The 2009 St. Jude Classic regining champion Brian Gay will defend his title at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee this weekend wearing the latest line of clothing from the hip Canadian golf apparel company, Sligo Wear. We previewed the Sligo Wear 2010 Spring Collection in January at the PGA Merchandise Show and were quite impressed by their offerings and couldn’t wait to get our hands on the new lineup.

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Sligo Windshirt Half Sleeve- Black $86

Living in Chicago, you have to contend with blustery winds when playing golf and you don’t necessarily want to wear full sleeves, because they can constrict your range of motion. Sligo offers a windshirt with half sleeves, that is made from a very soft and quiet water repellent polyester lycra fabric. The half zip jacket is cut on the generous side to allow for layering and features Sligo Green mesh lining to help keep you cool and the fabric from sticking. The Sligo silk-screened logo inside the neck flap of the zipper, and side zippers on the hip for easy access are nice little details on the windshirt. The Sligo logo that runs across the shoulder blade area on the back of the windshirt, give it a nice dynamic look without being overly bold.

Performance wise the lightweight fabric on the windshirt does a nice job of blocking the wind and allowing the jacket to move with your body, thanks to the use of lycra. As an added bonus the polyester fabric is also water repellent and beads water nicely, keeping you dry during light rain showers.

If you’re looking for a lightweight and functional windshirt, that has a little flare, then check out the Sligo Windshirt Half Sleeve.

Sligo Digitile Golf Pants-Platinum $125

My favorite piece from the Sligo Spring 2010 Collection has to be the Digitile print that is used in the Sligo Golf Pants and golf shirts. The Digitile print is inspired by Morrocan tile dating back to the 14th century. This art form flourished during the Hispano-Moresque era and is still prevalent in Spanish and Portuguese architecture today.

The Digitile golf pants in Platinum Digitile are made from a Poly/Lycra fabric that has a very subtle pattern, that almost looks kind of like snake skin at first glance. The hand of the fabric is similar to a polyester ripstop fabric, which make the pants very durable for play on the course. I was bit skeptical that the fabric would be very breathable or flexible, but I was surprised how well it stretched and kept me cool. I recommend you pair them with the Sligo Gator in white or solid color golf shirt.

The Sligo Platinum Digitile are a great pair of golf pants that are guaranteed to turn heads when wearing them on the course.

Sligo O’Brien Golf Shirt-Platinum $69

We reviewed the Sligo O’Brien golf shirt last year, but the 2010 version is made from a new and improved technical polyester jersey fabric that is moisture wicking, has built-in UV protection, Anti-Microbial, and has 4 way mechanical stretch.

The pattern on the O’Brien has been updated in 2010, which only displays the diamond argyle print on the front and back. What I loved about the updated version of O’Brien is the new technical jersey fabric which is silky soft and feels great against your skin. The athletic cut of the O’Brien is the perfect silhouette for golfers who don’t want a baggy golf shirt, that their dad would wear. The sleeves are the perfect length, cut right at the bicep. No more having to bunch up your sleeves when addressing the golf ball and the fabric moves better with your body, thanks to the 4 way mechanical stretch fabric.

On hot days, the O’Brien does a nice job of wicking moisture and keeping you from smelling bad. I can’t really tell how well the fabric did in providing UV protection, but it gave me piece of mind that it was baked into the fabric.

The updated O’Brien golf shirt is worth another look.

Sligo Scriver Golf Shirt-Ice $69

The Scriver golf shirt is made from the same new technical polyester jersey fabric like the O’Brien, and performs well in keeping you cool and dry. The shirt also features an athletic cut, with a four button placket, and a dynamic graphic on the chest. The graphic reminded me of the windshield of a commercial airliner with its sweeping lines. The graphic intersects the 4 button placket and continues to the other side that features the Sligo logo.

The Scriver is great looking shirt that will appeal to golfers looking for a dynamic print, that isn’t busy.

Sligo Gator Golf Shirt-White $75

With a name like Gator, you’d probably think it’s short for Alligator? That’s not the case, its the name for the technical polyester pique shirt from Sligo which features a “L” stripe that runs along the left shoulder and armpit and runs across the shoulder blades on the back.Again, Sligo takes the ordinary golf shirt and adds a slight twist with this design.

The polyester pique fabric on the Gator doesn’t have as nice of a hand like the technical polyester jersey fabric in the O’Brien and Scriver golf shirts, but it does give the shirt a nice texture. The Gator has the same wicking , UV protection, anti-microbial, and 4 way stretch, like the other Sligo shirts we talked about above.

This is the most expensive of the golf shirts we tested from Sligo, but also one of the more interesting of the three patterns, with its fluid “L” stripe. If you want a golf shirt that feels more like a polo shirt, than check out the Sligo Gator.

Sligo Vibe Belt -Ice with Matte Nickel Finish Buckle $72

Want to add a little flare to your golf outfit, than you need to get a belt that has a little style to dress up your look. The Sligo Vibe belt in Ice does just that. The Italian leather belt features a matte nickel buckle that isn’t your typical rectangle, but cut on a angle. The angle cut, features the Sligo logo and looks great on an off the golf course. You really can’t go wrong with this belt.

The 2010 Sligo Wear Spring Collection is probably Sligo’s best collection to date and look forward to trying out their Fall Collection.

www.sligowear.com

Sligo Wear is all about fusing fashion and performance when it comes to golf apparel and the 2010 Summer and Fall collections from Sligo continue to deliver with it’s most dynamic collection to date.

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Sligo doesn’t take your typical approach of designing their apparel from the current trends in the golf fashion, instead they get the inspiration from fashion globally and non-golf apparel.

Digitile Trousers

Digitile is a new Sligo design influenced by Moroccan tile dating back to the 14th century. This art form flourished during the Hispano-Moresque era and is still prevalent in Spanish and Portuguese architecture today. The Digitile trousers in Platinum Digitile are made from a Poly/Lycra materials and the pattern is very subtle, almost looks kind of like snake skin at first glance.  Truly a unique pair of golf pants, guaranteed to make you stand apart from others on the course.

O’Brien

The O’Brien golf shirt which we reviewed last year has gotten an update, with only displaying the argyle diamond print on the front and back. The O’Brien is made from a technical polyester jersey that wicks moisture from your skin, has a UV protectant, anti-microbial, and 4 way mechanical stretch.

Hadden

When designing the Hadden, Sligo thought about how they could change up your typical horizontal strip golf shirt. The solution, remove a portion of the stripe diagonally across the chest to break up the horizontal stripes and create visual interest. Made from the same technical polyester jersey that wicks moisture from your skin, has a UV protectant, anti-microbial, and 4 way mechanical stretch.

Laurer

When you view the Laurer golf shirt from the front, it looks like your typical solid color golf shirt. Don’t let the unassuming front of the Laurer fool you. It’s when you view the back of the shirt do you see a modified version of the Digitile print running along the back of shoulders, that sets this shirt apart from others. The Laurer is made from the same technical polyester jersey that wicks moisture from your skin, has a UV protectant, anti-microbial, and 4 way mechanical stretch.

Gator

With a name like Gator, you’d probably think it’s short for Alligator? That’s not the case, its the name for the technical polyester pique shirt from Sligo which features a “L” stripe that runs along the left shoulder and armpit and runs across the shoulder blades on the back. Again, Sligo takes the ordinary golf shirt and adds a slight twist with this design. The Gator has the same wicking , UV protection, anti-microbial, and 4 way stretch, like the other Sligo shirts.

I think Sligo has done a great job of mixing things up for 2010 Summer and Fall collections. Same Game. New Vibe.

www.sligowear.com

Over the last few years I’ve noticed that there are more and more golf apparel options available to consumers. Gofler’s are beginning to understand that what you wear on the golf course is great way of expressing yourself to others.  And one company in particular is taking golf fashion to a new level with it’s fusion of style and performance in it’s line of golf apparel. That company is Toronto, Canada based Sligo Wear.

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Sligo may not be a well known brand name, but its cutting edge designs, bright colors, and fitted cuts help define the golfer. One such golfer leading the charge is Brian Gay who has won several victories this season, which include the St. Jude Classic and Verizon Heritage Championship sporting apparel from Sligo Wear. I was lucky enough to try out a few of their more popular apparel items.

Sligo Mentor and O’Brien Golf Shirts

The Sligo Mentor Polo looks like your basic golf polo made from 100% moisture wicking material, but the hue of orange that is used has a really nice orange-red appearance that is quite pleasing to the eye. The first thing I noticed when wearing the Mentor polo was the slim athletic fit of the shirt, that ran true to size. The sleeves are nicely tapered and hang right above your biceps, so they don’t get in the way of your golf swing, and the left sleeve features the Sligo logo in cursive. I also liked the four button placard of the Mentor polo that gives the shirt a nice deep v-neck, than the traditional two button golf polo. The polyester moisture wicking fabric has a nice feel to it and nice non-shinny appearance, that did a great job of wicking moisture from my skin on hot days.

The O’Brien golf shirt in Ivory is a more interesting looking because it features an outlined argyle print over the left chest and back shoulder in a color combination of cleveland brown, vegas pink, and white with the sligo logo written in script in the print and in cursive on the left sleeve. The colors don’t necessarily read brown and pink, they are actually more close to a lighter shade of burgundy and dark olive green in my opinion. The cut and the fit of the O’Brien are similar to the Mentor polo with the sleeves being tapered and hitting right above the bicep, four button placard, and athletic fit. What I liked about the O’Brien is the argyle print that gave it a throwback look, with a modern twist. Performance wise the 100% moisture wicking polyester fabric did a good job of keeping me cool and dry.

Sligo Golf Shorts

Golf shorts by Sligo come in a color called Cleveland Brown, which like I mentioned in the O’Brien golf shirt doesn’t read brown at all, but more dark olive green. The cut of the Sligo shorts is not as fitted as I would expect, even for a pair of flat front shorts. I found the fit to be a bit on the baggy side and the crease on the front gave the shorts a pleated look to them, even though they were flat front. The length of the shorts came right above my knees and weren’t too long or too short and are a good length for golf shorts. The shorts are made from 65% Polyester, 32% Rayon, and 3% Lycra for a 2-way stretch. I liked the small details in the Sligo shorts which included the Sligo cursive logo on the back pocket and the contrast lime green piping on the interior band of the shorts. The shorts were not too heavy and moved with your body and the front pockets were nice a deep. Overall a nice pair of golf shorts, if you don’t mind the slightly baggy cut.

Durability wise both the golf shirts and golf shorts from Sligo held up very well after being washed and didn’t have any problems with shrinkage from washing or color fading.

The only drawback I could find with Sligo Wear is the price point for the O’Brien golf shirt at $75. I’m not sure that most consumers would pay that much for a golf shirt, in this economy, even if it’s stylish.

Overall, Sligo Wear is a great alternative to your typical golf shirt and perfect for the golfer looking for the perfect balance of style and performance in their golf clothing.

Sligo Mentor Polo $55, Sligo O’Brien Golf Shirt $75,  Sligo Golf Shorts $65

http://sligowear.com/