Golf streetwear is taking off, with traction from non-golf media and traditional fashion brands catapulting the style almost into the mainstream. As this space of golf and fashion grows, the spaces to find them are growing along with it. These previously digital brands are increasingly taking physical locations for their fans to visit. These are also more than normal retail stores; Golf-focused shops in urban areas that are not directly connected to a golf course will turn them into havens for golfers to mingle and socialize. These emerging golf brands are some of the first to make the leap from digital to retail, but they definitely won’t be the last.
Metalwood La Brea Shop
Metalwood Studio has packed eclectic logos and catchphrases inspired by the 1990s streetwear vibe with classic silhouettes and more traditional golf accessories. Their products are either sleek and low in dark colors with just an embroidered “Metalwood” branding or have large logos plastered right on the front; there’s no in-between, and it’s all unapologetically by design. The brand puts as much effort into creating on-course polos as they do into their casual tees, and the variety of their products helps make them appealing to both established golfers and streetwear enthusiasts alike. may not have any interest in golf. While the brand has a solid digital presence, playing a big role in the interconnected world of golf fashion on social media, opening a store in a high-fashion neighborhood in California will bring in people who wouldn’t otherwise have never set eyes on the brand.
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Bad Golf SOHO
Malbon has been leading the pack when it comes to fusing streetwear with golf fashion since launching in 2017. They put out fantastic streetwear as often as refined clothes, and all showcase their high-quality materials and the Buckets logo—a tiny golf ball expression with eyes modeled after a variety of personalities from Tiger Woods to The Grateful Dead. While they previously had a physical location in Los Angeles, California that has since closed, the brand recently opened a permanent store in NYC’s SOHO neighborhood. The store, like many others, is designed to be more than a retail space, a place for golfers to gather, compare games and look good while doing it. Malbon is focused on growing the community and investing in sports, so locating a store in a fashion-focused neighborhood surrounded by sportswear powerhouses like Nike and popular fashion brands like Aritiza will help bring of non-golfers to see what it’s all about. . As Stephen Malbon, co-founder of the brand with his wife Erica, said, “We want to expand our presence in physical experiences and retail. New York City is a global hub and is so rich in culture and diversity, so it seems like a natural future location for us as a brand.” Malbon’s unique atmosphere, one that combines a mob mentality with a laid-back lifestyle, the epitome of hard work, is perfect for NYC residents.
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Hypegolf Popup SOHO
One of the most recognized names in this golf space, Hypegolf is more of a facilitator to highlight important brands and for the golf community to have a place to connect. They started, like most of them, on Instagram as an offshoot of the pop culture and lifestyle brand Hypebeast, which covers sneakers, fashion, cars, watches, movies, and anything that can fit into today’s “culture.” Hypegolf is all about integrating this culture into golf, and vice versa, and does so with collaborations, featured posts, tours, and most recently, a pop-up shop in SOHO, New York City. Featuring pieces from Puttwell, J.Lindenberg and more, as well as some of their own, Hypebeast Clubhouse was a pop-up that ran from May to June of this year as an evolved, fashion-focused pro shop. Every piece of clothing and equipment was curated to reflect the new direction golf is heading. Anyone could come in to browse the products and hit the simulator, and the SOHO location meant that many fashion-focused people who might not necessarily play golf were able to stumble across the site and immerse themselves in this world of golf growth. Hypegolf also hosted weekly parties and networking events with brands like Oakley and Tag Heuer, which also brought many celebrities to the store. Hypegolf continues to be the most accessible route this side of golf, taking mainstream popular culture recognition and fusing it with golf to make the sport seem familiar and appealing.
CONNECTED: Hypegolf’s pop-up showed why the brand is trying to modernize golf
Bogey Boys popup Seattle
In 2018, rapper Macklemore, on a whim, played a round of golf that changed his life. Not only did he find that he loved the game, but he absolutely fell in love with it. He was inspired to create the Bogey Boys clothing line, which is focused on creating modern versions of seemingly old-fashioned golf equipment. They take these classic golf designs, like striped polos with oversized collars and check vests, and revitalize them with modern materials. They do this as much as they go out and are not traditional, like cheetah prints and plastered cardigan designs. They are definitely making sure their clothes stand out and are definitely their own, which is important for a growing company. They now have the opportunity to do this on a new scale with the opening of their pop-up store in Seattle. The brand had a rotating product showcase, so there was always something fresh for returning customers, as well as events aimed at bringing established and new players together such as concerts and competitions. While it was only open for a limited time, closing its doors in March, another has already opened, ensuring the Seattle area won’t be without a collection of trendy golf gear. He left such a lasting impression on the area, Five Iron golf is putting one of their simulators a few streets away, and Macklemore will be one of the owners of this new establishment.
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Quiet Golf Pro Shop
Quiet Golf Club is not as established a brand as Malbon or Metalwood, but they are just as invested in the movement, evident by their rapid rise in popularity. While they don’t have a deep inventory of products currently, what they do have is high quality and unique to the brand, with designs ranging from funky to fancy, and accessories that will make your bag stand out as bandana or real tree print. Although they don’t have a huge following, they already have a physical presence in California, which will be paramount in helping this brand build traction. With designs like the anatomy of a golf ball and different types of grass, the company’s innate love of the game is right across all of its products. And with their modern design, many of their clothes would look right at home in any high street clothing store, so a physical location will help to draw people in beyond just the product. There, they will be able to see all the inspiration of golf and why this sport is enough to inspire a fashionable company like this.
As golf apparel transitions to a completely new design based on streetwear and high fashion, the idea of a golf shop is also evolving. These new golf shops are changing the game when it comes to pro shops and retail spaces, turning the idea of a shop into more of an experience. By moving beyond just trying to move the product as the products begin to sell themselves, it allows these brands to focus on other aspects of golf and their mission. Doing this in a physical space allows people to experience the brand up close and personal, rather than just seeing a picture of a product and the price. Being able to join others who love golf, fashion and everything in between is the best and fastest way to ensure the growth of the game and its rapidly growing fashion scene.
