Who Wears Short Shorts?…
How short is too short…
The past golf season must be one for the ages. The things golfers went through to play and still enjoy the game were something else. The season started with courses empty due to COVID, then we could play but without carts. Next, we could ride in carts, but only 1 per twosome unless you wanted to pay double the cart fees. Some courses seemed to be putting as little into course maintenance as they could due to the tough financial year. The foam noodle, raised cups, or cups turned over for the hole and whatever else can be thought of off the top of your head.
Through last golf season, there seemed to be a change to golf shorts or at least one that was new to me. Several companies had shorts that didn’t come down past my knee. Life-changing information for me! Breathable shorts and I can get some sun on my pasty thighs? Hallelujah!
Just a good shot of me and the boys post-round
I was shocked by the first place I found them, Target. Target owns a brand called All In Motion. They had 9-inch inseam golf shorts. I think there were 4 different colors and 2 or 3 different short options. Best of all, they were very inexpensive. I believe they ran me somewhere around $30.00, but don’t quote me on that. I bought 1 pair, wore them that night at golf league and fell in love with them. I think I bought 3 other pairs after that.
After I discovered the short golf shorts, there was no looking back. The only shorts I am buying is 9 or 7” inseam. There are a few good companies that I will share for your short shorts need if you’re looking for them. I enjoy them so much more than the usual 10 or 11” inseam that most companies are out there peddling. I wanted to just blast the major players in golf apparel, but to be safe I googled 9-inch inseam golf shorts and found a few of these players now have a 9-inch option.
Nike, Adidas, Footjoy, Oakley are some of the companies I have found that does not have an option under a 10-inch inseam. I was pleasantly surprised to find that both Puma and Under Armor have a 9-inch inseam option listed on Dick’s Sporting Goods’ website. What are these companies waiting for? I get that style repeats itself, but shorter inseam shorts have been around for at minimum 2 summers if not longer. It was only a matter of time that it moved into golf. I get that these companies are so big that it probably won’t matter, but I would have only bought Nike and Adidas shorts if they had this option. Instead, I had to search where I could find what I am looking for. I may not return to these companies for my shorts needs ever again. I am going to make 1 last-ditch effort because of how much I love Nike and Adidas golf shoes, please make some shorts that have a 9-inch inseam. I am not even asking you to go to 7-inches, but let my lower thigh get sunburned just like the rest of my leg.
Now, I am going to run you through the 4 companies that I have leaned on for my short shorts need with one of my favorite pairs of shorts from each company. They are in order of rank in my opinion William Murray, Vineyard Vines, all in motion, and LuluLemon coming in at honorable mention. How I came up with these rankings are mainly style, color options, comfort, and moisture-wicking.
Waist-up he’s a 2, but waist-down he’s a 10!
William Murray Golf:
https://www.williammurraygolf.com/collections/shorts/products/cracking-up-water-hazard-shorts
William Murray Golf has multiple types of shorts. If you want the shorts to be above your knee, you will need to look at the water hazard shorts on their site. I think of them as a hybrid short. You can swim and/or golf in them. I like this concept immensely. These shorts are lightweight, available in a ton of different LOUD patterns, extremely comfortable and I never notice my shorts are getting moist from the dreaded swamp-ass on a hot summer day. The other thing I enjoy about William Murray Golf is that they do run numerous sales throughout the year. I can’t count the number of text messages that go between Grant “Platinum Card” Welmers and me about William Murray golf deals. That reminds me, someone will be getting a Venmo request for our most recent purchase haha. Hands down, my favorite golf shorts I own. I get complimented on them frequently when I am out on the course wearing them.
2. Vineyard Vines
https://www.vineyardvines.com/mens-solid-shorts/eight-inch-performance-breaker-shorts/1H001060.html#
Vineyard Vines has a pair of golf shorts called the Performance Breaker Shorts. I happened to come across them a couple of years ago at Von Maur. These shorts were, at the time, my favorite golf shorts. The comfort level is high, they do a great job on hot summer days keeping dry. There are not many color options though and it is the only length that they have with breathable material under an 11-inch inseam that I have found. They are all solid colors, or there are a couple of random prints that I am not a huge fan of. All in all, still very good shorts.
3. all in motion:
https://www.target.com/p/men-s-cargo-golf-shorts-all-in-motion/-/A-77602816
The all in motion golf shorts at Target are highly underrated golf shorts. They have 2 different types. One is a bit meshier of a texture and the other is your standard golf short texture. The reason I have them down at 3 is the meshier style doesn’t handle so well on the hot summer days. I have experienced the dreaded sweat ass on extremely hot days. One of the only times this has happened to me that I recall. The style that is more of the normal golf short style, I have not experienced this issue. It doesn’t help that I walked most of this golf league season. All things equal, for $30 a pair, these probably should be much further up the list. They have more color options than Vineyard, more styles that I have found than the Performance Breakers, but I take the sweat ass seriously. That can ruin a round if you are worried that the cart girl might notice haha.
Honorable Mention: LuluLemon
https://shop.lululemon.com/p/men-shorts/Commission-Short-7-Mesh-MD/_/prod10060065?color=44825
I am expecting to catch some flack putting such an innovative company last. I know I didn’t list price as one of the deciding factors, but in the back of my mind, it is always there. Lulu is always going to be on the pricier end of things. The shorts are extremely comfortable. I have nothing negative to say about that. There are 2 different length options as well as style options for the commission shorts. The only knock is on the canvas style, I ran into a brief sweat issue at an airport. I just can’t have that in an air-conditioned environment. Now, I was late, hungover from the client dinner the night before and rushing through the airport, but they are supposed to be on the cutting edge of technology in this arena. I am normally a guy of 2nd chances, but as you can see, I am a one and done on that topic. The combination of price and that airport experience knocks them down to the end of the list.
Slessor giving me some on-course instruction
Truth be told, all the companies I just went through are great options for shorts that are under 10-inch inseams. So, for all those looking to be bold next golf season, you can’t go wrong with any of these companies. Just realize that 3rd place and honorable mention should probably be purchased in darker colors to mask sweat on extremely warm days. Don’t worry though, if you do make the same mistake I did, golf courses are usually stocked with plenty of White Claws, Trulys, or Bud Light Seltzers to bring that core body temperature down. I think it is science or something. In closing, Grant shops much more than I, but my golf-style blows his grandpa looking style out the freaking water and “You’re still away!”