The Best Golf Shirts for Hot Weather: How to Stay Cool for 18 Holes

It's August in Tennessee. Your tee time is 1:40, the air feels like a wet towel, and by the fourth hole your shirt is stuck to your back like it's been laminated there. Every swing peels it off and slaps it back on. You're not playing golf anymore. You're surviving it.

The right shirt won't make July feel like October. But it decides whether you spend the round thinking about your swing or about how much you're sweating. Here's what actually keeps you cool, and what to skip.

1. Fabric: skip the cotton

Cotton is comfortable in an air-conditioned room. On a golf course in summer, it soaks up sweat, holds it, and takes forever to dry. That's how a shirt gets heavy and clingy by the front nine.

A lightweight polyester performance knit works the other way. It pulls moisture to the surface where it can evaporate, so the shirt dries while you play. If you want the full breakdown, read golf polo vs. regular polo.

2. Color: lighter is cooler

Dark colors absorb more sunlight and turn it into heat. Light colors reflect more of it. On a four-hour round in full sun, you'll feel the difference. For hot-weather golf, reach for light blues, soft pinks, creams and sand tones, and save the navy and black for cooler days.

If you want a little personality without the heat, a light base with a subtle print is the sweet spot: the light blue golf polo with a small geometric print, the cream-and-sand striped golf polo, or the salmon pink golf polo.

3. Weight and stretch

Heavier shirts trap heat, and stiff ones fight your swing, which makes you work harder in the heat. A lightweight knit with built-in stretch moves with your turn instead of pulling across your shoulders. Less effort, less sweat.

4. Fit: room for air

A shirt that's shrink-wrapped to your body has nowhere for air to move. One that's too big flaps around and looks sloppy. A classic fit, close enough to look sharp but loose enough to let a breeze in, is the most comfortable choice for hot weather. Our golf polo fit guide shows exactly where it should sit.

5. UV protection

Summer rounds mean four-plus hours of midday sun on your shoulders, neck and back. A golf polo made with UV-protective fabric adds a layer of defense where sunscreen tends to wear off first. It's not a replacement for sunscreen, but it helps, especially on the back nine.

6. Wrinkle resistance (for after)

A good hot-weather polo dries fast and resists wrinkles, which means when the round ends you're not stuck in a damp, creased shirt at the clubhouse or at dinner. That's the real test: does it still look good at 6 p.m.?

Your hot-weather golf outfit checklist

1. A lightweight, light-colored performance golf polo
2. Light-colored golf shorts in a breathable fabric (no denim)
3. A breathable cap or wide-brim hat
4. Sunglasses and sunscreen, reapplied at the turn
5. More water than you think you need
6. A spare polo in the bag if you're playing 36

Not sure what else your course expects? Here's our guide to what to wear golfing.

Our picks for hot-weather rounds

Every Doubtless polo is lightweight stretch fabric that's moisture-wicking, quick-dry, UV protective and wrinkle-resistant, designed in Brentwood, Tennessee with long, humid Southern summers in mind. These three are the coolest in the lineup.

Riviera$79.99 · The coolest blue Dune Stripe$79.99 · Light neutrals St. Tropez$79.99 · Pink, with confidence

Every style is $79.99 in sizes S to 2XL, ships free on orders over $140, and unworn polos with tags can be returned within 30 days.

Shop lightweight printed golf polos