The Cadence Windshirt: Between the Turn and the Next Tee
You know the feeling. You are at the far end of the course, as far from the clubhouse as it is possible to be, and the weather changes its mind. One minute it is cold, damp and blowing a gale. The next the sun is out and you are wearing far too much.
On a links course that can happen between the turn and the next tee. I love links golf, partly because of that. You get the sea, the dunes and the wind, and you also get weather that cannot make up its mind. But I got tired of being caught out, and I got tired of the usual answer, which is to carry two jackets and hope you picked the right one. Either you wear a heavy jacket and overheat, or you leave it in the car and get cold and soaked by the third hole.
So I made one that does both. The sleeves zip off at the elbow, so when it is cold and blowing it is a windshirt, and when the sun comes out the sleeves go in the bag and it is a gilet. One piece instead of two, and nobody has to walk back to the car. The zips are YKK throughout, because the last thing you want from a piece like this is a zip that sticks.
It is windproof and water resistant, with a DWR finish, so it shrugs off wind and light rain. I will be straight with you, it is a lightweight shell, not a waterproof. For a proper downpour you want a proper waterproof. But most of the time on a British course it is not chucking it down, it is just damp, blustery and unpredictable, and that is exactly what this is for.
The wind is the part people underestimate. Wind cuts through a polo and takes your warmth with it, and you feel it most when you are standing still waiting to play. A windproof shell over a polo stops that, and it is much lighter and less restrictive than a thick mid-layer. It stretches in four directions, so it moves with your swing instead of fighting it, and the mesh lining lets it breathe when you are walking uphill with a bag on your back.
I also wanted it to look good. I did not want something that belongs on a mountain. I wanted it to be smart enough to wear out when it is cold and damp, long after the round has finished, with clean lines and nothing shouting at you. There are hand pockets, and a hidden pocket on the back, big enough for a phone and a scorecard.
It is a classic fit and true to size. If you like a bit more room, go up one. For reference, 5'9" wears a small, 5'11" a medium and 6'2" a large.
That is the story. I wanted one piece that makes the weather less of a problem, and that is what it does.
Sam, founder of Curo Golf
