I’ve been watching the Ryder Cup since the 1980s. Early in my Ryder Cup viewing experience, I learned to expect two things–the European Team would likely be hoisting the trophy on Sunday afternoon and they would probably outdress the Americans, too.
Over the last few Ryder Cups, the tide has turned. Don’t get me wrong; Europe continues to pop bottles, but the U.S. has stepped up its fashion game. The Americans’ sartorial swagger started when Ralph Lauren began outfitting the team in a patriotic palette grounded in navy blue and white with hits of bright red.
The iconic American fashion house is once again the Official Outfitter of the United States Ryder Cup Team. This year’s uniforms showcase a fresh, modern approach to design. That familiar palette is combined with Americana-inspired details, such as “United We Stand” and “USA20” branded throughout the collection. New for this 43rd Ryder Cup, is the use of recycled polyester in the lightweight Airflow, terry poly-cotton t-shirts, and performance jerseys, which is part of the brand’s Design the Change strategy.
In addition to the official uniforms, Ralph Lauren will ensure the team is suited and booted with tailored clothing for the Opening Ceremony and Welcome Dinner. The brand will also outfit all the caddies and spouses/partners of the U.S. Ryder Cup Team, Captain Steve Stricker, and the vice-captains.
So, what will the U.S. team be wearing every day? Here’s a day-by-day breakdown of the U.S. kits.
Practice Days
Practice Day 1
Shirt: RLX Course Polo – Stripe
Pants: French Navy Golf Pant
GolfThreads’ Take: In the classic movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal’s character Barry Shalowtiz utters the iconic phrase, “A scoop of chocolate, scoop of vanilla. Don’t waste my time” when asked which ice cream flavor would pair well with franks and beans. A scoop of chocolate, scoop of vanilla is how I feel about this outfit. It’s a bit pedestrian and uninspiring. On the plus side, it will look fine on everyone.
Practice Day 2
Shirt: Air Tech Pique Polo with Flag
Pants: French Navy Pinstripe
GolfThreads’ Take: Let’s get this party started! This is one of my favorite fits of the week. I love the juxtaposition of styles with the sporty chest-stripe polo paired with the all-business pinstripe pants. Working “USA” into the tipping on the collar is a cool detail, too. Look for guys like DJ, Brooks, and Berger to wear this well.
Practice Day 3
Shirt: RLX Course Polo – Thick Stripe
Pants: French Navy Golf Pant
GolfThreads’ Take: A classic Ralph Lauren striped golf polo. While the wide engineered stripes are too narrow to be called rugby stripes, they certainly hint at that All-American design. The navy blue pants nicely balance the bold, colorful, and powerful polo.
Match Days
Match Day 1
Shirt: RLX Course Polo – Lower Stripe
Pants: French Navy Golf Pant
GolfThreads’ Take: Chants of “U-S-A, U-S-A” will be ringing out as the Americans step to the first tee in this predominantly navy blue kit with strong hits of red in the form of engineered stripes. This is a smart look from top to bottom and it has Spieth’s and JT’s names all over it.
Match Day 2
Shirt: Mesh Camo Jacquard Polo
Pants: French Navy Pinstripe
GolfThreads’ Take: Party up top, business on the bottom. Ralph Lauren shows it’s down with breaking traditional fashion rules by pairing a patterned shirt with striped trousers. Of all the kits, I’m most interested in seeing how this one plays out. Is the edgy combo just what the U.S. needs to shake things up?
Match Day 3
Shirt: Air Tech Pique Polo
Pants: French Navy Flags
GolfThreads’ Take: Another daring combination as the Americans will pair a red, white, and blue color-blocked polo with patterned trousers. The tonal print on the tailored, 5-pocket pants consists of American flags, “USA,” and the Ryder Cup. At a distance, the pants will wear like a solid, but up close, will the pattern be too much with the shirt?
Layers for Days
If you are teeing it up in Wisconsin in late September, you better show up with some warm layers. Not only are the Americans showing up with suitcases full of layering pieces, but they are also showing out. The vests, jackets, hoodies, pullovers, and sweaters are the highlights of the team’s uniforms. Players will be prepared for any condition with a mix of lightweight and heavy options. Each layering piece is interchangeable with every outfit in the Americans’ lockers.
If you ask me to pick a favorite of the bunch, I’ll still be debating when the final putt drops. The Cool Wool Hybrid Jacket has been a mainstay in Ralph Lauren’s collections for several years. For Whistling Straits, it gets a trendy tonal camo colorway that follows the layout of the course. Hoodies have found a home on the fairways recently and Ralph Lauren is putting a sophisticated, yet sporty spin on it for Team USA. The easy-care cashmere sweater features red and white trim around the hood.
For a truly unique piece, check out the U.S. team’s Custom Wool Sweater with players’ names woven into the ultrasoft Australian Merino wool. Ralph Lauren is also making this custom sweater available for fans. You can create your one-of-a-kind sweater at RalphLauren.com or onsite at the Polo Ralph Lauren Ryder Cup Activation Pad. Since each piece is made to order, there is no pre-made inventory, which further feeds into the brand’s Design the Change strategy.
I was waiting for this writeup but it seems like they haven’t changed a ton since 2016 or 2018. Staying in that same color blocked, USA type scripting for the last several cups with only slight small changes.
Classic Ralph Lauren style. I was a little disappointed on the opening ceremony men’s suit. Really like the layering options and patriotic look for play though.