I have a confession to make.
Until about two weeks ago, I had never heard of the Gen Z favorite, Herschel Supply.
It’s not my fault, though, as I’m not a member of Gen Z. I’m a Boomer, people, and damned proud of it.
So, when I learned that Herschel Supply was adding a line of golf accessories to its product portfolio, I had many questions. Like, what is Herschel Supply? And what kinds of products does it sell?
And, maybe most importantly, why did it decide to start Herschel Supply Golf?
So, friends, ask Alexa to spark up a little Mona Bone Jakon and join me on The Road To Find Out.
(Ask your Boomer parents. Or grandparents. We know a few things, too, you know)
Herschel Supply and Herschel Supply Golf
Brothers Jamie and Lyndon Cormack started Herschel Supply in 2009 with a line of backpacks and other travel accessories. Its vibe is to mix classic aesthetics with modern functionality and it manages the rare feat of packing loads of useful features into a minimalistic design.
The brand name comes from the Canadian prairie town of Herschel, Saskatchewan, the homestead of the Cormack family. Herschel became popular for its backpacks, known for their balance of nostalgia and modern utility. The brand soon moved into everyday travel and carry products including duffel bags, hard- and soft-shell luggage and other travel-related accessories.
In that sense, given Gen Z’s rising interest in golf, the move into golf bags and accessories is a logical one.
“We saw an opportunity to bring a different lens to it,” founder Jamie Cormack tells MyGolfSpy. “We approached it with a travel-first mindset by building classic products with modern details to move seamlessly on the course or a trip around the globe.”
The Herschel Supply Golf initial offering features three golf bags, a travel cover, a shoe bag and metalwood headcovers, all featuring Herschel Supply’s trademark minimalistic design approach.
“The golfer we’re designing for is very similar to the typical Herschel consumer,” Cormack explains. “We took inspiration from vintage golf bags and modernized them, using a considered color palette and minimal design that works for both new players and those drawn to something more timeless.”
The Herschel Supply Golf Collection
Herschel Supply definitely has its own style. Gen Z may love it but it’s also accessible to any open-minded and tragically hip Boomer. The brand is utilitarian, pleasing and understated all at the same time.
You won’t find a leopard-skin-pillbox-hat-looking thing anywhere in this collection.
The Golf Collection follows the Herschel playbook to the letter, starting with its three golf bags. The Herschel Watt Sunday bag ($200) is a simple, lightweight bag designed for an emergency nine. Its big brother is the Herschel Watt Light stand bag ($250). It’s still lightweight even though it’s bigger than the Watt Sunday bag. The Watt Light is designed for walkers with balanced weight and streamlined (meaning minimal) storage. You won’t be able to cram too much crap into it.
The larger Herschel Watt stand bag ($290) is a full-sized, structured stand bag. It features multiple dividers and more pockets than the Watt Light.
All three Watt bags are available in Black, Navy and Woodland Camo.
The Herschel Heritage
Golf Travel Wheelie Bag ($280 and, yes, they really call it a “wheelie” bag) is a well-padded travel cover. It gets a tip-of-the-golf-cap from this correspondent for its fully zippered “front door” which makes any travel cover super easy to pack.
The Heritage Collection also includes a shoe bag ($45) and headcovers for your driver, fairways and hybrids ($30 each).
The travel bag (sorry, I can’t call it a “wheelie”) and shoe bag (can we call it a “footie?”) come in four colorways: Black, Navy/Saddle Brown, Woodland Camp and Ash Rose. The headcovers come in those four colorways as well, along with a Black/Saddle Brown option.
Final thoughts
Whenever a “new” brand shows up in golf, the question of do we really need another whatever always comes up. And the answer, friends, is always the same.
No … but with an asterisk.
The reason there’s an asterisk is simple: It’s the wrong question to ask. Need doesn’t enter into it. Unless you play on Sundays for your meal money, golf is a game we play for fun. If that’s the case, then we can ask a more pertinent question:
Why would a company like Herschel Supply venture into the world of golf?
That one’s easy: Because it can. Is it bringing anything new or revolutionary to the parade? No, but it doesn’t really have to. The brand has a vibe and specializes in making bags to carry stuff around in. Doesn’t matter if it’s books, a laptop or a set of player’s distance irons. You have fans who like to travel and play golf, so really, why the hell not?
Maybe they’ll even sell a few.
And given the market Herschel Supply is entering, the pricing is certainly in line with better-quality offerings. Once we get some samples in, we can let you know if the bags themselves are in line with better-quality offerings.
For a company I had never heard of, Herschel Supply does get around. It’s sold in over 100 countries worldwide in department stores and specialty retailers. The company also has its own branded retail outlets and, as you’d expect, sells direct-to-consumer on its own website.
For more information, visit www.herschel.com.
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Article Link: https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/why-is-this-gen-z-favorite-joining-the-golf-world/