Metz improving his chances for Under Armour National Junior championship

Congratulations to Sam Metz of Rehoboth Beach for his fine second-place performance at the Sept. 20 Delaware Eastern Shore Junior Golf Tour Powered by Under Armour, held at Plantation Lakes in Millsboro. It is another step toward qualifying for the tour’s winter national championship tournament in Florida, as well as representing Delaware on its all-star team in the 6-to-9-year-old category.

His proud father Andrew was the local sponsor for the event through Metz Capital Management, his financial advisory firm based in Lewes.

Looks like a good investment.

DSGA tromping through Bear Trap Dunes

Delaware State Golf Association Executive Director Laura Heien should be pretty tired at the end of the day Monday, Sept. 28 – but it should be a good tired.

She and other DSGA staffers will be walking and playing up to 100 holes at Bear Trap that day for the DSGA’s new Youth on Course initiative.

Since the DSGA/YOC agreement went into effect earlier this year, 55 juniors have taken advantage of the subsidized golf opportunities it created. The 100 Hole Hike raises the cash needed to support and expand the program.

For more information, or to add your donation toward this worthy effort, go to DSGA.org and follow the link.

Galvin Green

Golf apparel companies have perhaps the widest disparity in market share of anything sold in the golf business. While it is obvious that no one should go into the fashion trade at any level without a clear-eyed assessment of the challenges, several companies succeed in a niche category, especially at the higher end.

Relative scarcity has its own appeal.

Apparel maker Galvin Green does very well without trying to meet everyone’s needs or wants.

At the 2020 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., in January, I met Tom Romano, a sales and operations manager for the California company’s North America division. Romano said 85 percent of its business comes from the top 1,000 green grass pro shops, aimed at the 45-65 age demographic.

“There’s a style to it, a European fashion sense,” he said. “Much of our success comes from the quality of our fabrics.” 

The golf-only brand sells in four basic categories from rain gear to polos and pants.

The rainwear is all Gore-Tex, a nice connection for Delawareans with Galvin Green. “We’re the No. 1 partners with them in golf,” Romano said.

Using what’s called “shell layer dry technology,” the rain suits are completely water- and wind-proof on the outside, with soft interior lining. The shaped sleeves make movement easier than other designs. The zippers are full- or half-length.

This level of protection from the elements is not cheap. The Ashby half-zip jacket retails for $400, while the Axel waterproof golf pants are $350.

Interface-1 is Galvin Green’s “wind line” of wind jackets, according to Romano. There is no seam sealing, so these clothes cannot be called waterproof. However, he said these jackets are breathable and also “highly water resistant.”

To demonstrate, Romano poured about three tablespoons of water on a jacket front placed flat on the table where we sat. There was no sign of absorption.

The styles include sleeveless or full-sleeve versions. The full-sleeve Langley sells for $290 while the Lionel sleeveless sells for $270.

For colder weather, Galvin Green has several selections in its Insula fabric line. The jackets and pullovers include thermal insulation with a lot of stretchiness for significant freedom of movement. A small fabric pattern on the inside helps create a surprising amount of warmth. The styles include sleeveless, full-length sleeves, and full- and half-zip openings.

The Dante version is a hoodie, while the Duke half-zip features padding on shoulders for additional warmth. I am partial toward the Dwight style, a simple color pattern with a zippered chest pocket. It sells for $170.

Ventil8 polos are a mix of polyester at 96 or 97 percent, with the elastane remainder adding stretch and ease of movement. The shorts and pants are 100 percent polyester, with wicking properties and a decent amount of stretch.

“The fabric is very light, and it’s twice as fast as others for moisture wicking,” Romano said. The shirts are a mix of prints, solids, designs, and stripes, and come in both short- and long-sleeve options.

The solid Marty shirts come in seven colors and sell for $90. The striped Miguel shirts come in three different color combinations: white/sharkskin/cool grey/black, white/red/sharkskin, and navy/white/Niagara blue. I like that last one. These sell for $110.

The solid Paco shorts come in six colors and sell for $170. The Noah golf pants come in seven colors and sell for $150. Both pants and shorts use the Ventil8 Plus stretch fabric.

At these prices, Galvin Green is definitely not reaching for the broadest possible market. The folks who sell other higher-end brands, such as Shinola watches, obviously feel the same way. In the current climate, however, companies that know their target audience and keep to it seem to do just fine.

Local club competition results

The Mulligan’s Pointe Ladies played a two-golfer team net game Sept. 22. Karen Feuchtenberger and Susan Shockley took first place, with Rhetta Rose Frampton and Gail Logullo in second.