Golf Apparel

Though there’s much to be said for the style afforded by modern golf apparel, what really counts is how the attire functions through 18 holes and into the 19^th. In fact, from the game’s birth in the notoriously fickle Scottish climate, the need for specialized apparel was obvious. Players back then elected knickerbockers ending just below the knee coupled with dense tweed jackets over starched white shirts in order to combat biting winds on historic courses like St. Andrews.

But as the game expanded from the rainy and tempestuous weather of Scotland to other places across the globe with varying climates, so too did the style of golf apparel expand. Attire became less formal and began to emphasize more-relaxed fits to be less restrictive of players’ swings. Pant and shirt fabrics were designed to be lighter and more breathable to keep players cool in oppressive heat, with tweeds and other heavy fabrics being reserved for cooler temperatures.

Today, golf apparel has been crafted to address any curveball Mother Nature might throw. For those midsummer rounds when the sun beats down on players, there’s lightweight polos and pants woven with moisture-wicking patterns to expel sweat from the skin to keep players dry, and breakthroughs in antimicrobial technology keep players smelling fresh from tee to green.

Another key innovation in golf apparel is the creation of UV protected fabrics. Clothing with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 30 or above is recommended to shield players from harmful ultraviolet rays. The highest UPF rating is 50+, meaning less than one-fiftieth of the sun’s rays are able to penetrate the fabric to reach the skin. Choosing clothes with a high UPF rating is imperative to protecting yourself against sunburn and cancer-causing rays.

But golf isn’t played only in the blistering hot summer. For the dedicated golfers who insist on playing in near- or sub-freezing temperatures, there exists a plethora of outerwear options. There are quarter- and half-zip pullovers that can be clad or discarded as needed or even full-body suits that look like they’re more for Antarctic explorers.

Beyond keeping players comfortable in any weather, some apparel manufacturers have integrated smart features to accommodate the incorporation of technology into the game. Some jackets are designed with specialized waterproof pockets for smartphones or transparent cuff patches for easy reference to distance-finding watches.

In the end, what a player chooses to wear on a golf course should reflect the conditions in which they are playing. For gale winds and torrential downpours, there’s a multitude of waterproof and water-resistant options. For rounds when the temperature waxes higher than your final score, there’s expertly woven polos and pants to keep you feeling dry and smelling fresh. Remember, there’s more to golf apparel than trying to look good through a round: apparel is equipment, and, thus, if correctly outfitted players, can stay comfortable no matter the conditions.