The Best Golf Shorts to Help You Keep Your Cool This Summer

The best golf shorts are no longer limited to simple tan or navy, nine-inch flat fronts we've seen for the past decade or so. The entire golf apparel world has been flipped on its head, much to our delight, and golf shorts today are very much part of the new age of the game. They might not get as much shine as their full-length counterparts, but golf shorts have significantly improved in the past few years. Don’t get us wrong, a simple pair of shorts is still a go-to for summer rounds, but if you want something that feels equally at home on and off the course, you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Young guns on the PGA Tour, like American Ashkay Bhatia, are bucking the social norms of the country club by rocking shorts with dangerously short inseams (though die-hard five-inchers will not be surprised), while Aussie Jason Day continues to make waves by rocking the waviest of trunks on the course during his practice rounds. The good thing is, we’re not all PGA professionals, so we can wear shorts to the course any damn day we want to, showing off as much, or as little, thigh as we want.

To help you get your golf getup dialed to the nines (nine-inch inseams, we mean), or sevens, or fives, we went on the hunt for the best golf shorts on the market today. We found everything from breezy poly blends from legacy golf brands to ripstop trunks that have made the surprisingly seamless transition from whitewater rafting core to the first tee of your favorite golf course. Oh, and you can’t forget the pleats.

The Best Golf Shorts, According to GQ

• Best Golf Shorts Overall: Lululemon ABC Classic-Fit Shorts, $88
• Best Budget Golf Shorts: Nike Dri-Fit Shorts, $68
• Best Golf Shorts for Bigger Guys: Under Armour Iso Chill Airvent, $70
• Best Stretchy Golf Shorts: Rhone Commuter Short, $98
• Best Modern Golf Shorts: Quiet Golf Pennant Chino, $96
• Best Golf Shorts for Unpredictable Weather: Adidas Ultimate365 Shorts, $90
• Best Ripstop Golf Shorts: Students Hawley, $84

Best Golf Shorts Overall: ABC Classic-Fit

Material: Polyester, elastane | Sizes: 28 to 40 inches| Inseam: 7" and 9"

Lululemon might not be the first brand that comes to mind when you think of golf, but they’ve carved themselves a nice little corner of the golf world thanks to their stylish, stripped-down performance gear that looks good on pretty much everyone. The ABC Classic-Fit shorts are the real deal, pairing perfectly with any golfer’s style, whether that means a boxy vintage golf polo, a prim-and-proper button down or your favorite t-shirt. Made with an incredibly lightweight breathable fabric, these shorts wick sweat with ease and let your legs breathe on the hottest days of the summer. They also come in a huge size range and two inseam lengths, meaning anyone can dial in the perfect fit.

Best Budget Golf Shorts: Nike Dr-Fit Shorts

Material: Polyester, spandex | Sizes: 28 to 42 inches | Inseam: 10.5"

Even in the post-Tiger-Woods-era, Nike is still a must-have when it comes to your golf wardrobe. The Dri-FIT Shorts come in six colors and a big size range (28 to 42 inches), which, when paired with the palatable price tag, makes them a great budget pick or pair to stock up on. The easy, traditional fit goes well with any golf gear you already have and are a solid foundation if you are trying to branch out a little bit with your other golf gear. Bonus for guys who like to tuck their shirts in: the tacky internal waistband keeps any shirt in place for your entire round.

Best Golf Shorts for Bigger Guys: Under Armour Iso Chill Airvent

Material: Nylon, polyester | Sizes: 30 to 44 inches | Inseam: 9”

Under Armour is one of the most reliable names in performance apparel and has been thriving in the golf space for years, so it’s no surprise they find their way onto this list. The Iso Chill Airvent shorts are designed to quickly pull heat away from your body, letting you keep putting in the work, even when temperatures skyrocket and the course provides no respite from the sun. Combining the performance UA is known for with clean lines and a classic fit, these are ideal for golfers who want something that just plain works, day in and day out.

Best Stretchy Golf Shorts: Rhone Commuter Short

Material: FlexKnit | Sizes: 28 to 40 inches | Inseam: 7”, 9”, and 11”

Another workout brand that’s inching its way into a natural fit as a stalwart in the golf apparel space, Rhone’s performance commuter gear is perfect for the course. This pair is stretchy, lightweight, dries quickly, and has a flattering, comfortable fit, so you can easily pull these on for a quick range session or for a weekend scramble without any hesitation. They come in a ton of colors and sizes that run the gamut, and three different inseam lengths.

Best Golf Shorts for Unpredictable Weather: Adidas Ultimate365 Shorts

Material: Polyester | Sizes: S to 2XL | Inseam: 8.5"

Whether your tee time is on a chilly coastal morning or at a toasty twilight hour, the Ultimate365 Shorts from Adidas are more than up to the task. Made with a combination of Adidas’s best technologies, TWISTWEAVE and WIND.RDY, these shorts are made to keep a breeze at bay while keeping you cool in any conditions a golf course can throw at you (which can easily vary from day to day). The fit is generous without being baggy, so you can easily pair them with a performance-fit polo or your favorite shaggy golf sweater without sacrificing those good ~proportions~.

Best Ripstop Golf Shorts: Students: Hawley Ripstop

Material: Cotton twill | Sizes: S to 2XL | Inseam: 6 to 7 inches, depending on waist size

Founder Michael Huynh started Students with a vision of blending golf and lifestyle in a way that was true to the game but also embraced his deep streetwear roots. The Hawley Ripstop shorts remind us of our favorite vintage mountain shorts, from the easy-wearing waistband and rugged colorway all the way down to the handy cargo pockets. Golf is inherently an outdoor sport, so why not take cues from the outdoor gear that’s been working for decades? Whether connecting with nature on the golf course looks like endless grassy fairways or countless diversions into the woods to hunt for a golf ball, these shorts will get the job done.

Best Modern Golf Shorts: Quiet Pennant Chino

Material: Cotton, spandex | Sizes: S to XXL | Inseam: 6.75 to 7.75 inches, depending on waist size)

Sometimes, a modern interpretation of a classic is the absolute best choice. If you like to mix and match golf styles, want a pair of comfy shorts that still look absolute class on the greens, or follow the KISS method, just keep it simple with the Quiet Golf Pennant chino shorts. The flat front and angled front pockets ooze pure golf style, while the combo of an elastic waistband and belt loops lets you easily dress these up or down. If you spend your Saturdays at your local muni and Sundays at the country club, the Pennant Chinos have your back.

Best Golf Shorts for Coastal Style: Johnnie-O Mulligan Performance Woven Shorts

Material: Polyester, modal, spandex | Sizes: 30 to 40 inches | Inseam: 9” and 10”

If you’re all about that coastal lifestyle but don’t know about Johnnie-O, let me put you on. The LA-based brand blends classic golf style and performance materials to make some of the most handsome, easy-wearing golf gear in the game today. The Mulligan Performance Woven shorts are exceptionally lightweight, wick moisture, stretch four ways, and breathe easy, making them some of our favorite shorts for hot, muggy days at Pinehurst or scorchers in Scottsdale. Wherever you play golf, if things heat up, the laid-back style and exceptional fabrics from Johnnie-O will help you keep your cool.

Best Workwear-Inspired Golf Shorts: Manors Greenskeeper Shorts

Material: Nylon, spandex | Sizes: 28 to 36 inches | Inseam: 9 to 11 inches, depending on waist size)

Workwear has made its way to the golf course, this time thanks to UK-based Manors Golf. The Greenskeeper Shorts are an homage to the hard-wearing, dirt-and-grass-stained trousers that adorn golf landscapers around the world. Duck canvas might not be the best for freedom of movement, though, so Manors upgraded these with four-season water- and wind-resistant nylon. Tested on the blustery, unpredictable links courses of the British Isles, these shorts will let your legs breathe while also keeping inclement weather at bay. If you’re going to steal their valor, though, make sure you thank your local greenskeeper. After all, no course would exist without them.

Best Sustainable Golf Shorts: Radmor Five-O Knit

Material: Cotton, spandex | Sizes: 30 to 38 inches | Inseam: 8”

Radmor are experts when it comes to dialing in the perfect fit and maximizing a garment’s potential on the golf course. The Five-O Knit shorts are made for year-round wear, blending cotton and elastane to provide a high-quality hand feel and performance required by today’s golfers without going over the top. They come in a handful of muted colors that easily match your favorite golf polo and use clever pocketing to keep all of your must-haves on you throughout a round and beyond.

Best Statement Golf Shorts: Devereux Mesh Athletic

Material: Polyester mesh | Sizes: S to 2XL | Inseam: 5.5”

It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t throw in some sick mesh shorts from one of golf’s up-and-coming brands. Golf style is booming, yes, but as you may have noticed, shorts are one of the last pieces to embrace the revolution. Not so with Devereux’s mesh athletic shorts. Rattlesnake prints, zigzags, and checkerboards—these shorts will help you let your freak flag fly on the links. Just be ready to endure more than a few side-eyes and wayward glances.

Material: Like most golf apparel on the market these days, golf shorts will usually fall into two camps: cotton or polyester. Generally speaking, cotton shorts will be softer, will break in over time, and will have a bit more of a classic look, while polyester shorts are geared toward performance, drying quickly and keeping you cool on the hottest summer days. This doesn’t mean cotton doesn’t perform, but much like fitness apparel, cotton can be used in conjunction with some spandex or poly-blend to pair performance with style.

In addition to those two mainstays, you’ll see nylon shorts working their way into the golf world, bringing a casual vibe to your outfit that probably more closely resembles your day-to-day fits than what you would traditionally think of when you think of a golf “uniform.” Hell, we even included a mesh pair on our list of favorites, which just goes to show that you really can wear any material on the links these days.

Inseam: Sorry to the slutty three-inch inseam lovers out there, you’re not going to find any of those in the golf world. You may even have a hard time finding a five-inch inseam, though those aren’t quite as rare. The sweet spot for golf shorts is probably between seven and nine inches—not too short and not too long. Go too short and you might find yourself getting a side eye from the starter (and possibly kicked off the course), go too long and you’ll be sweating up a storm by the time you reach the 10th tee.

Special Features: Since golf shorts are starting to veer toward their gorpy counterparts, you’ll find all kinds of special features being built in. Hidden pockets, ball pockets, cargo pockets—they’re all fair game. Buttoned back pockets are still a mainstay, but we’re increasingly seeing velcro patch pockets, snap buttons and other features that were usually reserved for hiking or other outdoor shorts making their way to golf gear. Some golf shorts even come with a built-in liner that makes them perfect for hitting the local swimming hole after your round (just don’t jump in that pond on the 18th fairway).

With a solid crew of both new and lifelong golfers on staff, we’ve spent decades testing golf shorts, from hotter-than-hell summer twilight rounds to blustery, foggy mornings on the coast. Shorts may not have changed that much over the past decade or so, but today’s options are certainly more varied than ever, meaning we got to test out everything from Baggie-adjacent nylon five-inchers to classic, baggy, pleated shorts that have come back around to pair up with modern golf shirts. We take them to the range, for a weekend round at home, on golf trips, and everywhere in between. In today’s world, there’s nowhere golf shorts can’t go.