It’s amazing what golf trends catch on with sustainability to boot: Oversized clubfaces, new ball dimple patterns, the long putter, technical-fabric polos and spike-less golf shoes.
But shoelaces, c’mon!
Yes, it’s true. On any given week, more than 70 PGA and LPGA Tour players, and their caddies, sport colorful shoelaces to spice up their wardrobes without looking too loud to the point of obnoxious and negative attention. Tens of thousands of amateur golfers coast to coast are following suit.
Close to home, check out the feet of golfers from Cypress Point and the Olympic Club to more modest tracks. Odds are they’re graced with laces matching shirts, hats, pants, belts and shoes.
Who’s behind this phenomenon? We have Kyle Groth to thank. He is Co-Founder of Whiskers, designer and manufacturer of golf-specific shoelaces setting the fashion-accessory world on fire. The four-years-young company not only makes laces for golf shoes. It’s dress, casual, sneaker and boot shoelaces help amateur and experienced fashionistas add personality to, well, their unique personalities. Think pocket squares, tie clips and the popularity of not-so-ordinary socks.
A half decade ago, Groth ripped a lace while dressing for a wedding. Only CVS and Walgreens seemed to carry replacement laces, so he forcibly settled for mediocrity at best.
The Shark Tank-like lightbulb went off. Why not develop premium golf laces, made of durable and eco-friendly fabrics in hordes of colors and patterns, to bring style to oft-boring shoes? Moreover, exclusively source textiles and make them in the U.S.A. to support our nation’s economy.
Groth didn’t know much about shoelaces, albeit it was a proverbial billion-dollar concept in the making in his mind. So, through a friend, he met Mike Gossett, who, over decades became a celebrated product creator for Nike and Crocs. Gossett was smitten and, with nary a hesitation, joined the start-up Whiskers as Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer.
Flash forward to today. The golf collection presents more than 70 colors and patterns. And they constructed with aglets which easily fit into shoes from FootJoy, Nike, adidas, ECCO and other brands. Switching laces may at first seem like a tall, annoying task. However, reality shows it takes only three minutes to swap boring for interesting.
While it’s common for golfers to posit looking better means playing better, “that correlation is tough to determine,” says Groth, “Anecdotally, however, our customers often report to us they record their best rounds after weaving Whiskers laces into their golf shoes.”
He continues: “It’s an addiction. Once you lace up with Whiskers, you’ll never revert to the ordinary. We get many photos from Whiskers acolytes of their foursome in matching shoelaces whether at a tournament or during casual rounds.”
Gossett chimes in: “Not only are online sales incredibly strong, golf courses, country clubs and resorts are ordering Whiskers for unique first tee prizes, member-guest giveaways and items for sale in pro shops.”
Whiskers is often termed an affordable luxury: It’s $15 for one pair, and $45 and $60 for three- and five-packs, respectively.
Hats off to Groth and Gossett. Golfers galore are asking themselves: “Why didn’t I come up with the idea of shoelaces?”
By Rich Katz