Tommy Bahama: More than just a shirt for golfers

The iconic brand is a perfect fit for golfers, whether it's what they wear or where they eat, drink and stay.
Tommy Bahama Miramote Resort and Spa
The Tommy Bahama Miramote Resort and Spa resides in trendy Indian Wells, Calif., adjacent to two popular resort golf courses.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Twice in the space of one week, thousands of miles apart, I stumbled upon two distinct reminders why Tommy Bahama is so beloved by golfers.

The first encounter: I'm walking along main street in Palm Springs just days before the PGA Tour's The American Express. The music and discernible vibe emanating from one establishment catches my attention: the Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar. It's jumping. Not bad for three hours before happy hour. Considering the timing and the location, I bet at least half the customers are golfers.

Seven days later, I'm wandering the endless aisles of the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. One display, again, catches my attention; I've never seen a Tommy Bahama booth here before. Turns out, the company returned after a decade-plus hiatus, hoping to reintroduce its fashion to golfers through pro shops around the country. Tommy Bahama doesn't specifically sell to golfers as much as the brand fits their ethos: a tropical island life filled with luxury, fun, sun, sand, vacation vibes, good food, drinks and more.

Tommy Bahama is no just longer a comfy button-down shirt. The cachet the brand has built since launching in 1993 is being channeled into restaurants, bars and now a golf resort and golf carts. It could be a billion-dollar corporation by the end of the year. Today, Tommy Bahama offers more than 160 retail locations worldwide, 22 of which are retail and dining experiences.

Golfers would be wise to pay attention. A perfect day in trendy SoCal could involve staying, dining and shopping at a Tommy Bahama-themed resort and playing golf while riding in a Tommy Bahama-inspired cart. A new partnership with Club Car will give golfers the opportunity to buy their own personal cart decorated with a signature heritage Tommy Bahama print, custom upholstery and other fun additions. It seems Tommy Bahama is all-in on golf's post-pandemic resurgence.

Staying with Tommy Bahama

Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort, Indian Wells
The newly rebranded Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort, Indian Wells, is an oasis in the California desert.

Near Palm Springs, the rebranded Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa debuted last November 1 as the first of its kind. The resort is part of a massive vacation complex in Indian Wells, Calif., that features four different hotels and two spectacular Troon Golf-managed courses, the Celebrity and Players at Indian Wells Golf Resort.

A $20-million refresh married desert luxury with Tommy Bahama touches throughout the 215-room property. Eleven acres of olive trees, fragrant citrus groves and flower gardens add beauty to the landscape in the shadow of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Three saltwater swimming pools with cabanas; Grapefruit Basil, a new signature restaurant and bar created specifically for the resort; and the new 12,000-square-foot Spa Rosa combine to pamper guests.

The golf courses are as good as any in the Coachella Valley. I came away impressed after two rounds in 2022. You can't go wrong with either. The flowers and landscaping shines against the backdrop of the mountains.

After dark, the restaurant in the impressive clubhouse and the 'Shots in the Night' entertainment - there's both a putting or driving range experience - pair well together to entertain all ages. GolfPass offers packages to stay at Indian Wells with a potential discount of up to $100 for members.

Best of Indian Wells Package
Indian Wells, CA
PALM SPRINGS, CA | Enjoy accommodations at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort, Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort, or the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa & Spa and golf at Indian Wells Golf Resort - Celebrity & Players Courses.

Eating, drinking - and shopping - with Tommy Bahama

Tommy Bahama Restaurant Bar & Store - Waikiki Rooftop
The Tommy Bahama Restaurant Bar & Store on a Waikiki Rooftop showcases great views of downtown Honolulu.

Tommy Bahama restaurants aren't new. The first one opened in Naples, Fla., in 1996. But their expansion into key markets with golf keeps the connection alive - Scottsdale in Arizona; Newport Beach, Palm Desert and San Diego in California; Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens and Sandestin in Florida; Mauna Lani in Hawaii; and The Woodlands and San Antonio in Texas.

The recent introduction of the Marlin Bar concept, where customers order at the bar and are served after sitting, has become the next evolution of the food and beverage side of the business, which compliments the shopping. After a couple drinks, who doesn't wander into the adjacent shop and find something colorful they crave?

Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar Palm Springs Patio
The Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar Palm Springs Patio is one of two places to drink, dine and shop with the brand in California's Coachella Valley.

Wearing Tommy Bahama

Tommy Bahama button down shirt
Golfers love the Tommy Bahama button-down silk shirts for after the round.

None of it - the bars, the food, the resort - would be here without the clothes. I'm not ashamed to say I've been wearing Tommy Bahama shirts for more than two decades. It was probably the first nice shirt I ever owned back in the late 1990s.

I've stayed loyal, like many customers. I just teed it up with a golfer who said he only wears Tommy Bahama clothing. "It's so comfortable," he said.

After the company's return to the PGA Show, a pro shop near you just might have the latest Tommy Bahama styles in stock.

"We've found that golf shops like to have some alternatives to just the polo mentality," said Peter Leff, the executive vice president of wholesale with Tommy Bahama. "We've heard a lot from people saying, 'Well it's nice that you guys are back. We haven't seen you in a while.' We definitely have a great brand recognition out there. Our quality has maintained its high level since the beginning. People respect that."

I'm wearing new styles on and off the course these days. Depending on the weather, I'm comfortable in the OnPar Island Zone Shorts ($110) or the Island Zone Performance 5 Pocket Pants ($128). My new favorite dinner shirt is the Collegiate Palm Flurry Collegiate Camp Shirt ($158) because I can proudly support the 2023 National Champion Michigan Wolverines with the 'Block M' on my chest. There are 26 other college shirts if you're a fan of another school. When it gets chilly in paradise, I cover up my logo with the Tobago Bay Crewneck Sweatshirt ($110). It looks and feels good. The colors really pop.

The best part about wearing Tommy Bahama? It never goes out of style.

Tommy Bahama - 2024 PGA Show booth
Tommy Bahama shows off its colorful side at the 2024 PGA Merchandise Show.

Have you experienced a Tommy Bahama bar, restaurant, resort or fashion lately? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,200 courses and written about golf destinations in 28 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and X/Twitter at @WorldGolfer.

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Tommy Bahama: More than just a shirt for golfers
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