Breaking Down Golf Fashion- 6 Looks of the Fairway

Hey Rants and Raves readers!  KaraKoo here (@KaraKoo).  I write a blog that covers golf fashion and apparel sponsorships on the PGA Tour.  Since Derek passionately writes about uniforms in sports, and at the end of the day, that is what I write about, we decided to switch blogs for the week.  Hope you enjoy!  Check out Derek’s post on Fairway Threads:  www.fariwaythreads.com. 

Think all golfers look the same?  Just a bunch of guys in polos, plaid pants and Titleist hats?  Let’s access the world of golf apparel a little bit further.  Below are six looks usually represented on the golf course.  Some of them should be avoided at all cost, but I’ll let you decide which could work for you.

Statement: Dad Next Door - “I’m hopelessly clueless, yet don’t seem to mind.”

Who should wear: 40-year-olds and above who are going to the local course to pay $40 to play golf at twilight, or actual Dads who are getting dragged to church and therefore have to toss on something besides a t-shirt and jeans.

Tour Pro that wears:  Matt Kuchar (no apparel sponsorship), Michael Thompson (Ashworth- Do not wear Ashworth guys)

The key pieces:  Khaki pants, standard brown or braided belt, plain Foot Joy golf shoes, mismatched hat and the most ordinary polo shirt you can imagine.

Comment:  You better hope you have a great personality and killer smile if you are going to be respected wearing this on the golf course.  Luckily Kuchar has both, however, he is a professional athlete who knows he is going to be on TV and in front of hundreds of people on the course.  There is no excuse for not putting more thought into how his apparel choices are doing nothing to increase his brand acceptance.  He needs an official apparel sponsorship to help with this…STAT.

Statement: Basically Boring - “Yet somehow we still have swagger.”

Who should wear:  Anyone that has the confidence of George Clooney, and therefore feel they stand out enough without adding a little color into their closet. 

Tour Pro that wears:  Dustin Johnson (adidas), Colt Knost (Callaway)

The key pieces:  Navy (a lot of it…all over navy), Black or white polos, pants and hat.  Little to no patterns.  Golfer often states, “Blue is a color.”

Comment:  It’s not that this look is bad.  Often time the apparel these guys are wearing has good lines and looks great on the golfer.  It’s just …come on! Wear some color, try some patterns.  Cause me to stop and say “ooo I like that shirt.”  Somehow, guys wearing this look, especially the tour pros listed, still seem to have swagger and have no problem attracting lovely ladies.  However, this only leads them to think this style is ok, instead of experimenting with other looks.

Statement: Golf Fashion Huh? - “I’m just a working for a living.”

Who should wear:  Generally those falling into this category are no-nonsense guys, a “super athlete”, or a former baseball player, etc.  Some of them just grab a shirt from the closet, toss on some pants, and head out to the range to warm up.  There is not a lot of thought put into what they are going to wear to work that day. 

Tour Pro that wears:  Tiger Woods (Nike Golf), William McGirt (adidas)

The key pieces:  That is the whole point, there aren’t really any key pieces.  Except for Tiger on Sunday, but as long as his shirt is red and pants are black, he is good to go.

Comment:  Every now and then these guys wear flattering colors or sharp polos, but don’t expect too much.

 Statement: Whoa Holy Color! – “No, really guys, I’m super trendy.”

Who should wear:  As long guys on the course aren’t wearing Loudmouth (John Daly’s hideous apparel) or an exact replica of Rickie Fowler’s official Sunday attire, I say if you can pull it off…bring it.

Tour Pro that wears:  Rickie Fowler and, Blixt (Puma Golf), Graham DeLaet and Brian Gay (Sligo Wear)

The key pieces:  Bright colors, wacky patterns, matching hats and shoes.  Cool hair doesn’t hurt either.

Comment:  I am actually a fan of lots of bright colors and crazy fun patterns, IF it fits the golfer’s personality.  This look is fun and is the best “bang for the buck,” as far as, helping guys stand out and increase brand awareness goes.

Statement:  By the Book – “I’m a total nerd, but I am pretty sure no one notices.”

Who should wear:  Guys that think they can toss on a visor, rub shoulders with key people, and come out shining.  Sickening enough, this usually works for these golfers, so maybe you should all try it.

Tour Pro that wears:  Keegan Bradley (Tommy Hilfiger), Phil Mickelson (Callaway), Charlie Beljan (A|U|R)

The key pieces:  Umm Visor, basic preppy polo shirts and overpriced exotic belts.

Comment:  I was always told, “You never trust a guy wearing a visor.”  I can verify this is a good plan of action, especially when it comes to golfers.  Avoid wearing a visor and Tommy polos guys.

Statement:  Just Right – “Take notice, I’ve got this.”

Who should wear:  Everyone.  That’s why it is called just right! Take your pick. 

Tour Pro that wears:  Jimmy Walker (Iliac), Bo Van Pelt (Alial Fital), Graeme McDowell (Kartel by G-Mac)

The key pieces:  High performance quality pieces oozing with unique character and delightful details that really make you stop and admire the craftsmanship of this look.  

Comment:  Aside from Sligo, which I feel does an excellent job with their golf apparel design, the three companies listed above are, in my opinion, the best in golf.  The style is different because no detail is are overlooked.  Luxury and performance are perfectly mixed. 

So, do you still think all golfers look the same?  The hardest sport in the world is the easiest to make a fashion statement during.  It can be done so well, or it can be totally butchered.  If you plan on spending the day on the golf course, take some of my tips and try to adjust your personal golf style.  Make note of how well you are received by the ladies at the 19^th hole afterward to see if you are on the right track!  

Uniforms, Stop it!

This is getting out of hand. I can no longer idly stand around while this destroys everything our society stands for! That’s right, the new uniforms that come out in sports every year need to be stopped.

Nike, stop it!

adidas, stop it!

Under Armour, stop it!

Every year, more and more “crazy” uniforms come out. It started with Oregon and its reverberating throughout all sports now. I mean seriously, look at these:

For some reason, people started to like these. And by people, I mean children or people who think like children. Grandpa Derek over here does not approve. I don't understand the obsession with "standing out" with crazy color schemes and weird designs. I don't want to destroy creativity, but we have officially gone too far. Back in my day, the biggest change in uniforms from year to year was the piping and the accent color placement. Now the idea seems to just be to go even crazier than the last team. The biggest problem I have with this, is that this plan is working. Recruits love it. Idiots People buy jerseys and t-shirts. I just don't understand it one bit. 

Let's look at some examples of things I have seen lately that have driven me off the edge:

This helmet was recently sent out through social media. Virginia Tech will wear these in the game against Marshall this year. If you've ever followed VT, you know they try to ruin every uniform they have. Them ruining a uniform is an accomplishment, considering they start with maroon and orange, the two worst uniform colors in history. If you have some time, Google some of VT's helmets and uniforms they have worn before. It is shocking how horrible they truly are.

As Chris Williams would say, Baylor is Baylor is Baylor is Baylor. Baylor has started messing with uniforms over the past few years. I blame RGIII. This is not a good trend. Oregon (as usual) started the mirrored helmet craze. Now a bunch of teams are doing it. To all athletic departments: if you are looking into mirrored helmets, stop. Not only did they add this new helmet to the mix, but they messed up their jerseys. That number font looks like a even worse version of Oregon's (that school seems to be a common theme).

Horrible uniforms are not limited to football. As you can see, adidas is attempting to destroy basketball as well. Baylor makes the list again with their appearance here. That does not surprise me. What does surprise me is that Kansas, Notre Dame, and UCLA allowed this to happen. These are schools with tradition and classic looks. I never saw KU or UCLA wear these, but ND wore them in the Big East and NCAA tournaments. Camo is not a good uniform look. It never will be. It blatantly complicates the uniform without gaining anything.

These were both worn during the season this year. Kansas (again) and Michigan decided that it would be a good idea to almost completely eliminate the secondary colors. On the court, the numbers and names were not distinguishable at all. There is a reason that uniforms almost always have numbers that are different colored than the jersey. That reason is so they can be read! It pains me to see when classic looks like these are destroyed by "creativity."

Anyways, I'm sure that there will be plenty more uniform abortions for me to complain about, but I will take those on as I run into them (usually on twitter @derekRL24). Finally, I will leave you with some examples of good uniforms: