At the recent three-day PGA Buying Summit in Frisco, Texas, home of the PGA of America, more than 150 golf brands showcased their newest apparel, accessories, and products. The intimate, focused environment of the Summit offers a unique opportunity for brands to exhibit current and next season golf fashion, trends and innovations, as well as network with fellow industry members.
Here are some show highlights worth noting:
Keep your cool
Temperature regulation continues to advance with technologies like Holderness & Bourne’s new “Airation” fabric polo shirts, layering pieces and outerwear perform like pique but feel like jersey with minuscule perforations for comfort and breathability. ANEW Golf “Ice Dot” hybrid cooling fabrication has properties that absorb body heat, replacing it with a lasting cooling sensation to make summer golf much more tolerable. DUER “No Sweat” golf pants and shorts feature plant-derived Tencil fibers that provide a soft-hand feel with structured fit, naturally inhibit bacterial growth and offer stretch for freedom of movement.
Have it your way
Customization goes to new levels and TRUE Linkswear uses its laser machine to create designs and apply graphics on its footwear and headwear. Pro shops have started buying the machines from TRUE for in-house use to logo bag tags, drink wear, head covers and more. Ahead Gel-Z application on headwear can also be applied to apparel, further enhancing pro shop product presentation and merchandising efforts. Dormie Workshop has a new driver cover design that’s slanted to offer more visible space for customizing. It’s also expanded operations by opening a new facility in Los Angeles that will enhance production. Full Turn Custom Apparel digital printing capability is unlimited in what can be designed and how it can be used on apparel from polos to outerwear and even jacket lining. One example is the custom print created for Major League Baseball’s World Tour London Series. Hari Mari—which translates to Sun and Sea—is a premium sandal and slipper brand based in Dallas, Texas, making flip flops for outdoor, everyday and apres golf comfort. Since its collaboration with Peter Millar, the golf business has boomed, and now offers the ability to add a golf club’s logo to the flip flop straps.
Prints with a twist
Polo shirt stripes don’t always have to be straight and Amble shows us how it’s done with the Wavy Days pattern that speaks to the golf/surf culture the brand represents. A refreshing break from micro prints is Never A Wallflower Club macro knit prints on tops, cardigans and skirts featuring classy large format images for golf, tennis and pickleball. A. Putnam features a beautiful custom print on stretch twill fabric that was hand-drawn by an artist in Portugal and ties in with the collection’s color palette for spring/summer ’25.
Neutral zone
The demand for more sophistication and timeless looks in golf apparel is having a moment, and new brand Honors offers versatility with pieces that are buildable and interchangeable featuring contemporary core colors in cream, black and navy. Its blazer has fun script on an inner lining that reads, “My Other Jacket is Green.” Another new brand debuting in Frisco, Williams Athletic Club, quickly became a show favorite with media VIPs. Founded by Susi Proudman, a textile management guru with former stints at Mark and Spencer, Nike, lululemon, etc., the collection for spring/summer ’25, features premium fabrics, thoughtful design and styles specifically for women who seek both fashion and functionality on and off the course. Asher Golf contributes to the neutral theme with colors found in nature such as a new Pine green wind shirt appearing in its winter 2024 collection. Asher creates “color stories” with its apparel, gloves and hats—bone/ultimate grey/white, for example—that not only merchandises together but helps take the guesswork out of building an outfit for those who might be closet challenged.
Wait for it
More newsy morsels from the show ... Municipal introduced its Ready to Play (RTP) golf, tennis and pickleball collection for spring ’25 that includes five-pocket pants and shorts for men, plus skorts and pocketed utility leggings for women. ... In addition to outfitting ambassadors Keegan Bradley and Christian McCaffrey, Flag & Anthem secured the license to make team uniforms for the new TGL, (Tomorrow Golf League founded by Tiger Woods & Rory McIlroy). The six teams are the Atlanta Drive Golf Club, Boston Common Club, Jupiter Links Golf Club, Los Angeles Golf Club, New York Golf Club and The Bay Golf Club. ... Rhone is the official on-course apparel partner of LPGA, outfitting staff at events. A pillar of Rhone’s outreach is called Mind & Muscle, offering assistance from trainers and therapists in the mental health arena. ... Extracurricular’s Lips Logo campaign stands for share the love, and typifies the company’s etiquette mantra of: “Know the rules and when to break them, Dress for your audience, Always accept an aloha, Winner buys drinks, and Call your Mother.” ... Greatness Wins, founded by baseball great Derek Jeter, ballet dancer Misty Copeland and UNTUCKit founder Chris Riccobono, have joined forces to put the “sport” back in sportswear giving athletes of all levels an array of quality, durable athletic apparel. ... DashClip exhibited its line of slim wallets made from durable, lightweight material that have radio frequency identification blocking to ensure a safe, modern way to carry cash and cards. The wallets allow tapping for purchases without having to completely take the card out, and they can be personalized with names or logos for an ultimate tournament gift. ... TRUE Linkswear gets a second mention here for its spring/summer ’25 Ascent Series shoe that takes a luxury designer-looking sneaker and packs it with performance golf footwear technology. Considered a “true” game changer, the shoe has some really cool features like a see-through outsole. (No sneak peeks).
This article was originally published on www.si.com as A Sneak Peek at What's Coming in Golf Fashion and Accessories.
