How To Dress To Win

You may have thought dressing well for a round of golf amounts to little more than checking your flies aren?t open. But turning up at the course looking like a member of the Lakeside darts crowd is likely to have a damaging effect on your game. As Mats Lundqvist, of performance golf gear brand Galvin Green, says, ?To play good golf you need to be comfortable in what you?re wearing.? With this in mind, we?ve put together the complete guide to get you wearing the right gear to maximise your chances regardless of the weather.

In the heat

Playing golf in stifling heat places any man in danger of developing unsightly sweat patches. So to help avoid these wardrobe faux pas, top clothing manufacturers have developed a number of materials that transport moisture from the surface of your body to the outer surface of the material, allowing a sweat patch-free look. These materials, as used in the Galvin Green "Coolmax" range, will also look smarter for longer. ?You can wash a "Coolmax" shirt up to100 times and the colours will not fade," says Lundqvist. "Plus, the shirts will dry within 15 minutes on a hanger so you won?t have to iron them.? That?ll keep the missus happy.

In the cold

During the winter, getting the balance right between staying warm and having enough freedom to swing properly has always been a tricky challenge. And while lambswool has the obvious benefit of being warm and light, wool, like cotton, will absorb moisture from your body. If sweat can't escape it has the unwanted effect of keeping your body cold. ?What you need is something that retains the warm air but allows the moisture to escape,? says Lundqvist. A new range of technologically advanced materials including Galvin Green?s insular fabric does exactly that while remaining light and easy to swing in.

In the wet

Staying dry in the rain is vital to keep your mind focused on the game. And for this, waterproof suits made from Gore-Tex are ideal. ?Gore-Tex is perfect in wet conditions because it allows the sweat to escape while providing an effective barrier against the rain,? says Lunqvist. It?s also windproof ? ideal on a blustery day even if it?s not raining.

Staying fresh

Unfortunately, sweat patches go hand in hand with body odour and wearing the wrong piece of kit on a hot day will have you smelling like Rik Waller in a sweet shop. So if you want to stay fresh, you?ll need materials next to your skin that are capable of killing odorous bacteria. According to Lundqvist, the materials used in Galvins Green's "Skintight" line incorporate the latest technology that, "will keep you smelling fresh throughout the round.?