Tiger discovers "new" shirt

Raglan sleeve configuration biggest news for golf apparel in 2008.

So the year in Golf is almost over and all the media is perusing over the less important news in golf....who won what and how much money? ... who plays what equipment? ... and, oh yeah that new NASCAR imitation the FedEx Cup.

It was in the third round of The Tour Championship that the most important Fashion statement of the year was made, by no less than Tiger the Brand himself. Everybody was mesmerized by his 28 on the front nine, I however was intrigued by the fact that Tiger finally discovered the benefits of a raglan sleeved shirt. The cover of Golf World gave it a little extra punch!

When Tiger choose to wear a mock neck in PGA Tour competition, Nike saw sales increase 300+ percent. It also took an act of Congress ( Private Country Clubs) to allow the casual apparel to be sported on the fairways of the most hallowed grounds of this historic game. The same won't be necessary for the raglan, but could be just as ground breaking. The raglan sleeve is named after Lord Raglan an English war Lord who lost an arm during Waterloo in 1815. He had an overcoat made with the shoulder seam running from the arm hole directly to the neck line, so the loss of his arm would be less visible.

Fast forward to 2007 ... The movement of the golf swing creates friction with the traditional set-in sleeve, which is designed for the more vertical arm movement of Polo ( hence the polo shirt ). On multiple media platforms, I will introduce the raglan sleeve which moves with the more diagonal plane of the golf swing as "The Golf Shirt". World beaters like Retief Goosen ( Ahead ), Adam Scott ( Burberry ) and Zach Johnson ( Dunning ) have benefited from the advantages the raglan sleeve provides. It was only a matter of time before Sir Tiger with his legendary attention to detail, would make the switch. Inquiries to both Tiger's agent and the top brass at Nike were left un answered as far as Tiger's preference for the future and Nike's plans. My hunch is, we'll see more of it in 2008.

Here is the Aukesphere prediction ... the raglan will share center stage with the other trend that will make a Fashionably splash ... HYBRID APPAREL!

Auke