touring the PGA Show last month, we identified eight golf fashion trends to keep you looking fresh and on point this year.
See Also: PGA Merchandise Show: 2019 GolfThreads Style Award Winners
Prints are Poppin’
We’ve been talking about prints since Ryo Ishikawa rolled into Augusta in 2013 in a paisley number that looked like your grandmother’s curtains. Since then, prints have made steady inroads into golf fashion. Last year big and bold botanicals had a moment. This year, it is all about intricate micro prints.
Nearly every golf apparel brand has worked prints into their collections. Original Penguin’s fun and whimsical prints say you know something about style, but you don’t take yourself too seriously. Redvanly’s designs offer a sporty approach to the trend. On the flip side, Greyson’s unique micro prints are both sophisticated, edgy and make strong statements.
Welcome to the Hood(ie)
Golf fashion is becoming more athletic and more casual. As a result, more crossover pieces from the streets and the gyms are finding their way to the fairways. One such example is the rise of hoodies. We’ve been all-in on hoodies for several years and we’ve taken plenty of social media fire from those that said they will ruin the game. Well, the game is still here, but more brands are embracing them and more players like Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel, and Tony Finau are wearing them.
Don’t get us wrong. V-necks and ¼-zips will always be traditional options, but hoodies are bringing a fresh and modern vibe to the game. Ralph Lauren’s cool and casual cashmere styles look as good off the course as they do on it. Ralph Lauren is also adding a hood to its popular Tech Wool outerwear pieces. Greyson has been one of the brands pushing the envelope with hoodies over the last few years. Its quilted hybrid jacket caught our eyes at the PGA Show. Even a classic brand like FootJoy is getting in on the act.
Kicks on Fire
There was a time when strolling to the first tee in a pair of golf sneakers would have resulted in a few chuckles from your playing partners. Now, thanks to the athletic nature of the game and the off-course sneaker trend, athletic silhouettes are all the rage.
Besides possessing sporty looks and comfortable features, this year’s crop of golf footwear may be the most stylish yet. Royal Albartross’ new Drivers offer a sleek and chic look that can be dressed up or dressed down. Pair them with technical chinos or shorts on or off the course. The brand’s Crocos combine a luxurious croc-embossed leather with the look of a modern trainer.
True Linkswear’s new True Major has the style and comfort to become your favorite street shoe and the performance to be your go-to on the course. The most intriguing shoe comes from G/FORE. The sleek shoe with a knit upper and bloated midsole looks like it just stepped off a runaway at Men’s Fashion Week.
You’re My Boy, Blue
Blues are booming this year. The good news is blue is a color that looks good on virtually everyone. If you really want to get on trend, mix and match different shades. Make sure you limit yourself to two shades and you hit the right amount of contrast between the two. For our money, Ping Apparel’s Modernist Blue Collection and Greyson’s Nordic-inspired hues were the best of the bunch at the PGA Show.
Killer Crossovers
We live in a mobile world. Most parts of our lives are seamless these days. Having to change clothes for different activities is frankly a waste of time and money. As a result, more golf apparel brands are introducing crossover collections that can move from the course to the gym to the street without missing a beat. These aren’t your traditional golf pieces, either. Hoodies, joggers, t-shirts, pull-on shorts, and spikeless golf sneakers are at the center of these collections.
Adidas’ Adicross Collection, which is grounded in easy-to-wear greys and black, possesses a hip urban streetwear vibe. It is perfect for sneaking out for a quick nine, an extended lunch over a bucket of balls, or an intense workout in the gym. Plus, the fit of the joggers, Primeknit Polo and Primeknit Anorak Hoodie is on point.
Also, be on the lookout for Ralph Lauren’s new RLX Athleisure line. It combines versatility, comfort, and performance with fashion smarts. The neutral palette of navy, grey, and white was created to be mixed and matched with pieces from the brand’s golf collection. Among our favorites are a tech jersey hoodie and jogger, a camo Airflow t-shirt, and a 4-way stretch pull-on short.
‘90s Retro: Call It a Comeback
Tupac was rappin’. The sneaker culture was born. Snapbacks were dope. And, color-blocked nylon windbreakers were fly. The decade was the ‘90s and it is making a comeback in the fashion world. Of course, golf fashion isn’t immune to this trend, either.
While we expect to see a bigger ‘90s influence in the coming years, we aren’t surprised to see a fashion brand like Ralph Lauren leading the charge on the fairways. Ralph Lauren is even reviving its old school Polo Golf logo and placing it on a slouchy dad-style cap. (Now, that’s ‘90s style!) I may have rocked the original version of that cap and a few oversized polo shirts with that logo during my days working the bag room at Roanoke Country Club.
The Kids Are Alright
Many of the initiatives around growing the game involve getting more kids to pick up a club and head to the course. Garb has always been the de facto choice when it comes to youth golf apparel, but 2019 sees more brands getting into the junior golf market. Greyson launched its Pups Collection with miniature versions of its most popular polos. Rather than going the ‘matchy-matchy’ route Devereux is taking a slightly different angle. Using the same prints in different colors, its kid’s pieces complement those in the men’s colleciton. Turtles & Tees (my daughter’s favorite golf brand) has expanded by adding a boy’s collection to the mix.
Outside of apparel, Jones is doing a junior version of its minimalist Utility Trooper bag. Also, Seamus Golf is heavily involved in the redesign of the Seamus Golf Park at the Children’s Course just south of Portland.
Braided Belts
Over the past 15 years, belts have become an integral part of golf fashion. First came the wide straps with logo buckles the size of appetizer plates. With them came a healthy dose of swagger. Then, exotic skins arrived on the scene, offering a more luxurious look. Now, braided belts are the latest trend. Good news, though. Braided belts are more practical, understated, and not to mention, easier on the bank account than the exotics. They typically have a bit of stretch, too, which means they move with you during the swing and after that double cheeseburger at the turn.
Where should you start your collection? We love Holderness & Bourne’s Fisher Belts. (They won our Style Award for Favorite Belt at the PGA Show.) Bonobos’ Clubhouse and Royal Albartross’ Balzo and Brideman are smart choices, too.
Great article
Thanks!
I really like the prints that are currently out. They add great style to a solid color shirt. The layout above looks incredible with all the prints. Greyson continues to be the best subdued brand, everything they put out is so well done. The shoe market has changed so much. Style, comfort, look, wearability, I still really like belts as the best accessory but the range of shoes is phenomenal.