Stacy Mangum, brand director, simplified the size problem by describing Cutter and Buck's two fit styles: One is classic (more ease in the armhole, more room between the shoulders, longer length) and one is modern (like the Annika line, a performance fit designed for the golf swing). Nice! Good for: The 40-to-55-year-old with a more traditional golf (classic) or sporty golf (Annika) inclination. Larger women will love the classic fit styles, especially because sizes go up to XXL, a rarity in golf collections.
The Jamie Saddock brand has led the way in trims, detailing and bold colors. It's a more expensive brand but the technical fabrics last. Good for: Women of all ages who do not fear color. Gift shoppers, pair a bold shirt with a meek coordinating short, just to be sure she has something that goes with the shirt -- but, beware, sizing runs small on some styles and large on the less fitted styles.
The Tommy Hilfiger brand caters not to an age but to an attitude: "preppy with a twist." If she doesn't take "preppy" as an insult and she doesn't consider horizontal stripes a taboo as many women do, there's something here for her. Good for: The 25-to-55-year-old who has the guts to wear horizontal stripes and traditionally preppy looks. It's a trimmer style, or, as one of the sales staff said at the PGA Show, "It's not a big, baggy missy line. It's a more contemporary, updated fit." So in shirts, it's size up rather than size down.
A relative newcomer to the golf scene, AUR has a sophisticated, contemporary leaning with appeal to the woman from 30 up to "never neverland," Susan Shade says. Details and fashionable color mixes with a standard placket-and-collar look for golf. Good for: The adult woman who cares about what's in her fabric. AUR makes shirts with eco-friendly blends including coffee grounds, bamboo charcoal and recycled yarns. Golfing environmentalist in the house? This one's for her. Sizing runs on the snug side.
Antigua is an "active sportswear line -- it's designed for you to do something in it," says CEO Ron McPherson. So Antigua's top priority is to give women room to move and a wide range of styles in which to do so. It even considers that 10 percent of women who like to tuck in their shirts, showing some styles both in and out. Good for: Grownup women who do not want to be squeezed and do not want to take fashion risks. Antigua has become a solid performer on the upper end of the market with dependably high quality garments utterly at home on the golf course. Consider sizing down if you want fit for your form.
With something the company calls ForMotion Fit, Adidas makes shirts "closer to the body and designed to follow the swing, for the woman who is an athlete," Josh Van Winkle said at the PGA Show in January. "We view the outfit as part of the equipment, and we also want people to feel it represents their style. The Adidas woman is athletic." Good for: All ages who want technical clothing that moves for their sport. All styles from sporty to feminine, depending on the details. Even though Adidas would like to skew young, the women's golf shirt cut leans toward generous and there's no need to go up a size for more room in the bust or across the back, so this is a good gift choice.
This is a hot brand for the young crowd, that tries to mix a %u201Csense of irreverence with appeal to the traditional golfer,%u201D a company rep said at the PGA Show. Because it%u2019s a more youthful brand, the cut tends to be more form-fitting and athletic -- the %u201CO%u2019Form%u201D fabric has four-way stretch. Good for: The 20-35-year-old who leans toward a sporty look. Older women and those who need a little more room in the chest might prefer the next size up.
