Three of the finest are Sunderland of Scotland, Fairway & Greene and Dockers Tour. Sunderland is known for its high-performance outerwear, great for golfers living in (or traveling to) golf spots where wind and rain are common. Fairway & Greene is a high-end clothier whose golf apparel is available exclusively through private golf clubs and resorts. And Dockers Tour is a premium collection high on value, not to mention name recognition.
Here's a look at each company's offerings.
Dockers Tour
www.dockerstour.com
Perhaps by the time you're reading this, the Dockers Tour website will be complete. But even if a placeholder is still all that exists at the above address, most readers are very familiar with the Dockers brand.
According to one survey, 70 percent of men in the U.S. already own at least one piece of Dockers apparel.
The goal of Dockers with its Dockers Tour golf apparel line is to offer performance and value. Dockers Tour is an option for golfers who want to look good, but without having to experience sticker shock to do so.
The Dockers Tour Fall 2004 catalog includes all the essentions: shirts, shorts, pants, vests, outerwear, caps and accessories; a wide range of colors and styles with solids, stripes and patterns.
Two performance fabrics stand out, the Stain Defender and Dry Ply.
The Stain Defender shirts are treated with DuPont Teflon, which causes many oil- and water-based liquids (orange juice, soda and milk, to give three examples) to bead up, minimizing staining. The Stain Defender fabric also provides UV and antimicrobial protection.
The Dry Ply is a wrinkle-free fabric that moves moisture away from the body to the outer layer of the fabric, allowing the fabric to dry more quickly. It also offers UV and antimicrobial protection.
A couple of examples of prices: Dockers Tour shirts are mostly in the $40-$50 range, while outerwear usually comes in between $60 and $70.
Fairway & Greene
www.fairwayandgreene.com
Fairway & Greene offers the finest fabrics at the finest private courses and golf resorts. And their finery is selling just fine, thanks: a survey of pro shops published in PGA Magazine showed Fairway & Greene apparel among the top sellers at both private clubs and resorts.
The company president, Rick Martin, was even chosen to design the American uniforms for the 2004 Ryder Cup. The company also outfits the golf announcers of NBC Sports.
Fairway & Greene says that its classically styled apparel for men and women is "inspired by a time when players didn't play for huge purses or endorsements, but were always impeccably dressed and behaved."
The company's collection includes lisle and pique shirts in solids, stripes and patterns; soft, merino wool; shorts and trousers; capri pants and golf skirts; cardigans, vests and cashmere sweaters.
Men's Cranberry/Tweed Color Story shirts carry an MSRP of $75-$85; a Pima cotton topstitch vest, $120. The men's Alpaca/Pima Cotton Diamond Crewneck comes in six seasonal colors with an MSRP of $135, and a men's Alpaca/Wool Golf Jacket, in three colors, check in at $275.
For women, a Bold Stripe Merino Cardigan sells for $90; a Merino Solid V-Neck shirt checks in at $80.
Sunderland of Scotland
www.sunderlandgolf.com
Sunderland of Scotland, an official supplier to the PGA, makes its name in high-performance outerwear. Not surprising for a company that takes its inspiration from the Scottish linksland, where wind and rain are a near constant companion to golfers.
As Sunderland's catalog proclaims, "When the weather takes a turn for the worse, your game won't. We're in our element."
The company's outerwear is made for men, women and juniors. Tops include jackets and pullovers, lined vests and weatherbeaters; long and short sleeve; v-neck and crew neck; Gore-Tex and Heritage collections. A wide range of colors are available.
Sunderland even offers an embroidery service, allowing golfers to personalize their rain and wind gear.
And Sunderland's prices are well below what one might expect. A men's full-zip lined jacket is priced at $58; a v-neck pullover with solid trip, $26; a GT (Gore-Tex) Tour WeatherBeater with stretch panels, $155; the "Original" WeatherBeater just $52.
For women, GTL-Pro Sport Jacket is priced at $74; a v-neck pullover with solid trim, $26; a full zip lined jacket, $56.
