News

Heritage in the making: Callaway’s new Tour Authentic Collection

Published

8 years ago

Jun 27, 2018

Callaway Apparel announced the launch of the new Tour Authentic Collection, which the company describes as “an exclusive and concise collection of ultra-premium garments.”

Two years in research and development, leaders in technical apparel specifically designed the apparel for the formal and functional needs of golfers looking for heritage styles in modern incarnations.

“We are excited to bring the exclusive Tour Authentic collection to market,” stated Gregg Hemphill, Senior Director Global Soft Goods and Licensing at Callaway Golf. “Tour Authentic’s upscale men’s golf apparel is appealing to all customers, whether or not they enjoy the game of golf, thanks to active styles that go far beyond the fairway. Callaway Apparel pledges innovation, quality, and performance, which have always been our core attributes.”

The 2018 Tour Authentic Collection includes polos, 100% cashmere sweaters, shorts, and pants; all of which are crafted from high-quality materials, and all of which feature a range of precisely considered technologies.

To talk through this unique collection and its development, I spoke with Alexander DePallo, Brand and Marketing Manager for Callaway Apparel.

BA: Where did this collection come from? It’s a departure from Callaway’s usual apparel philosophy. What was development like?

AD: Basically, over the past year-and-a-half we…as Callaway Apparel, pivoted in our strategy in adjusting our business model. In the past, we had been very focused on department stores and wider outlets, versus now, we’re pivoting and implementing that pricing, we’ve closed up our distribution we’ve made it more focused on selling full-priced products, golf specialty…honing on on where golfers are going to buy product and elevating the full platform for Callaway Apparel.

We’ve really been building up our green grass presence…We’ve found that at these high-end green grass locations, we didn’t have products that were meeting their needs. Our design team went out and had the task to build a luxury golf line that’s build for high-end green grass. That is what Tour Authentic is.

They spent 18 months developing the products. They went to five different countries; pulling fabrics from Japan, from Germany, from Switzerland, finding the right materials and coming up with product construction that was not in the market. Looking at the solid poly with the Japanese yarn or the Mongolian cashmere sweaters or the Schoeller fabric in the pants…there’s so much technology but still a refined craftsmanship.

BA: Taking a look at the polo shirts. Merino wool. Japanese yarn. Mercerized cotton. Some quality materials there but also plenty of technology…

AD: With the polos, we wanted to have a variety of materials while making sure we’re meeting the demand of the higher-end consumer. It’s a more tailored fit. The materials are of a more substantial quality. The Japanese yarn. The Merino wool–that’s something you don’t see in the market. We’ve gotten great feedback on the wool. The mercerized cotton with the moisture management technology…that’s only in our cotton polos…you have no white marks, no sweat marks through the shirt. It’s incredible.

Really having high-quality construction with a tailored fit, and repeatable: all of the seams are laser cut and seam sealed. There are no seams when it comes to the sleeves and the placket…there’s no stitching on that…even down to the detail of the alloy buttons, there’s just such an attention to detail, and we’ve very proud of what we have. We had 99 percent sell through at Whistling Straits within 60 days.

This collection is only available at high-end green grass shops and on our website. It’s very limited. There’s probably about 35 U.S. clubs that are carrying it and probably 25-30 in the U.K.

BA: Great. So how about a bit about the Mongolian cashmere sweater? Obviously, the sweater has historically been a staple of the golfer’s wardrobe, but on the Tour, it’s kind of been overtaken by performance layers and shells. I’m not sure if the same is true for golfers at higher-end courses. And certainly, the sweater has a measure of versatility the zip-up wind jacket doesn’t. I assume that’s part of the idea?

AD: Right. This Mongolian long staple cashmere is truly the best that you can get. We wanted to have a piece that, exactly as you said, our target consumer is going to wear this on the golf course, but also in the grill room, and the board room. This is a piece that can transition. It’s a little more refined versus performance material or outerwear…this person wants something that’s different, more refined, more dressy.

We didn’t want to be just like everybody else and just do a high-performance cotton quarter-zip. We wanted to do something different than what’s in the market…this piece is refined, but it still has a tailored fit and has some performance elements to it. It’s going to complete the look.

BA: The pants and shorts have a wealth of technology, and honestly, I could have seen you going with a cotton or cotton blend and calling it a day, but these seem to blend traditional elements of, say, a cotton or wool dress pant with some modern features. I imagine finding the right balance was a process?

AD: Yeah. These really bridge the gap between the person that only wears traditional cotton and the person that wants performance. It’s a blend [cotton/nylon/elastane]. The Schoeller technology is truly unbelievable. I do this test kind of to show the product off…I’ll take a glass of water and pour a quarter glass of water on the pants then flip the pants up and they’ll be totally dry.

So that will pique your interest, but in addition to that, the weight, the cut, all of that it..it has more of a feel like a traditional trouser, but it has this performance element to it and it has more of a tailored fit. It’s got your active waistband, but it’s not the overtly loud…active waistband you’re used to seeing in the more athletic brands. We keep it tight in that it’s two color: navy and khaki and every polo can work with those two. It’s different from what we’re doing in our main line. And it’s different from what you’re going to see in the market.

BA: Anything else you’d like the readership to know, before I let you off the hook?

AD: This is all very much in the infancy stages. In the fall, we’ll have a new array of products. We’re going to continue this line, and we’re really excited about the potential it has.

BA: Right. Because this is kind of a concept, a philosophy, that’s evolving, and this is the first articulation of that, right? You can expand it. You can take it into other realms.

AD: We say, “heritage in the making.” Paying homage to what was. Having that classical style, but with the really technical, forward-thinking construction and materials. We think that blend is very interesting and finds a niche in the market.

You can check out Callaway’s Tour Authentic Collection here. Additionally, Callaway Apparel’s VP of Product Design, Lupe Benitez, joined Michael Williams on the 19th Hole podcast (10:15 mark).

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase