Once Upon a Time, Izod Ruled Golf Fashion

I know I'm not the only one who spent a considerable amount of time back in the day in the golf section of the closest Izod outlet store near my childhood home.

At the height of my golf career, at the ripe old age of seven, my parents had zero intentions of taking me to big department and sporting good stores. Full retail prices for a kid? Yeah right! I had to graduate to that level, and until I was old enough, my adolescent wardrobe consisted of whatever I could get my little hands on when we'd go to the outlet mall.

And personally, I don't think we don't give outlets enough credit. They aren't graveyards for apparel, but rather a playground of undiscovered gems. Not everything is a miss, you just have to know what kind of treasure you're looking for. When I was that young, nothing else mattered to me other than the fact that my parents gave me $50 to spend on whatever I wanted.

From the Polo and Lacoste stores, to the holy mecca of early 2000s American middle class fashion—Izod—my golf looks were masterclass of plaid, argyle, and of course, Bermuda shorts.

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Izod had some traction on the professional circuit with players like Kevin Na, Webb Simpson, and Cameron Wilson on its roster, but when I think about the glory days of the brand and its signature diamond patterned sweaters, it was almost always adjacent to what everyday golfers were wearing.

Something about it just felt approachable—like you could teeter the line of preppy-ness without going off the deep end into pretentiousness. It was something I could wear to school, run around on the playground in, and then go practice my chipping at my First Tee in the evenings.

There was no greater feeling than throwing together a perfectly color-coordinated outfit, matching the pink hues of my sweater to the tiny lines of my plaid shorts. I felt like a million bucks.

I had tucked these sentimental feelings about Izod into the back of my mind, but when discussing my golf style habits growing up with former LPGA Tour player Mel Reid and NBC Sports broadcaster Kira Dixon on their podcast Quiet Please with Mel and Kira, back in December and they helped me unlock these core memories.

Reminiscing over argyle polos and sweaters really warms the heart. But it made me wonder, where is Izod now?

One look at their site confirmed a few things for me—they remain to be one of the most affordable brands on the market, with many of their items going for $70 or less—and as a society, we have moved away from the iconic geometric pattern. (I'm calling for a comeback!) Izod has now leaned into solid colors with the occasional striped polo or micro-printed floral. What a shame, if I'm being honest. Perhaps my judgement is being clouded by waves of nostalgia, but in a time where fashion trends from my middle school days are resurfacing, I can't help but wish that I still had some of that old garb.

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You wouldn't catch me dead in a pair of Bermudas, but I could totally lean into the retro vibe of classic argyle. Recession indicator jokes be damned.

So Izod, if you're listening, consider a throwback collection, pretty please?

This page was first published on December 5, 2025. Last updated May 19, 2026.