Original Penguin Golf Clothing
The Original Penguin brand is typically recognized as a fashionable, comfortable menswear brand for both casual and professional occasions. Now, Original Penguin has brought the quality and comfort of their popular menswear to the golf course. With a variety of fabric and design options in polos, shirts, and pants, there’s sure to be something to fit the look and style anyone is looking for on the course.
The Looks
When I first opened up the Original Penguin golf gear, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was it going to be more conservative and old fashioned? Was it going to look straight off the back of Bill’s idol, Gem Archer? Or is it going to bring some added flair to the course? Good news, it can do both. Penguin offers anything from basic colored polos, polos with small colored blocks and patterns, or wild vibrant patterns scattered all over the shirt for the bold (like myself).
Once you actually put the shirt on, they get even better – if you have the right body type. The fit around the torso is pretty “slim fit,” so if you have an athletic build, the look is more tailored for you. I’m a big fan. Overall, whether you go with the more plain shirts, or something more on the wild side, they Original Penguin polos just look good. They’re also a perfect length, right below the belt-line, which I love. I hate when golf shirts are overly long (since they’re meant to be tucked), but the Original Penguin ones are the perfect length to be worn untucked too. The variety of designs and fabrics is a huge plus, but no matter which you choose, they still deliver that same quality and fashionable look that most people associate with Original Penguin.
In regards to the shorts and pants, they tend to stay more on the conservative side, with a few little added features. The shorts are just above knee length, and both the shorts and pants have a very “classic golf pant” look to them. Simple pockets, simple design.
Comfort Level
Penguin offers everything from a classic pique polo, pima cotton blends (hello softness!), and “jersey” performance material polos. Oh yeah, they also mix them together too. The pique and pima cotton blend polos have more of a classic-design, and are all extremely soft. I’m not a huge pique polo guy myself, but I find the Penguin ones to be pretty comfortable. The performance fabric polos are extremely lightweight, breathable, and soft. If you want to mix things up, you can also grab some of the mixed fabric polos, which offer the performance fabric combined with pique or pima cotton details.
The pants and shorts are an extremely lightweight and breathable performance material, which is great for summers here in Chicago. The waistband is nice and stretchy, as is the rest of the material, which is a necessity for golf. They both have plenty of “give” to them, so that they’re nice and comfortable, even after you slam four hot dogs at the turn.
Here’s the caveat with Original Penguin Golf lineup – they’re made for a more athletic, slim build. Yes, the pants and shorts have slim fit tags for this very reason. For someone with a big ole caboose and thunder thighs like myself (yeah, I lift, not a big deal), the fit is a little snug in the butt and thigh section. However, with the stretchy material, it shouldn’t be much of an issue. Same goes for the shirts. They’re a “slim fit” as well. The sleeves are a little snug on the arms, particularly if they have the sleeve cuffs. For someone of a larger build or bigger arms, you may want to size up in the polo department. Unless you want to show off those guns in tight sleeves on the links.
On-Course Performance
While I view comfort as part of performance, there’s more to it than that. Original Penguin Golf gear definitely stands up to the big names in this department. The flex waistband also provides some grip as well. This helps keep your pants in place, but also keeps your shirt tucked in. The stretchy material also moves nicely during the swing, and doesn’t restrict you. The pant material is also pretty good in the moisture-wicking department. I had the shorts out in 87 degree weather, and they stayed nice and dry while I was sweating like a hog.
As for the shirts, they also held up on the course. Like I stated earlier, they’re not super long, but are long enough to stay tucked in during a golf swing. I found the “jersey” performance material to wick sweat better and keep me drier. However, the pima cotton “pique” shirts will still get the job done well. Like the pants, both shirt types move well with your body during your swing, and don’t restrict you.
The best part of all of it was definitely the breathability. The shorts and pants breathe to keep you cool. Every shirt we tried had the same feedback as well. Staying dry and staying cool comes at a premium here in Chicago, and Original Penguin Golf delivers.
Final Thoughts
While Original Penguin is known for their clothing off the course, their golfwear is not to be overlooked. The golf line provides a great blend of style that you would associate with Original Penguin with the performance you need on the golf course. I can tell you one thing, there’s going to be even more Original Penguin Golf clothes hitting my closet soon.
