Galvin Green Waterproofs Take the Sweat Out of Your Game - Literally

Advances in technology haven enabled manufacturers to create golf clothing, whether it's a golf shirts or waterproofs, that minimise any unnecessary load on the body. This prevents the loss of valuable energy that could be used more productively while playing a round of golf.

Gore has a long history of technical innovation stretching back to 1978 when they launched their first waterproof and windproof garments. Their fabrics are created by laminating GORE TEX to other high performance technical fabrics and then sealing them with an innovative solution. This makes the garments completely waterproof yet capable of breathing, making them ideal for golf The waterproofing is achieved by the pores in the membrane being 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet stopping their progress into the garment. So what makes GORE TEX breath too? It's the pores again; they are 700 times larger than a water vapour molecule, enabling them to pass through the membrane venting themselves to the outside world, helping keep golfers warm and dry.

Golf waterproofs made from Gore Tex enable golfers to play without being distracted by the weather - you are neither cold nor wet, so that your total focus is on the game, not your clothing.

Manufacturers are also using hi-tech material in their golf windproofs as warmth and comfort improves performance on the golf course. These fabrics shut the door on wind-chill, protecting the micro climate that surrounds the body, by being completely windproof, keeping you up to 2.5 times warmer than similar fabrics. Wind proofing like waterproofing is important but so to is breathability. Modern membranes let water vapour escape to the outside world even when the body is working hard in a performance sport like golf.
The fabric conserves energy for the round of golf rather than spending it unnecessarily on maintaining the body in peak condition.

Traditionally many sports men and women have turned to cotton golf shirts in warm or summery weather as they have a light and fresh image. Unfortunately this is not exactly true as the fibres within cotton can absorb and then retain moisture making golf clothing made from it unnecessarily heavy and clammy.

Manufacturers have developed new technologies to provide permanent freshness for example through silver ion technology. In addition these golf shirts have extremely high levels of breathability transferring moisture quickly away from the skin to the outside world. This makes them ideal as either a base or intermediate layer and can be combined with any or all of other multi-layering garments.

Golf underwear has also undergone a revolution in technological application.

Underwear garments make use of compression technology, which exerts a Demonstrated by a five year study at Penn University conducted by Dr Williams Kraemer, a recognized authority in the field of sports medicine. The research showed that athletes could perform closer to their maximum for longer when wearing these garments.

This increase in performance arises from:

Reduced muscle vibration and micro tearing, an important factor in energy loss.

Speeded recovery after exercising by reducing the build up of lactic acid.

Aiding the return of blood to the heart which increases the flow of oxygen to muscles for increased energy and faster healing.

Another area of golf clothing innovation has been the reduction in the weight and size of garments. In part a response to the fact that golfers often have limited space in their golf bags to pack away their golf clothing, these advances are also coupled with the objective of reducing load on the body. Materials often combine high performance polyester or nylon with a GORE-TEX membrane. These do away with the need for a liner that can reduce garment weights by 25% and more.

Golf sweaters provide the warmth needed when the weather gets chilly and are now designed to stop the loss of air warmed by the body. Air is a good insulator and so the fabrics need to trap it close to or within itself. However this in it self is not enough, as the garment must breath in order for any moisture passed through from inner layers of clothing. New techniques include waffle patterned material, which creates air chambers that are warmed by the body and provide extremely effective and long lasting thermal insulation. More information on golf clothing innovation can be found at Galvin Green Waterproofs.