Golf shirt or polo shirt: what’s the difference?

Golf shirts on the market today feature a roomier chest, larger arm holes, longer elbow-length sleeves, and a longer shirt tail. Oversized features allow freedom of movement during the golf swing.

The cool weather material is made from 100% polyester that will keep you cool on those hot and humid days in the links. Due to moisture wicking technology, this material wicks sweat away from the skin to keep you dry. When your skin is dry, you naturally feel cooler. Antibacterial finish helps eliminate body odor. If you tend to sweat a lot I recommend this type of material. Stay away from 100% cotton material for your golf shirts because when they get damp from perspiration or rain they tend to restrict your swing.

For added comfort, some manufacturers like Adidas and Izod heat their size labels on the neck to reduce comfort. Everyone has had a golf shirt that the size tag has rubbed off on you. Cutting it doesn’t help, it actually makes it worse. Then try to tape it up, it works for a while until the tape falls off and then back to the same situation. With the new tagless label you will never have this problem.

The new materials that manufacturers are using now will hold their shape and comfort level through many washes. The sun’s UV rays won’t fade them as much as heavy 100% cotton; these shirts tend to fade around the neck and shoulder areas from simply being out in the sun. This is especially true with darker colors.

The original features of the classic fit polo shirts are slightly smaller in the chest and sleeves. The sleeves extend to the middle of the bicep and the armholes are smaller. These features may restrict your golf swing somewhat if you intend to use it while playing golf. Stick to golf shirt for comfort.

There are two other polo styles to choose from. The custom fit polo is smaller in the chest, has shorter sleeves and a shorter tail. The fitted polo has the narrower chest of the two and is not made to be tucked into pants. Both of these styles will look good under a sports jacket, but they’re not recommended for a round of golf.

Both golf and polo shirts are designed to keep you cool and comfortable on the golf course or at a backyard cookout.

I’ve pointed out some of the differences in them, so now I hope you have more information at your disposal for your next purchase.