From Adam Scott to Min Woo Lee: The megabucks deals driving golf's style influence
The preppy, etiquette‑fuelled world of golf has emerged as an unlikely force in fashion, as brands capitalise on the sport’s appeal through multi‑million dollar deals.
Australian golfer Min Woo Lee tilts his head back, an orange tee gritted between his teeth, with neon speed-dealer sunglasses on. The pose – for a fashion campaign – captures the Perth-born, Las Vegas-based athlete’s knack for turning the fairway into a runway.
At 27, Lee is part of a new breed of golf stars who are making a name for their personal style – and the megabucks brand deals that follow.
The sport’s move into mainstream style and influence is “too big for fashion to ignore,” experts say.
It is a well-worn path for Australian Adam Scott who has been a face of Japanese brand Uniqlo since 2013 (Scott inked the deal days before becoming the first Australian to win the Masters at Augusta).
The famously private Scott has long held the fashion industry’s attention, having previously fronted Burberry Golf, the British luxury house’s early‑2000s foray into the sport.
Given his high-fashion credibility, the 45-year-old is arguably the most commanding style presence in modern Australian sport.
Even when this masthead spotted him in a rare moment of downtime at Royal Melbourne during the men’s Australian Open, he was in a crisp polo shirt and pleated trousers, favouring navy on teal with powder blue peeking out from beneath a crew‑neck.
With Scott at Uniqlo and Lee at Lululemon, there is also Nike which fields Northern Irish megastar Rory McIlroy (and luxury Swiss watch brand Rolex as the tournament’s official timekeeper), with the trio competing in the thrilling final day of the Australian Open.
In Under Armour, Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen won by one shot over Australian Cam Smith, dressed in burgundy Greyson Clothiers and Ripper GC.
‘ESTABLISHED LUXURY’
The modern take on the golf aesthetic goes further than the fairways.
Hollywood’s style set is taking notice, with the prim and proper sport’s influence seen on Jacob Elordi (in the form of preppy Bottega Veneta knits and pleated trousers) and Harry Styles.
Yes, the crowd – 112,698 of them to be exact – at Royal Melbourne across the four-day Australian Open was a sea of Titleist and Callaway caps.
But there were also more informed sartorial choices among them: Malbon, a Californian golf lifestyle brand (its collaborators span Australian golfer Jason Day to Jimmy Choo), and Metalwood Studio, a label based on La Brea Ave in Los Angeles.
Metalwood takes inspiration from the golf style of the 90s and 2000s, and was founded by former college golfer, Cole Young.
The brand has transcended the sport scene and been worn by “it” girls Kaia Gerber and Alexandra Daddario (a past collection featured a T-shirt with the words “golf is dead”).
Gab Waller, the Australian-born Los Angeles-based style expert and founder of luxury sourcing platform Sourced By, said sport had become a major player in the fashion industry.
“Sport is no longer just sport, it is entertainment … and identity,” Waller – who counts Hailey Bieber and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley among her clients – says.
“These are all key pillars that luxury fashion has historically tapped into, and with sport now merging into that, fashion wants to be a part of that too.
“Fashion wants relevance in culture, and athletes now strongly sit at the centre of cultural conversation.”
Social media, she says, and the increased visibility of athletes’ personal style is another driver, citing the NBA’s focus on players’ “tunnel fits” as evidence.
“The visibility that athletes are bringing throughout these moments is too large for fashion to ignore or not be aligned with,” Waller notes.
“Sport offers a global stage, and luxury brands want new audiences.”
Golf leans into the preppy aesthetic of athleisure clubs, where dress codes reign in an era of increasingly blurred etiquette lines.
“There is an element of established luxury and strong heritage within these sports,” Waller notes, also name-checking tennis.
“Historically, these sports coincide with elevated social moments, exclusivity, and aspirational aesthetics.
“Luxury brands want to tap into that and align themselves with that in a new, elevated way.”
Golfers like Scott and Min Woo Lee are now fully fledged brands, with teams built around them – including the fashion labels they front.
“This is positioning them beyond athletes only and enhancing their influence immensely,” Waller says.
“Fans now don’t just see athletes during their favourite sports, they also see travel outfits, post-game fits, and the now-iconic ‘tunnel’ moment.
“Athletes have truly transformed into global cultural figures whose style is as influential as their performance.”
Speaking to this masthead prior to the Australian Open, Lee – who is will launch a limited edition collection for Lululemon in Melbourne on Monday night – is also known for his personal style: a preppy polo shirt, form-fitting when he’s playing, teamed with the golf-wear staples of a cap and Oakley sunglasses.
Lee likes to wear a “baggier fit, a bit oversized. On the course, it’s a lot different – I’m quite opposite.
“I like to be sharp and tight-fitting. When I go out, I like to be relaxed and have casual vibes,” Lee told this masthead an exclusive interview. “It’s a key to playing some good golf – you want to be sharp, for sure. We are on camera … we need to look good too.”
DRESSED TO IMPRESS
Whether it’s on the fairways or inside ultra-exclusive clubhouses, the golf aesthetic is built around strict dress codes.
At Royal Melbourne, where the Australian Open was held over the weekend, tailored trousers, “plus fours” (translation: baggy, knee-length pants) and structured shorts for men are required, per the club rules.
“Shirts should be collared, of neat appearance and tucked in,” the dress code states.
“Shoes with soft spikes (no metal spikes) with short socks that are either predominantly white or complement the colour of other clothing are permitted.”
Denim is out, as are track suits, footy or rugby tops, hoodies, and sweatshirts. The rules go so far as to flag that there should be no “trousers tucked into socks, cargo trousers or shorts, draw string trousers or shorts, or any clothing bearing writing or advertising material other than small badges or logos”.
For women, the rules state they should be dressed in “neat slacks, tailored golf shorts and skirts.
“Shirts should be collared, of neat appearance and tucked in”.
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Originally published as From Adam Scott to Min Woo Lee: The megabucks deals driving golf's style influence
