As a millennial, the hoodie was a pivotal piece of my wardrobe during those awkward teenage years. My high school didn’t have uniforms, but you would think it did by the number of gray and navy hoodies walking through the doors each morning. Certainly, hoodies were not considered a “nice” item of clothing—let alone an appropriate golf top. Fast forward a handful of years (let’s not put a number on it) and suddenly hoodies have taken over the golf course. We’ve even seen tour players wearing hoodies to compete in majors and at courses you would never expect to see a drawstring replacing a buttoned-up collar. Once again, hoodies have become my go-to apparel item, but now I don’t think twice about whether it’s appropriate clothing, and I happily ignore the side eyes I occasionally get from older members when wearing one to a club.
Almost every golfwear brand offers a hoodie nowadays, but these aren’t your typical gray Champion sweatshirts. Golf’s take on the hoodie is more refined. Your classic gray-cotton hoodie is now made with cashmere or a wool blend. Patterned versions have performance elements to wick sweat, stay wrinkle-free for an entire round and feel like silk. Pockets aren’t guaranteed on every golf hoodie, but when they are, designers ensure they stay in place without impeding the swing. It’s this thoughtfulness that has helped bring the once lazy-looking layering piece into modern golf drip.
MORE: An ode to … khakis, pockets, vests, ugly golf shirts, ball caps, hoodies, mock necks
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
