Swannies is a name you may not have heard of in the world of men’s and women’s golf apparel. They are an up and coming company out of Minnesota. The company got its start on a cold spring morning on the golf course. Co-founder Sam Swanson was playing with his friend Matt, who was known to play in sandals – he’d done so since his high school tournament days. He chided with Matt about being able to outdrive him, if only he could gain some traction from his sandals. That proved to be a light bulb moment and the idea for Swannie’s landmark product, the Classic Soft spike Sandal was born.
That one product has morphed into a full blown apparel brand which is now available in over 450 golf courses in the US and Canada. The company’s mission has remained simple: to make modern, affordable, and cool golf apparel for on and off the course.
Swannies makes a complete line of men’s golf apparel, everything from shorts and pants to polos, layers and outerwear, to hats and tee shirts. One of my favorite Swannies polos is the Gilligan Polo. It’s light Blue in color with a contrasting Navy collar and 3-button placket with the Swannies Swan logo embroidered on the collar. What’s most interesting is the all-over print: ducks, geese and swans in a contrasting Navy color. The fit is an athletic cut, so if there’s any question about sizing, order a size up. The Gilligan polo is available in sizes S- XXL with a retail price of $56.
Another good looking Swannies Polo is the Burke polo. It’s available in either Coral or Navy, each color features a Chambray collar with an embroidered Swannies logo. This polo is sewn from a blended fabric of Modal/Polyester/Nylon with a 3-button placket. The Chambray collar on the Coral really pops; the contrast is a great look. The Burke Polo is available in sizes S – XXL and comes with a retail price of $59.
When it comes to pants and shorts, Swannies offerings are a little different. Their Foley shorts are what you would call a mainstream golf short, but the Heger shorts and Traxler joggers are anything but run of the mill. Who knows, maybe they’re on to something; the Heger Shorts are more like an athletic short. The poly/Spandex blended fabric has a little more stretch to it. They’re only available in a single color – Grey – and feature a contrasting Black waistband, rear pocket welt and crotch area. The Heger Shorts have two front seam pockets big enough for all your golf essentials and a rear zipped pocket. They’re available in sizes 30 -38 and retail for $59.
The Traxler Jogger Pants are an interesting twist on men’s golf pants. They are sewn from a Polyester/Spandex fabric and have a little extra spring with front and back pockets with enough space for all of your golf essentials. The elastic swan-print gripper tape waistband keeps everything where it should be, and the belt loops are wide enough for your favorite belt. But what makes these pants different is the elastic on the cuffs and the 30” inch inseam; they are designed to work like jogging pants; perfect for speed golf! The Traxler Joggers are available in sizes 30 -38 and in Grey with a retail price of $59.
Where Swannies really excels is with their tee shirts, available in sizes S – 2XL and fit true to size. All are sewn from a tri-blended fabric of cotton, polyester and rayon and come in a variety of colors and witty sayings such as: Kissin’ Grass and Taken Names; Sunday Funday; What Happens at the Turn Stays at the Turn and many more.
Swannies also has a limited selection of ladies golf apparel. The Striker Ladies Polo is made from a polyester/spandex blended fabric that has a little extra stretch. It features a sleeveless design with mock neck and V-Neck with a color blocked design on the back. The Striker Polo is available in sizes S – XL and in either Coral/Light Pink Mesh, Gray/Black Mesh. Retail price is $56.
Swannies also makes a women’s outerwear piece, the Kane Quarter Zip. It features a 4-way stretch fabric with a fitted cut to move with you through your entire golf swing and mock collar with a contrasting quarter-zip. The Swannies logo is prominently displayed on the collar. Available in sizes S – XL and in Charcoal. Retail price is $69. This is the company’s first ladies quarter zip!
They also offer a wide selection of hats and accessories. Swannies is a new company putting out new designs with the golf apparel industry. With products like these, I think they’re going to be a round for a while. For more information or to see their entire collection, go to www.swannies.co.