New golf hat styles have emerged — bright colors, unconventional designs — and they have generated real debate, separating long-time players from recent joiners.
The Masters Tournament's merchandise shop recently offered an orange hat emblazoned with "PIMENTO," a nod to its famous cheese sandwiches. The item caused a social media frenzy and sold out quickly.
Those PIMENTO hats grew so sought after that some are now listed on resale sites for hundreds of dollars. Knockoff versions are also available, underscoring the demand.
Across golf courses and driving ranges, similar headwear is now common. These hats often feature pastel or neon colors, cheeky sayings positioned askew, semi-flat bills and rope accents.
Photos of retail displays showcasing these hats frequently go viral online, with comments reflecting the ongoing debate. Headwear designers, retailers and golf professionals generally trace the look's arrival to 2021 or 2022, coinciding with golf's pandemic-driven boom.
The headwear preference has become a clear dividing line in the sport, distinguishing the old guard from an influx of recent participants who tend to be younger and more female.
The most controversial style is known as the "B.U.D."—an acronym for Backward or Upside Down. Mark Kliethermes, senior creative director at Ahead, a hat supplier for PGA Tour events, uses the term.
Dallas-based streetwear outfitter True Brvnd claims to have invented the B.U.D. design in 2020, saying on its website that "everything felt flipped" at the time. The style gained momentum after professional athletes Dak Prescott and Klay Thompson were seen wearing B.U.D. caps.
Inverted text eventually appeared on various hats, including those produced by golf brands. Dave Zaleznick, general manager at '47 Brand, said headwear is "a copycat league."
Good Good, a Frisco, Texas-based YouTube channel that launched in July 2020, documented the humor and trick-shot antics of friends. The company was among the first to introduce offbeat hat styles to golf, drawing a new audience of casual players.
Players now use hats to express personal identity rather than simply blend in—a clear shift from golf's traditional muted polos and flat-front khakis.
