By MAUREEN SIMPSON
msimpson@islandpacket.com
843-706-8141
Even if you can't emulate the game of your favorite PGA Tour player at this year's Verizon Heritage golf tournament, learning from his wardrobe might help get you out of a style sandtrap.
Three-piece tweed suits and knee-high socks might not be on the fairway anymore, but the unique outfits of some of today's players prove that you don't have to choose between clean-cut and creative.
Here are three contemporary golfers with wardrobes to watch at this weekend's tourney:
CLASSIC: Davis Love III
Tartan jackets likely are the funkiest golf apparel you'll find in Davis Love III's closet.
This five-time Verizon Heritage champ sports a classic look on the golf course that fits the gentlemanly persona for which he's also known.
Love's choice of solid or striped polo shirts in conservative colors and khaki or navy pants might not make his clothes all that different from other golfers hitting the links, but he's touted as wearing them best.
And if his duds aren't a dead giveaway that tradition reigns in his game, remember Love was one of the last PGA Tour players to give up wooden persimmon drivers for metal.
FROM LOVE'S LIPS
• "If I play well in a certain shirt, I'll try to keep it in the rotation as long as I can. I might wear it five or six times." -- Golf Digest, February 2001
WHAT OTHERS SAY
• In a February 2003 interview with Golf Digest, Swedish fashion designer Johan Lindeberg said Love was the best-dressed tour pro not wearing J. Lindeberg. "Always very classic," he said of Love's style. "An untouchable look."
Examples to watch at Heritage: Jonathan Byrd, Steve Elkington
COMFORTABLE: Boo Weekley
All eyes would be on Boo Weekley this weekend, even if the two-time defending champion wasn't gunning for a three-peat at Harbour Town Golf Links.
Thanks to his colorful antics and an easy-going style that's suited more for a tree stand than a tee box, this country boy from Milton, Fla., might be the most noticeable man in camouflage.
In addition to sporting a safety-orange camouflage hat for Cleveland Golf at the Masters, Weekley is sponsored by the outdoor apparel company Mossy Oak and used to wear rain pants because cotton pants caused him to break out in a rash.
His new clothing line with Firethorn doesn't include faded blue jeans, but it's all about comfort and all-American taglines like "Red, White and Boo."
Golfers who want to blaze their own Boo trail on the greens can purchase a "Boggy Birdie Huntin' Glove" and other down-home accessories for the course at BooWeekley.com.
WEEKLEY'S TAKE ON HIS WARDROBE
• "It's just clothes, man. Do I look like I'm a fashion guy?" -- The Island Packet, March 3, 2009
• "I usually pack for three weeks (on tour) in a couple of bags. I reach in there in the morning and pull something out, snap it a couple of times and say, 'That'll match these britches.' " -- Golfmagic.com interview at the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando
WHAT OTHERS SAY
• "I'd prefer Boo be elegantly dressed. At home he has the Polo sweaters, Polo shirts, Polo slacks, all the Tommy Hilfiger stuff, even Hilfiger socks," Boo's mother Patsy Weekley told Golf Digest. "But he prefers shorts and T-shirts. 'Mom,' he says, 'I'm not going to a fashion show, I'm going to play golf.' This is him."
Examples to watch at Heritage: Woody Austin, Joe Durant
CUTTING EDGE
Camilo Villegas
Even though Camilo Villegas earned the nickname "Spider-Man" for his putt-reading stance, the Colombian golfer's tight-fitting ensemble doesn't negate the image.
After turning pro in 2004, he signed with J. Lindeberg, the same Swedish fashion brand that set PGA star Jesper Parnevik apart from the khaki masses.
Named the "sexiest player on the tour" by Golf Digest in June 2006, Villegas is known for bringing a certain flair to the fairway in outfits that have included orange shoes, pink hats, funky belts and satin-striped pants. His clothes are color-coordinated, form-fitting and flashy.
SPIDEY'S FASHION SENSE
• "I spread all my stuff out and match this with that. That includes my belts. For two weeks, I might take 10 belts." -- Golf World, May 2006
WHAT OTHERS SAY
• Villegas was the only professional athlete chosen for People's "Hottest Bachelors" in 2006. That same year, GQ wrote a profile about him that said, "He's got a closet full of tight trousers, a set of boxer's biceps and more screaming female fans than Justin Timberlake."
What else does Villegas have in common with the pop star besides bringing sexy back to their respective professions? Timberlake wears J. Lindeberg on the links, too.
Examples to watch at Heritage: Aaron Baddeley, Will MacKenzie
Comments (0) |
By submitting your comment, you are agreeing to islandpacket.com's user agreement.
@Nyx.CommentBody@