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Big golf brands in golf such as Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, Puma and TravisMathew are common on every rack of the big box retail stores, but did you know there are hundreds of up and coming golf apparel companies? Today we will be looking at some of the most innovative, stylish, and bold new apparel brands in golf today.
The Scandanavian Fashion Brand was founded in 1996 by Johan Lindeberg with the vision to build an international modern fashion brand. JLindeberg provides a curated range of traditional designs with a modern twist, allowing the wearer to feel comfortable with every swing. J.Lindeberg is known for pushing the boundaries of golf style through a unique combination of fashion-forward looks and high tech fabrics. Some of the brand ambassadors include: Viktor Hovland who was the number one amatuer in the world before turning pro last year. Matt Wallace, and Jonas Blixt are also PGA professionals who signed with the apparel brand.
G/FORE products aren’t designed in a cubicle and tested in a factory; they’re born out of a desire to honor the rich tradition of golf while injecting a little more fun and flair back into the game. In 2010 avid golfer and clothing line entrepreneur Mossimo Giannulli noticed that there was no style or variety when it came to golf gloves. Most were white and a few here and there were black. He created G/FORE, which started out making their signature colored gloves in 13 colors in 2011. Mossimo quickly expanded the brand into a slew of categories, ranging from hats, socks, and golf bags. Though the most significant brand expansion may have been into golf shoes. With the modern athlete in mind, they are fusing classic aesthetics with premium fabrications and details to make products uniquely G/FORE. Brand ambassadors currently include: Bubba Watson, Danny Willett, Brandt Snedecker, and even Justin Timberlake.
Company founder Tomas Nilsson and chief designer saw a gap in the market for a new type of waterproof clothing combining style with performance. So in 1992, they introduced garments in bold new colors: brighter blues, reds and greens – and invested in the best waterproof technology, incorporating the famous GORE-TEX® technology. Over the last 15 years, the brand has continued to push the boundaries in golf apparel. Designed by golfers for golfers, their passion has always been to inspire golfers to play more golf. Every garment and layer has been developed to be compatible – providing exceptional comfort, freedom of movement, and protection from the elements. Brand ambassadors include PGA Pro Troy Merrit and Chris Paisley of the European Tour.
Founded by Jason Richardson in 2017. Bad Birdie was born out of one simple fact – golf apparel is boring. At least it used to be…
A couple of years ago Jason was asked to play in a tournament and went looking for a new fresh polo. He searched everywhere and the only options were solid, striped, and 100% unexciting. So he made the decision to start making golf apparel because he knew there were a bunch of guys who felt the same way he did about the sport. The journey started with searching “How to make golf polos” on Google and figuring it out from there.
He ran the business for the first 9 months out of his apartment and now has even struck a deal on the Shark Tank. Bad Birdie designs vibrant standout golf apparel that’s extremely comfortable and with a slim fit. We love this brand because it is bringing a younger and different flare to golf apparel.
Co-founded by John Ashworth who founded Ashworth and Fidra brands. John was sick of the corporate grind and created a new brand from scratch with his closest family and friends in Oceanside, CA. They have a “MGF” policy at work which stands for Mandatory Golfing Friday. Ashworth began kicking around the idea for Linksoul more than two decades ago while building the Ashworth clothing brand that revolutionized the golf apparel industry. The Linksoul collection combines pale shades of blue and white and in fact, their color palette is borrowed from the traditional Japanese color theory where the colors have a direct relationship to nature. They create quality clothing that is comfortable for everyday use and will transition seamlessly to any activity, meeting, or pastime.
GREYSON was born as a result of Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Charlie Schaefer’s incredibly difficult decision to leave Ralph Lauren as SVP of Design after 13 years in order to leave his own mark on two of his greatest passions: Sport & Design. By creating clothing that supports performance at the highest levels while also incorporating superior tailoring and construction. GREYSON has shattered the idea that sport, tailored fashion, and functionality could not coexist. Currently worn by PGA Professionals Cameron Tringale, Luke Donald, Kelly Kraft, Sam Ryder, Carlos Ortiz, and Fabian Gomez. A brand that extends far beyond the course, Greyson breaks through the traditional rulebook of golf fashion. Delivering timeless styles combined with the latest fashion trends, Greyson offers a collection that wears equally well on and off the course.
Founded by Frankie Kimpton out of Byron Bay, Australia. Birds of Condor is an urban golf apparel brand colored by beach, street, and addiction to golf. It’s a fresh and welcomed alternative to the mainstream golf apparel with a visual pop and youthful spirit that suits being on the fairway and way out of bounds. A Condor is a hole in one on a Par 5 and, as you might expect, is the rarest event in golf. Only a handful ever recorded, none of which have occurred in professional golf. It’s also known as a Triple Eagle and that’s what the Birds of Condor logo represents. Their bold statement designs are some of the hottest trends in golf apparel right now.
Asher was born with a desire to provide the golf world something it lacked: a high-quality glove with a little flavor and awesomeness. A glove that wasn’t just all white, and at a price that everyone could afford. Think back to the last time you went to buy a new golf glove and stared blankly at an entire wall of white gloves…how boring is that?
Their commitment runs deep, yet simple: when you wear Asher, you’ll look amazing, and feel even better. Although Asher went through some very hard times after the passing of founder, James Roundy. Their leader and inspiration behind the company was gone, but with a tweak in their marketing strategy, by partnering with influencers and a nimble rebrand, the company is now stronger than ever.
Mike Rowley founded Straight Down in 1989. What started as a small t-shirt company shortly grew into a full-range golf and lifestyle apparel brand that is now worn by some of the top athletes in the industry. For over 30 years, this family-owned business has built a brand that respects the tradition, history, and spirit of golf. The brand hosts a couple of trailer events every year for the last 10 years and you’re starting to see other companies now using the same concept. Straight Down’s designs remain squarely in the “classic” camp, but don’t let the timeless styling fool you, the fabrics are as up-to-date as anything you’ll find from the “cutting edge” companies. This is a go-to shirt for guys who want their golf apparel to do double-duty as “out to dinner” clothes. The traditional cut and styling also make it a natural for the business casual office, where it won’t scream “golf shirt!”
Two brothers, frustrated by the lack of high-quality sportswear, decide to start their own clothing brand. It’s a story that you’ve probably heard before. However, this is where the similarities end.
Castore began in Liverpool in 2016 as a premium brand. We’re talking incredibly light and stretchy fabrics sourced from places like Italy and manufactured in Portugal, so you can imagine this kind of premium comes with a price. Castore’s first-ever range of golf-specific clothing has been two years in the planning and execution. Tested on over 60 courses across 20 countries around the world, the collection focuses on delivering unrivaled comfort, fit and performance, and total protection for the elements. Designed to be worn on and off the golf course, Castore’s range of polo shirts deliver the optimal blend between style, comfort and performance. Castore’s trousers and shorts are tailored to provide a comfortable cut around the upper quad and calf muscles, while an interior fabric treatment maximizes sweat-wicking to eliminate chafing, even in the warmest conditions.
As a former NCAA All-American and professional golfer, Travis Johnson traveled the world competing against many of today’s PGA and European Tour players.
It was in 2006 when Travis realized that the sportswear offerings surrounding the game and apparel industry at that time were outdated. He and his peers alike found it next to impossible to find a sportswear brand that they identified with, nor could they find apparel with proper fabrics, fashion fits, or functionality all combined in one. Therein lies the seed of his original brand Travis Mathew. Travis built up, and sold the Travis Mathew brand to Callaway for $125 million. Haus of Grey is his next chapter in golf fashion. Haus of Grey products are designed for the modern golfer in mind. Most golf apparel companies appeal to the overweight 65-year-old golfer whereas Haus of Grey products are designed to appeal to the athletic, young adult golfer. The Haus of Grey team comes out with different collections on an annual basis which appeals to the latest style trends.
In 2001, Ralph Dunning revolutionized the golf industry by launching the very first apparel line composed exclusively of performance fabrics. Known for its clean and sophisticated aesthetic. Dunning Golf is a premium brand of high performance golf clothing distributed through prestigious green grass golf shops and select specialty stores. Tested and trusted by the worldʼs greatest athletes, the proprietary technical fabrics are engineered from the yarn up; meaning performance is built in and wonʼt wash or wear out after repeated use. Their selection of polos, trousers, shirts and jumpers feature clean silhouettes and high quality fabric, they are the perfect mix of function and form. Some Professional PGA athletes who are currently wearing Dunning apparel are: Charles Howell III, Kyle Stanley, and Brendan Steele