This is our review of the best golf shorts for men in 2024.
I wear golf shorts (and shirts) every day of my life so I’m always ready for the course or a meeting, or lunch, or whatever.
I bought 11 pairs of golf shorts from top manufacturers to test for this list and have included the top 7 only. This number may increase as I try more shorts.
Keep this in mind while reading my reviews:
- I’m 5’7″ and 170 lbs and I’ve worked out my entire adult life. So, my legs and rear are not thin (to say the least). And, I live in tropical weather in Houston, Tx.
- I had to pick serious nits to rank these shorts. They are ALL nice and deserve your attention.
Click to read our review criteria for golf shorts.
Visit these pages for a deeper dive into golf clothing – golf apparel companies, golf shirts, golf hats, and golf pants. Golf shoes will follow shortly.
In this review of the best men’s golf shorts – I cover what I like and don’t like about each one, my “bottom line” recommendation, and where I like to get them.
Our Top 3 Recommendations
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Best All Around
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Superb Looks & Comfort
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Best Dress Shorts
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Primary Rating:
5.0
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Primary Rating:
4.9
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Primary Rating:
4.7
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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- Superb Looks - Superb Fit
- Lightweight - Comfortable
- Plenty Room in Seat & Thighs
- Stretches w/ Movement
- NADA
- Look Great - Fit Great
- Light - Breathable - Comfortable
- Good Room in Seat & Thighs
- Stretches w/ Movement
- Sizes run a little large
- Great Looks & Quality Material
- Lightweight - Breathable - Comfortable Fabric
- Slightly snug in seat & thighs
Top Choices For 2024
- Under Armour Men’s Drive Shorts (read more)
- Adidas Ultimate 365 8.5 Inch Shorts (read more)
- RLX Golf FeatherWeight Cypress Tailored Fit Shorts (read more)
- J. Lindeberg Somle Lite Poly Stretch Golf Shorts (read more)
- Under Armour Airvent ISO-CHILL Shorts (read more)
- Oakley Take Pro 3.0 Shorts (read more)
Our Reviews
Editor’s Pick – Under Armour Drive Golf Shorts (Best Shorts for the Course)
- Superb Looks - Superb Fit
- Lightweight - Comfortable
- Plenty Room in Seat & Thighs
- Stretches w/ Movement
- NADA
Under Armour Drive shorts are our #1 pick for best golf shorts for men.
What I like:
- Excellent fit & quality material.
- They’re lightweight, breathable, and comfortable.
- Zero bunching (I could work out or run in these – never will…but I could)
- Great choice for the course on the hottest of days and equally as good for all your Summer social gatherings.
What I don’t like:
- Nada
I didn’t expect it, but the Under Armour Drive shorts are my favorite out of some stiff competition. (I didn’t know what to think of elastic waistbands on golf shorts, but it turned out to be a non-issue.)
They fit true to their size. The material is comfortable and flows well when I walk or raise my leg – no bunching or binding in the seat or legs.
Bottom Line – Great fit – great feel – great looks at a reasonable price. Fits well on anyone, but especially nice for those of us with bigger legs and a bigger rear.
Adidas Ultimate 365 8.5 Inch Shorts
- Look Great - Fit Great
- Light - Breathable - Comfortable Fabric
- Good Room in Seat & Thighs
- Sizes run a little large
The Adidas Ultimate 365 8.5-inch shorts are our next pick.
What I like:
- Really love the look and fit.
- Comfortable, breathable, high-quality materials and construction.
- Moves well with zero bunching or binding in the seat or rear.
- Great choice for the course on the hottest of days and equally as good for all your Summer social gatherings.
What I don’t like:
- Run a little big for the size. I wear a 32 waist and these float on me a little. Easily fixed with a belt – which I always wear, anyway.
I’ve bought and owned Adidas shorts for years. These are the best I’ve tried. They’re super comfortable with great looks.
Perfect for punishing Houston Summers, but good to go whenever it’s warm enough to wear shorts.
Bottom Line – Superb quality – great fit – great feel – great looks at a premium price. Great for any body type but especially nice for those of us with bigger legs and a bigger rear.
RLX Golf FeatherWeight Cypress Tailored Fit Golf Shorts
- Great Looks & Quality Material
- Lightweight - Breathable - Comfortable Fabric
- Slightly snug in seat & thighs
The RLX Golf FeatherWeight Cypress Tailored Fit men’s golf shorts are our next pick.
These worried me. I thought they would be too fancy and I’d be scared to wear them. My fears were misplaced…slightly.
What I like:
- Exceptional tailored fit.
- Comfortable, breathable, high-quality materials and construction.
- Moves well with minimal bunching or binding in the seat or rear.
- Good choice for the course on the hottest of days and the best choice for all your Summer social gatherings.
What I don’t like:
- Ever-so-slight bunching in the seat and thigh – lessens as you wear them.
- So good-looking I’m afraid to dirty them. (I’m going to have a heart attack when I see the first stain)
This is the first and only pair of RLX Golf shorts I’ve owned. I consider them “dress shorts”…if that’s a thing. They are that nice.
I think they’re great for Fall and Spring golf here in Houston. But, not the hottest days of Summer if you buy the lighter colors.
Bottom Line – Superb quality – great fit – great feel – great looks at a premium price. Fits well on anyone, but more so if you have leaner legs.
Under Armour Airvent ISO-Chill Golf Shorts
- Look Great - Fit Great
- Light - Breathable - Comfortable Fabric - Perfect for Summer
- Roomy in seat & thighs
- Limited color selection
The Under Armour Airvent ISO-Chill shorts are our next pick for best golf shorts for men.
What I like:
- They look good and fit well.
- The most breathable fabric of any shorts on our list.
- Zero bunching or binding in the seat & thighs.
- A great choice for the course on the hottest of days and a solid choice for all your Summer social gatherings.
What I don’t like:
- I’m not the largest fan of the design pattern. (I’m picking nits, here)
- Limited color selection.
Bottom Line – Perfect for the hottest days on the course and look good enough for all your other Summer social activities.
J. Lindeberg Golf Shorts
- Fit Great - Look Great
- Lightweight - Comfortable Fabric
- Moves well with you
- Price
J. Lindeberg shorts are are up next.
What I like:
- They look great and feel great.
- Excellent fit and quality.
- Comfortable & breathable fabric.
- They fit true to their size.
- Great for the course. Great for Summer social gatherings.
What I don’t like:
- Ever-so-slight bunching in the seat and upper thighs, but mitigated by the lightweight fabric.
- Pull them out of the dryer quickly or they will wrinkle. (Just throw them back in for 10 minutes or so with some other clothes and they’ll be good to go)
I always thought of J. Lindeberg clothes as skinny people’s clothes – a group I do not belong to. But, these shorts fit me surprisingly well and look great while doing it.
They are ever-so-slightly binding in the seat and upper thighs, but the lightweight material moves well with me.
Bottom Line – Great-looking golf shorts. Superb quality – great fit – great feel at a premium price. Fits well on anyone, but more so if you have leaner legs.
Oakley Take Pro 3.0 Golf Shorts
- Lightweight & Comfortable
- Fit Great - Look Great
- Quick-Dry Material
- Roomy in seat & thighs
- Limited color selection
The Oakley Take Pro 3.0 shorts are our next pick.
The material reminds me of swim shorts. Great for mid-Summer rounds when the heat is on and the sweat is pouring.
What I like:
- They look good and fit well.
- Ample room in the seat & upper thighs for easy movement.
- A great choice for the course on the hottest of days and a solid choice for all your Summer social gatherings.
What I don’t like:
- Slight binding in the lower thigh when raising my leg to 90 degrees due to length.
- Limited color selection.
- Legs a little long.
I like these shorts and I think they’re a solid choice. They’re some of the longer shorts on the list – along with the J. Lindeberg shorts. So, be aware of that when buying.
Bottom Line – Great shorts for the course and just fine for social gatherings. Quick-drying material is a nice bonus.
How We Choose
I live and play in Houston and we have many 100-degree Fahrenheit-plus days with over 90% humidity. You walk out of your house in the morning, and it feels like a wet, warm blanket has just dropped on you.
So, my clothes have to – somehow – remain comfortable or at least not too uncomfortable in those conditions. While looking good and fitting well.
Now, my criteria for a pair of golf shorts for going to a BBQ, working in the office, going out to eat, or anything where I’m not walking miles or sweating profusely are more relaxed. They just have to look good and fit well.
Below is how I choose the best golf shorts for me.
They have to look good.
Looking good is the price for entry on this list. Luckily, a LOT of shorts from different companies check that box. Plus, most of these companies have a few styles to choose from.
So, there’s no need to sacrifice comfort for looks.
I demand comfort.
I live in golf shorts…every day but the coldest days of Winter (yes, Winter gets cold in Houston). I’m not willing to be uncomfortable any part of those days unless I’m on the course sweating up a storm. Then and only then am I willing to take my lick.
And, for those hottest days on the course, I have three additional criteria: 1) Comfort 2) Lightweight 3) Breathable
1) Comfort – They must be tailored well so I have to have enough room in the seat and upper thighs and my legs have to be able to move freely without the shorts bunching up.
- Raise your leg so your thigh is parallel to the floor. Do you feel binding or bunching in the seat & thigh? You’re good to go if the answer is “no” or “only a little.”
Naturally, the material should feel soft and gentle on your skin.
2) Lightweight – I don’t want heavy fabric in my shorts in general, but certainly in the Summer. Heavy means heat.
3) Breathable – Anything that helps or doesn’t hinder air movement on those hottest days is a plus. I think most lightweight clothing will be fairly breathable.
- Stay away from 100% cotton – which was the gold standard when I started playing golf many moons ago.
Value / Durability
The best golf shorts are going to be fairly expensive…usually. Though, deals are abundant when you can find manufacturer closeouts, various sales, or if you can get your hands on a coupon.
FAQs
What are good shorts to wear golfing?
Our Editor’s Pick is the Under Armour Drive Golf Shorts. Superb looks and comfort for the course.
What is the best length for golf shorts?
The best length for golf shorts is the bottom of them ~2 – 3 inches above your knees, in our opinion.
Should golf shorts be above or below the knee?
Golf shorts should be above your knee.
What material are golf shorts made out of?
The best golf shorts material is a combination of polyester and some other lightweight fabric.
Our Verdict
Under Armour golf shorts are our Editor’s Pick out of an impressive field because they combine superb looks, fit, comfort, durability, and value.
We feel confident you’ll find a great pair of shorts from our list. Pick according to your own criteria.
Thanks for checking out our review of the best golf shorts for men on the market in 2024.
- Superb Looks - Superb Fit
- Lightweight - Comfortable
- Plenty Room in Seat & Thighs
- Stretches w/ Movement
- NADA
