Ten golf shirts compared on material, fit and breathability, each with a spec table and a checklist for picking one.
A golf shirt has one job that a normal polo does not: it has to move through a full turn without pulling at the shoulders, and it has to keep doing that when it is wet. Everything on this page is a performance polo with a collar, so it passes the dress code at any club, and the field runs from a 13 dollar polyester blend to a 55 dollar tour shirt. What changes as you go up is the hand of the fabric, the collar structure and how well the colour survives a season of washing.
What to look for in a golf shirt
Fabric first. Almost every shirt here is polyester with a few percent spandex, which is what gives moisture wicking and stretch at the same time. Pique knits have a textured surface that holds its shape and hides sweat; jersey knits feel softer and drape closer. Sun protection is the second number worth checking, and it is published far less often than it should be. The ratings in this list run from UPF 15 to UPF 50 plus, and the difference between them is real on a five hour round in July.
Then fit and collar. A classic or regular fit gives room through the shoulders for a full backswing, while athletic cuts look sharper and restrict more. A ribbed or structured collar stands up after washing, a soft self collar does not always. Finally, check the sizing note in the listing: two of the shirts below run large by a size, and a golf shirt that is a size too big flaps in the wind on every downswing.
- The one that looks like tour kitNike Dri-FIT Tour Golf Polo
- Best fabric for the moneyUnder Armour Performance 3.0
- Best published sun protectionColumbia Golf Drive Polo
- Cheapest way to fill a wardrobeTELALEO five pack
| Shirt | Fabric | Sun protection | Fit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nike Dri-FIT Tour Golf Polobest overall | Dri-FIT with 4 way stretch | Not published | Relaxed athletic, runs large | Looking the part on the first tee |
| Under Armour Performance 3.0most durable | Anti pick and anti pill knit | Not published | Regular | Shirts that survive the season |
| Callaway Fine Line Stripebest classic look | Opti-Dri stretch jersey | Built in, no rating given | Classic, big and tall available | A traditional club look |
| Columbia Golf Drive Polobest sun protection | Omni-Wick polyester | UPF 30 | Regular | Long rounds in full sun |
| PGA TOUR Airfluxmost breathable | Mesh ventilated knit | UPF 15 | Classic, big and tall available | Humid afternoons |
| TELALEO five packbest value | 95 percent polyester, 5 percent spandex | UPF rated, no figure given | Regular | Filling a wardrobe at once |
| DEOLAX Performance Polobest print | 93 percent polyester, 7 percent spandex | Not published | Classic cut, snug | Something other than a plain colour |
| Amazon Essentials Quick-Drybest plain polo | Polyester pique | Not published | Regular | A no fuss replacement shirt |
| Alex Vando Performancebest cheap stretch | 85 percent polyester, 15 percent spandex | UPF 40 plus | True to size regular | Stretch on a small budget |
| PINSPARK UPF 50 plus Polobest budget | 85 percent polyester, 15 percent spandex | UPF 50 plus | Regular | The highest sun rating for the least money |
The ten golf shirts in detail
- FabricDri-FIT moisture wicking knit
- Stretchfour way
- Collarstructured
- Brandingchest and back Swoosh
- Coloursseasonal and limited edition drops
- Fitrelaxed athletic cut that runs large
Best for: Golfers who want the shirt the players on television are wearing
This is the shirt to buy if you want the round to feel like an occasion. The fabric is the same Dri-FIT knit Nike puts on tour staff, the collar holds its shape, and the four way stretch means a full turn does not drag the hem out of your trousers.
Take the sizing warning seriously. The cut is relaxed and athletic, which in practice means one size larger than you expect, and a loose golf shirt billows in the wind. Order down a size and it fits the way it looks in the photographs.
Pros
- Dri-FIT is the reference wicking fabric and it dries faster than the budget blends here
- Four way stretch with a structured collar, so it moves through the swing and still stands up after a wash
- Seasonal colourways that are not the same three shades every other brand sells
- The chest and back Swoosh is the detail that makes it read as golf kit rather than a work polo
Cons
- Nike publishes no UPF figure for this shirt
- It runs large, and the listing itself tells you to order a size down
- At around 55 dollars it is the most expensive shirt in this list
- Fabrictextured soft knit with an anti pick and anti pill finish
- Stretchfour way
- Collarflat knit ribbed
- Placketupdated with low profile buttons
- Finishsnag free
- Dryingwicks sweat and dries fast
Best for: Anyone whose golf shirts go bobbly after one summer
Performance 3.0 is the version of this shirt that fixed the collar, and it is the reason it is still worth buying. Cheap polos die at the collar and the cuffs, where the knit goes wavy after ten washes, and the flat knit rib here does not.
The anti pick, anti pill finish matters for the same reason. Golf is played with a velcro glove strap and a bag rubbing one shoulder, and a snag free surface is what keeps the shirt presentable through a full season.
Pros
- The anti pick and anti pill finish is the one spec in this list aimed at how the shirt looks in year two
- A flat knit ribbed collar keeps its shape better than the self collars on cheaper shirts
- Low profile buttons sit flat under a sweater or a mid layer
- Four way stretch with a snag free surface, so a velcro glove strap does not pull threads
Cons
- Under Armour publishes no UPF figure
- At around 45 dollars it costs three times the budget shirts here
- The textured knit shows sweat more than a mesh fabric
- Fabricsoft jersey with stretch
- WickingOpti-Dri
- Sun protectionbuilt in, no rating published
- Collarsolid self collar
- Fitclassic with a roomy engineered cut
- Sizesregular plus big and tall
Best for: A traditional club where a plain shirt with a stripe is the safe answer
Callaway sells this shirt in more sizes than almost anyone, and that is the practical reason to pick it. The fine line stripe is the least contentious pattern in golf, the fit is cut for a swing rather than a torso, and Opti-Dri handles the sweat.
The compromise is the collar. A soft self collar looks better on the hanger than a ribbed one and holds its shape less well, so this is a shirt for the golfer who irons, not the one who pulls it out of a bag.
Pros
- Jersey fabrication feels softer against the skin than the pique knits here
- The classic engineered fit gives room through the shoulders without looking baggy
- Big and tall sizes go well beyond what most golf brands stock
- A fine stripe reads as smarter than a plain polo without breaking any dress code
Cons
- Callaway states sun protection but publishes no UPF number
- Jersey drapes closer than pique, so it shows more of whatever is underneath
- The self collar is softer than a ribbed collar and can go limp over time
- WickingOmni-Wick
- Sun protectionOmni-Shade UPF 30
- Placketthree button with dyed to match buttons
- Fabricbreathable performance polyester
- Usecourse and casual wear
- Fitregular
Best for: Players who spend five hours in open sun and do not want to reapply cream to their shoulders
Columbia comes at golf clothing from the outdoor side, and it shows in the only place it matters here: the sun rating is a number. UPF 30 blocks a measured proportion of ultraviolet, where most golf brands print the phrase and skip the figure.
The rest is straightforward. It wicks, it breathes, it has a three button placket with buttons that disappear into the fabric, and it does not shout. For an early tee time in August, that is the whole specification.
Pros
- UPF 30 is a published, tested figure rather than a vague sun protection claim
- Omni-Wick pulls moisture off the skin rather than holding it in the fabric
- Dyed to match buttons keep the shirt looking plain rather than sporty, which suits stricter dress codes
- Columbia builds this line for hiking as well as golf, so the fabric is proven outdoors
Cons
- At around 40 dollars it costs the same as the Callaway without the golf brand name
- Regular fit only, with no big and tall option in this listing
- The plain styling makes it easy to mistake for a work polo
- VentilationAirflux mesh knitted into the fabric
- Wickingbuilt in moisture wicking
- Sun protectionUPF 15
- Fitclassic
- Sizessmall to 4X large, regular and big and tall
- Caremachine washable
Best for: Humid climates where a solid knit turns into a wet towel
Airflux is a ventilation fabric rather than a ventilation feature, which is the important distinction. Instead of laser cut holes under the arms, the mesh structure runs through the body of the shirt, so air moves wherever the shirt touches skin.
That makes it the shirt for genuinely hot golf. What you give up is sun protection, since a more open knit lets more through, and UPF 15 is the figure PGA TOUR publishes rather than a marketing number.
Pros
- The mesh ventilation is knitted into the fabric rather than added as vent panels, so air moves across the whole shirt
- Sizes run from small to 4X large in both regular and big and tall, the widest range here
- A published UPF 15 rating, which is more than most brands at this price disclose
- At around 30 dollars it sits below the branded golf shirts without feeling cheap
Cons
- UPF 15 is the lowest published sun rating in this list
- The mesh knit is more transparent than a solid pique in light colours
- The classic fit is generous, which not everyone wants
- Quantityfive shirts per pack
- Fabric95 percent polyester, 5 percent spandex
- Featuresquick dry, odor resistant, tagless printed neck label
- Placketthree button
- Sun protectionUPF rated, no figure published
- Usegolf, tennis, office and casual
Best for: Someone rebuilding a golf wardrobe from nothing
Buying golf shirts five at a time sounds like a compromise and mostly is not. The fabric is the standard 95 percent polyester blend the mid price brands use, the placket and collar are conventional, and quick dry works the way it does on a 40 dollar shirt.
Where the pack makes sense is if you play weekly. Five shirts means the laundry cycle never dictates the tee time, and at this price replacing the lot after two seasons costs less than one Nike.
Pros
- Five performance polos for the price of one branded shirt, which is the cheapest per shirt in this list
- Odor resistant treatment matters when a shirt goes back in the bag after a round
- A printed tagless neck label, so nothing scratches at the collar
- The same shirt in five colours means no thinking on the first tee
Cons
- TELALEO says the shirts are UPF rated but publishes no number
- Five identical shirts means five identical fits, so a bad fit is a bad pack
- The lightweight fabric is thinner than the branded shirts here
- Fabric93 percent polyester, 7 percent spandex
- Fitclassic cut, snug through the body
- Featuresmoisture wicking with rapid cooling treatment
- Collarno tag collar to reduce chafing
- Constructionminimised seam lines, double stitching
- Stylingfashion prints as well as solids
Best for: Golfers who do not want to look like everyone else in the fourball
DEOLAX sits in the gap between the plain budget polos and the branded shirts. The blend is closer to a mid price shirt than a cheap one, the stretch is noticeable through a full turn, and the finishing details are the ones that actually irritate on a hot day.
Buy it for the prints. If you want a plain navy polo, the Amazon Essentials below costs less and does the same job. If you want a shirt that looks like a choice, this is the cheapest way to get one.
Pros
- Seven percent spandex is the highest stretch content among the budget shirts here
- Print options rather than the usual solids and stripes, without straying outside a dress code
- A no tag collar and minimised seams, which is where cheap shirts chafe
- Around 18 dollars for a shirt with a genuine performance blend
Cons
- DEOLAX publishes no UPF figure
- The classic cut is snug, so it is unforgiving through the middle
- Print quality varies between colourways
- Fabricpolyester pique with a textured surface
- Fitregular, straight through shoulders, chest and waist
- Placketthree button
- Collarribbed
- Detailsside vents for mobility
- Wickingmoisture wicking pique
Best for: Replacing a worn out plain polo without thinking about it
This is the default answer. It is a polyester pique polo with a ribbed collar, side vents and a straight fit, which describes golf shirts that cost three times as much, and there is nothing clever about it.
The pique is the reason to prefer it over the cheaper smooth fabrics. A textured surface breaks up the wet patch between the shoulder blades, which is the difference between looking hot and looking soaked at the turn.
Pros
- A ribbed collar at under 16 dollars, which most shirts at this price do not bother with
- Pique knit hides sweat far better than the smooth jersey fabrics here
- Side vents let the hem move with a turn instead of riding up
- A true straight regular fit, with no athletic taper to catch anyone out
Cons
- Amazon Essentials publishes no UPF figure
- Plain colours only, with no pattern options
- The pique is heavier than the mesh and jersey shirts, so it runs warmer
- Fabric85 percent polyester, 15 percent spandex
- Sun protectionUPF 40 plus
- Weightlightweight, quick dry
- Fittrue to US regular sizing
- Detailstripe trim on the collar band
- Usegolf, work and business casual
Best for: A first performance polo when the budget is under 15 dollars
The value here is the sun rating. UPF 40 plus at this price is unusual, and the 85 to 15 polyester and spandex blend is the same mix the shirts at four times the price use, which is what makes the stretch feel right.
It is a shirt to buy in a mid tone colour. In white the fabric is thin enough to see through in bright light, and the soft collar is the first thing that will age. For a shirt that costs less than a round of drinks, neither is a complaint.
Pros
- UPF 40 plus published at under 15 dollars, better than shirts costing three times more
- 15 percent spandex gives real stretch rather than a token amount
- It fits true to US sizing, which cannot be said of half this list
- The stripe on the collar band makes it read as a golf polo rather than a uniform
Cons
- Alex Vando is a marketplace brand with no fitting or durability record
- Lightweight fabric means it is close to transparent in white
- The collar is soft and will go limp before the body of the shirt wears out
- Fabric85 percent polyester, 15 percent spandex
- Sun protectionUPF 50 plus, blocking more than 98 percent of UV
- Placketthree button with a spread collar
- Collartag free
- Fitregular
- Constructiondouble stitched seams, anti wrinkle and pill free
Best for: The cheapest shirt on this page that still does the sun protection job properly
If sun protection is the reason you are reading this page, this is the shirt. UPF 50 plus with a published blocking figure is the strongest claim here, and it costs less than 13 dollars.
The rest of the shirt is competent rather than special: the standard 85 to 15 blend, a three button placket, a tag free collar and seams that will hold. The spread collar is the one styling choice to look at before ordering, since it sits wider than the collars on the branded shirts above.
Pros
- UPF 50 plus, the highest published rating in this list, on the cheapest shirt in this list
- Blocking more than 98 percent of ultraviolet is a specific claim rather than a vague one
- A tag free collar and double stitched seams, details usually reserved for mid price shirts
- Machine washable with an anti wrinkle finish, so it comes out of the dryer ready to wear
Cons
- PINSPARK has no track record in golf clothing
- The spread collar is cut wider than a traditional golf collar, which not every club look suits
- A silky finish shows sweat marks more than a pique knit
Checklist: What Makes a Great Golf Shirt
- Material Comfort: Search for shirts that utilize soft, durable fabrics like polyester blends, which provide the wearer with both comfort and longevity through repeated washes and wears.
- Moisture Management: Look for features like quick-dry technology, moisture-wicking properties, and breathability to keep you dry and comfortable throughout your game.
- Fit and Flexibility: Ensure the shirt offers a good fit, whether it's classic, casual, or performance-oriented, with sufficient stretch or room for unrestricted movement during swings.
- UV Protection: Especially relevant for golf, which is played outdoors, consider shirts with UPF ratings to shield you from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.
- Style and Variety: Choose a shirt that complements your personal style, with options in colors, patterns, and designs that can transition from the course to casual settings.
- Easy Maintenance: Prefer shirts that are machine washable and resistant to wrinkles and shrinking, to save time and effort in garment care.
FAQ
What should I look for in a golf shirt for optimal comfort?
Choose golf shirts with soft fabrics, moisture-wicking properties, and a fit that allows for full range of motion.
Is UV protection important in a golf shirt?
Yes, UV protection in golf shirts is crucial to shield skin from harmful rays during extended outdoor play.
How do I maintain my golf shirts in good condition?
Select machine-washable golf shirts with wrinkle and shrink resistance to ensure long-lasting wear and easy care.
