We’ve spent much of the year poking fun at the “scripting scourge” where golf equipment and apparel #brands release their players’ outfits for the week at a big tournament. It’s inconsequential and inane, but there seems to be breathless reaction every time a set of Rickie Fowler outfits or Tiger Woods outfits for some event are blasted out.
The much-anticipated USA Ryder Cup team uniforms are here!
The Ryder Cup is the only week where 12 adult millionaire golfers wear matching sweater vests, belts, and slacks. Here is this year’s uniform for the American side.
Mike Ehrmann
The Ryder Cup is a little different because it’s an actual team uniform, and it’s always fun to see these 12 grown men wearing the same sweater vest and pair of trousers. The clothes often look realllllly bad, and some of these uniforms over the years have been the worst looks of these players’ careers.
#TBT to the 2006 US Ryder Cup team: Stewart Cink, Vaughn Taylor, Scott Verplank, and JJ Henry. #MassacreAtKClub pic.twitter.com/TQryWuL77V
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) July 31, 2014 The unfortunate outfit combinations happen on both sides.
Luckily, the USA unis are actually pretty good this year, and seem close to what they wore at 2012 at Medinah. Here’s the Friday-Saturday-Sunday lineup from Ralph Lauren (via PGA of America)
Exclusive look @RyderCupUSA uniforms by @RalphLauren, Official Outfitter of U.S. team. More to come on @GolfChannel pic.twitter.com/wOzkbPVa0F
— PGA of America (@pgaofamerica) September 3, 2014 Given some of the past combos, it could be a lot worse.
Beyond the look, there’s sometimes even functionality disasters. At the 2010 Ryder Cup in Wales, where the weather was expected to be rough, the U.S. team’s rain suits, part of the uniform combo reportedly put together by captain Corey Pavin’s wife, did not actually stop the rain from soaking through.
The disastrous 2010 USA rain suits, via Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty.
The rain suits also inhibited the swing. It was so bad that some opted to play without them even as it poured at Celtic Manor.
Photo via Andy Lyons
The PGA of America rushed to a nearby merchandise outlet to get new ones set up for the rest of the typically spotty UK weather week. With a return to Britain this year, the PGA of America should be triple-testing those things again.
