All The Gear and No Idea
October 23, 2020
Everyone hopes they look good on the golf course! If your swing is in need of some work, we can all keep up the illusion of being a bit of a baller with a decent wardrobe. I like to call it the ‘fake it til you make it’ approach. Others may simply use the term ‘All the gear and no idea’.
Whether you dress louder than John Daly or possess the class of Payne Stewart if we feel comfortable in what we are wearing and confident with how it performs then you are ready to play good golf! With so many uncontrollables in golf it is criminal for us to keep going out in that t-shirt that sticks like glue on a hot day or continue pulling out that waterproof which gets in the way chipping, putting and restricts our swing. Many often claim that playing in waterproofs is a skill in itself and while they are absolutely correct, why does that still need to be the case?
With the season schedule disrupted due to the pandemic our club championships ended up taking place on a day that even the ducks didn’t fancy venturing out. The course was flooded before we started our 36-hole marathon and with ‘no other available dates’ we were forced to don the waterproofs from the start. To add insult to injury it was also windy so even the motocaddy crew complete with umbrella holders were rendered useless. As we approached the end of the second round, I spotted the hot favourites approaching. With a handicap of plus two I presumed he must be one that had mastered the skill of playing in waterproofs. - I was wrong, he’d only mastered the waterproof trousers which seemed a bit pointless given he prefers to play in just a polo top “to keep his feel” - a very dangerous tactic in this day and age given the fact that one mistimed cough or sneeze in the wrong place could lead to people dodging you like a leper.
Being forced to play in conditions I would usually avoid made me reassess my winter golf gear. My brief was simple I don’t wish to end the round frostbite and I also don’t need a jacket to add to my list of swing worries. I began my search for a body warmer or gilet as they are now called. - When did a body warmer become a gilet? - Was it just a clever renaming so that the manufacturers could inflate the prices? After some fruitless searching and battles with my moral compass I very nearly gave into the ‘timely’ facebook ads which were trying to tempt me into paying the best part of 100 quid for half a jacket. I was saved by a weekend shopping trip which was my compromise after playing golf every evening that week. Said shopping trip included the obligatory visit to Primark and remarkably there hung my ‘Gilet’ and it was even priced as half a jacket should be! With the ability to continue swinging freely, keep warm and protect the bank balance I am considering returning to Primark to buy my ‘Gilet’ in another colour.
Thankfully, a whole new generation brands are beginning to emerge. Many of these have been formed by golfers who have an appreciation of what other club golfers are looking for and also what we are willing to spend. I love discovering new brands and look forward to sharing them with you here and on the Instagram page.
If you would like to share your new product or Topper tales please get in touch! Email: contact@toppergolf.com or Tweet: @Toppergolf1