Boardroom talks to the lifestyle publication trying to redefine the game of golf as it launches a new brick & mortar outpost.
As golf continues to mutate and morph in exciting, unpredictable ways, Hypegolf has remained a reliable and devoted chronicler of these shifts. Not only does the golf-centric arm of Hypebeast document this world, though, they’ve also helped to create the landscape, offering a platform for fashion-forward consumers who also happen to obsess over the latest clubs from TaylorMade and the swing mechanics of Scottie Scheffler. The publication helps herald in the who’s who of golf apparel leaders (think Metalwood, Manors, and more), all while providing coverage on the industry’s most important figures.
Three years ago, Hypegolf had a brick and mortar store that helped bring its vision to life. In honor of the platform’s fifth anniversary, the golf hub has returned to 147 Grand Street in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. The store will also coincide with the Ryder Cup’s return to New York later this month, when the best of European and U.S. golfers tee off against each other at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, NY. To celebrate golf’s biggest event coming to New York and five years of Hypegolf, we caught up with the publication’s Senior Editor, Julius Oppenheimer. Plus, we made sure to stop by the store, where I managed to snag a new polo from Manors. Whoever said you can’t mix business with pleasure surely never got to write about golf.
Check out our conversation below, condensed and edited for clarity.
How did the idea for the Hypegolf Clubhouse come about?
About a year ago we started looking about how to activate around this time of year. Obviously it’s no secret that the Ryder Cup is coming to New York, so that was a big focus. The Ryder Cup is the one golf event that really captures the public’s attention beyond the core fan. It felt like the right backdrop for us to reintroduce our physical space for the first time in three years. There will be a lot of visitors in town — people who are curious about the game — and this is an opportunity for us to show them what our version of golf looks like.
How has the game of golf grown since Hypegolf emerged?
At its core, Hypegolf is about showing what golf can look like and feel like today. We’re rooted in the culture of the game, but also in a way that connects it to style and community and creativity. Our goal has always been to make golf feel relevant to this new generation that is discovering the game, while still respecting the traditions that make it special. This balance becomes increasingly relevant as this movement picks up more steam. Showing authenticity while being a disruptor is very important to get more acceptance within the mainstream.
The physical presence is big for us. These things are not easy to do, but in the three years since we last had the Clubhouse we’ve had so many people asking us, ‘When are you going to bring back the Clubhouse? Is your popup still open?’ Having a physical presence is important because people know us as a digital platform. We are digital, but this is a place where people can come and see our perspective and the way we curate the product mix. We can showcase our aesthetic and people can meet and talk with us. I think it’s an important extension of the brand. So I think all of those things are relevant.
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Talk to me about the curation. You’ve brought some of my favorite brands to the shop.
We wanted to take a lot of care with the product mix and think about what connects the brands that we are curating beyond just being labeled as exciting, forward thinking golf brands. Supporting up and coming brands is a key part of our philosophy; championing these new brands and creatives. We see our role as not just about elevating what’s already established, but giving a platform to the next wave. We have this point of view we’ve labeled quiet sport and refined performance. That meant balancing technical performance with lifestyle pieces through a lens that feels understated and intentional. It’s important that people walk in and they find pieces that they actually want to play golf in, but pieces that don’t lock them into the typical country club uniform. That balance between performance and a more refined aesthetic is what we think the next chapter of golf apparel will look like.
Why did SoHo feel like the right neighborhood for the store?
SoHo puts us in the middle of this neighborhood where people expect to discover something new. It’s an area where people come to shop. Foot traffic is important not just to reach golfers who already follow Hypegolf, but also people who might wander in without much context regarding what we’re about. When they come here, we hope both of those groups of people feel like the space reflects them in some way.
Have you thought about hosting any Ryder Cup parties?
We have a lounge area downstairs and Sega will activate for five days with a gaming area, and then we will use that space to do some more informal watch parties.
And will you be making it out to Bethpage at all for the event?
I’ll definitely be out there Saturday, I think Friday as well. I really want to be there to soak in the atmosphere, but then I also want to follow the action closely, so I’ll do that from the city on Sunday.
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