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Maide’s new apparel collection excels from top to bottom

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When Maide launched just over a year ago, the rookie golf apparel label had a very simple, but audacious goal in mind — design a great-looking pair of pants that will fit better than any other trousers in your closet.

If Bonobos, Maide’s parent company, does one thing really well, it’s pants. The company has at least 45 varieties of cotton twill, corduroy and wool trousers that aspire to achieve a made-to-measure fit at ready-to-wear prices. Branching out into golf seemed like a no-brainer, especially considering many of the company’s executives are avid golfers, including Ian Velardi. As the Director of Design at Bonobos and head designer for Maide, Velardi is responsible for fabric and trim sourcing, garment development and color direction for both brands.

“We built such a healthy business with Bonobos and we have this built-in customer base,” Velardi says. “I think a lot of our Bonobos customers are golfers and it just made sense to cater to them (especially since we’re known for our pants). Plus, we didn’t see anything out there in the market that was indicative of being the ideal golf pant.”

The new Fall 2014 collection from Maide is what software engineers would affectionately describe as being fully baked. The Spring collection of past years had pieces that played well together, but the colorful light sweaters and golf shirts always seemed like a secondary consideration. The new collection is thoughtful and all grown up. Pants continue to be the strength of the line, but the new sweaters and outerwear pieces designed by Velardi haven’t missed a detail, blending a sophisticated style with all the performance and fit a Maide customer has come to expect from the brand.

maide-collection

Vintage golf inspirations are the brand’s DNA. The brand is designed to appeal to a customer who cares about what he wears to the course, but doesn’t want anyone to think he has a team stylists consulting him. If you want to identify with a style icon, think of a young Arnold Palmer. Or a Davis Love III. Or an Adam Scott.

“Our idea of the customer is based on a person who lives in the city and is fashion-conscious, but is also active,” Velardi says. “He wants to look good and be comfortable, but doesn’t want to look like their dad on the golf course. He wants to wear something that has more attention to detail and especially attention to fit. It’s still rooted in classic American feel, but is modernized.”

The best-selling Highland pant ($108) which combines superior fit with standout performance thanks to a breathable poly fabric has been updated for the season with a new button enclosure, more subtle branding and new colors that include khaki, black, navy, grey, white, stone, sapphire, deep pine and toasted coconut.

maide-highland

The pant comes in two fits: slim and standard. The slim fit is a little narrower overall, noticeably tapered through the leg. The standard fit is far from boxy; it’s actually a little trimmer than the Polo RLX line and features a slit zipper on the bottom of each leg, allowing you to adjust the drape as needed. Both editions of the Highland pant feature a curved waistband that promotes a snug, but comfortable fit. A silicone strip sewn into the waist keeps your shirt from riding up and out of your pants as you’re swinging a club. The pockets, which tend to be a forgotten-about feature for most golf apparel brands, are also well thought out. There’s ample room in both the front and back pockets for stashing scorecards, tees, balls and yardage books.

MaideGolf

As good as the pants look (and they look great), they perform even better. The poly stretch fabric allows complete freedom of movement and there’s never any bunching or sagging. They’re the kind of pants you can wash repeatedly, never bother to iron and yet depend on retaining a fresh-off-the-hanger look.

Not to be outdone, Maide also offers a trouser made from premium Italian cotton with a hint of stretch. The Palmetto ($138) is a step up the style ladder. The pants are classically tailored and feature adjustable tabs at the waist in place of belt loops. These pants are more than capable of handling a round of golf. Pair them up with one of Maide’s new fall sweaters that are designed to keep you warm without adding bulk. The Duke of Argyle cotton v-neck ($88) takes an age-old fashion trope and reinterprets it into an understated diamond knit pattern. Maide also offers a slightly more performance-oriented crew-neck they affectionally call the Dew Sweeper ($98) made from a blend of Woolmark Coolmax and extra-fine merino wool.

maide-dew

Velardi loves the challenge of designing active apparel that doesn’t scream golf clothing.

“We have this idea that we like to call stealth tech,” Velardi says. “Our clothing is not overly technical like say the stuff from Puma. Ours are in the fibers — the stuff you can’t see. This way you can still perform but you’re not going to look like you’re wearing really technical clothes.”

Within the new collection, the lifestyle influence is unmistakably imprinted on outerwear. The brand strikes a bold move introducing a navy blazer ($298). It’s a stylish two-button jacket made from 100 percent premium Italian cotton knit piqué that can survive being unceremoniously rolled up in a ball and shoved into a golf bag. It’s a great accessory to have on hand and slip into at a country club or an upscale golfing event.

maide-duke

Maide’s other outerwear piece, a golf vest, is wearable on and off the course. The Wescoe ($168) is Velardi’s favorite item from the new collection and that isn’t surprising. The outside of the vest is a poly shell that is water-resistant and wind-proof. The inner lining is 100 percent cotton. It’s actually pretty warm for a light-weight jacket.

The vest features a packable hood and snap pockets, plus a hidden storage pocket in the back. It’s versatile enough to handle just about anything Mother Nature throws at you this season apart from a good, old-fashioned downpour. From a performance standpoint, The Wescoe is extremely comfortable to wear and swing in a club in. It’s going to make believers out of many golfers who tend to struggle to find a jacket that mimics the comfort of a golf shirt.

“We paid a lot of attention to the shape of the arm-hole so that it gives you a lot of good arm movement and mobility,” Velardi says. “The shoulder point-to-point is pretty narrow so that it doesn’t overhang and get in the way of your swing.”

maide-westcoe

Maide’s fall collection is available for purchase directly through the Bonobos website. The parent company launched in 2007 as an e-commerce-driven retailer focused on delivering a world-class fit and superior customer service. In 2011, Bonobos expanded its services offline, opening a handful of showrooms called Guideshops where customers could work one-on-one with a stylist to experience the brand in person.

In keeping with the company’s expansion opportunities, Maide can also be purchased on the web at Trendy Golf and Trunk Club. The brand has also developed relationships with New York Golf Center, PGA Tour Superstore and a growing list of exclusive green grass shops including but not limited to Shinnecock Hills, Medalist and Aronimink golf clubs.

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Rusty Cage is a contributing writer for GolfWRX, one of the leading publications online for news, information and resources for the connected golfer. His articles have covered a broad spectrum of topics - equipment and apparel reviews, interviews with industry leaders, analysis of the pro game, and everything in between. Rusty's path into golf has been an unusual one. He took up the game in his late thirties, as suggested by his wife, who thought it might be a good way for her husband to grow closer to her father. The plan worked out a little too well. As his attraction to the game grew, so did his desire to take up writing again after what amounted to 15-year hiatus from sports journalism dating back to college. In spite of spending over a dozen years working in the technology sector as a backend programmer in New York City, Rusty saw an opportunity with GolfWRX and ran with it. A graduate from Boston University with a Bachelor's in journalism, Rusty's long term aspirations are to become one of the game's leading writers, rising to the standard set by modern-day legends like George Peper, Mark Frost and Dan Jenkins. GolfWRX Writer of the Month: August 2014 Fairway Executive Podcast Interview http://golfindustrytrainingassociation.com/17-rusty-cage-golf-writer (During this interview I discuss how golf industry professionals can leverage emerging technologies to connect with their audience.)

12 Comments

12 Comments

  1. Sean P

    Nov 17, 2014 at 8:24 am

    Wish we could get this in the UK, looks good.

  2. nikkyd

    Nov 14, 2014 at 11:37 pm

    Wow! My $20 izods shorts from the mens department at jcpenny have green rubbery silicone stuff on the inside of the waistband too! I want to know what brand the big boys like els, mickelson, weekly, dejong wear. That skinny slack look looks terrible on guys like me. And uncomfortable too!

    • nikkyd

      Nov 14, 2014 at 11:40 pm

      I may add also, the best golf outfit i ever did see, was worn by kevin costner in Tin Cup. In the scene where he qualifies for the open. With a 7 iron. Now thats an outfit. Not loud, but nice looking and probably better yet…comfortable

  3. Pat

    Nov 14, 2014 at 5:53 pm

    100+dollars for a pair of trousers??? I’m not rich by any stretch of the imagination but I’m not dirt poor either. Even if I had the money to throw away on this brand I would rather spend it on golf lessons. This proves that golf is definitely for the wealthy and is becoming more out of reach for the “common” man.

  4. Arnold P.

    Nov 14, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    The fit looks a little too much like skinny jeans for me. I’ll stick with my tailor.

  5. Tip o'kneel

    Nov 14, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    A silicone strip SOWN into the waist keeps your shirt from riding up and out of your pants as YOUR swinging a club.

    • Ron R.

      Nov 14, 2014 at 3:00 pm

      You’re. Smartipants.

      • Tip

        Nov 14, 2014 at 3:53 pm

        Look, if I’m going to be subjected to product pushing, then the least you can do is proof your work. If I put this in front of a client, I’d get laughed out of the room.

        Btw…the pants are a nice pick up if you have an opportunity…

  6. Drew R.

    Nov 14, 2014 at 2:11 pm

    I love the Highland pants and maide sweaters. I would prefer if they created some shirts with moisture wicking materials.

  7. Jamie Eck

    Nov 14, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    I just got a pair of these pants and they are great. My favorite part is the material they have around the inside of the waistband. It keeps your shirt tucked in at all times without feeling like it is pulling it down.

  8. AZ Golfman

    Nov 14, 2014 at 11:41 am

    Being 6’5″, its always been hard to find good golf pants that fit well. Once i found out that bonobos sold 36″ inseam, my prayers were answered! i have several pairs of bonobos pants that i wear for work and golf and the fit is very tailored. I get compliments on them all the time.

  9. Peter Kratsios

    Nov 14, 2014 at 10:36 am

    I have been playing golf for 10 years and have never been loyal to a clothing brand before this year. However, that changed when I bought a pair of the Highland pants at the beginning of golf season, and realized how much a quality pair of pants influenced the golf swing. I have several pants and even a few golf shirts from Maide.

    Love what you guys are doing over there, keep it up!

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.

From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.

Specs/ Additional Details

-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)

-Original Anser Design

-PING PP58 Grip

-Putter is built to standard specs.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Inside Collin Morikawa’s recent golf ball, driver, 3-wood, and “Proto” iron changes

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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.

The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.

On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.

Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.

At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.

“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.

Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.

“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.

“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.” 

In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.

Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.

On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.

According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.

“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.” 

See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here. 

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Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage

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Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.

It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.

When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”

“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”

 

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According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.

Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:

“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.

“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.

“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.

“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.

“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”

So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.

His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.

See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here

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