'A' is for apparel: Abacus and Antigua golfwear

A few years ago, I lost about 30 pounds and had delusions of re-gaining my flatbelly status. Swept up in this hubristic folly, I began down-sizing my wardrobe, including golf shirts, from XL to L.

After nearly two years, I remembered how much I love to cook – and how much I love to eat my own cooking.

Needless to say, having returned to my less-than-lithe figure, those L-size shirts are a bit, um, snug.

Looking on the bright side, it’s a great time to check out the newest golf apparel offerings – XL offerings, this time.

Two golfwear companies that stand out from the crowd are Abacus and Antigua. Abacus is a Swedish company that recently entered the U.S. market after establishing a solid reputation with the players on the European Tour. Antigua has made a name clothing Ryder Cup teams.

When my new Abacus Yarc Golf Polo arrived (MSRP $59), I was impressed with the rich maroon color and charcoal pinstripes – very modern and continental. When I put it on, though, the Abacus XL was somewhat tight through the shoulders, chest, and sleeves. Having lived in Europe myself for several years, it is true that sizes there tend to run smaller than in the U.S. (The XL was a U.S. size 44, which is usually in the L range.) But whatever the reason, the shirt would have looked great in my neo-flatbelly days.

The Antiqua Exceed shirts (MSRP $60) were a bit less eye-catching, but the fit was much better; XL meant XL. This is important, as my flailing, windmill swing requires room to roam. Seriously, it’s hard to beat the comfort of Antigua shirts.

As any golfer knows, the quest for the perfect swing is a quixotic one, and as any aging man knows, so is the pursuit of any six-pack that does not come from the drink cart. Fortunately, sartorial splendor is far easier to achieve – and Abacus and Antiqua are great places to start putting together a Tour-grade golfing wardrobe.

Antiqua Exceed (in Tarheel blue)

Abacus Yarc Polo