I was recently in the market for a few new polos, as my collection had encountered too many hot and sunny days in the south. I’m no longer a member at a Country Club, so my options are to try to find something at retail, or take a flier online.
Golf attire has changed quite a bit in the past 10 years. Long gone are the days of golf being synonymous with pique polos and heavy cotton chinos. Now consumers have a multitude of niches within the golf apparel industry. Want something bright and athletic, then look at the standard athletic goods giants. Prefer classic and subdued, there are plenty of both old and new names with offerings that allow you to seamlessly transition from on the course to off.
I’ve always leaned towards the classic style, and brands like Polo, RLX, Peter Millar, and Dunning. I started looking online at some of their current options, but didn’t love the pricing. I've never been one to pay full retail unless shop credit is involved, and it’s hard for me to shell out $90+ for a golf shirt.
I kept looking and stumbled upon Bonobos. I was aware of their brand, but had never been in one of their retail stores. Their styles are a nice mix of modest and trendy, with prices starting around $60 for a polo.
One of the main issues I’ve always had with golf apparel is the sizing. I’m a medium in some manufacturers, and all the way up to an XL in some non-Golf clothing brands. I'm 5'11" and 215lbs, with a bigger chest and at the moment a little extra around the waistband. Without any prior experience with a brand, it’s a total crapshoot with where they’re going to fall on that sizing scale. For comparison, I wear the following sizes with these manufacturers and the fits are pretty similar.
With Bonobos, I chose to go with the standard fit in Large, and they’re pretty much an ideal fit for me. The length is slightly shorter than a lot of brands, but still stays tucked. With that shorter hem, the shirt can also be worn untucked, so it’s a little more versatile than most golf specific shirts.
The material of all 3 polos is a very nice upscale polyester blend. One is a textured, almost pique like knit, but it’s not abrasive at all. The other two have a smooth texture. All 3 have a decent amount of stretch as well.
After a few rounds and subsequent washings, I don’t see any changes with the material and it seems to be holding up great.
All in all, they’re my favorite polos at the moment, and I’ll definitely look their way again when it comes time to buy more.
