The Future of Golf Fashion Isn’t Moisture-Wicking

Golf fashion is finally breaking free. For the past decade, most golfers have been dressing like they’re sponsored by a mid-tier software company tight, stretchy pants; moisture-wicking polos with meaningless geometric prints; and “performance” fabrics that cling like plastic wrap. Somewhere along the way, golf forgot that style used to matter.

Now, it’s starting to remember.

What’s happening in golf fashion right now is more than a passing trend it’s a full-on identity shift. The next generation of golfers is throwing out the uniform and replacing it with personality.

The Death of the Moisture-Wicking Polo

The 2010s were the polyester decade. Brands were obsessed with “breathability” and “performance.” What they really meant was: the same shirt in 30 colors, designed to survive 120-degree range sessions but with zero “pizzaas”. Every big box store carried it, and every guy at the club wore it.

The modern golfer is done with that. They want clothes that perform, but that also say something. You’re starting to see heavier fabrics again cotton pique, corduroy, merino knits, wool blends. People don’t want to feel like they’re wearing a tent made of plastic. They want texture, weight, and honesty in the materials.

And the fit? That’s changing too. The sprayed-on jogger era is fading fast.

The Rise of Pleats and Personality

Look at the best new brands right now — Students Golf, Metalwood Studio, Manors Golf, Malbon and you’ll see a clear shift away from that sterile, PGA Tour “uniform” look.

Students Golf brings that rebellious, college-campus energy loose silhouettes, washed cottons, and graphic-heavy crewnecks that feel lived-in. It’s the anti-country club uniform, built for the muni kid who carries his bag and drinks an iced coffee instead of a transfusion.

Metalwood Studio takes that energy and polishes it up. Their retro 80s inspiration corduroy hats, heavyweight knits, half-zip sweatshirts with texture feels nostalgic but new. You can wear Metalwood off the course and still look like you know your way around a 3-iron.

Manors might be the most balanced of them all, rooted in classic British tailoring but relaxed enough for a walk through Los Angeles. Their pleated trousers, vintage-inspired knit polos, and soft layering pieces bridge the gap between Augusta and Soho.

And Malbon? They’ve gone fully cultural. Malbon is golf’s first true lifestyle brand. They collaborate with Nike, Puma, FootJoy but the real win is how they’ve made golf clothes feel cool. Wide-leg pants, heavy cotton shirts, oversized silhouettes — they’ve turned “golf gear” into everyday wear.

The Counterbalance: The Classics Are Back

What’s fascinating is that this shift toward expression hasn’t killed tradition it’s revived it. The classic side of golf fashion has come back stronger than ever through brands like Woodgrain Golf and Walker Golf Things.

Woodgrain’s aesthetic is Southern prep done right: pleated twill pants, heavyweight polos, cotton cardigans. The cuts are traditional, but the fits are slightly relaxed — it feels like your grandfather’s golf wardrobe reimagined for 2025.

Walker Golf Things goes even deeper into vintage craftsmanship. Their “Lot” collection feels like it was pulled out of a 1960s pro shop in the best way possible textured knits, rich natural tones, and high-quality materials that don’t try to be “performance wear.” Their pieces remind you that golf clothes can just be clothes — timeless, functional, and good-looking.

Baggy, Breathable, and Finally Authentic

We’re in the middle of a full aesthetic shift. Pleats are back. Wide legs are back. Even extra-large polos are coming back not as a fashion gimmick, but as a rejection of the try-hard, skin-tight look that dominated the last decade.

Golfers are realizing that the baggier fits of the 80s and 90s actually make sense: they move with you. They breathe. They have personality. The “slim fit” era was never about comfort; it was about conformity. And golf has always been better when it didn’t conform.

What’s next is clear — high-quality natural fabrics, slightly oversized silhouettes, and a blend of influences from all corners of the culture. You’ll see a guy in a Walker cotton polo and pleated pants playing alongside someone in a Metalwood quarter-zip and wide-leg Manors trousers — and both will look right at home.

That’s the point.

Golf Is Finally Dressing Like Golf Again

Golf fashion is at its most exciting point in decades because it’s finally reflecting the diversity of people who play the game. There’s no single “right” way to look on the course anymore. There’s Southern prep, New England heritage, California streetwear, New York minimalism — all sharing the same fairways.

For years, golf clothes were trying to make golfers look like athletes. Now, they’re helping golfers look like themselves.

The goofy patterns are fading. The neon is gone. The plastic polos are out. What’s left is a game that looks a little more human — and a lot more stylish.

The future of golf fashion isn’t performance. It’s personality.