The origins of golf go back to the 15th century when only the wealthiest Scottish men could afford to enjoy the sport.
The aristocratic community had vast lands, which they transformed into private golf courses to spend leisure time. The sport slowly grew popular and spread from Scotland to the wealthy communities of the United Kingdom, America, and Europe.
Over the centuries, golf evolved and expanded but maintained its reputation. To this day, the sport is considered a status symbol and is played by the richest men on the planet. Being a luxury sport, everything associated with golf comes at a hefty price. Hiring a good coach to learn the game, golf course memberships, premium quality golf equipment, and apparel- all are too expensive for normal salaried individuals to afford.
The golf industry is making massive profits from the sport’s reputation, overlooking the importance of inclusivity and leaving passionate individuals with no choice but to either give up their dreams of becoming professional golfers or breaking the bank to play the sport.
In the golf wear industry Golf clothing is really important that is designed for comfort and flexibility during play. It typically includes polo shirts, slacks or shorts, and specialized shoes to enhance performance and maintain a stylish appearance.
In these times, when playing a golf round can cost anywhere from £100 to £200, a young Irish & Scottish brand named Druids is working hard to make the sport more inclusive with its affordable golf apparel and accessories. Founded in 2014, Druids is slowly climbing the ladder of success and only recently got our attention.
To learn more about Druids, we browsed its official website and were shocked to see the technology and designs offered by the brand at such low prices. A look at its reviews also came as a surprise, considering the brand enjoys the rating of 4.2 stars on TrustPilot. In an interview the brand’s creative director and co-partner, Tim Ferris, says: “Druids was founded on the principle of giving golfers top quality products at affordable prices. We want to play our role in growing the game and making it more accessible. We provide products that will help improve a golfer’s performance and enhance their enjoyment of the game, all whilst not breaking the bank.”
Tim also mentioned that they have a strategy that helps them keep their quality high and prices low. The key aspects of that strategy were:
-No big endorsement deals.
-Direct to consumer sales method.
-A tight knit team focusing on the brand’s core principle.
Are these strategies really practical and helpful in keeping the prices of golf apparel low? That we will talk about later, but first, let’s discuss the quality of golf wear offered by Druids.
Is the quality of Druids golf wear up to par?
Druids claims to manufacture its golf apparel with premium quality cotton and synthetic fabrics. Every article, from men’s golf base layers to trousers, is equipped with edge-cutting features like four-way stretch, Quick Drying technology, anti-microbial finish, and shower-repelling exterior.
To figure out the truth, we ordered a golf outfit from Druids to test it out on greens. The delivery was prompt, and the brand passed its first test as all the clothes looked exactly like they did on the website. The shirt and trousers felt soft to touch and fabric seemed high quality.
To confirm the quality, we wore Druids golf apparel consisting of a printed golf polo shirt, golf Joggers, and golf belt and played an 18-hole round. The polo shirt felt soft against the skin and allowed unrestricted movement to swing the club. As mentioned in the product’s description, the polo rapidly wicked sweat and ensured a pleasant experience throughout. The trousers offered a comfortable fit and the four way stretch technology allowed easy bending and stretch of the limbs.
Much to our surprise, Druids passed our quality test and proved that it is possible to find good golf wear at an affordable price.
How is Druids golf apparel so affordable?
Now that we know Druids is offering superior quality golf apparel at incredibly low rates. The next question is how it manages to maintain such competitive prices without compromising on quality. As confirmed by the brand’s creative director, there are several factors that contribute to Druids ability to keep prices low:
Druids operates a direct-to-consumer business model
In an interview, Tim revealed that Druids operates on a direct-to-consumer business model to ensure affordability. The traditional retail channels can sell the products faster, but since Druids primary focus is to make golf apparel accessible, it is only making sales through its online website. This strategy helps the brand save costs associated with intermediaries and deliver superior quality at a low price.
Druids says NO to big endorsement deals
Most big brands spend billions of dollars advertising their products through endorsement deals. This marketing strategy surely helps generate more sales but isn’t customer focused. Druids, on the other hand, avoids endorsing celebrities and famous golfers- a strategy which in our opinion is truly worth appreciation.
The brand’s creative director, Tim Ferris, says: “Wherever we can pass savings onto golfers, we will. One key aspect of how we are able to do that is that we don’t have a raft of big-money endorsement deals. Instead, we invest in up-and-coming talent wherever possible and have partnered with a select few Scottish pros.”
Needless to say, this method helps the discount golf store keep the prices of its apparel within an average salaried individual’s budget and also help it support the upcoming talent.
Druids tight-knit team focuses on its core principle
A vision can not become reality without a loyal team and this Irish brand’s success is proof of that.
To keep the prices low and quality high, Druids has hired a team of individuals who work hard every day to make their founder’s dream a reality. Tim Ferris, in an interview, said, “We have a very tight-knit team at Druids who is committed to sticking to our core principles. It’s at the heart of everything we do.” A small team directed by a strong leader contributes unique skills and expertise, working together to achieve a common goal of breaking the golf wear industry’s norms.
Last Word:
After analysing Druids apparel, low pricing policy, and financial strategy, we have come to the conclusion that the brand is gaining popularity for all the right reasons. The young Irish brand, with its hard working team and strong vision, is on the right track and will soon beat the big names to rise to the top.
