Australian Open embraces new trends and younger audience

“The rules of different golf clubs can be conservative, but it is slowly changing as younger people take an interest. At some clubs, traditional collars are no longer required.”

The tug of war between tradition and trends played out at the 2024 US Masters when Australian golfer Jason Day became a viral sensation on social media wearing a logo vest from LA lifestyle brand Malbon. Event organisers requested that he ditch the attire.

This year, Day planned to push fashion boundaries further at the event, but organisers intervened again. “It would have been a lot crazier than last year,” Day said on Dan Rapaport’s Dan on Golf show.

Sydney brand Angus and Grace Go Golfing, founded by Matthew Burns, is part of golf’s fashion glow-up. From an understated boutique in Paddington’s chic William Street shopping strip, Burns creates preppy vests, shorts and polo shirts and quirky caps with the slogans “Golf daddy” and “Golf mummy”.

Angus and Grace Go Golfing’s approach is fashion evolution, not revolution. Burns is sticking with the collars.

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“All you really need for golf is a collar,” Burns says. “I always found the look way too sporty for what the function of golf needed to be. I try to make stuff that you can wear to golf, but you can wear when you’re not in the golf bubble, if you’re trying to go out for lunch or dinner afterwards.

“You can look like a bit of a goose in traditional golf gear.”

Since launching five years ago, Angus and Grace Go Golfing has grown beyond Paddington, with wholesale accounts that include collaborations with Royal Melbourne, Portsea Golf Club and clubs in the United States and New Zealand making up 70 per cent of the business.

“It’s about keeping the look simple and refined, rather than stretchy and bold,” Burns says.

Melbourne brand Found Golf has the bold aesthetic covered. Along with gender-inclusive oversized knit vests and pleated pants, bell-sleeved shirts and tee holders designed like cigarette packets challenge convention.

Designer Ellen Keillar and her partner Lance Peach have been applying a streetwear and community filter to the golf aesthetic for nearly two years.

“Lance is a muso and skater and when he started playing golf he did not see himself reflected in the clothes or the culture,” Keillar says.

“At first we thought it would be slapping some slogans on T-shirts, but it’s growing into its own beast that’s looking at how you honour the parts of golf that we like and shake things up where we feel like there could be room for more inclusion.”

Royal Melbourne is ready for the change.

“There is so much organic content from fashion gurus new to golf who are changing the landscape,” Beggs says. “At a local driving [range] last weekend, a general manager at a full driving range could not identify one piece of traditional golf clothing being worn – there is a whole new market of golf attire out there, and the Australian Open will be the place to see it.”

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