The No. 1 player in the world, Nelly Korda, is wearing a U.S. Men’s National Team soccer jersey, and Ina Kim-Schaad, the Mid-Amateur champion, has already gone viral for her wide-leg, high-waisted trousers, argyle cardigan and matching neck scarf.
What we’re seeing at events such as the U.S. Women’s Open and this week’s Evian Championship is only the beginning, and the women’s golf fashion space still has a long way to go in terms of variety, function and style. But those within the industry agree there is a window of opportunity, as companies are finally gathering the resources and utilizing the avenues needed to take off.
There comes a time in every woman’s experience in golf when her attire is called into question. Whether it is the length of her skirt or the amount of her shoulders that is showing, country clubs and golf organizations have been policing women’s clothing since the moment they deigned to let women enter.
Professional players are increasingly buying into fashion choices that take full advantage of the freedom Michelle Wie West led the charge for during her LPGA playing days, from a creative and comfort standpoint. Now, the questions are shifting from “Is that allowed?” to “Where’d she buy that?”
You’d think it was the other way around. But the PGA Tour has more stringent attire policies than the LPGA Tour. Male touring professionals on the PGA Tour are required to wear long pants during competition and may wear shorts during practice rounds only if they are “knee-length, tailored and neat in appearance.” There is a 3-by-5-inch limit on logo size. The women on the LPGA are not subject to the same restrictions regarding their apparel or sponsorship logos.
The LPGA’s dress code is exactly one sentence: “Players are expected to dress in a professional manner and reflect a positive image to the public.”
Stephen and Erica Malbon, the couple behind the streetwear-inspired golf clothing company Malbon Golf, are never surprised when one of Jason Day’s splashy outfits gets flagged by the governing bodies in men’s golf. At the 2024 Masters, Augusta National famously asked Day to remove his sweater vest. So Malbon has naturally gravitated more heavily toward women’s golf fashion in recent years. Those same rules do not apply, and Malbon Women, with popular Englishwoman Charley Hull as its lead athlete, has been growing faster in popularity than they ever expected.
“The PGA (Tour) is like the no-fun police,” Stephen Malbon says. “The LPGA is like, be who you are, have fun, play and just get out here. I love that about women’s golf. The men look like sh– compared to the women, and it’s because the men can’t look good. What are you going to do with a polo and pants?”
As the women’s game has grown recreationally, so, too, has its fashion ecosystem. According to the National Golf Foundation, women account for 60 percent of the growth in on-course participation in the U.S. since 2019, aided by the sport’s boom during the pandemic. There are a record number of female golfers in the country, 7.9 million, topping the previous record of 7.1 million set in 2006, before participation dipped from 2007 to 2011 due to the recession.
“I think there’s been a trickle-down effect of OK, it’s not just old white guys playing golf anymore,” Erica Malbon says. “From our perspective in the industry, we want to make clothes that show people’s personalities, make a better offering for them to play golf and also feel fashionable and like themselves.” [...]
Mastering women’s golf attire goes beyond keeping up with current styles or trends. It can be successful only if it prioritizes function while also providing options for differing preferences.
The sporting goods powerhouse considered new details, from certain silhouettes creating unwanted tan lines to the way a skirt drapes when a woman bends over to pick up her tee.
Any female golfer will tell you that women’s apparel has been plagued by one particular issue, which Nike has also addressed: pockets. The game is still figuring out how to incorporate pockets that are deep enough for yardage books, balls and tees. One tiny coin pocket placed on the very back side of a skirt or pair of pants just isn’t going to cut it.
Female golfers are especially in tune with the way clothing feels and looks on the body, too. Korda says she’s hyperaware of movement in her apparel — does it flow in the wind or stay stationary? Wie West says she isn’t fond of clothing that creates noise, so she avoids certain fabrics that cause her to hear herself while swinging. [...]
“The more diversity of design we have, the more women will feel like, wow, they’re really speaking to me, this feels authentic.”
Kim-Schaad says the majority of her golf wardrobe is not purchased from golf brands. She’d rather dress in styles that make her feel comfortable and confident than blend in with the rest.
“I think that’s the biggest thing. Guys have no problem all wearing the same polo. But for women, it’s actually very different,” Kim-Schaad says. “It’s how we show our own personal flair.
“The more diversity of design we have, the more women will feel like, wow, they’re really speaking to me, this feels authentic.”
by Gabby Herzig, The Athletic | Read more:
Images:Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Photos: Ryan Sirus, Dylan Buell, Brenton Tse / Getty Images; Warren Little / Getty Images; Sean Haffey / Getty;Scott Halleran / Getty Images
[ed. Watching the Evian this week I thought the same thing... women's golf attire sure has gotten stylish and cutting edge these days. Very modern and flattering. Other segments of the 'athleisure' industry (and beyond) should take note.]
