14 Sharp Golf Shirts Worth Wearing on and off the Links

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IF YOU plan to hit the links this year, 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 linksman 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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Men's Tech Golf Polo

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.

The Heater Golf Polo

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 long afternoon hitting the links. Still, it’s 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.

Evolution Short Sleeve Polo Shirt

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.

Regular-Fit Quick-Dry Golf Polo Shirt

It seems there’s nothing Amazon doesn’t make these days. Like everything in the Amazon Essentials catalog, this Quick-Dry Golf Polo Shirt offers plenty of essential features at a great price (Seriously, it starts at less than $16!). The polyester fabric is soft, lightweight, and quick-wicking to keep you dry on the green. Plus, it delivers UPF 50 sun protection. It’s cut in a classic “Regular Fit” that’s looser than most, making it more comfortable for all-day wear.

However, because it's mainly in polyester, I did not find the fabric too stretchy, although the relaxed, roomy fit does let you execute the full range of motion with ease.

Pique Polo

Everything old is new again. The Pique Polo from the collaboration between Todd Snyder and FootJoy answers the question, “How would golf’s most iconic players from the 60s and 70s dress if they stepped on the links today?” It’s retro, yet modern with an ultra-soft, silky feel that’s nicer than most “ordinary” polos. A vintage shield logo and contrasting tipping throughout add an extra dash of style that sets this one apart. It’s also made from proprietary ProDry Pique—a performance fabric that blends 90% polyester with 10% spandex. The result is a lightweight, quick-drying activewear polo that’s anti-microbial to boot. (Plus, the fabric has UV coating to protect you from the sun.) The only downside? It’s the priciest golf shirt on this list.

Solid Performance Jersey Polo

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.

All Seasons Polo

Wilson's Kramer polo is packed with odor-fighting, quick-drying, and sweat-wicking technology, such as how its ventilation is woven into high-sweat areas, making it ideal for hot-weather outings and sports days in summer. But our testers also love how lightweight it is, as well as its casual-looking, toned-down style that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and how its collar has stayed upright wash after wash.

Delta Pique Polo

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).

Ace Polo

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.

The Performance Golf Polo

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.

Versa Polo

This is a serious polo with serious performance features, including options for both a slim, athletic fit designed to hug the biceps and the waist, as well as a classic fit that’ll give you more rooms to breathe and move in. Polyester combines with a touch of spandex for soft, all-day comfort that stretches right where you need it, not to mention how moisture-wicking it is. Made with UPF 50+, we love to wear it not just on the course, but also off the links whenever the sun shines too bright.

Classic Fit Performance Polo Shirt

Ralph Lauren's in-house golf clothing brand crafts some of the best golf apparel on the market. Its Classic Fit Performance Polo Shirt is a perfect staple for any man’s golf wardrobe. The roomy construction with a lower armhole and fuller sleeves is cut with polyester and a dab of spandex to enhance moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and add stretch. Unlike more athletic-cut golf polos, this one features a regular fit that’s more relaxed and comfortable than most. Dual hem slits add versatility, allowing it to be worn tucked or untucked—your call. And we love that its fabric is also breathable too.

Performance Primegreen Polo Shirt

When a stretchy, soft and smooth fabric meets a relaxing fit, you know the comfort is about to be off the chart. In fact, we found Adidas’ golf shirt so comfortable that we’ve donned it to other athletic occasions such as lifting weights in the gym. It really offers a distraction-free feeling for your activities, on and off the links.

Tour Dri-FIT Golf Polo Shirt

Nike Golf knows a thing or two about dressing like a pro. The brand’s aptly named Dri-FIT Golf Polo looks and feels every bit like a premium shirt. We found that the proprietary Dri-FIT fabric is extremely lightweight, moisture-wicking, and breathable—especially at the neck. The stretch also feels nice, especially during our swings. Additionally, the fabric feels extra soft and smooth, making it one that we've worn all day long. The fit lastly helps round out the comfort: it can be worn tucked or untucked, and feels relaxing and easy around the chest and biceps.

What to Look for in Golf Shirts

Stretch: 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.

Performance: 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 Wilson's All Seasons 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. Lastly, the fabric of golf shirts should be seriously lightweight to not restrict your movement or weigh you down.

Fit: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best fabric for golf shirts?
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.

Are golf shirts business casual?
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.

How to wear golf shirts?
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.

How We Selected

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. This article was updated in July 2023.

Why Trust Us

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.

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