he smartest move I made last season was dropping
my clothing deal. I was getting paid 15 grand a year
to wear a particular brand, and it wasn’t worth the
aggravation. I’ve never been picky about clothes, but this stuff
I genuinely didn’t care for.The colours were a bit electric
for my taste, and something about the fit of the sleeves was
off – tight in the armpits. I’d receive a new box of 20 shirts
and a dozen pairs of pants every few months, and with almost
every other shipment there was an issue. A logo would be
mis-stitched or in the wrong spot, or some of the clothes
were the wrong size.They’d promise to fix it and deliver a
new batch to my hotel right away.Two tournaments later,
the box arrives... on a Friday.A clothing deal for a very top player could be a
million or more, but unless your name is Jason
Day or Sergio Garcia, most of the clothing-only
deals are worth about the same, which is low five
figures. And unlike deals for clubs and balls, where
you can unlock bonuses with high finishes and
wins, the marketing budgets of most smaller
clothing lines are fixed.
Still, they’re not shy about asking for multiple days
of your time, either to shoot advertisements or do
promotional events with their clients. I get that it’s a
tough business, but the objectives of these compa-
nies are sometimes hard to discern. Each is looking
for a player whose image tells their brand’s “story,”
whatever that means. Understandably, I guess, a lot
of clothing companies would rather have their guy
look good and play bad than the other way around.
After taxes, that 15 grand becomes more like
nine, which isn’t a lot of cash to wear stuff that you’re
not in love with. I spend just about my whole life in
golf clothes, probably more than triple the time any
other athlete spends in his uniform. It’s important to
feel good about what you’re wearing.
I know some players who are in love with being
treated like a model. They get really excited when
their new clothes arrive and obsess about what belt
to pair with which outfit. They’ll sit at their locker
and have a 30-minute phone conversation with their
clothing rep. Some guys will wear a shirt once and
then give it away.
Then again, I know some guys who will go
through 100 white shirts a year not because
they’re prima donnas, but because they sweat like
pigs. You never know when you’re going to catch
fire and suddenly get a lot of air time. Those are
valuable minutes and seconds, and you can’t let
down your sponsors by looking scrubby. A loose
thread or some sunscreen discoloration on your
collar looks bad in high-def.
Last season, right before the playoffs started,
I sent an email to the head of a company whose
clothes I really like. I asked him to send me some
gear for the FedEx Cup and promised I would wear
his line all of the next season for free. I’m not exactly
cut like Camilo Villegas, but I’ve won on the PGA
Tour and I’m friendly and carry myself with dignity.
To get me for the cost of product was a good deal for
him. Plus, he doesn’t have to go through my agent.
He can just email me directly about anything. So
far it’s been seamless.
And it’s a good deal for me. So what if I left
15 grand on the table? I can make that up feeling
comfortable over one swing.- WITH MAX ADLER
The Golf Life
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MR X
UNDERCOVERTOURPRO
Why I decided to change my uniform
28 / JANUARY 2018 / GOLFDIGEST.CO.ZAT
top: tim lahan
ILLUSTRATION BY EDDIE GUY