The story behind hair of the dogleg
Origin Story
It was January of 2024, and a brisk 36 degrees in Atlanta. Golfing outside was out of the question — at least for the weak-hearted — but golf was still very much on our minds. We were planning our “annual” buddies trip, a tradition that had only started a year earlier in Myrtle Beach. For Year 2, we knew we had to step things up, and Hilton Head — a golf mecca — was the obvious choice. Destination secured, there was just one problem: the trip needed a name.
If you’ve ever helped plan a golf trip, you know the energy that erupts in the group text. Where should we play? What’s the format this year? Whose handicap has mysteriously dropped a few strokes since last summer? Amid the back-and-forth, one question popped up: “What do we call the trip?”
Ideas started flying: “Top Gun,” “Shotgun Slice,” “Rob’s Final Hole” (a nod to the bachelor party crew we met in Myrtle Beach), “Shotgun Mulligans,” and my personal favorite, “Handicapping the Handicapped” (terrible, I know). Then one name stuck: “Hair of the Dog(leg Left).” Shortened to “Hair of the Dogleg,” it hit instantly. The crew loved it, and we carried it with us as we hacked our way across Hilton Head.
Fast forward to early 2025. We were planning our third annual trip and decided it was time for a logo and some merch. My cousin’s wife — an incredibly talented designer — helped bring the idea to life, and just like that, the Hair of the Dogleg logo was born.
That’s when it clicked. Buddies golf trips are something special — the excitement of planning, the journey to a new destination, the grind of 36 holes a day, the laughs at the 19th hole, and the hangovers cured with a little hair of the dog (and more fairways). It’s the kind of experience that stays with you long after you unpack your bag.
But why should that feeling only happen once a year? I started wondering if there was a way to capture it and share it with a bigger audience. That’s what Hair of the Dogleg is all about.
What is Hair of the Dogleg?
Hair of the Dogleg is a golf lifestyle brand built on three things: humor, community, and the love of the game. It’s not about perfect swings or low scores — it’s about making golf more approachable and fun.
For me, HOTD is where golf and culture collide. It’s inside jokes on the tee box, a Sunday walk with friends, and the 19th hole that somehow lasts longer than the round itself. It’s the hats, the drinks, the gear, and the memories that make golf more than just a sport.
The Vision for the Future
HOTD is still young, but the vision is clear. I want to grow it into a space where golfers can:
Find content that entertains and inspires.
Discover gear I actually use and recommend.
Connect through humor and community-driven experiences.
Eventually rep the brand with HOTD merch on and off the course.
The long-term goal? To make HOTD a recognizable name in golf lifestyle. Not the serious, buttoned-up side of golf — but the fun, relatable, and slightly irreverent side that makes the game so addictive.
This brand started as a joke, became a logo, and now it’s a vision. Hair of the Dogleg is about curing bad rounds with good vibes — and this is just the beginning.
