At this year’s PGA show in January I had the pleasure of meeting Alex Holderness and John Bourne for the first time in person.
We met through mutual friend, Al Vikmanis (founder of the fantastic Round 4 Putters), and I could tell immediately that I liked the guys.
One of my goals here at Breaking Eighty is not just to highlight cool tech products or review top courses – but it’s also to help you find the best new golf products on the market.
And the latest golf polos from Holderness and Bourne completely fit that bill. I’ve been talking about these guys for the last few months to anyone that will listen.
If you’ve been a reader here for awhile, you may recall my review of their Byers weekender duffel bag – which is still my favorite piece of luggage I own.
So when I got two polos in the mail from their latest apparel line, I was extremely happy to see that the same quality they put into the bag has gone into the shirts.
The Fit
My whole life I’ve been pretty tall and skinny – so finding clothes that are the perfect fit for me has always been a little bit difficult. Either they’re too baggy, or too short – and I’ve found that with most traditional golf polos I’m either swimming in it, or it shrinks and I’m left with a shirt that’s both too short in the length and the sleeves.
Holderness and Bourne to the rescue.
The idea behind the whole brand is to feature a modern, tailored fit, with classic style.
The very first time I ever tried one of their polos on I walked up to my fiancee and she said “I’ve never seen a shirt fit you that well.”
From that moment, I knew that I’d found my go to brand for golf shirts.
The Maxwell
In this latest order I received two polos that are each pretty different while still fitting into the same mode of “modern, yet classic.”
The first is The Maxwell, which is is their most typical “golf polo”. It’s a polyester blend, so it feels like a dri-fit shirt, and if you’re an athletic guy, this shirt will fit perfectly.
It performs just as well as any of my Nike shirts – but it looks so much better, in large part because of it’s tailored fit. They cut them to be slightly longer than normal, so I can actually tuck it in without it bunching up due to excess fabric.
The sleeves aren’t too long or too short, as they often are, and most importantly, I feel comfortable in the shirt.
The Bishop
The bishop is a polo that I’d define as more of a lifestyle polo. It’s just as much at home tucked in on a golf course as it is untucked on a Friday night with a t-shirt and jeans.
A few times a week I make the clubhouse my office. I take my laptop, head out and play 9, go work for awhile, play another 9, and then maybe go meet some friends for happy hour.
The Bishop is the perfect shirt for this type of lifestyle. I can wear it all day and look good at the club, but if I don’t have time to shower, this shirt is just as home at a bar as it is on the course.
It’s not going to have quite the performance of the Maxwell due to being 100% cotton, so it isn’t ideal for 100 degree days, but in the mild Portland spring – I’ve found it to be one of my favorite shirts I own.
It’s also worth noting that because it’s more of a lifestyle shirt, rather than purely a golf shirt, this one is cut slightly looser than the Maxwell to account for different preferences. If you want the more tailored fit, just throw it in the wash and dryer. If you like it to be slightly looser for more casual settings, just line dry it.
Is Holderness and Bourne Right for You?
Holderness and Bourne polos range from $88 to $98 depending on which style you buy – and for many people that’s a lot of money for a basic golf polo.
For me? These are staples in my wardrobe both on and off the course (I also have two of their discontinued “Links” line of shirts, as well). I wear them all the time, and most importantly I feel confident when I wear them because they fit so well.
Do you hit up the outlet a few times a year trying to find the cheapest shirts you can, regardless of fit? Holderness and Bourne is probably not the right brand for you.
Do you live by the mantra “I like fewer, but higher quality items?” then look no further than these polos.
Everything from Holderness and Bourne is also 100% made in America, which I know is really important to Alex and John. Labor and material costs may be much more expensive here, but knowing that everything is domestic just makes me respect the brand that much more.
Bottom line? If you want a great looking golf shirt, that’s tailored for the athletic guy, look no further than Holderness and Bourne.
1 Comment
Love the classy look of the shirts, so hard to find anything not plastered with a logo now a days, unfortunately I dont have $100 to throw at a golf shirt.