Do you still own a mini-skirt?

What mature women golfers want!

Did you know that in 1980 the ‘average’ woman stopped wearing her mini-skirts at age 33. By 2010 that age jumped to 40 years old.

All that being said.. today it comes down to “what are you comfortable wearing on the golf course?”  Sure, I liked the shorter skorts and shorts… a while ago. Today, however, I am always looking for skorts that are between 17” and 18” long (I’m 5’ 3” tall).

Golf apparel retailers do not seem to understand that we (the mature female golfer) might not feel comfortable in a 14” skort anymore.  Now, if you feel that is a great length for you.. I applaud you. You have many choices from many different golf apparel companies.  When you start searching for the elusive 17” – 18” skort it becomes a mission. 

I am a true believer that if you look good on the course you will play better and if you don’t play better, at least you look good! Over the years women’s golf clothing has gone from extremely boring to a little less boring to "Hey.. we like color, too"! My first golf outfits consisted of beige, black or navy bottoms. It was easy to match polos which were available in about 3 colors to those basic colors.  Ho-Hum! Wow, how have things changed!

If you are a golfer and a fashionista… you have choices now!

The change came in the form of the internet and of course, Amazon!  Now we can shop online and research all the different companies that offer women’s golf (and sport) apparel.  I have found several great sites that offer skorts, shorts and golf dresses that are more “modest”. The designers are really breaking out of the ‘plain and ugly’ and producing items with color and interest and items that are more appropriate for mature women.

If you are looking for something for a specific event and time is of the essence, be sure to check the site's shipping and exchange/return information.  {Now I look for retailers that ship from the USA.) Or hop in your car and start to search for the brick-and-mortar stores. In my area, we have Dick’s Sporting Goods, Golfer’s Warehouse and a few other sporting goods stores.  A lot of us are finding great golf wear at places like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. One of my tips is to check your local private courses and country clubs.  The Pro Shops tend to offer nicer wear to their membership and may have some end-of-the-season deals that they open to the general public.  Of course, when on vacation, or playing in an invitational or member guest… be sure to check out the Pro Shops. If you see something you like. Grab it, as many companies stock Pro shops on consignment and unsold goods will be sent back to the company.

Personally, I love golf dresses.  They are easy and comfortable, especially if the weather is brutally hot.  Some companies offer matching shorts, others don’t, but I have found the underwear brand “Woxer” to be the perfect short to wear under a dress. I am also a big fan of skorts.  I feel you have a lot of freedom, and you never have to worry about your pants splitting when you bend over (yep, that has happened to me!) I had to play the rest of the round with a sweater tied around my waist! So embarrassing!

Autumn is just around the corner, so we take out the capris. Can long pants be far behind? Autumn is my favorite time of the year and especially when I can be on the course. Here in New England we have beautiful foliage in October, and the air is crisp and cool . That’s when we bring out the sweaters and knit caps.

Now that we have talked about bottoms, what about tops? Should they be tucked in or left untucked? When I started playing golf, a shirt was supposed to be tucked in to look proper. Lexi Thompson helped change that idea. I cannot remember seeing her play with her top tucked in. An untucked top can feel more comfortable and easier to play in because you do not have to worry about your shirt coming loose during your swing. I still like the clean look of a tucked-in shirt with a skort or pants, but I no longer think it is necessary—and I am not even sure I still own a belt.

Some of my personal favorite brands are Tail, EP Pro, Acegolfs, Callaway, DonaJo, Ibkul, Puma and Lady Hagan (now aka Walter Hagan) Loud Mouth. ** If you are a frequent golfer, playing 2 or more times a week, you know you must have a few favorite golf outfits ready to go. My favorite outfits go through the wash often; I even put up a laundry blackboard for my husband on how to care for my golf wear. Spandex does not like the dryer.. I learned that the hard way! A hanging rack is your best hack, especially for those special items you love!

Last but not least, invest in a good fitting sports bra.  It took me years of trial and error trying to find a bra that worked well with my golf swing. I finally found a great selection in the brand Yvette. Check them out, they have many styles to choose from.

Dames of Golf is here to bring to the forefront how mature women golfers are ‘underserved’ in the golf industry and this is especially so when it comes to our apparel. I have spent many hours reading about this issue on social media and women of all ages say that they just don’t have the selection and availability that men do. 

** Dames of Golf does not receive any compensation for brands mentioned in this article.