Golf is challenging enough without having to constantly tug at your shorts because they’re riding up or damp with sweat during the hotter times of year.
Apparel manufacturers know this, which is why stretch materials, moisture-wicking fabrics, antibacterial treatments, fast-dry components, UV protection and fabrics with a broken-in feel are showing up at more stores and pro shops.
“Golf shorts have certainly become much more performance driven and that means more engineering has gone into their design,” said Howie Ellis, vice president of sales for Sunice.
Added Davide Mattucci, director of global product marketing for Adidas Golf: “While we’re all looking to take advantage of styling trends from men’s apparel fashions in general, it really is all about performance innovation.”
Part of that relates to fabric, in which polyester and a cotton/polyester blend remain the biggest sellers in shorts. Yet technology has improved in this area, as well, from both an aesthetic and performance point of view.
“Where golf apparel has really evolved with fabric is with stretch materials for both tops and bottoms,” Ellis said. “Engineering that into a garment can make it much more flattering because that fabric is going to move with your golf swing in an elegant way. Before, it tended to be bigger and baggier without stretch technology.”
Regarding style, single pleats are making a slight comeback but cargo models remain popular, albeit with a trending alteration.
“The cargo style, as long as it’s tastefully done, still works really well in the sport,” Ellis said. “If you don’t have a baggy version and use pockets as more of a silhouette, that is an awesome look.”
The use of more dynamic colors and tones are also expanding in the shorts market.
“I think there’s been a seismic shift in the whole men’s bottom-wear category overall that is just now filtering into golf,” Mattucci said. “You are going to see a greater range of colors and patterns soon. It’s not your typical khaki, navy, black and white, there is a movement into a lot more fun with colors and patterns on the way.”
That means soft neon colors such as orange and bright greens but also, Ellis added, “anything tied into bright blues is really strong right now.”
But the core for golf shorts, as with any apparel choice, will likely always be quality, dynamic construction and comfort.
“The long and short of it is this: it all comes down to what enhances the golfer’s capability and not having to think about what you’re wearing,” Matttuci said. “That could be improved stretch performance or something else regarding functionality that enhances their motion throughout the golf swing. That means eliminating distractions. At the same time, that also means feeling good about one’s choice of color and pattern.”
