Dashing Drives

As of March 20, winter was be officially over. The time for marketing to ski resorts and other cold-weather destinations is over as golfing becomes the favorite pastime of the office elite. Prepare yourself for outfitting corporate workers, country club goers and professional golfers with advice from the experts at golf apparel suppliers Cutter & Buck and Tri-Mountain.

Good Timing
Spring still dominates as the best time for golf apparel, but winter is becoming more of a sell. Danny Tsai, vice president, merchandising, Tri-Mountain, Irwindale, Calif., mentioned an increase in cold-weather golf apparel as corporate gifts. "We definitely see a spike in the spring and summer, though the winter holiday season is also a boom time as gifting and holiday-related corporate programs are kicking in," he explained. To outfit fall and winter golfers, Tsai recommended windshirts, quarter-zips, light jackets and polyknit fleece. "They protect against wind and the elements without sacrificing mobility and performance," he said. According to Joel Freet, national sales manager, corporate, for Seattle-based Cutter & Buck, combining performance and luxury qualities is ideal for cold-weather golfers. "[The] CB DryTec Luxe is a hybrid of Cutter & Buck's renowned performance and celebrated luxury. Moisture wicks away from your skin keeping you dry, comfortable and looking sharp," he said.

Tech Talk
Tsai noted that certain performance qualities formerly considered luxuries are now standard on golf apparel, especially if you want a successful program. "Moisture-wicking is no longer a luxury but a necessity and a requirement when you're trying to outfit golfers nowadays," he said. "Additional features like anti-microbial and UPF are also becoming more popular," Tsai continued. "These features help golfers stay cool, dry and odor-free—which contribute to their comfort and their confidence on and off the green."

Comfortable garments are imperative because golfers will be outside for hours. "Players need to stay comfortable no matter the conditions they face," said Freet, adding that you should research the climate and weather predictions for the golf event you are supplying. "It is so easy to think of polos for a golf outing, but so often the weather is unpredictable across the country in the spring," he said. For these unpredictable days, Freet suggested lightweight and quick-drying materials like the 100 percent polyester mesh material featured on the Genre Polo (pictured right).