Why South Korea is the most important golf apparel player

Do the clothes make the player? The golf-obsessed nation of South Korea seems to think so and, through the pandemic so far, has backed the trust with their wallets.

While specific numbers are hard to track, it’s estimated that golfers worldwide spend about $9 billion on golf apparel each year—and 45 percent of that is spent by South Koreans. (For those keeping score, the share of American consumers is about 25 percent of the global fashion pie.)

What South Koreans buy is youthful, trendy and, in most cases, expensive, and, with more and more luxury brands entering the space, golfers in the Land of the Morning Calm often lose more than 700 dollars (US) for just one pair of pants. and a polo shirt.

Traditional sights in Korea still really hold sway, thanks to strong apparel players like Titleist, Golden Bear, TaylorMade and Callaway. Other brands, such as Master Bunny Edition, Pearly Gates, St. Andrews and Amazing Cre continue to see success with consumers in their 30s to 50s, especially the business-man crowd.

But with the pandemic came a sea change, sparking a boom in apparel activity and spending. It also influenced the design. With millennials and Gen-Z players suddenly flooding into the game during Covid-19, looks from fashion brands like G/FORE, Malbon and PXG started flying off the shelves, thanks to the younger population’s preference for wearing golf balls everywhere and whenever – not just on the course or the range.

As you can see from the photos below, a legitimate blurring of the lines between golf and fashion now reigns in South Korea. The success seen in the lifestyle market has also influenced more premium fashion brands, including APC, Lanvin and Philipp Plein, to launch golf apparel lines in South Korea.

Nike Golf — as you might expect — also has a solid fan base in South Korea, thanks to its more reasonable prices and the long Korean perception that Nike is a quality brand for sports in general. But make no mistake — golfers south of the 38th parallel love their sport. Number one in this category is Korean-born brand XexyMix, which has found a way to appease Gens X to Z in equal measure. Eligible for work, then a jump on a screen golf facility as soon as the whistle blows.

There is an old saying that golf usually takes its cues from the USA and Japan. You could argue that Korea now holds that position in the wardrobe space. What you see here may be what you wear very soon.