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IF YOU PLAN on golfing a lot this summer, consider upgrading your golf clothes on the green with the best golf shirts. These days, you don't have to be a pro golfer or spend a fortune to wear the latest, cutting-edge golf wardrobe. Golf clothing brands now make golf shirts for club-carrying men who want to not only feel cool but also look cool too.
Whether you're a seasoned golfer or a weekend warrior, the best golf shirts should be lightweight, moisture-wicking/quick-drying, and breathable to ensure you stay cool and dry during those intense swings and sunny days on the course. Just as important, the best golf shirts need to come with some form of stretch to provide unrestricted movement so you will unleash your full potential on every swing. Lastly, the best golf shirts will boast durability that can withstand the demands of the game—from repetitive motions to intense sweating to exposure to various weather conditions.
Below, our golf experts and style editors have done extensive testing to find the 14 best golf shirts that are comfortable to wear for a long afternoon of swinging while lending you a dash of style on the course. From classic polo shirts to those designed with peak performance in mind, these best golf shirts let you look and feel your best during all rounds of golf.
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The most vital element you should demand in golf shorts is a stretchy fabric. Without stretch, you’ll find yourself feeling too constricted and having a hard time when putting, swinging, or bending down a bit. Stretch fabric, usually made with spandex or elastane, allows the golf shorts to have a four-way stretch and move with your motions when you play. Keep in mind that the primary fabric material in many golf shorts, polyester, isn’t necessarily stretchy since it has no elasticity on its own, so it’s often blended with spandex or elastane to bring out your full range of motion. Or, a 100% polyester fabric can be reworked to be stretchy itself, such as via knitting or crimping.
Besides stretch, golf shirts, as inherently outdoors and athletic clothes, need to have other activewear functionalities such as moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and breathability to keep your thighs cool and dry in case you sweat. These anti-humid feats are usually courtesy of activewear materials like polyester which is hydrophobic and water-repellent. And if it gets too hot, you’ll want to look for breathability offered by nylon, such as in Malbon's Performance Pique Polo. Additionally, when the sun is really blazing, many golf shirts now offer UV protection and built-in SPF or UPF ratings to shield your skin from harmful sun rays during long hours on the course. And last, the fabric of golf shirts should be seriously lightweight to not restrict your movement or weigh you down.
Read more: Best Golf Shorts
A well-fitted shirt not only makes you look better but also allows for unrestricted movement and flexibility. In this case, most golf shirts come in a regular, standard, or classic fit that's roomy through the chest to the waist and cut for a lower armhole and a fuller sleeve that falls closer to the elbow. This fit skims the body without being too tight or too loose and offers maximum coverage against the sun and weather. The best golf shirts should also have enough room in the shoulders and arms to accommodate your swings while maintaining a neat and polished look. Also, pay attention to the overall length of golf shirts to see if they can be tucked in.
Read more: Best Golf Socks
To find the best golf shirts for men, our editors and writers have personally tried on over 40 golf polos since 2021 and tested each of them for at least two weeks by wearing them on different occasions, such as sporting polo shirts by Nike, Peter Millar, and Ralph Lauren to course, wearing TravisMathew's golf shirt to the office, traveling in Lululemon's golf shirt.
To get a feel for how these golf shirts really felt and looked, we vetted our tested golf polos by taking notes of their weight, style, price point, versatility, durability, sustainability, softness, and performance such as stretch, moisture-wicking, and breathability. We examined whether they fitted well and true to size, whether their fabric could withstand hours of movement in different temperatures, and whether they could be worn for more than one occasion.
In addition, our picks of the best golf shirts and best golf polos all fit great athletic or muscular guys, provide great value and performance at reasonable price points, and come in styles that will look great years from now. Let's get to the list.
TravisMathew takes it back to basics with this deceptively simple golf top. The heathered look is decidedly understated with micro-feeder stripes for a versatile, broken-in look that works well on- and off-course. Built-in collar stays also help keep the shirt looking sharp even after a multiple washes.
The Heater is packed with technical features, including soft, four-way stretch fabric that’s quick-wicking (to disappear sweat), extremely comfortable, and guarantees the right amount of give in any situation. Bonus points: As part of TravisMathew’s Eco Collection, it’s sustainably produced using a polyester blend made from recycled plastic bottles.
You can't go wrong with any of the golf shirts we recommend, but because of how well this polo holds up over time, plus the fact it's insanely versatile in styling outside of the course (if you want), it's getting our pick for best golf shirt overall. You're getting premium comfort and a flattering cut here too. Get ready to look and play good.
Read more: Best Golf Shoes
For a golf shirt that balances performance, fit, comfort, and price, we love Under Armour’s Tech Golf Polo. The all-polyester construction features a textured fabric that’s lightweight, soft, and breathable—everything we need in a good active polo. That same material also helps wick away moisture like a champ in even the hottest conditions.
A three-button placket ensures a neat fit around the neck. Plus, it’s available in more colorways than any other polo on this list, so there’s no reason to own just one. All of this makes this tech polo our pick for this year’s best overall golf shirt.
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If you're a beginner to golf, or if you just love a good deal on golf clothes, then Amazon Essentials very own golf collection needs to be on your radar. The polos are just $20 and feature a breezy quick-dry polyester blend that performs well on even the hottest days at the course.
It might not be the most comfortable or "premium" fit, but you have to remember the price you're paying here. If your shirt gets smelly and stained, you can easily re-up and have a fresh polo at your door within 48 hours.
Vuori meticulously engineered the Ace Polo to be as light and comfortable as possible. It provides the appearance of a classic pocket polo with the performance of athletic golf apparel—moisture-wicking and UPF 30+. It's perfect for warm weather vacations, knocking out your weekend to-do list, or getting in 18 holes.
While wearing it, the three-button design does feel a bit tight on buff builds and I had to leave one open. But I was surprised by how elevated it looks, especially under a blazer or with a suit. Along with its performance feats, it’s the polo that I now rely on for any elevated travel occasion.
Nike is known as one of the boldest brands in sportswear, but it does low key and classic really well when it comes to golf apparel. Take the Dri-FIT Tour shirt for example, a polished golf shirt that fits in with even the strictest of club dress codes. At the same time, it packs the kind of performance we’ve come to expect from modern golf shirts.
The Dri-Fit fabric - a blend of polyester, spandex, and lyocell - claims to wick away sweat and allow your body to breathe. We found that it delivers on that promise without building up unsightly sweat marks. The neck vent provides a noticeable, but not substantially helpful, boost to air flow. The shirt fabric itself handles the bulk of the ventilation.
Read more: Best Golf Sunglasses
Fashion meets function with this breathable polo thanks to its anti-stink technology and on-trend design. This Lulu polo is specifically made for the links, but we wouldn't knock you for wearing it just as much off the course. Our colleagues did in fact wear this polo to the golf course.
Not only did we not mind the slim fit which accentuated our biceps and pecs, but we were also utterly satisfied by how movement-friendly the fabric is. After a few swings nonetheless, the fabric managed to stay dry, in shape, and fresh, all thanks to the sweat-wicking fabric built with No-Stink Zinc™ technology and Lycra® fiber for shape retention. All in all, we found this golf shirt perfect to be worn on and off the course.
Read more: Best Golf Accessories
Malbon is a relative newcomer to the golf apparel game, being founded in 2017, but the Los Angeles based brand is making a name with progressive designs and an open minded approach to style. The Performance Pique Polo boasts under arm panels that boost ventilation, and a fabric that is light and stretchy.
After a few rounds of testing, we can attest that breathability is the strongest feature of this golf polo. While it is slim fitting, the shoulder and sleeves are cut in a way that promotes air flow to your back and under arms.
From a style perspective, this golf shirt is about as conservative as Malbon gets. It has a sleek and modern look, thanks to the textured fabric, collar snaps, and silicone logos. We found the fit to be flattering without getting too snug.
Read more: Best Golf Pants
When the sun is blazing over the links, this polo shirt will be your godsend. Ideal for the dude on the go or who runs hot, Rhone’s lightweight, moisture-wicking polo shirt is made to calm you down.
Not only is it made with a self-cooling pique mesh fabric that has kept me feeling fresh and crisp, at work or in the game, but its perfect fit also gives me that desired untucked look (i.e. won’t bunch around your bottom area).
The late ‘50s and early ‘60s offer a treasure trove of inspiration across men’s fashion, especially with golf. Macade took inspiration from this golden era for the special edition TR Tour Shirt. The contrasting white collar and placket was a common look from that time, and the specially crafted brand logo on the chest sticks to the theme. Even the subtle wood grain-esque texture of the blue is a throwback.
Of course, looks are useless without performance, and we like the way this golf shirt performs. The perforated fabric is similar to a basketball jersey and provided exceptional ventilation during our testing. A hefty serving of spandex in the fabric provided all the flexibility we needed on the golf course.
This is a golf polo shirt that does it all when it comes to performance. While it's dressy enough for the office, the tapestry of tech feats in this polo—four-way stretch, moisture-wicking, quick-drying, UPF 50+, antimicrobial properties (AKA anti-odor)—will make your time spent outdoors worthwhile, on or off the course. In fact, when I tried this on for the first time, I was taken away by how smooth and cool it felt.
Then, on the links, I found that its stretch and quick-drying properties came in like a wrecking ball to keep me cozy. Best of all, its classic fit doesn’t look too lazy or baggy, and coupled with the stretch, also offers optimal mobility.
Read more: Best Golf Gifts
For the past decade or so, golf fashion has been defined by a clash between the old rules and progressive new style. Radmor does a brilliant job of walking the line in a way that works for both camps. The extensive Hudson line of golf shirts, featuring more than a dozen colors and patterns, has more than a few options that will fit in with any golfer’s wardrobe. For our money, the blue and red stripe is as timeless a look as it gets.
It’s the little details that do it for us with the Hudson shirt. Formalwear details like a spread collar and pearl buttons are blended with a modern shorter sleeve and form fitting torso. The logo is fun but discrete enough to not draw attention. Above all, our editors just really liked the way the fir and fabric felt on the course.
If you wonder what actual competitive golfers wear on the course during tournament seasons, this is your answer. Made from a performance-minded fabric that has one of the best stretches we’ve tested (12% elastane), UPF 50 protection, is sweat-wicking and quick-drying, this is a golf shirt that’ll keep up with your swings.
Better yet, it comes in slim and standards fit as. We also love that its placket is only two-button, which keeps our style minimalist and hassle-free. Off the fairway, we've dressed this sleek polo up with semi-formal attire. Just add a blazer and dress pants or chinos.
The best fabric for golf shirts is typically a blend of polyester or nylon with spandex or elastane. This blend offers a balance of breathability, softness, stretch, and moisture-wicking properties. Polyester and nylon are performance materials that offer moisture management, allowing sweat to evaporate quickly, and can be made to be breathable through different knitting techniques. Spandex or elastane offers stretch to ensure the fabric moves with you. This fabric in golf shirts keeps golfers cool, dry, and comfortable during their rounds.
While golf shirts were designed with golf in mind, their comfort, breathability, and style have made them popular beyond the green course. Golf shirts are now versatile to be worn in various casual settings, specifically semi-formal or business casual occasions. Because of their appearance, golf polos will easily elevate your everyday fit.
On the course, pair your golf shirt with appropriate bottoms such as golf shorts or golf pants, and tuck in your shirt for a more polished and traditional look. Off the course, pair golf shirts with casual shorts, chinos, or jeans for a relaxed and comfortable fit, and in this case you can wear golf shirts untucked for a more laid-back look. For dressing up—and you can indeed dress up in golf shirts, choose a golf shirt in a solid color or a subtle pattern, pair it with tailored trousers or khakis, and layer it under a blazer or a sports coat.
A product review story that doesn’t actually test anything hands-on or in person isn’t worth your precious time. Thankfully, we at Men’s Health don’t produce any of that nonsense. In fact, you can rest assured that our product recommendations derive from first-hand experience. Read more about our testing process here.
For instance, at Men’s Health, we have a fashion closet dedicated to calling in, trying out, and selecting the best as well as the newest products in menswear. We put them on stylish, fit guys to hear what their opinions are and see how the items look on them before making our final decision. And as style editors, we constantly go into the fashion closet to feel a product’s fabric or materials—even put it on ourselves for a spin—to test it.
Lastly, you can trust our opinions on shopping recommendations, whether it’s the products, styling tips, or trends. Not only do we have Fashion Director Ted Stafford and Deputy Editor, Commerce Christian Gollyan who actually know that polyester isn't actually breathable, but we also have a panel of style experts—including stylists, fashion influencers, and designers—that we regularly seek shopping guides from. Therefore, our product recommendations and buying tips are all driven by professional, expert opinions.
Best Golf Bags | Best Golf Watches | Best Golf Gadgets | Best Golf Rain Gear
Christian Gollayan oversees e-commerce content for Men's Health and Women's Health. Previously, he was the Associate Managing Editor at TheManual.com. Christian's work has also been featured in Food & Wine, InStyle, the New York Post, and Tatler Asia.
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