GAME CHANGERS

There's a new movement in golf, and adidas is at the forefront. Dan Parker looks at the brand's evolution and explains how its mission to be the most progressive in golf is taking the game to a new audience

- Dan Parker

Picture the scene. It’s a sunny February day on the California coast and a group of golfers of all different ages, genders, abilities and backgrounds are teeing it up at Los Verdes Golf Club, a hidden gem of a municipal course an hour south of Los Angeles that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Music is pouring out from speakers, hard seltzers (an alcoholic soda water drink popular with golfers in the US) are being consumed, the outfits are trendy and the laughter flows as players start teeing off from the opening hole.

This was the scenario at adidas’ global launch of its 2023 golf apparel and footwear range. It was something that few, if any, of golf’s performance and lifestyle brands can boast, and it’s all part of adidas’ goal to be the face of an ever-changing environment around the game. The array of ambassadors and content creators, all with different stories of how they got into golf and why they love the game, is a roster that is evidence of a brand-new approach as golf continues to grow as much online as it does on tour.

Spending time with the adidas crew across the week, each individual there – from brand employee to digital creator – seemed to glow with the same pride and excitement at representing adidas Golf. All donning the latest line of adidas clothing and footwear, it felt like a glimpse into the future at the places and people golf is now accessing. As Jeff Lienhart, the president of adidas Golf, explained to us, “Our mission is to be the most progressive golf brand in the world.”

Here’s how adidas made the journey from the running tracks of Bavaria to the heart of golf’s new movement.