Our Favorite Golf Shirts for Summer (and Beyond)

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What counts as an appropriate "golf shirt" in the modern era of the sport? Depending on where you're playing, the course (or club) may provide you some direction, but amid a long overdue dress code reckoning, golf's cultural overlords are finally loosening their grip on the pretentiousness of yesteryear.

That means, yes, polos are still appropriate, but they're getting cooler, just like golf is. But it also means mock necks, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and even button-downs of the short-sleeved variety can be styled into a "golf shirt" with ease. Gone should be the days of looking around at the crowd outside the starter hut and peering through a sea of preschool prints and poly blends. Honestly, grabbing a shirt that works double-duty for you on the golf course and in your everyday isn't just a good wardrobe decision, it's an economical one, too. (Eat shit, inflation!)

Don't get us wrong. Many of the best golf shirts of 2024 come from household names in the Golf Shirt Business, like Nike, Ralph Lauren, and Bonobos. But with an injection of brands like GANT, Sid Mashburn, and Tommy Hilfiger, it may just be—dare we say it?—the most exciting time in recent memory to wear a polo shirt.

Just remember, if you're ever in doubt about a golf course or club's dress code, dress exactly how you want to, and then throw a collared shirt in your trunk in case one of the bad guys calls you out.

Golf Polo

An affordable golf shirt you can probably get delivered in two days for that tee time you have in three days.

Tipped Polo

If you're looking for a little edge, look no further than Devereux. This signature-tipped polo is a great representation of a brand that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Golf Polo Shirt

A luxe-looking, luxe-feeling, all-around great golf shirt. A testament to what good fabric and construction can do, this polo hangs naturally and neatly, and has a substantial and sturdy collar.

Tour Tech Golf Polo

From the brand that owned the whole shirt conversation at the 2023 Masters, here's a more subdued but still interesting option from J.Lindeberg, who makes some of the most exciting shirts in golf.

Driver Performance Polo

A no-frills, no worries, moisture-wicking performance polo.

Summer Polo

In lightweight, breathable fabric, your favorite brand in high school is cool again (ICYMI) and they make shirts that are perfect for the golf course.

The Performance Golf Polo

If you're looking for a golf shirt that makes you easy to find in the fescue, look no further than Bonobos' floral-covered polo.

The Iconic Polo Shirt

A polo that speaks for itself.

Riviera Polo

This golf shirt is a perfect example of a few great things happening in the sport right now: 1. It's a full-placket button-down, not a regular ol' polo shirt. You may have thought to buy this for vacation, but put a white tank underneath and add some pleated trousers and you're ready for the first tee (and a cigarette?). 2. It harkens back to the most stylish era of golf, when guys like Arnold Palmer and Chi Chi Rodriguez strutted the fairways looking more like Hollywood Cool Guys than high performing athletes.

Rally Polo Shirt

Sid Mashburn is no secret to menswear aficionados, but it might be simultaneously one of golf's most hidden gems and the best brand for anyone looking to walk the walk on all that "on and off the course" baloney. Sid makes a no-notes piqué pocket polo that pairs perfectly with the classics for golfers who want to look like grown-ass adults.

Supima Polo Shirt

The best part about Brooks Brothers' best golf shirt isn't that it's their time-tested polo, but with a little more stretch. It's that it comes in three different fits, making it, probably, the most universal polo on this list.

Performance Players Shirt

Criquet took a Nicklaus era style and fit it for the modern game. We appreciate the opportunity it presents to take it down one more button.

Versa Polo

It's right there in the name—a versatile golf shirt that comes in two different cuts and twenty-seven (27!) colors.

Piqué Polo Shirt

From the legendary shirtmakers at GANT comes a perfectly simple, yet slightly more steezy golf shirt in the form of a sun-faded polo that says "I've spent some time on the course" whether that's true or not.

Polo Shirt

If you're a streetwear head who loves to show that Stone Island tag hanging off of your sleeve, but you moonlight as a golf sicko, this is the best golf shirt to buy (and flex).

Polo Shirt

It's not quiet luxury, but it's quiet and it's luxe and AMI makes some of the best no-fuss, clean-cut clothing out there. They don't market this for golf but there's no reason not to wear it to play.

Golf & Ski Polo

Malbon has quickly become the most ubiquitous name in golf's "new wave," i.e. the surge of brands that have popped up in the past half-decade to challenge the game's old guard. This golf shirt from the peoples' champ brand shows it does subtlety as well as it does statement pieces.

Sports Polo

You can truly wear this striped polo from Ben Sherman anytime, anywhere. On and off the course, it'll keep you looking on par.

Tetris Polo

Stylish, comfortable, and sustainable, this polo shirt should be as essential as your favorite tee. It's moisture-wicking, wrinkle-resistant, and gives you the perfect ft, everytime.

Amenities Crew

Another straightforward, long-sleeved golf shirt you can use to layer or wear on a day where it's not-quite-summer temperatures.

Smart Polo

While the temperatures hang out in the high 50s for the first few holes of an early morning tee time, the best golf shirt to deploy isn't a traditional golf shirt at all. It's a long-sleeved polo from a brand none of your playing partners will recognize, but that will earn you a nod from the coolest person you know.

Rugby Polo

A certified timeless style, this striped rugby polo is the best golf shirt for cool mornings and twilight nines paired with a pair of AJ1s, baggy shorts, and a closing birdie.

Victory Golf Polo

If you wanna dress like Tiger Woods, then this Nike option will do the trick perfectly.

Mock Neck Shirt

This Public Drip will dial up your swag for a smooth and sophisticated look. Our favorite part? The raised silicon logo, a nonfunctional but fully considered choice.

Bondi Polo

Made from plastic bottles, but you'd never know, Left of Field's Bondi polo comes in a classy stripe and a feel that'll inspire you to do a little beach cleanup (or at least get out of that bunker).

Core Hooded Runner

Sometimes, a sweatshirt is necessary for those 5:30 tee times, and this Alo Yoga option is so soft — but still equipped to handle any type of round.

Fisher Polo

Fiori golf found a winner with its checkered flag-inspired polo. It fits a bit oversized with a slightly bigger sleeve and pops nicely under a cardigan.

Sport Polo Shirt

“Out of Office” vibes, in a polo. Minimally seamed, anti-stink fabric that can handle a full day on the course.

Tech Polo

You already spend so much time out on the green, why not match it with this versatile polyester polo?

Gamepoint Polo

Moisture-wicking and created with 100% recycled performance 4-way stretch, this Vuori polo is made to move—and win every round.

Why You Should Trust Us

We’re not going to say something is great unless it’s actually great. Every product in Esquire’s round-ups is carefully curated by our fashion and e-commerce teams.

When it comes to golf shirts you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting styles that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved, along with styles that the rest of our stylish colleagues here at Esquire endorse for their own wear. We’ve had to go through a lot of trial and error, and these golf shirts are the ones that are simply the best.

Every pick on this list (and our other lists!) comes from years of wearing different things, seeing what we love and what we don’t, and going from there. No two tastes are the same, and no two men are the same. Your proverbial mileage may vary. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who and care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.

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