Wear to Play Now

Clothes and other accessories for the well-heeled golfer.

By Suzanne S. Brown

FEET ACCOMPLI

Ryder Gauteraux was crafting custom cowboy boots long before turning his skills to another type of footwear: golf shoes. He says it’s not unusual for a former PRCA saddle bronc rider to hit the links. “We’d travel from town to town and as long as we were winning money, we’d go golfing,” says Gauteraux, 42, who lives and works in Wallace, Idaho. Just as he makes cowboy boots one at a time from materials like American alligator, he does the same with golf shoes. And it’s not an easy process to get a pair. He insists on meeting clients in person, measuring them and personally delivering the shoes, which typically sell for $7,500 to $8,500. “I’m not doing it for the money; I do it because I can build something special that you won’t find anywhere else, and that’s not possible without sitting down with a person,” says Gautereaux, whose styles are an amalgam of a “1920s businessman-golfer-gangster with some cowboy and western influences.” Gauteraux grew up in a log cabin in Oregon, without electricity, running water or a telephone. “I learned how to build things and I desired the nicest things because I didn’t have them,” he says. Visit Gauteraux & Co. at 525 Cedar St. in Wallace, Idaho, call him at (514) 410-5317 or visit bloodsweatleather.com

TORY STORY

Tory Burch has earned a loyal following among fashion-conscious women with her extensive sportswear and accessories collections that debut each season at New York Fashion Week and are sold at high-end retailers like Neiman Marcus as well as her own stores. Now she’s swinging into collections for golf and tennis, as well as yoga and running. Her elegant updates on preppy classics for the golf course include a polo sweater in cashmere, $248, merino wool short-sleeve sweater, $188, quilted vest, $178, wool pants, $228, and such stylish accessories as a golf tee wristlet, $98, and patent leather loafers, $278. torysport.com

STYLE THAT GOES THE DISTANCE

Peter Millar clothing appeals to men who appreciate a refined sense of style, high-end fabrics and a pop of color and pattern. The company, which started in North Carolina in 2001, has been expanding around the country, including a store in Denver built by veteran luxury retailers Craig Andrisen and Dave Morton of Andrisen Morton. For the golf course, Peter Millar uses performance fabrics in tops, pants and outerwear worn by such PGA Tour pros as Brandt Snedeker. And for off-the-course wear, there are such choices as camel hair-wool blend sport coats that are perfect for dinners at the club. The Winter Excursionist Blazer, $898, is quarter-lined, has notched lapels, real horn buttons and seven inside pockets. Peter Millar, 250 Columbine St., #120, Denver, 303-515-2222; petermillar.com

CHART A ROUND FROM YOUR WRIST

GPS golf watches have become a must-have accessory with golfers who want to track the details of their game, but Garmin’s new Approach S60 has features that set it apart from the pack. The touchscreen–readable in sunlight–has the club’s layout in full color, tracks distance from anywhere on the course, identifies hazards, and measures distance to the target adjusted for slope. The device, which has a 10-hour battery life before needing recharging, will also measure shot distance and has a club tracking option that can be used for analysis after the round. In addition, it has features that analyze swing tempo and strength. The S60 comes with interchangeable bands and is available in black or white for $400, or with a black leather band and scratch-resistant ceramic bezel for $500. And in case you are so preoccupied with charting all this info, it will also do something as mundane as tell you the time so you know if you’re keeping pace. garmin.com

LEATHER OR NOT

Sure, having the latest high performance clubs are a priority for your game, but the bag you put them in makes a statement as well. Missoula, Montana-based Sun Mountain has come out with a leather series with bags that look like something your granddad might have carried, but with features that today’s golfers can appreciate. The stand bag has carbon-fiber legs as well as full-length club dividers and graphite shaft protection. Among its other benefits are a built-in handle at the top for ease in lifting and moving, a full-length pocket for clothing, a velour-lined valuables pocket and three accessory pockets. It comes in three color combos and retails for $550. Other options in the line include a Sunday bag, cart bag, head covers and putter covers. sunmountain.com

LE CROCODILE ON COURSE

Originally founded as a tennis brand, Lacoste is making strides in golf these days. (Jean René Lacoste went against tradition in the 1920s by wearing and then designing short-sleeved knit shirts instead of long-sleeved wovens, and his nickname was “le crocodile,” hence the familiar logo). Young PGA Tour pros like Daniel Berger and Fred Wedel are sponsored by the brand, which is known for its sleek, body-conscious fit along with high-performance fabrics. The company will provide uniforms for both the U.S. and international teams in this year’s Presidents Cup tournament at Liberty National Golf Course in New Jersey on Sept. 26- Oct. 1, and there will be fan wear to go along with the official looks. Daniel Berger wears the technical jersey half-zip sweater, $295, and gabardine pants, $145; Fred Wedel wears the long sleeve light down jacket, $250 and ultradry tech jersey polo, $98. Available at Lacoste boutiques and lacoste.com

Suzanne S. Brown is the former fashion and features editor for The Denver Post. She also contributes to Mountain Living and Colorado Expression.

This article appears in the August/September 2017 issue of Colorado AvidGolfer— the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.