Antigua Apparel Spring 2016

In what is known as “The Miracle of the Swallows,” every year on St. Joseph’s Day  the Cliff Swallows return to the Mission of San Juan Capistrano. Officially or not, this marks the beginning of Spring in San Juan Capistrano.

At Three Guys World Headquarters & Grille, one of the surest signs of spring is the arrival of a package from Antigua. No, not the Internet gambling powerhouse that’s the big half of Antigua and Barbuda, the apparel company that’s ubiquitous in better pro shops around the country, as well as fan shops from the AFC to MLB to the PGA. As part of Three Guy in Charge Adam’s continuing effort to improve my sartorial chops, I’ve become the de facto office spokesmodel for Antigua, and it’s a job I embrace.

It’s a hard life…

Imagine if the swallows spent the entire winter refreshing their designs, refining their signature DesertDry performance fabric, and keeping abreast of the latest fashions, so that when they returned to San Juan they looked modern and in-step with the latest swallow fashion. That’s pretty much how they roll at Antigua apparel. This makes the third year that I’ve reviewed Antigua’s Golf Performance lineup, and every year they’ve delivered something fresh and current, without compromising performance or comfort. This year’s lineup brings some choice upgrades to style and finish, while retaining the excellent performance of Antigua’s trademarked DesertDry fabric.

Starting at the top, the headliner in this group is the Edge polo. Mine came in white and grey, with a New York Yankees vibe to the lightly pinstriped fabric and accent piping. With upgrades like a self collar, rather than the more common (and less dressy) knit, the Edge would look right at home at a nice golf club, a good restaurant, or in the office.

Antigua finished the Poly/Spandex DesertDry fabric used throughout their shirt line in a heathered finish that complements the dressier look and gives it a very soft feel that’s welcome when the weather turns brutal, as it’s wont to do in the summer. 

The fit is a bit more on the athletic side than I’m used to from Antigua – in past years I’ve praised the generous, slightly boxy cut of the body in my Antigua shirts, but for 2016 Antigua has slimmed their designs down. The Edge polo is tailored for a more athletic fit through the body, across the chest, and in the arm openings. The piping on the chest will also accentuate the better-built golfer, while making the less fit look a bit like Phil Mickelson. 

Which is why I preferred the Pure polo – a solid color polo that, while still more tailored than Antigua shirts from previous years, is still a bit roomier than the Edge. Throw in a variety of solid colors (this one is called “Hypnotic”) to help avoid pointing out the fact that I’m spending a lot more time in the kitchen than I am in the gym, and a more generous 12% spandex recipe for the Poly/Spandex DesertDry fabric, and the Pure is a better choice than the Edge for the more comfortably proportioned golfer. The Pure incorporates nice touches like a self fabric collar that’s dressier than the ubiquitous knit collar, and a heathered contrast piece inside the collar – I might wear mine to the office one day, but my office is pretty liberal in the dress code department. The colors are deep and vibrant, no pastels here. The Antigua Pure polo is a solid offering, a good choice for weekend rounds at better courses everywhere, and not out of place in the grill room.

The most pleasant surprise in the Antigua Spring 2016 Performance golf lineup is the Ellis shorts. The trend of slimmer, more athletic tailoring continues in the Ellis, which is an area where I feel that most golfers could benefit. In keeping with more modern styles, the Ellis is cut to sit a bit lower on the hips than my previous Antigua shorts. Trimmer in the seat and thigh, the Ellis makes for a slimmer silhouette than most of my other golf shorts, and the 10″ inseam legs didn’t need to be hemmed to fit, even with my 30″ inseam.

The legs are long enough and the cut still generous enough that no one will mistake the Antigua Ellis shorts for football shorts, but they are definitely the most athletically tailored golf shorts in my rotation, and with Spring springing here at Three Guys World Headquarters, they’re finding themselves in heavy rotation. The dobby backed finish to the DesertDry fabric, decently-sized belt loops, and front and back on-seam pockets are all styled to give the Ellis shorts a modern, athletic look.

The greatest change from previous generation Antigua golf shorts is the change from hook-and-loop fasteners on the back pockets to buttons, which have the great advantage of not snagging your glove. This seems like a small change, but how many times do you pull your glove out of your back pocket during a round? Now imagine that half of those times your pocket won’t let it go. I have enough minor annoyances on the golf course just trying to figure out why the Tour-quality game I’m playing in my head is turning into a train wreck on the ground – my new policy is that if I can eliminate a minor annoyance without creating a major one, I’ll do it.

No velcro, just like big-boy pants!

So with my package from Antigua and the start of league golf heralding the return of Spring, the swallows of San Juan Capistrano have nothing on me and my new plumage. In the 72 Performance Spring 16 lineup, Antigua apparel has delivered another lineup of duds that looks good, work well, and won’t break the bank.

See the new 72 Performance Spring 2016 line, and all of Antigua’s other offerings, at http://antigua.com.