Golf fans may have noticed a change at the 19th hole: players are dressing less like middle-aged middle managers and more like they’ve stepped out of a lookbook. There’s a bit more fashion on the fairway lately, a touch of flair on the putting green.
It’s the result of a growing crop of golfwear brands launched over the past five years, catering to a younger – or at least more style-conscious – generation of golfers keen to bring personality to the course.
They might, for instance, be wearing Malbon, the Los Angeles label that’s built a cult following for its loose-fit T-shirts, bucket-knit sweaters and pleated skirts; or Swedish brand Macade, which is “on a mission to push the boundaries of traditional golf apparel… for a new generation of golfers”.
Others may prefer the irreverent edge of Shank It – “golf gear that refuses to blend in”, as the company puts it – or the preppy, collegiate polish of Fore All. Even the UAE has entered the scene, with its home-grown, graphics-led brand Sandie.
Some of the pros are in on the action too: Sun Day Red line by Tiger Woods offers relaxed sweatshirts and sweatpants – a far cry from the starched polos of old.
Indeed, golf looks are undergoing a full-blown style revolution. Jojo Regan, co-founder of Manors Golf says: “You can’t raise money as a brand like ours unless you’re addressing a specific market. Ten years ago, investors wouldn’t have considered it. Golfwear was all vanilla and there was no demand for anything different.
“But there’s been a change of image,” Regan adds. “Golf was perceived as an elitist, white, middle-class, rich man’s sport. Now, the sport is more open to anyone. As more people play, golf, for want of a better word, has become cooler.”
That shift, he argues, is also linked to renewed investment in the sport – and the emergence of new, more dynamic formats such as LIV Golf, which has been played at events in countries including Saudi Arabia, bringing the game to new audiences.
The influx of money and media has energised the sport and helped draw in a younger crowd, one that expects to express itself through what it wears as much as how it swings.
Of course, golf has been here before. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, it enjoyed a stylish heyday – unapologetically loud in contrast to the conservative conventions of menswear at the time. “Orange is the happiest colour,” Frank Sinatra once said. It was the shade of the loose alpaca cardigans he preferred to play in and would buy by the dozen.
Later, strict clubhouse rules about dress – including those that shaped the other middle-class sport, tennis – made golf fashion cautious and exclusionary, if not downright uptight. Players of the era might have admired the classic conservatism of Arnold Palmer, who once remarked: “[People have said that] I was a well-dressed golfer. I guess that has something to do with the fact that a lot of people who play golf don’t dress very well.”
But they would likely have balked at today’s stars and their choice of flamboyant attire, from Ian Poulter’s patterned trousers to Shingo Katayama’s hats and John Daly’s riotous prints. Yet, the numbers suggest the sport is thriving. According to the R&A – a leading governing body for the sport – participation outside the US has grown by 44 per cent in the past decade, now totalling about 43 million players. And with that influx has come a fresh demand for clothes that reflect modern tastes.
“Golf apparel retailers are looking for something different to draw in a customer who otherwise won’t go in,” says Regan. “They see traditional golf style as not being for them.” Technical performance remains critical – fabrics still need to be breathable, moisture-wicking, flexible and comfortable for four or five hours of play under the sun – but now golfers also want to feel good at the clubhouse afterwards.
“Just because it’s designed for the purpose of play, doesn’t mean golf clothing can’t look good after,” Regan adds. That sensibility has also helped Manors attract customers who don’t even play.
Big brands have taken note. Earlier this year, Manors released a footwear collection with Reebok – a collaboration Reebok itself initiated. Malbon has partnered with Adidas and Coca-Cola, while Fore All has teamed up with fashion designer Cynthia Rowley for a capsule of mesh polos, floral-print gloves and camo windbreakers.
Even heritage brands are feeling the shift. Glenmuir, the world’s oldest golfwear label, founded in 1891, has also moved with the times. “More new golfwear brands are coming out with relaxed, streetwear-based looks, and we’ve certainly felt the need to change too,” says managing director Mikhel Ruia.
“We’ve introduced a hoodie – something our customers wouldn’t have been seen dead in just a few years ago, especially at a more traditional course. We know we’re not dressing 16-year-olds, but our customers are pulling us in that direction.”
Still, Ruia offers a word of warning. “It’s not enough for new brands to come to golf with an edge – they also have to come from golf,” he says, pointing to Nike’s gradual retreat from the category. “I still think golf is the only sport in which golfers judge another player’s seriousness about their play by what they’re wearing,” he says with a laugh. “That’s not about wealth or status, but about expressing their commitment to the sport.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Company%20profile
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SWEET%20TOOTH
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
RECORD%20BREAKER
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20debutant%20for%20Barcelona%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2015%20years%20and%20290%20days%20v%20Real%20Betis%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20La%20Liga%20starter%20in%20the%2021st%20century%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%20years%20and%2038%20days%20v%20Cadiz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20player%20to%20register%20an%20assist%20in%20La%20Liga%20in%20the%2021st%20century%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%20years%20and%2045%20days%20v%20Villarreal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20debutant%20for%20Spain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%20v%20Georgia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20goalscorer%20for%20Spain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20player%20to%20score%20in%20a%20Euro%20qualifier%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Manchester United v Young Boys, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
Final round
25 under - Antoine Rozner (FRA)
23 - Francesco Laporta (ITA), Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG)
21 - Grant Forrest (SCO)
20 - Ross Fisher (ENG)
19 - Steven Brown (ENG), Joakim Lagergren (SWE), Niklas Lemke (SWE), Marc Warren (SCO), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Zayed Sustainability Prize
How Beautiful this world is!
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Blah
Started: 2018
Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and talent management
Initial investment: Dh20,000
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 40
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs: 2018 Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio
Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)
Engine 4.7L V8
Transmission Six-speed automatic
Power 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 520Nm @ 4,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.3L (GranTurismo) and 14.5L (GranCabrio) / 100km
Dubai World Cup Carnival card:
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 | 2,410 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) | $100,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: Handicap (T) | $145,000 | 1,000m
8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) | $200,000 | 1,200m
8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) | $200,000 | 1,800m
9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 | 1,400m
FINAL LEADERBOARD
1. Jordan Spieth (USA) 65 69 65 69 - 12-under-par
2. Matt Kuchar (USA) 65 71 66 69 - 9-under
3. Li Haotong (CHN) 69 73 69 63 - 6-under
T4. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 71 68 69 67 - 5-under
T4. Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 67 73 67 68 - 5-under
T6. Marc Leishman (AUS) 69 76 66 65 - 4-under
T6. Matthew Southgate (ENG) 72 72 67 65 - 4-under
T6. Brooks Koepka (USA) 65 72 68 71 - 4-under
T6. Branden Grace (RSA) 70 74 62 70 - 4-under
T6. Alexander Noren (SWE) 68 72 69 67 - 4-under
Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQureos%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E33%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESoftware%20and%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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