Admittedly, our golf game here at Counselor magazine is more Rodney Dangerfield than Jack Nicklaus.



Still, we love the action on the greens – and the branded merchandise that customarily accompanies golf’s Major tournaments, like the upcoming U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach (June 13 to June 16). So, as we did with the PGA Championship and the Masters, we scoured the U.S. Open swag collection for trends that might translate to the promotional products industry.

Without further ado, here’s our latest trend dispatch from the 19th hole.

Shawl Collars


Photo from Pebble Beach.

This 92% polyester/8% spandex half-zip fleece pullover from Top 40 supplier Cutter & Buck (asi/47965) features a shawl collar. It’s a stylish flourish that the piping and heathered appearance augment. We could see more corporate clients opting for this look for programs, sales team apparel and other applications.

Woodburning Graphics


Photo from USGA Shop – a Fanatics Experience.

The woodburning graphics on this Galaxy phone case exude class and distinction – in a subtle, earthy way. The style is a fine fit for resorts, spas, wellness programs, kitchenware brands, organics brands, and other businesses/nonprofits that want to emphasize a green/environmental image. Of course, the graphics would work for most corporate end-clients keen to project a quietly distinguished vibe.

Camouflage Cool


Photo from USGA Shop – a Fanatics Experience.

There was a time when camo was strictly for donning while hunting, fishing or otherwise engaged outdoors. Increasingly, though, the look became everyday wear in rural America, and continued to grow from there. Now, camo is so ubiquitous and on-trend that hoity-toity Ralph Lauren has teamed up with pro golfer Justin Thomas to splash the pattern across this half-zip U.S. Open pullover. We’re thinking engineering firms, utility companies, hydrologic services businesses, real estate developers, fencing companies and so many others would be interested in camo fleece pieces like this. That said, we don’t see the corresponding camo golf pants catching on….

Stripe & Solid Combo


Photo from USGA Shop – a Fanatics Experience.

In this RLX brand commemorative polo, the stripes mount toward a solid block shoulder/upper chest area – a combo that’s growing ever more popular. From a promo perspective, it’s especially advantageous, helping the left-chest logo to stand out. That would be a good point to make when presenting similarly-styled polos to clients in the ad specialty space.

All Over Prints




Photo from USGA Shop – a Fanatics Experience.

As we saw with PGA Championship merch, all-over prints are making a comeback. The star pattern on this white, fabric-strap, polyester cap and the pine cone critter print Adidas polyester polo bear evidence of that.

Pocket Tees In Pastels


Photo from USGA Shop – a Fanatics Experience.

Pocket tees, especially in softer colors like pastels, have been a hit on college campuses for a while now. The inclusion of the style in the U.S. Open collection indicates that the market could well be broadening. Beyond the education space, the hospitality sector is replete with businesses that could stock shops and outfit staff in this chill, summery fashion statement.

Ombre


Photo from USGA Shop – a Fanatics Experience.

Lightweight, wind-and-water resistant, and easily packable – all those features in this 100% polyester Cutter & Buck hoodie make it a winner. Still, what really made the piece pop is the ombre coloring. The style has been gaining steam at retail, and is likely to cross-over into the B2B realm. It wouldn’t be hard to see ombre outerwear and fleeces scoring in Silicon Valley and among technology company clients in general.

For more merch, head to http://www.usgashop.com and here.