The recognition of golf has surged in recent times and throughout the pandemic, with new golfers and the additional unfold of non-traditional methods to play like TopGolf serving to to begin to shed the game’s stodgy status.
Grammy award-winning rapper Macklemore, greatest recognized for his hit track “Thrift Store,” not too long ago fell in love with golf, however discovered that the garments marketed to gamers didn’t attraction to him.
“On trip, I obtained dragged out onto the golf course and didn’t need to go – I positively hit a few homes,” Macklemore instructed US Sharks summit on Wednesday. “Lastly, I pure a 5 iron out of a fairway bunker, and I used to be enthralled. Like, what was that feeling? I want that once more.”
Macklemore, whose actual title is Ben Haggerty, stated that shortly thereafter he went to a sporting items retailer, however realized that “the pickings when it comes to golf style had been very slim, and that’s being beneficiant.”
“Golf garments have one archetype of a male, white dude in thoughts,” he stated. “Golf is far greater than that.”
Golf struggled to shed that notion, even throughout Tiger Woods’ ascendance to changing into one of many best gamers within the historical past of the game.
However there’s hope that an inflow of recent gamers will assist shift that archetype. An estimated 3.2 million folks performed on a golf course for the primary time in 2021, up 33% from 2019 and nicely exceeding the quantity of people that flocked to the sport following Woods’ early successes in 1999 and 2000, in line with The Nationwide Golf Basis. Extra rounds had been performed final yr than ever earlier than in historical past, in line with NGF.
Whereas a few of that momentum has slowed — rounds performed in 2022 are down roughly 6% in comparison with final yr — that inflow of recent, youthful gamers has helped to energise the sport, Macklemore stated.
“There’s a complete era of younger those that obtained into golf within the final one to a few years that don’t need to seem like they promote actual property, and I believe that’s nice,” he stated.
A fan of Nineteen Seventies- and Nineteen Eighties-era golf style even earlier than changing into a golfer, the need to fill the clothes want for golfers akin to himself led Macklemore to start out the Bogey Boys attire model.
The model, which options gadgets like Cheetah print knit vests, pinstriped sweaters, and colourful polos, is designed to attraction to each golfers and high-fashion lovers alike, Macklemore stated, one thing that most of the typical manufacturers within the golf-wear area don’t take into account.
“I believe for thus many different manufacturers, it’s contingent upon folks taking part in golf, or else you’re not going to put on these garments,” he stated. “One thing I believe that has occurred with the pandemic and golf skyrocketing is that you just’re seeing a shred of golf style within the streetwear area – you’ll be able to go to [fashion website] Hypebeast and see articles on golf, that’s one thing very new.”
Macklemore will not be the primary golf-enthusiast entertainer to attempt to shake up the game’s look. In 2011, Justin Timberlake was named the inventive director of Callaway Golf, engaged on the membership and attire maker’s “visible illustration.” Invoice Murray, well-known for his position in “Caddyshack,” began William Murray Golf in 2016. NBA star Steph Curry began creating golf attire with Underneath Armour in 2019, resulting in the launch of his golf line below his Curry Model offshoot.
That uptick in new gamers in addition to new merchandise has been a boon for golf attire, sometimes led by firms like Adidas, Nike, Callaway, and Acushnet-owned Footjoy. Greater than $150 million of golf attire was bought in April, with 21 of the final 22 months seeing gross sales will increase month-over-month, in line with golf product business tracker Golf Datatech.
However even when the expansion of golf tapers off, Macklemore stated the deal with style not like different golf-focused attire will nonetheless profit Bogey Boys.
“Any sport waxes and wanes, that’s okay,” he stated. “The garments are nonetheless going to be top-notch, the standard goes to be nice, and individuals are going to really feel nice and look nice within the clothes.”
