Ah, spring, when a young man or woman’s thoughts turn to golf — and, given the invariably inclement nature of playing golf in Canada, to what one can wear on the golf course that doesn’t defeat the purpose of playing in the first place.
Here’s a couple of ideas, starting with the fundamentally stylish and functional AUR Active polo, and finishing with Antigua’s stretchy half-zip Leader pullover.
AUR’s light, breezy 327 polo.
Golf shirts are funny things — a personal favourite one year can suddenly be bound for the rag bag the next, especially if it’s 100 per cent cotton: the collar goes all wonky, the fit changes after a few washes and the dual straps on your golf bag (if you’re a walker) wear a hole in the middle of your back.
But these days, thanks to the advent of high-tech microfibre, golf shirts have a longer closet life than they used to — especially now that they don’t retain odour like the earliest generation of thin, warm, modern garments did. The AUR C327 classic polyester pique, which Antigua bills as “the best golf shirt you will ever wear,” can easily comprise a foundation of any self-respecting golfer’s wardrobe.
The C327 is feather-light and super-soft to the touch, and yet not as unflattering to the less chiselled physique (ahem) as many similar shirts. It’s a cliche, but it’s true — in terms of range of golf-swing mobility, it’s like wearing nothing at all.
AUR says the C327 — the C3120 is the ladies’ version — is made of “premium long-lasting synthetic fibers, which create a strong, crease-resistant fabric that is quick-drying, moisture wicking and maintains its shape season after season, round after round.”
Antigua’s Leader pullover
Montreal-based AUR is a golf-specific division of Fletcher Leisure Group. Both the C327 and C3120 come in 14 different colours.
To wear over top of the C327 on those days when the wind is up, or the temperature is down, or both, Antigua offers up its new Leader pullover, a stretchy synthetic piece of outerwear that’s the perfect alterative to a bulky rain jacket or multiple layers.
“In paying close attention to what’s being worn on and off the courses Antigua finds that there’s a big swing towards the mid-to-light weight half zip long sleeve stretch knit outerwear top,” the company said in a recent statement.
The Leader is versatile enough to be worn by itself, or over top of a snug-fitting thermal undershirt or lightweight polo. Either way, there’s rarely an issue with range of motion — the stretch in the fabric makes it easy to comfortably swing a golf club. The styling — half-zip, upright collar, narrow cuffs and an open bottom (rather than elastic or a drawstring) — also makes it exceedingly comfortable and easy to wear on the course.
