Okay, let’s talk about these golf cargo shorts I tried out.
My Journey with Golf Cargo Shorts
So, I was needing some new shorts for golf season. Usually, I just wear regular flat-front shorts, you know, the standard stuff. But I kept seeing these ‘golf cargo shorts’ popping up. More pockets, looked kinda rugged, figured maybe they’d be practical.
I went down to the local sports store. Found a few pairs from different brands. Picked one up, felt the material. Seemed okay, kinda that standard stretchy poly blend most golf clothes are made of now. The big difference was, obviously, the pockets. Big flap pockets on the side of each leg.
Trying Them On and First Thoughts
In the fitting room, I put them on. Fit was alright, maybe a little baggier than my usual shorts because of the extra fabric for the cargo pockets. Stood there, looked in the mirror. Felt a bit… bulky? But hey, pockets, right? Thought about all the stuff I usually juggle: tees, divot tool, ball marker, maybe an extra ball, my phone, wallet sometimes if I’m just playing a quick nine after work. The idea of stashing it all away neatly was tempting.
Bought a pair. Decided to give them a real test run.
Hitting the Course
Next Saturday, tee time booked. Put on the new cargo shorts. Started loading up the pockets. Let’s see:
- Left pocket: Tees, divot tool, ball marker.
- Right pocket: Extra ball (just in case!), scorecard holder with pencil.
- Regular front/back pockets: Phone, wallet (though usually I leave the wallet in the bag).
Felt kinda loaded down walking to the first tee. The stuff in the side pockets definitely made its presence known. A little bit of bouncing, a little bit of bulk against my legs.
The Swing Test
First drive. Took my stance. Addressed the ball. Felt… okay. But during the backswing and follow-through? Yeah, I could feel the stuff in the cargo pockets shifting. It wasn’t throwing my swing off massively, not like adding 10 strokes or anything, but it was noticeable. A distraction. Especially the extra ball in the right pocket. It felt awkward banging against my leg.
Walking the fairway, reaching in for a tee or the divot tool was easy enough, I’ll give them that. The pockets were big and accessible. But bending down to read a putt or tee up the ball, the stuff in the pockets would sometimes press against me or just feel generally cumbersome.
My Takeaway
Played the full 18. By the end of the round, I had a pretty clear opinion. The extra storage is nice in theory. But in practice, loading up those big side pockets just didn’t feel right for golf. It added bulk, a bit of sway and noise, and frankly, they didn’t look as sharp as my regular shorts, especially after walking 18 holes.
So, what did I end up doing?
Well, I didn’t throw them out. They’re perfectly fine shorts for wearing around the house, doing yard work, or maybe going for a very casual walk where I want to carry extra stuff. The pockets are useful for that. But for actual golf? Nah. I went back to my standard golf shorts pretty quickly. Found I prefer keeping just the essentials in my regular pockets and leaving the rest in the golf bag. Less distraction, cleaner look, feels better when I swing.
Just my experience, you know? Maybe they work great for other guys, but for me, on the golf course, simpler is better. The cargo shorts experiment was worth a try, but I won’t be buying another pair for playing rounds.
