A new day for golf wear

A few summers ago while relaxing over a round of beers at the 19th hole of his local club, a golfer named Bill Anderson lamented about the one-dimensional look of golf clothing and the fact that nothing in the market truly expressed who he was. After several rounds he decided on the spot that he alone could change the “traditional” golf apparel industry and with that, Tattoo Golf (www.tattoogolf.com) was born!

The game of golf has really changed over the course of the last 150 years yet some aspects of this crazy game remain stubbornly unchanged. Obviously the game is still played over 18 long, usually frustrating holes sculpted from the earth’s terrain, lined with trees & ponds, bunkers, streams & a multitude of other hazards designed to drive the average golfer to drink. Beyond that though, nothing’s quite the same as it was when old Tom Morris was bashing it around St. Andrews.

Technology is one of the most notable changes in the game as we’ve gone from mashies and niblick’s to 460cc metal wood monsters and precision irons costing over $1,000 a set. Personal physical fitness is also another obvious change of recent years thanks to one Tiger Woods. With exception of crowd favorite John Daly, most golfers at the professional level follow some form of workout routine to keep fit and help stay injury free – and to try to at least stay somewhat competitive with Tiger.

Actually one of the most drastic changes is that of the golfer himself. Just a couple of decades ago, golf was generalized as a sport for older white men and therefore anyone else playing the game was deemed “uncool.” Nowadays golf is considered very cool and with Tiger’s help the game’s been opened to golfers of all ages and colors.

So why’s it taking so long for golf wear to change?? True you don’t have to wear a tie anymore but most golf courses do have strict dress codes requiring members to wear slacks (just the word slacks sounds old fashioned!), shirts with collars, appropriate footwear & in extreme cases, jackets in the club house. If your club is Augusta National then this probably makes perfect sense but if you play at the muni course in Anytown USA then this more than likely makes absolutely no sense.

These new-age golfers don’t want to look like their daddies or their daddies daddy! They want golf clothes that are stylish, comfortable and fun to wear and that’s where Tattoo Golf is stepping in. Their line of “aggressive golf wear” features tattoo-printed golf shirts, t-shirts, golf hats, beanies, visors, hoodies and more all bedecked with a skull and crossed clubs design.

“There is a definite demand for Tattoo Golf clothing because today’s golfer is looking for something fun, edgy and a bit different to help set them apart from the crowd” says Anderson. He adds, “we continue to add new designs on a regular basis to keep the line fresh and our new Argyle polo shirts are a great example of this. Argyle is back in fashion these days and we’ve given this classic design our own unique twist and it’s quickly become one of our best selling shirts!”

The game and the players are quickly changing and Tattoo Golf looks to continue being on the forefront of both style and design for many years to come.

Golf fanatic Greg Shaw is the VP of Sales for Tattoo Golf and has extensive experience in trend marketing. http://www.tattoogolf.com/