A year ago, I compared the world of professional golf to a roller coaster ride. If that was the case, then golf in 2023 responded with the ol’, “Hold my beer.” The PGA Tour and LIV are dating, but can’t seem to put a ring on it. The governing bodies are rolling back the ball. The reigning Masters champ is taking his talents to LIV, and there are rumors of a Tiger and Nike split.
The world of golf fashion is just as perplexing. This is the era of anything and everything goes. Golf apparel brands are trying to be streetwear brands, and lifestyle brands are trying to jump on the golf bandwagon. While my IG feed is filled with baggy fits, t-shirts, and pleated pants, those trends haven’t influenced Tour players, yet, but we know golf fashion has more lag than Sergio Garcia’s downswing. That being said, the ‘slim to win’ trend is fading fast. Polos possess more generous cuts and the sleeves are wider and approaching the lower end of the biceps.
Footwear continues to create more buzz on the fairways than apparel. FootJoy’s collabs with Metalwood Studio, Jon Buscemi, and Todd Snyder brought modern takes to classic kicks. The Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low G transcended the game and got sneaker culture hyped about a golf shoe like never before. Speaking of Jordans, Eastside Golf continued to team up with Jordan to produce some sick limited editions. And adidas partnered with rapper Macklemore on an apparel collection and a version of its MC80 shoe with a kiltie.
Turning our attention to the Threadies, we welcome three newcomers to our best-dressed list. American apparel and footwear brands continue to experience a resurgence. Greyson once again places three players in the Top 10 and FootJoys are worn by 70% of our list.
Thanks to all the readers, social media followers, and golf apparel and footwear brands who continue to support our little passion project. Reading your comments and engaging on social media motivate and inspire us daily. Thank you! When I started GolfThreads 11 years ago, I never imagined it would be in its second decade.
Now to the Threadies…
10. Kurt Kitayama (Chervo & Boxto)
Kurt Kitayama is one of those guys that has been in the Threadies conversation for a couple of years. His Chervo threads are modern, sporty, and well-tailored. At a time when muted hues are dominating the fairways, Chervo’s vibrant palettes with energetic blues, oranges, and pinks are packing a punch.
Kitayama and Chervo are one of those perfect player/brand partnerships. The Italian sports apparel brand is known for its luxurious, high-performance fabric and unique styles. With Kitayama, Chervo has found a player who isn’t afraid to rock the brand’s bold colorways and one-of-a-kind statement prints.
If Kitayama’s Chervo apparel got him to the fringes of the Threadies conversation, what pushed him onto the dance floor? Quite simply it was a shoe switcheroo to a new golf footwear brand called Boxto. Kitayama’s previous shoes never really seemed to jive with Chervo’s luxurious looks. But, Boxto’s modern takes on classic brogues are hitting all the right notes. The combination of the clothes, kicks, and Kitayama’s ability to own his looks, lands him his first Threadie.
9. Taylor Moore (B.Draddy & FootJoy)
When others zig, I zag. As my IG feed is filled with more and more streetwear-inspired t-shirts and cargo shorts, I find myself gravitating towards traditional golf fits. Maybe that’s why Taylor Moore caught my eye this year.
Forget retro ‘90s. Give me retro ‘60s, and this year Moore looked like he could have been strolling alongside Palmer, Player, and Nicklaus in the Golden Era. While others on this list earned Threadies as a result of pulling off daring fits, Moore grabs his first Threadie thanks to timeless looks that turned heads for all the right reasons.
The keys to elevating simple fits are to use the right amount of color to make them pop and to nail the tailoring. Moore did just that with his B.Draddy threads while completing his outfits with the very appropriate FootJoy Premiere Series shoes.
8. Wyndham Clark (Municipal & FootJoy)
I’m not saying that last year’s Threadie started Wyndham Clark on his winning spree, but…Since making his first appearance on our best-dressed list a year ago, Wyndham grabbed his first PGA Tour win at Quail Hollow, out-dueled Rory and Rickie at the U.S. Open, and made his Ryder Cup debut.
It was a year of firsts for Clark, but little changed with his style. He continued to look sharp in Mark Wahlberg’s sport utility label, Municipal, and FootJoy’s Premiere Series footwear. While capturing that U.S. Open victory at LACC, he also found himself on the cutting edge of one of the more intriguing fashion trends as he sported a Johnny collar polo. At a time when ‘90s retro designs are all the rage, Clark’s Johnny collar was a throwback to an even earlier era. The button-less placket polo, named after actor Johnny Mathis, brings an air of sophistication and country club style to the typical golf polo.
7. Dustin Johnson (Extracurricular & FootJoy)
I haven’t watched much LIV golf this year, but I was fully engaged with the majors. Looking back at our Dimes & Crimes from the game’s four biggest events, Dustin Johnson’s name kept appearing in our Dimes sections.
Shockwaves were sent through the golf fashion world in February as word hit the street that DJ and adidas Golf ended their long-time relationship. DJ not wearing the three stripes? What?
It didn’t take Dustin long to redefine his style as he turned to FootJoy’s Premiere Series shoes and Chris Rosaasen’s latest apparel startup, Extracurricular. The brand describes itself as, “The perfect mix of refinement and irreverence. Think Steve McQueen meets JFK. Don Perignon meets PBR.” Yes, DJ found the perfect fit here with the brand’s classic and sophisticated, yet sporty and modern looks. Johnson’s polo choices took me back to those retro tennis polos in the Borg/McEnroe/Conners Era.
Beyond the apparel and footwear, Johnson’s watch game had no shortage of swagger. The Hublot Big Bang Unico Golf Green Carbon that he flashed at Augusta was one of the most talked about timepieces of the year.
6. Justin Thomas (Greyson Clothiers & FootJoy)
JT’s golf game didn’t live up to his expectations, but his style game was still on point. Sure, he dropped a few spots from his perch in the number one spot in last year’s Threadies, but honestly, we’re splitting hairs at the top of this list.
While some players have signature looks, Thomas’ superpower is his fashion range. Whatever he wears from Greyson’s collections, he makes it look effortless. Cardigans? Nailed them. Joggers? Rocked them. Bold prints? Bring them on. Colorful trousers? No problem.
JT’s final impression was his best, though, as he hit the Bahamas for the Hero World Challenge in a plethora of Greyson’s purples for the season. I may have revised my Christmas list after that showing.
5. Erik van Rooyen (Greyson Clothiers & ECCO)
Erik Van Rooyen is a mainstay on our best-dressed list. It is difficult to believe that in just a few short years he has racked up five Threadies. Dude is going to need a bigger mantle or maybe he just uses them as doorstops like Drake uses Grammys. A fall off in 2023? On that same track where Drizzy rapped about using Grammys as doorstops, J. Cole emphatically stated, “Ain’t no fall off for me.” The same can be said about EVR’s style.
van Rooyen is the most creative dresser on this list. I tune in just to see what combos he comes up with.
Unafraid to push the boundaries of golf fashion, he brings energy through bold colors, striking patterns, and his distinctive joggers. His athletic yet refined fashion sense perfectly embodies Greyson’s ‘Dress Sport’ aesthetic, offering versatile looks that effortlessly transition from the golf course to everyday life.
4. Min Woo Lee (AmazingCRE & Nike)
Let him cook! It was a breakout year for Min Woo Lee. After making a run at The Players Championship in the spring, he went H.A.M. in the fall as the DP World Tour rolled into Asia and his home country of Australia. Along the way, we learned that Chef Woozy has style and swagger to burn.
Min Woo not only captures his first Threadie, but he also finds himself in the Top 5 as the highest-ranking newcomer in our best-dressed list. He is the vibiest player in the game right now. He brings that same energy that Anthony Kim brought back in the day. (No, this isn’t the time for the “what happened to Anthony Kim” discussion again.)
From the fuzzy mustache and the mullet to the retro ‘90s Oakleys and golf rash guards, Min Woo is cookin’ with gas. Although I’m feelin’ his AmazingCRE threads, I have to imagine that it won’t be long before one of the big brands makes him an offer he can’t refuse.
3. Sam Ryder (Greyson Clothiers & FootJoy)
Greyson has an entire pack of well-dressed dudes, but Sam Ryder established himself as the fashion alpha wolf in 2023. As a result, he picks up his sixth straight Threadie while also landing in the Top 5 for six straight years.
At a time when Tour fashion has become overly predictable, Ryder continues to crank out new and interesting looks. The key to his success is his ability to sport daring fits while keeping them well-balanced.
2. Billy Horschel (Ralph Lauren & FootJoy)
Sam Ryder may have captured six straight Threadies, but that only puts him two-thirds of the way to Billy Horschel’s nine! I think 10 should earn you some sort of style lifetime achievement award or a spot in a fashion hall of fame. Whatever it is, I have about 12 months to figure it out because I’m sure BillyHo will find his way onto this list again in 2024.
At this point, I’m running out of things to say about Horschel’s style, so I’ll leave you with a few of his best fits from 2023, including a couple of limited edition collabs between Ralph Lauren and TrendyGolf.
1. Keith Mitchell (Sid Mashburn & FootJoy)
The best interview I heard this year was Tom Coyne of the Golfers Journal talking with Keith Mitchell. If you didn’t listen to it, check it out. If you did, you probably learned that Mitchell possesses next-level attention to detail. It is this level of detail that helped Keith earn his third straight Threadie and his first number-one ranking on our best-dressed list.
It is difficult to believe a few years ago Mitchell blended in with the rest of Tour players in poly/spandex fabrics emblazoned with Swooshes from head to toe. Now, he has created a unique style for himself with the help of menswear icon Sid Mashburn and his eponymous fashion label. A style so smooth it has earned him the nickname ‘Cashmere Keith’ and so good it has helped him ascend to the title of best-dressed player in the game.
When some hear ‘unique style’ it is easy to let the mind wander to eccentric looks. The opposite is the case for Mitchell. He stands out from the athleisure Tour crowd with a style that is classic, subtle, and understated.
Modern tech chinos, sneaker-style golf shoes, and loud prints aren’t in Mitchell’s repertoire. Instead, his wardrobe is a cocktail of the best designs from previous decades. Tab-waisted trousers from the ‘70s, cotton polos with extended plackets from the ‘60s, high-crown visors from the ‘80s, and timeless FootJoys from, well, you pick the decade. Of course, we can’t forget those luxurious cashmere sweaters.
Mitchell’s next-level attention shines through in his style. His sophisticated looks are polished off with pinpoint tailoring. At a distance, his trousers wear like a solid, but at a closer distance, you can see subtle plaids and seersucker ripples that add texture and depth to his fits.
With all the fashion success Keith Mitchell has experienced, I can’t help but wonder if more players will take the same route of eschewing cookie-cutter looks and will instead create unique styles for themselves. If they do, it is unlikely they will do it as well as Cashmere Keith, though.
Great report, never thought about Taylor Moore before but deserves a threadie. Billy ho & JT are always at the top of my list but can’t argue with your choices. Happy new year!!