Last week in Los Angeles, golfers from all corners of the globe converged on the city to celebrate the growth of the sport not just on a professional level, but on a community scale too. This momentum has seen golf reach audiences that were once more interested in sneakers, skateboarding, basketball and other sports. However, a wave of fashion forward, streetwear influenced brands combined with a new class of content creators is shifting the public perception of golf.
With this movement as its inspiration, Hypegolf together with Samsung Galaxy invited a diverse group of artists, creatives, musicians and professional golfers alike to Sand Canyon Country Club on June 12 for an afternoon of golf, music, food and more. Starting around 11AM, guests such as Macklemore, Malbon Golf founder Stephen Malbon and golf personalities Roger Steele and Hayden Sylte started arriving in Santa Clarita, just north of LA. Their first move was to the driving range where PXG was set up providing free demos for all the attendees. The next move was to the golf carts, where they were greeted with quite possibly the best “tee gifts” they’ll ever encounter. Think Samsung Galaxy phones and Watch5s, Bang & Olufsen speakers, YETI tumblers and PopSockets phone grips.
The shotgun start was at noon, with one of the tournament’s marquee players, Macklemore, teeing off on the first hole. As to be expected, he was decked out in adidas Golf x Bogey Boys apparel and footwear, which just launched to the public. For other attendees, New Balance Golf was the shoe of choice, who gifted a brand new colorway of their 997 SL G to everyone who came out. The apparel brand Psycho Bunny, meanwhile, invited players like Ronnie Banks to try on their polos and bucket hats on hole 7.
The players made their way around the course which was peppered with fun challenges and activations. Corona Premier beverage carts kept everybody hydrated, and PGA Tour 2k23 held a straightest drive contest with TopTracer technology which was won by TikTok sensation Snappy Gilmore. In the end, Stephen Malbon’s group won the scramble with a score of 17-under-par.
Hypegolf
Hypegolf
Hypegolf
Hypegolf
Hypegolf
Hypegolf
Unique to this year’s Hypegolf Invitational, all while that action was happening spectators who weren’t taking part in the golf intermingled at an outdoor plaza. A curated selection of local food vendors and live DJ Sets made for an electric atmosphere. This is also where eBay‘s buildout was located, which featured some of the hottest golf sneaker drops of the last few years. And if all that wasn’t enough, there was an additional 9 hole challenge commencing at 1PM which was geared toward beginners, ensuring nobody was left out of the experience.
Capping off the day was an awards ceremony where golf swag was doled out to the best dressed, best sneakers, closest to the pin, longest drive, straightest drive and even biggest slice winners. As the sun set on Sand Canyon and attendees began making their way back toward the city, most of them were already asking ‘when’s the next event.’ Stay tuned to find out.
Elsewhere in the world of golf, emerging brand Georges Wendell presented its Spring/Summer 24 collection in Paris which takes inspiration from the sport.
