If your brand wants to sell golf apparel or footwear to retailers and department stores, you know creating on-trend collections is your best shot at making the sale.
Here are the golf market trends we’re watching in 2025:
Trend #1: Golf is catching on
Outdoor and health and wellness enthusiasts, including younger generations such as Gen Z and Millennials, are flocking to golf and looking for fashion that matches their sense of style and interests. Golf apparel is a growing market, projected to increase with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% between 2024 and 2030 – this means there’s probably room for your brand.
Part of golf’s appeal is the fact that it’s a social sport, with participation boosted by the COVID-era increase in health and wellness activities. Participation in golf grew 57% from 2019 to 2022, according to McKinsey, the second highest growth in a sport (pickleball and table tennis took first). Far from being in decline, golf appears to be experiencing a renaissance.
Trend #2: Golf fashion is going mainstream
Alongside popular excitement about golf as a sport, golf is becoming a fashion statement and a lifestyle. Function-focused golf gear increasingly appeals to non-golfers, and golf apparel is influencing streetwear. For example, Under Armour is designing more of their functional golf apparel for lifestyle and fashion to appeal to this trend. In their new lines for 2025, you’ll find rompers, short sleeve dresses, and full-zip jackets for golf that look like streetwear. The mainstreaming of golf apparel and footwear could grow golf’s representation in the fashion industry.
Trend #3: Women’s golf apparel
Women are beginning to play more golf, representing 26% of all golf players in 2023 and increasingly demanding apparel and shoes designed specifically for the sport. Eastside Golf, Rhone, Indochino, and Under Armour are just a few of the active and athletic brands releasing or expanding their golf women’s clothing collections.
Trend #4: Omnichannel shopping
Like the rest of the fashion industry, retailers that carry golf apparel increasingly offer omnichannel experiences and shopping contexts that allow for more interaction with brands. Golf Galaxy, owned by Dick’s Sporting Goods, retails golf apparel and fashion but also features on-site lessons, indoor driving ranges, putting greens, and more – creating the feeling that shoppers are at a pro shop at their favorite golf course.
Retailers bringing consumers closer to their sports helps shape brands into lifestyle advisors. It’s all part of broader trends around building brand stories and offline experiences that can increase brand awareness and loyalty. Segments like golf also help retailers and brands appeal to multigenerational bases of consumers, an increasingly important consideration in today’s retail environment.
Building Your On-Trend Golf Brand
With the right data, you can incorporate of-the-moment industry, fashion, and consumer trends to increase sell-through and encourage retailers to buy. Put your wholesale platform to work to identify deeper insights and to strengthen your relationships with buyers.
NuORDER is a collaborative platform that allows you to work with retailers to shape assortments, manage orders, and improve production planning to meet demand. To learn more about NuORDER, book a demo.
