Apparel

PUMA GOLF released the SHOWTIME Ignite Elevate 2 golf shoe, a fearless footwear drop for golfers who embrace the moment and put on a show. Launching on one of the biggest stages in golf, the limited-edition shoes merge the Tour-proven performance of the Ignite Elevate 2 with a striking colorway inspired by the boldest moments in PUMA’s rich history across sports.

The SHOWTIME Ignite Elevate 2 golf shoes belong to PUMA’s SHOWTIME Pack, a global collection of soccer, basketball, running and golf shoes ready to take on every stage in sports. The high-energy collection features mismatched pairs with neon hues of pink, purple and yellow in an expressive collision of color that is impossible to ignore.

“Golf has more creativity and attitude than ever before, and PUMA Golf believes bold self-expression is the most authentic way to build confidence and perform your best,” said Russ Kahn, president of COBRA PUMA Golf. “Sports’ most iconic moments happen when athletes have the confidence to put on a show. We want to inspire golfers at all levels to put on a show wherever they play, and the SHOWTIME Pack reflects PUMA’s commitment to being unapologetically bold.”

The SHOWTIME will join Puma Golf’s fan-favorite Ignite Elevate family. The lineup offers all-day comfort with proprietary midsole foam for energy return, responsive comfort and superior step-in comfort. Available in three models – the Tour, 2 and X – there is a look and fit for every golfer.

Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland and reigning U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun will debut the SHOWTIME Ignite Elevate 2 Tour this weekend at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

The SHOWTIME Ignite Elevate 2 golf shoes ($150) will are available exclusively at pumagolf.com. To learn more about the collection or place your order, please visit pumagolf.com.

COBRA Golf, a leader in golf club innovation, today introduced its newest collaboration with BinkyBro to create a limited-edition matching parent-and-child headwear capsule. Rooted in shared culture, creativity and a passion for getting families outside together, the hat collection bridges the gap between golf and youth lifestyle culture with an adventurous spirit.

For years, golf has lacked a strong presence in youth culture despite the growing number of youth participants in the sport, with few brands creating products that resonate with kids and young families through style, storytelling and community. Cobra recognized the opportunity to approach the game differently and sought out BinkyBro as the ideal partner to bring that vision to life.

“Some of the best memories in golf come long before your first par,” said Russ Kahn, president of Cobra Puma Golf. “Our partnership with BinkyBro feels like a natural way to celebrate families’ special moments on and off the course and bring a little lighthearted fun to the game while helping to introduce the next generation to golf.” 

The Cobra x BinkyBro headwear collaboration features two new parent-and-child hat styles launching just in time for Father’s Day. Each is available in three sizes: adult (one size fits most), youth (ages 7-12) and child (ages 3-6).

• “Read the Break” Cap ($34.99 adult, $21.99 youth and child): With a double meaning that perfectly ties together golf and surf culture, the “Read the Break” cap nods to reading the break before approaching to putt in golf and reading the break of a wave before dropping in when surfing. “Read the Break” connects two sports united by feel, timing and the outdoors.
• “SSSG” Cap ($34.99 adult, $21.99 youth and child): An evolution of BinkyBro’s “Surf, Snow, Skate” identity, Cobra introduces “Golf” to the acronym. The design reinforces golf’s recent expansion into action sports culture and the shared appreciation for individuality, creativity and just being outside.

“Our mission has always been to celebrate the bond between parents and their kids,” said Matt Fisler, co-founder of BinkyBro. “Partnering with Cobra Golf gave us the perfect opportunity to bring our mission to the golf course in a fun and authentic way.”

Established in 2015, BinkyBro carved out its own niche within the youth headwear market, building a loyal following through thoughtfully designed products inspired by surf, snow and skate culture. While now headquartered in Provo, Utah, the brand’s roots trace back to San Diego – a connection that naturally aligned with Cobra’s Southern California DNA and laid-back outdoor lifestyle.

This Father’s Day launch marks the first chapter of the Cobra Golf x BinkyBro partnership, with plans to expand the collaboration in the future. To learn more or purchase limited-edition Cobra Golf x BinkyBro headwear, please visit cobragolf.com or binkybro.com. 

Galvin Green, the brand that revolutionized waterproofs in the 1990’s and has taken technical golf clothing to another level during this millennium, celebrates its 30^th birthday this month and enjoys a global status that founder Tomas Nilsson could once only dream about.

As an entrepreneur and recreational golfer in the Swedish town of Växjö back in 1990, Tomas saw an opportunity to invest in golf and create a global brand. “My goal was to produce the best quality golf clothes on the market and we’re now a decade ahead of where I believed we could be on a global scale,” said Tomas. “Functional clothing is especially important in golf, where you’re often exposed to sun, rain and wind.  It is incredibly important that you have the right clothing regardless of the weather, so you can continue to enjoy your round and play to your best. That’s why we’ve always selected the very best materials, matched with the best styling and details possible,” he added.

Creative Director Mats Lundqvist shared the passion for quality when he composed the first Galvin Green range in the summer of 1990 and admits he learnt a lot from the experience. “I learned how important it was to have a specific function for each garment and explain it to the users. It meant that our vision for the next 59 ranges was to design functional garments that really perform on the golf course. At the time, the market for functional golf wear wasn’t so big, so we decided we could fill that gap and take it forward,” added Mats.

“Thanks to the owner’s ambition and the talent of designers like Mats over these years, Galvin Green has become something of a household name in golf more quickly than first envisioned,” said CEO Nicholai Stein. “We’re proud of the fact that golfers can purchase our garments at 25 of the world’s 30 top-ranked courses and many more besides. Without ever taking success for granted, we see Galvin Green as a major brand and key vendor in the golf apparel industry worldwide for many years to come, as we continue to ensure that technical performance takes priority over price,” he added.

Pushing boundaries

Unlike many other golf brands, Galvin Green has pushed the boundaries for not only functional golf wear, but colourful outfits too. While the market was full of Navy and Green block color tops three decades ago, they introduced bright colors such as Orange, often in various shades alongside White, Black or Navy. “We’ve been surprised how popular Orange has been over the years, as it’s not a colour most people would wear anywhere other than the golf course,” added Mats.

The long-term legacy of this bold approach has given the brand a reputation for never compromising on its innovation and product quality in a fiercely competitive market. “Living up to the ‘we never compromise’ philosophy is a challenge when the consumer can come across the brand at so many touch points, but it means our message is well understood by our customers and those who may be new to the Galvin Green proposition,” said Nicholai.

“I believe that today’s serious golfer trusts the brand and is reassured by its long track record of adding new products and driving up standards across all golf apparel categories. They recognise that Galvin Green is always bringing something new to the market that will turn heads and help to dress them in style and comfort. Our sustainability program, which began in 2012, has developed at pace with long-lasting garments aimed to appeal to younger golfers. It has put us among the industry’s world leaders in environmental footprint management and we intend to stay ahead of competitors who will find it hard to compete in the eco-generation climate,” he added.

Long lasting

In addition to working with fabric suppliers under the reputable Bluesign® textile production regime for almost a decade, Galvin Green has also benefited from advice from a Swedish Government consultant who confirmed that the best contribution the brand could make to the planet’s future was to produce garments that not only perform, but last a long time.

Among the most revolutionary innovations from the brand was the introduction of INSULA™ sweaters in 2004, as part of its pioneering layering for golf initiative known as the Multi-Layer Concept.  It culminated this year with the DWIGHT sweater, made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. “From a time when cotton shirts dominated the scene with shrinkage and heavy moisture absorption and knitted sweaters weighed golfers down if it rained, there have been huge advancements in fabric technology for golfers in the last three decades and the breathable, non-absorbent INSULA™ garments rank among our most prized achievements,” said Mats.

According to Mats, another landmark was the introduction of the GORE-TEX Paclite™ rain jacket in 2003, which meant that a lightweight waterproof top could be worn without any sacrifices to the swing. It also ensured durable waterproofing and breathability that was hard to envision 10 years earlier. It was this advanced technology that ledto more recent stretch fabrics like the revolutionary C-KNIT™ backer that enables the jacket to ‘slide & glide’ smoothly over garments worn underneath. Galvin Green went on to incorporate this technology in outerwear designed exclusively for the victorious European Ryder Cup team in Paris in 2018. “It was a great experience to work with Captain Thomas Bjørn, deciding on the final look and details of the outfits created for the best players in Europe to perform well and retain the trophy,” he added.

Another ground-breaking innovation that year was the launch of the INTERFACE-1™ hybrid jackets that can be worn 95 out of 100 rounds, quickly followed in 2019 by the super-lightweight SHAKEDRY™ advanced waterproof technology.

Looking ahead, Nicholai is confident that serious golfers will always think about Galvin Green when considering their next clothing purchase and the various playing conditions they are likely to encounter. “They can rest assured that we will always strive to produce the best possible garments for the serious golfer and take them with us on the journey,” he added.

The company headquarters remains in Växjö, which now promotes itself as ‘Europe’s Greenest City’ on the back of investing in renewable energy, recycling, and conservation. Details of the latest collections can be found at www.galvingreen.com.

SQAIRZ, the first breakthrough performance golf shoe in generations, today announced that a recent independent study showed that SQAIRZ helps golfers hit the ball longer – an important factor in achieving lower scores.

The study, conducted in June by Golf Laboratories, Inc., revealed that amateur golfers wearing SQAIRZ, as compared with those wearing other shoes, gained an average of 2.2 miles per hour in swing speed and 8.8 yards in distance off the tee.

“Golfers should be considering their shoes as a piece of equipment – just as they would a driver, putter or ball – and finding the brand that helps them perform at their best,” said Robert Winskowicz, SQAIRZ founder and CEO. “What the modern game has shown is that increased distance leads to better scores, and lower handicaps.”

In fact, the positive impact of distance on scoring has been rising consistently for the last decade on the PGA Tour, according to information from Data Golf. In 2018 and 2019 alone, an average increase in 10 yards off the tee equated to about a half-stroke per round.

Additionally, a study conducted last year at famed Pinehurst Resort found that driving distance, ball speed, shot dispersion and smash factor all improved when golfers wore replaceable cleats instead of spikeless footwear.

SQAIRZ’s study focused on amateurs with handicaps between +2.7 and 18.6, and it revealed increased swing speed and distance in all but one player, with the most significant increase coming from those with higher handicaps. One player increased distance by 18 yards and reduced his handicap by seven strokes since switching to SQAIRZ.

As two of the study participants said:

• “When I put SQAIRZ on, I gained 5 miles per hour clubhead speed with my driver.  My handicap is down to a 14 from 18-and-a-half.  There’s not another pair of shoes I’ll wear playing golf but SQAIRZ.” – Mike Kuznar, Sugar Land, Texas
• “What I noticed with SQAIRZ; they were comfortable and I immediately felt more stability.” – Mike Cromwell, Dallas