I’ve been watching golf for about as long as I can remember. Growing up, every major tournament was on TV in my house. During high school, I spent plenty of spring and summer weekends on the golf course. Because of that, I’ve gotten a pretty close look at how golf style has evolved over the years.
As I got older, I noticed some of the styles were downright wacky. Yes, there was always Jesper Parnevik and his goofy hats, but that wasn’t too crazy. Guys like Rickie Fowler came on the scene and wore streetwear-inspired digs on the course, like jogger pants and flat brim hats.
It seemed like golf apparel companies were in a race to see who could make the biggest fashion statements. But now, Adidas looks to be scaling things back a little bit, opting instead for more understated and conservative designs.
Tdoay, Adidas debuted its adiPure line.
Golf Digest writes:
The adiPure line is a departure of sorts in that it leans on more traditional golf styling and is more lifestyle driven than Adidas’ usual splashy, athletic fare. Davide Mattucci, global product marketing director for Adidas, says the line gives the company the opportunity to reach a different customer who wants modern twists in his shirts, pants and outerwear but wants to stay grounded to classic fashion styling.
PGA tour stalwart Justin Rose debuted the gear at the Masters this year, before the line’s official launch.
“It fits where I am at with where I feel fashion should be on and off the golf course,” Rose told Golf Digest. “Anybody who is kind of somewhat fashion focused, or fashion-forward thinking, is really going to appreciate the details.”
The line includes heather polos, hybrid half-zip sweaters and stretch pants. The pieces are designed to work both on and off the course.
“The adiPure collection represents the game of golf in the purest way,” Mattucci said to Golf Digest. “It was crafted by passionate golfers to feature a traditional look, while staying true to the performance heritage of our brand.”
So, for distributors whose business includes golf apparel, maybe now is the time to step away from bright orange flat brim hats, and look instead to the classics.
