The influence of fitness styling on golf apparel was on full display at the 2025 PGA Buying Summit, held July 28-30 at the Omni Frisco PGA Resort in Frisco, Texas – home of the PGA of America.
PGA of America Golf Professionals and merchandiser/buyers gathered to see Spring 2026 apparel and accessories lines from more than 160 vendors, many of which displayed apparel that can be worn for golf, as well as to the gym, for other sports or for everyday casual wear.
“We have customers interested in a little more athletic, fitted styles they can wear not just to play golf but all day long,” says Jennifer Roddy, AGM Merchandise Manager at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa/Lost Pines Golf Club in Cedar Creek, Texas. “Especially with younger people, that’s what they’re playing golf in. They’re gravitating to solids, not prints – lines that look like Vuori or lululemon.”
Tricia Daniels, Merchandiser at Clemson University’s Walker Course golf shop, was on the hunt for athleisure/lifestyle lines, also mentioning lululemon-type styling as an appealing option for her diverse customer base. “A lot of people are going from the course to other activities and not changing, so for my shop, athleisure is important,” she says. “A lot of new companies are concentrating on fabrications and wearability. We need items that cross over, as not everyone who comes through the shop plays golf.”
Athletic styling could be seen across the show floor, with highly technical performance fabrics dominating apparel collections; fits slimming down to reflect an increasing emphasis on fitness for golfers; and hoodies continuing to be the most popular layering style across most brands.
“Hoodies are everywhere in golf – you see golf professionals wearing hoodies on the course – and they’re not going away,” says Dave Leveille, President of Wholesale for tasc Performance, which introduced the Air Polo for women, made with the same fabric used in the popular men’s Cloud Polo. “We’re providing a product that’s so versatile you can wear it for a jog, to work or on the course.”
There are also a number of new exhibitors just starting out in the industry, including Bov Active, which offers tank tops, flared yoga-style pants, sculpted sweat-wicking skorts and a “court dress” that comes with an accompanying bike short that can also be worn separately for workouts or everyday activities. “I wanted to create something that didn’t scream golf using lighter-weight UV protective fabrics,” says Founder Michelle Choi, who celebrated the company’s third anniversary with a Pilates class based on the golf swing. “For us, it’s all about versatility and fitness/active.”
Brooke Barron, Assistant Buyer at Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri, said her shop is selling far more hoodies than quarter zips, adding that customers are leaning more toward athleisure as the men’s fit trims down. Barron was attending the show with Big Cedar’s Director of Retail Jared Henzlik, who added, “This is moving forward because a lot of clubs are more accepting of these athletic styles. The rules are more relaxed, so if a member is wearing a new Vuori shirt, they will leave them alone.”
Rhone is also becoming an increasingly popular option in the performance golf category with pieces like the women’s Dream Glow Jogger – now with a more tapered leg – and Ribbed Jogger and Hoodie with a terry hand, as well as the new Dream State collection that Rhone says is the men’s answer to Dream Glow.
The brand’s customers not only play golf, but racquet sports like tennis, pickleball, padel, squash and paddle. “Not only are more young people coming into the game looking for these types of items, but pro golfers are posting their workout routines, and many clubs are doing renovations that include fitness centers,” he says.
Municipal, the athletic brand co-founded by actor Mark Wahlberg, entered the golf market two years ago with a performance focus, many of its garments featuring Turbo Dry technology to enhance the athlete’s comfort during play. According to National Sales Manager Michael Sorel, some of the brand’s most exciting products are fleece hoodies, which are available in 22 colors; the Sport Cross Tech Polo, a super light, quick drying polo launched in January that has become a top seller; and the Sport Utility LS Hooded T-shirt, which launched in February in six colors and offers 30 SPF sun protection.
“This is a whole category of clothes that would never have been worn on the golf course 20 years ago,” Sorel says. “Younger customers like the color options and big logos, while more sophisticated customers like pieces that are more subtle with a smaller logo. Each evolution of the line has made us more performance-focused.”
Lisa Goulian Twiste is a Senior Apparel Writer at PGA Magazine.