Monday Inspirations: Alfred Dunhill Links Edition

(All photos the property of Getty Images)

Friday Throwback

After seeing the American Golfer collection from RL Polo Golf on Wednesday, I have found myself spending inordinate amounts of time online, reading about golfing legends from the first half of the 20th century. My favorite of the bunch is and always will be the opulent Walter Hagen - one of golf's great dandies. So this Friday Throwback is dedicated to him. 

"The Haig" was:

The first athlete to earn $1 million playing a sport. 

The first American to win the British Open. 

The first sportsman named to the list of Best Dressed Americans.
"The first to grab the check

The last to leave the party..."

Enough said. 

The KC's Suggestions of the Week

This purple/navy Q'aja polo is a proven winner: Phil took the Tour Championship wearing a similar model. 

The belt is JL's practically iconic Slater in a new twist for fall, snakeskin! 

Two items to blow your paycheck on this Friday. Have your buddies buy the drinks...

-KC

Cat(ch) Us if You Can?

(Photo the property of Getty Images)

I've got Puma on the brain today. First of all, I was just perusing Golfweek and, upon seeing a photo of Walker Cup hero Rickie Fowler, I promptly thought, "whoever signs this kid to wear their stuff is making a great move..." Fowler is a radical motherf**ker. Best-thing-since- Wonderbread type of creds... 

Then, after noticing that Puma Golf was on Gilt Group today (polos for 28 bucks!!) I went over to the PG blog and was greeted with a post informing me that the marketing impresarios at Puma had already inked Rickie to a deal. Refer back to "Fowler is..."

I'm really looking forward to seeing the S/S 2010 Puma stuff. We've got our feelers out to the ladies at Puma, so don't go too far out into the wild world of the web without checking back in with your boys at the KC. 

Check out this YouTube video of Rickie getting a serious welcome wagon from the kind folks over at Puma Golf. Thanks to Will. 

Ponying Up for Spring

Newport Bluffs - by Polo Golf
Coral Gables - by Polo Golf
American Golfer - by Polo Golf
RLX Golf
Navy and White Spectator - by RLX Golf
The Bold Colors of RLX Golf

_______________

The KC was fortunate enough to be invited down to that venerable address, 650 Madison Avenue, on Wednesday morning to preview the S/S 2010 Ralph Lauren golf collections. 

What I found was inspiring - No surprise, RL has their finger on the pulse of any market they find themselves in and 2010's golf offerings are a perfect display of this knack to consistently "get it."

The size of the scope their several collections encompass assures there will be something for everyone - from the conservative, but aware customer who grew up in country club settings - intrigued by modern twists on proven, cotton classics - to the brash, technically savvy urban dweller who needs his latest golf gear to keep up with the advances and progressive cuts of his streetwear.

 

The crew at Polo Golf have put together a multi-faceted collection that I was elated to find drew serious inspiration from some of golf's legends, not to mention storied clubs and resorts. The first grouping presented was the iconic American Golfer - which takes classic pieces and reinvents them with updated fits and finishes. 

The standouts for me in this area were the Heritage Lisle polo - undeniably Polo Golf, but done in un-mercerized cotton (incredibly soft) and featuring a slightly streamlined cut from what they've offered in recent years - and the Polo Golf short done in a subtly cropped hemline that I found particularly pleasing as most of the shorts being released from more modern golf apparel houses tend to fall at the knee or below. 

The Coral Gables grouping is inspired by the early/mid 1900's resort life at the storied Biltmore Hotel; a time when people dressed for the club and dressed well. The collection thrives on light layering pieces, trousers with seriously sophisticated drape (Think Hogan and Hagen) and a nautical color scheme of blue, navy, white, cream and soft yellow.  

Finally, the Newport Bluffs collection is the Purple Label equivalent of the clan and gets its thunder from the scenic landscape of Newport, RI and the Newport Country Club. Here you can find elegant items like a dune-colored cardigan with a belted D-ring back, another great selection of pants and shorts, including a particularly beautiful, pinstriped gray cotton pant - a lightweight version of Tom Watson's gray flannels at this year's British. A KC favorite piece is a lightweight jacket in dune with a 2-way zipper, high-necked collar and leather and suede detailing. (Pictured, far left.)

All in all, the Polo Golf Spring 2010 collection is above and beyond RL's call of duty - they've got the iconic pieces, the undeniable Americana and some much-needed surprises and technical re-tooling. Like anyone, the KC loves an old dog; but an old dog with a few aces stashed up its sleeve is going to win out every time. Polo Golf is not afraid of that new customer who may be arriving at the brand for the first time or a consumer revisiting to see just how they've responded to the ever-changing fashion landscape. Good things, ladies and gents...good things...

Meanwhile, over at RLX Golf, the design team is firing for that aforementioned urban dweller or hip suburbanite with a sense of what looks good, works well and how to carry that attitude to the course. First and foremost, the KC was excited about RLX, because like Polo Golf, we love what they've done in the past - but we also had high expectations for what they'd be churning out a decade into the 21st century. 

What they delivered is a dynamic collection, heavily based (as you might expect) in boldness of color, design and technicality.

KC favorites include the trim Apex pant with venting system (seen above in raspberry,) the packable Rotator jacket - one of the lightest and form-fitting pieces in all of golfwear - and super lightweight cashmere v-necks that are cut shorter and designed with minimal banding at the base to cut down on bunching. (It's all about fit and functionality at RLX.) 

The entire collection is tailored with an undeniably 'menswear' feel. The color palette of the spectator collection in navy and white shows classic sophistication with modern detailing - think cricket sweaters and argyle vests done in an ultra-lightweight cotton with a deeper V and slimmed-down proportions. 

In today's fashion world its all about quality pieces, top-notch fit and construction and timeless pedigree. No one know this better than Ralph Lauren and the 2010 S/S golf lines offer the best of the best for hackers, club pros, touring studs and everyone in between. 

At the KC, we get excited for great clothing and I left RL with a smile on my face. It surely will make the impending hole in my wallet burn much less...    

-KC     

The Power to Heel?

The New 2010 JL Golf Bridge - Up Close and Personal...

The leather on these babies is some of the softest I've felt on a golf shoe and the outsole looks pretty evolved for, what many 

would consider, a "fashion" offering.  

They really are quite impressive.

You can pre-order them here. Act fast. You know JL fans...A real hair-trigger bunch...

-KC

I.J.P. -- A Leg Up on the Competition?

(Photo the property of IJP Designs/sourced from the Apparel Wire/AP Photo)

While we've never been huge into tartans at the KC, we can give props to a lad-in-plaid -- and Ian Poulter is one who deserves it. His dedication to the clothing company that bears his name has produced a quite impressive collection in only its fifth season of production.

When Poults and his team design the collections for IJP Designs, they start below the waist-- with Poulter's infamous tartan trousers (bootleg, of course) -- and coordinate the color palettes for the remaining pieces.

IJPD puts out 3 custom tartans per season and the cut sheets above are the A/W 2009 selections. From left to right: jet black/plum, Bugatti blue/indigo and marshmallow/mocha. Tasty. The golf tees represent coordinating polos, jumpers etc. from the collection.

In our opinion, Poulter should just cut through the BS right now and sign Ryo Ishikawa to wear his clothing -- its going to happen somewhere down the road anyway and he'd move serious units in Japan with the 'Bashful Prince' on the payroll.

-KC

ReSERGence!

(Photos the property of the Associated Press/Reuters Pictures and Getty Images)

Is it just us or has Serg regained his sartorial form in the second half of 2009? The creativity, the tonal combinations, the textures, the flair, the playoff beard (??) - all back, after a un-inspirational start this year in the clothing category.

Who knows whether it was Sergio's problems off the course that led to a lull in his selections, or maybe the Adidas team was on an extended holiday and Sergio was left without direction...we'll never know...

Coincidence that his best finishes have come in the second half of the year and he was only 8 spots out of the Tour Championship after seemingly an afterthought for much of the season? We're thinking not...Lookin' good, feelin' good, hittin' em good, baby...

Cool Dunning(s)

(Photos the property of Dunning and the Associated Press)

We really like the philosophy behind Canadian manufacturers Dunning Sportswear - prep lineage infused with the latest performance technology and crafted using the best materials out there.

The clothing really looks great on the back of Zach Johnson, their posterboy on Tour. (Who can forget the royal blue tech-vest layered over a polo and performance top at the Masters in '07?)

Zach's look is always clean, crisp and trim, without stepping too far into the 'fashion' fold.

As Dunning might tell you, he retains that "classic country club heritage." This philosophy can be found in their trousers collections, which showcase materials ranging from cashmere/wool blends to performance stretch cotton/poly/lycra.

For the new spring 2010 collection, we've been given yet another reason to choose Dunning: their 1960's inspired Performance Tour Slim-Fit Polos. ($75)

We have yet to try one on, but these look like real winners. They come in an array of cool-hued solids - definitely check out the 'Palmer' - an ode to Arnie in vibrant lavender. Dunning describes the cut as "narrow in the shoulders and torso, while featuring a mid-bicep sleeve length and Tour logo details."

The best way to pick up Dunning products in the U.S. is through their online store. The S/S 2010 collections are now available for purchase and the prices are very reasonable for the quality of the materials and construction.

-KC

Icon: Setting the Record Straight

(Photo the property of FootJoy/Acushnet)

I was going over archived material today and realized that I mentioned several times that the Icon would never be the shoe the Classic was. (I know FootJoy does not want me to compare them or say that the Icon replaced the Classic, but as the Icon is the new flagship - comparisons are inevitable, sorry boys and girls...)

I wanted to clarify after now playing many rounds in the Icon that it is, by far, the best golf shoe I've ever worn  in terms of comfort and performance - a step above the Classic DP without question. But I was especially feeling like an idiot when a new pair of Classic Tours I had ordered on closeout arrived. They look like fricking clown shoes compared to the sleek top line and contours of the Icon. And since I author a blog on golf fashion, you can imagine how much aesthetics mean to me...

I wanted to first apologize for doubting the good folks at FootJoy - for announcing that they were making an error with this new design. I also wanted to note that the KC was especially hasty in denouncing these "filthy Icons" as the "Classic Killer." The Classic will live on as one of the greatest shoes of all time - but the advances made in the Icon are necessary for the updated game and fashions we see on the course today. 

I'll admit, as a closet genius and links fashion maven, I'm rarely wrong...but I did the ol' FJ clan wrong and, in an attempt not to become a golf style version of Kanye West, all I can say is that I hope our recent stellar review of the Icon put all previous statements and notions to bed. 

-KC

Imada Money!

(Photo the property of the Associated Press)

Our man Ryuji has been struggling this year, no top tens and just 700k in winnings. All those greenbacks must be going towards hair gel instead of clothing, because he's been a chronic repeat-look offender. (Yes, we know he gets his clothes for free and they aren't costing him any $$, it just made for a good line.) Quick, what's different about the above photo from the linked photo at the British?!.....Yep, you got it - the visor. Good eye. We're looking for interns...

In seriousness, however, this does happen to be that oh so fickle time where players are holding a bunch of the clothing they've worn the previous spring and summer and sponsors have yet to ship them their fall stuff - so naturally we may see some repeats. Ryuji, like all of us, has his favorites and he wasn't shy about bringing some back out - even on the major stage. 

This brings up an interesting point and something that we here at the KC try to live by: help yourself by having a versatile closet, heavy on neutrals, that can easily be worn interchangeably without notice. Of course you'll have your patterns and your more memorable brights - but if you wear the powder blue trousers over and over, people will know it's the same pair of pants - whereas you could fool folks with repeats in black, white, khaki - even gray, etc... Just something to think about. And your versatile golf wardrobe will match those fancy new JL kicks, so we've just answered that question for you too...You're welcome...

KC First Look: JL Shoes

(Photos the property of J. Lindeberg/Trendygolf)

J. Lindeberg, being the lifestyle brand that it is, was more than due for its own shoe release to compliment the apparel collections. Come next spring, the wait is over. JL introduces several models of golf shoes that, in black and white, effortlessly play their way into most fashionable player's wardrobes. It goes without saying (so we will) that they are heavy on euro-styling and not for everyone - but true JL followers will want to add a pair of these to their arsenal. They are available for Spring 2010 pre-order at the U.K. arm of Trendygolf.com -- Yours for 85 Euros now and 85 Euros on delivery.

While you're on the site, make sure to check out the JL by Vega iron sets, also available for spring 2010 pre-order. Now your clubs can look as smart as you. Imagine that.

Hopefully JL will request a KC Shoe review...C'mon, everyone's doing it. Let's face it, you're no one until the KC reviews you...Perhaps that's taking it a bit far, but hey, we're dramatic guys.

-KC

Belt Brilliance!

(Photos the property of the Associated Press/Newsis)

There is no worse a golf fashion faux pas than waist-ing creativity on a bland belt. Some great options from last week's play include an exotic-skin club belt from Matty Kuchar, a fuchsia/white ribbon belt from Ryo Ishikawa and a carbon-fiber effect strap from Hunter Mahan. (Click on photos for a closer look.)

This fall, expect to see a continuation of focus on thoughtful accessories - from custom color FJ Icons to all-new belts and buckles from an array of manufacturers.

-KC

Whitewash: Get 10% Off at TrendygolfUSA!!

(Photos the property of the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated)

Here at the KC, we think certain fashion rules are meant to be broken, or at least bent beyond recognition. The old adage that one should keep whites in the closet after Labor Day is one of those pesky ones and particularly cumbersome to the fashion-forward golf set. In fact, many of golf's sartorial heavyweights pay it no mind whatsoever...

When Camilo Villegas entered the final round at last September's BMW Championship with the lead, the Colombian clothes horse didn't feel the need to check the calendar before choosing his signature white-on-white. A week later, he chose all-white in the final round, again - for his 2nd Tour win over Sergio at East Lake.

What can we understudies take from these examples? A) Set trends, don't follow them. Fashion rules can hinder creativity on the course. B) Wear your whites proudly year round!

The fashion experts over at TrendygolfUSA agree wholeheartedly with us - in fact they're willing to offer a special "White Weekend" offer on all J. Lindeberg white apparel in celebration of Camilo, the BMW Championship and all things white!

From Friday afternoon (9/11) through Sunday evening (9/13) KC readers will receive 10% off white items, like the Cal Mixed Fieldsensor, by entering the promo code: WHITEWKND at checkout. Enjoy!

What We Can Learn From Mr. Luxe

(Photos the property of Getty Images/The Associated Press)

Phil Mickelson is the PGA Tour's undisputed King of Luxe and the difference is all in the details. Phil, being the massive earner he is, can afford the finer things - like custom, bespoke polos, elegantly tailored, pinstriped trousers and exotic skin belts and shoes. Most of us do not have that kind of spending power, especially to dedicate to our golf wardrobes. So...for the everyman that doesn't have a grand to drop on a belt, what can we take from Phil's bag o' tricks? 

It's all about having a quality item that jumps. Build your look around an accessory like a rich-looking alligator belt or a solid, bold colored golf polo. Go head-to-toe white with a bright polo like Phil does in the above photo. Mix hues of brown in your accessories, try new combinations and colors, order a pair of custom golf trousers with your own touches. Have fun with it. Phil does.   

Geograffy?

(Photos the property of the Associated Press, Puma, Trendygolf, Sligo/Fairwaystyles)

Hello, all you fine, golf style people. It's nice to be back. We've got a lot on deck this month and have been busy checking out all the new clothing for fall/winter.

Our first impressions? The attention to detail has been brought to the next level with companies trying to out-tech each other and score points for creativity. The amount of great golf apparel out there is only growing and it is exciting to watch.

Perennial KC favorites have come out swinging as usual; Puma, J. Lindeberg and RLX have already debuted a bunch of new apparel that offers what we like to call progressive familiarity - tweaking old favorites that keep customers coming back - while slipping in new and exciting additions to the lineup.

Graphic polos are huge right now in fall collections. Graphic and print-happy golfers can get their fill with the JL, Nike and Sligo offerings pictured above.

The crowned prince of prints and patterns, however: Puma. Geoff Ogilvy has more geometry on his mind than an MIT freshman. Puma has been churning out its beloved geometrically focused polos and knits to a receptive younger demographic for several years now and they are sticking to what has worked.

Lindeberg, meanwhile, sheds last fall's more muted offerings - bringing out the bright yellows, corals and deep blues. It's nice to see them back in their golf comfort zone and the result is some great looking stuff.

We have a busy few weeks here and will be checking back in frequently with updates. Among the things to come: A trip to Ralph Lauren to catch up with the Polo Golf and RLX teams, lots of exclusive news on the new fall 2009 and spring 2010 collections, hopefully some gear reviews and much more!

-KC

KC Sabbatical

The KC team will be traveling for the month of August - returning September 6th. We have lots of new things planned for the fall and look forward to sharing them with you. Enjoy the rest of the summer!

We'll leave you with a KC first, a video feature:

Sean from the KC does a short review on the new FootJoy Icon on YouTube. 

The New FootJoy Icon: KC's review

(Click on Photos for Full Size)

FootJoy recently approached us here at the KC with the idea to review their new flagship shoe, the Icon - which is slated for formal public release on August 15th - and naturally we jumped at the chance. 

Acushnet/FootJoy is based in Fairhaven, MA and, it just so happens, one of our recent destinations was the nearby Kittansett Club in Marion, MA for 36 holes on Friday and Saturday - the perfect opportunity to test a classically inspired shoe on a timeless seaside links.

We've been fans of FJ Classics for years here at the KC and before our pockets were deep enough for FJ's flagship, we often sported other FJ models. 

The Icon is the latest installment in the FJ catalog, can be seen on many of the best and most stylish players in the world and the high hopes we had coming in were going to be tough to measure up to. It is with great pleasure that we report that the Icon scaled our seemingly insurmountable pile of expectations and then base-jumped into a pool of "Hell yeah!"

First of all, on a stylistic level, the Icon is the best looking FootJoy to date. We did not expect to prefer the Icon over the Classic, in fact you'll find that reading through the KC in the past few months, we were hesitant that FJ could follow up the success of the handmade shoes with an outsourced replacement. However, the early photos looked great and when some of our favorite Tour guys started sporting them, the anticipation quickly built.
When I lifted these shoes out of the box, I quickly discovered a "best of both worlds" scenario: the classic styling on the uppers similar to that of the Classics Dry Premiere, with a new, evolved outsole - offering both enhanced stability and decreased weight. The Icon is light and sporty, yet elegant. It is the V10 coupe of the FJ stable. 

On a comfort level - where FootJoy is known as the world's best - the Icon is a pure pleasure to wear. I took them out of the box, laced them up and walked 18 with no issues. I have always found FJs quite comfortable, but had gotten blisters in the past from Classics DP's on the first go-round. Not here. Footjoy's new Tri-density TPU outsole with Duel Optiflex Zones provides exemplary walking comfort, flexibility and stability. The Memory Foam in the tongue and collar can't hurt either. 

Back to style - I, on the first day, paired these shield-tip/wingtip all-whites with tan trousers, a white polo and a brown/tan braided belt. I wanted the shoes to shine and they did - garnering me several compliments. On day 2, I went for the 'Full Cleveland' with a white JL leather belt, turquoise Peter Millar shirt and a Hugo Boss trouser. Both looks were very appropriate for summer and, in both cases, the white gator and intricate detail on the Icons really carried the entire getup. 

We'd love to say something bad about the Icon as this review comes to a close (Just to mess with FootJoy) but we honestly can't. This shoe is worth the wait and is really a better alternative to the Classic models, which were meticulously handmade, but - after experiencing the alternative - seemingly clunky; not to mention quite expensive. ($349 MSRP) At $250, the Icon competes with top level shoes from Puma, Ecco and others and, quite frankly, blows them out of the water.

Iconic? Probably someday. For now, the Icon will have to settle for being the next big thing in golf footwear.  

Thanks to Chris Garrett at FootJoy for making this happen on short notice!

-KC

A Few Quick Things...

a) Sorry about the lack of recent posts, the KC boys have been off the grid - playing a lot of golf and relaxing away from the city.

b) We ran a post several weeks back touching on Woody's article over at Golf.com on scripting; in this particular post we stated that Polo RL does not script its players. This is a falsity. Polo scripts its player's major gear like Nike, Adidas or anyone else. They, after all, are looking to move units at the end of the day and their guys are wearing what they believe looks and will sell best. We apologize for the misdirection.

c) We just took the brand spanking new FJ Icon out for a spin today and, trust us, it's an instant classic. (Shameless pun.) We'll have a full review, photos and a KC first - a video - up by tomorrow evening. Please watch closely for that.

d) Have a fantastic weekend.

-KC