I wish could say I loved golf, but alas, I never caught the bug despite my uncle’s efforts to teach me from an early age. He loved the sport so much and played most of his life. As a left-handed kid, it was not an easy teach and perhaps that was one of the reasons he gave up on me, but he would undoubtedly be impressed to know how much I enjoy designing custom-made golf gear. Whilst the game itself eludes me, I totally get the lifestyle. The peace of isolated greenery, the deliberate pace of the game, people dressed well, the clubhouse, the social scene and the care and love that goes into maintaining golf courses themselves.
Living here in Dallas, I’m never far from the game of golf, with every neighborhood seemingly having its own course surrounded by lovely homes with views across the greens. Having also travelled and been lucky enough to see some of the world’s most famous and beautiful courses on eastern tropical islands, Pacific shores and northern grandeur, I can certainly connect to why golfers are so passionate about the game. In Korea, you see people carrying their clubs everywhere, with ranges and courses literally on every corner. Japan has a similar obsession with the game, with many clothing stores dedicating most of their floor space to golf attire.
Not playing the game myself means I don’t get to wear the clothes the way they were designed to be worn, so I thought it would be fun this week to chat with Dave Gates, our Director of Merchandising. Dave has caught the golf bug, so he actually does play golf in the J.Hilburn golf collection. I wanted to hear his takes on our styles and their appeal for our Clients.
Simon Kneen: Dave, thanks for joining me this week to talk about golf style. I know you love golf and would love to play more if you had the time, so which are your favorite pieces from the new collection?
Dave Gates: Thanks, Simon. Yes, I’m a bit fanatic when it comes to golf. There are a lot of golf pieces we offer now so it’s hard to choose one, but if I had to choose, I’d go with the golf 5-pockets. It’s a new style this season and right on trend with golf course style. If you watch any of the tournaments on the weekends, more than half of the players are wearing a 5-pocket style pant. My absolute new favorites are the Quarry and Chalk colorways in the 4-way stretch golf 5-pockets. So easy to wear on and off the course and they always look great.
SK: What are the most significant elements that you love in our J.Hilburn Golf Collection that differentiate us from off-the-rack brands that offer golf wear?
DG: Number one has to be the custom fit. I can’t tell you how much that matters – especially when you look around the club and see what some guys are wearing. I feel more confident and I play better when I feel good about what I’m wearing, and our combination of custom fit and options really make that easy. Don’t get me wrong, though—there are some great golf brands, and they are readily available in the pro shop, but rarely do they have my size or the style that I would choose. It’s kind of surprising that I don’t have a closet full of golf wear from my club, but it just doesn’t compare to what I have from J.Hilburn. Beyond that, we have such a great variety of styles to choose from, so I’m not stuck to one specific style with another brand.
SK: We have introduced a whole variety of new tech fabrics as knits from Ratti and Canclini—have any of these particularly caught your eye for stand-out style on the golf course?
DG: Yes, and I have to say that this is something that guys really latch onto. Especially when it comes to club tournaments like Member-Member, or Member-Guest. Everyone steps up their game a bit for these events, and these prints from Ratti and Canclini offer something you can’t find in the pro shop, or any other golf store for that matter. I think the new Performante Stripes from Canclini are my favorite. Stripes are a classic polo style, and then combined with a contrast collar and placket in a complementary color just makes it even better.
SK: I know you own all our pant fabrics, but having played here in Texas which one would you feel most comfortable playing golf in for the summer heat?
DG: For the Texas heat, you must go with our performance fabric. It’s lightweight and so easy to wear in the heat of summer. I really put these to the test last summer and couldn’t be happier with the performance of that fabric. Second would have to be the 4-way stretch, which is so easy to wear anytime really, but is definitely my go-to for a golf 5-pocket during the transitional months of spring and fall.
SK: Lastly, any tips for clubhouse style after the game?
DG: Here’s an area where you can really stand apart from everyone else. Let’s be honest, you can be a bit sweaty and disheveled after a round. I always suggest a quick shower in the locker room, and a fresh outfit—and go for something golf-related but different, like the prints from Ratti or Canclini. Or just a nice clean pique polo and our summer cotton shorts. And please, please, don’t wear sandals, get some nice sneakers or driving shoes to wear in the clubhouse!
