Over the last few years I’ve seen a lot of golf products, seen a lot of golf brands, and met a lot of people in the golf industry.
But there are only a couple that have truly impacted my life on an ongoing basis.
One is Arccos Golf, which I use nearly every round I play.
The other? Holderness and Bourne.
Holderness and Bourne is a golf apparel and accessory company that takes modern tradition and style and updates it for the 21st century.
I first met John Bourne and Alex Holderness at the PGA Show a few years back, and knew right away that I was going to like what they were up to.
They recognized that most golf apparel that was on the market, was either boxy and ill fitting, or over the top expensive – and they wanted to create a company that married a classic tailored fit, at a price point that made you feel good about your purchase.
And that’s exactly what they’ve done.
I personally wear Holderness and Bourne shirts for at least 80% of the rounds I play.
For quick trips, I travel with my Holderness and Bourne Byers Duffel, which always nets me at least a compliment or two.
I’ve written about their bags, and some of their most popular shirts in the past, but to be honest 2018 is their best year yet, and I want to give you an update on what’s been happening with the brand.
Global Recognition
One of the biggest developments for Holderness and Bourne is the fact they can now be found in over 200 of the best golf shops in the world.
We’re talking Pine Valley, Merion, NGLA, LACC – the list goes on and on and on.
To see a company that was just an idea 5 years ago, to now being recognized by the most elite golf properties in the world has been cool to see.
But it’s not hard to see why.
Not only are some of the biggest clubs in the world taking notice, but some of the biggest golf apparel brands are starting to notice too.
I won’t name any names, but there are a handful of companies that have been around for decades whose polos are starting to look an awful lot like H&B this season.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery….right?
But what about the products themselves?
Robbins Sweaters
This is the update I’m most excited for and what I’ve been waiting a long time for.
These days a quarter zip is a staple in my wardrobe year round, both on and off the course. It just works for me, and is what I’m often most comfortable in.
The Robbins was introduced in 2017 as their first foray into sweaters, and with some small updates in 2018, it’s better than ever.
The fit is tailored without being too tight, their performance fabric blend makes wearing it comfortable even when there are some temperature swings, and they added a nice touch with the chrome zipper pull that dresses it up a bit.
I’d have no problem wearing this to the office, but since I work from home, the golf course or casual dinners around town will have to suffice.
One thing I like is that they’ve listened to their customer’s feedback. Not everyone rocks a perfect athletic build and needs a super tailored fit.
So they told me the small and medium sizes are the most tailored, while larger sizes are “more accommodative” as they put it. This means regardless of body size you can still enjoy the style and quality their apparel provides.
And at $125? It’s a fantastic price point for a product with so much thought put into it.
Sure it’s not the cheapest sweater out there, but if you’ve read my reviews, you know I’d rather pay a little bit more for fewer, higher quality pieces.
They also launched the Robbins in a vest with all the same attributes, so if that’s more your style, you can grab that here.
For 2018 they’ve also launched a more lightweight quarter zip called the Westland ($98), and some fantastic vests as well.
The Byers Duffel: Navy Ballistic
As I mentioned above, I still use my original Byers Duffel that I got years ago for any trip under 5 days. This thing is amazing.
And because I like it so much, I was excited to finally update my look and check out the new Navy Ballistic version of the Byers this summer.
To say I wasn’t disappointed would be an understatement.
I think the bags, while not inexpensive, may be the best value H&B has. The Byers comes in at $265, but it looks and feels like a designer bag that should be double the price.
The ballistic nylon is extremely durable, and if I were to check it, I’m much less worried about hurting it as I was my other wool bag. The nickel plated hardware looks sharp, and the attention to detail with the template hole lining is super cool.
But my favorite feature is probably the the waterproof compartment for your golf shoes. These guys clearly know their audience.
New Polo Styles
Every year Holderness and Bourne is continuously making improvements both small and large to their polos.
I remember (and still have) one of the very first iterations of the product. The fit was fantastic, but the durability, and finish wasn’t quite there.
Now 5 years later, it’s clear things are firing on all cylinders and they have a great mix of performance and cotton shirts, that are great regardless of the conditions.
Last week I was in Singapore and playing in ridiculously humid weather. So I donned one of the performance Maxwell shirts (which is my personal favorite of their tech shirts)
That night, on my quest to go to the Top 50 bars in the world, I slipped into a mostly cotton Herron shirt which looks just as good off the course as it does on it.
The flexibility their styles provide is great, and each brings something slightly different to the table.
For the last two years, I’ve selected Holderness & Bourne as the only company I go to for our official Eighty Club polos for our members.
Some Closing Thoughts
It’s been really fun to watch the evolution of the brand go from two guys with an idea, to becoming one of the most notable new clothing brands in golf.
Not only have stylish golfers taken note, but many of the best clubs in the world have as well, and you better believe whenever I get that invite to Pine Valley, the logo shirt I’m picking up? It’s gonna be Holderness and Bourne.
I can’t recommend the brand highly enough. They’re truly one of the best in the biz.
