How Should a Golf Polo Fit? Athletic-Fit Guide + Size Chart
Most golf polos fit wrong in the same two places: the shoulders sit past the edge of your shoulder, and the hem hangs long enough to bunch when it is tucked. Both happen because "large" has no fixed meaning across brands. This guide is how to judge fit on any polo, followed by the measurements for ours.
The five checkpoints
1. Shoulder seam. The seam where the sleeve meets the body should sit right on the edge of your shoulder bone — not sagging down the arm, not pulling up onto the top of the shoulder. This is the one measurement you cannot fix with tucking or washing, so it is the one to size on.
2. Chest. With the placket buttoned, you should be able to pinch about an inch of fabric at the side of the chest. Less than that and the buttons will pull open at the top of the backswing; much more and the shirt will billow untucked.
3. Sleeve. A polo sleeve should end at about mid-bicep and sit close enough to the arm that it does not flap, with enough room to slide two fingers underneath. A sleeve that hangs to the elbow reads as too big everywhere else too.
4. Length. Tucked, the hem should reach roughly four inches below the waistband so a full swing does not pull it out. Untucked, it should end at mid-fly — long enough to cover the belt, short enough that it does not look like a nightshirt.
5. The swing test. Put the shirt on, take a full backswing and hold it at the top. The fabric should follow you without the buttons gapping, the hem lifting free, or the collar riding up your neck. Any of the three means the shirt is too tight, too short, or has too little stretch.
Athletic fit vs regular fit
An athletic fit is cut wider through the shoulders and chest and tapers through the waist. It suits broader shoulders and a narrower waist, and it depends on stretch in the fabric to move. A regular (or classic) fit is straighter through the body with more room at the waist and a slightly longer hem. Neither is better; the athletic cut sits closer to the body, so if you are between sizes and want room, take the larger. If you prefer a looser drape, a regular fit in your usual size will feel more familiar.
HITTEMSTRAIGHT men's polo size chart
Our men's polos are an athletic fit in a nylon-spandex knit (88% nylon, 12% spandex) with four-way stretch. They run small by US standards — typically one to two sizes smaller than the letter you usually buy. Size by the chest measurement, not the letter. Garment measurements are taken flat, in inches, with a tolerance of about half an inch; the height and weight columns are the manufacturer's guide for who each size fits.
| Size | Chest (pit to pit) | Body length (HPS to hem) | Shoulder width | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 18 in | 24½ in | 15 in | 5'1"–5'3" | 85–100 lb |
| M | 19 in | 25½ in | 15¾ in | 5'3"–5'5" | 100–116 lb |
| L | 19¾ in | 26¾ in | 16½ in | 5'5"–5'7" | 116–132 lb |
| XL | 20½ in | 28 in | 17¾ in | 5'7"–5'9" | 132–145* lb |
| XXL | 21¼ in | 28¾ in | 19 in | 5'9"–5'11" | 145–160 lb |
How to measure a shirt you already own and like: lay it flat, buttoned. Chest is the straight line from armpit seam to armpit seam. Body length is from the highest point of the shoulder (where the collar seam meets the shoulder seam) straight down to the hem. Shoulder is seam to seam across the back. Sleeve is from the shoulder seam to the cuff edge. Compare to the chart above and pick the closest — then remember the athletic cut sits closer, so round up if you want room.
Men's hoodie size chart
The HS hoodie is a regular fit in a midweight cotton-poly fleece (53% cotton, 47% polyester), designed to layer over a polo. It runs small by US standards: order one size up from the size you usually take in a US brand. Garment measurements are taken flat, in inches, with a tolerance of about half an inch; the height and weight columns are the manufacturer's guide for who each size fits.
| Size | Chest (pit to pit) | Body length | Shoulder width | Sleeve length | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 21¼ in | 25½ in | 21¼ in | 20 in | 5'1"–5'3" | 88–110 lb |
| M | 22 in | 26½ in | 22 in | 20½ in | 5'3"–5'5" | 110–132 lb |
| L | 22¾ in | 27¼ in | 22¾ in | 21 in | 5'5"–5'7" | 132–154 lb |
| XL | 23½ in | 28 in | 23½ in | 21¼ in | 5'7"–5'9" | 154–176 lb |
| XXL | 24½ in | 28¾ in | 24½ in | 21¾ in | 5'9"–5'11" | 176–187 lb |
Hats and gloves
Both hats are one size, 58 cm (about 22¾ inches) around the crown, with a structured six-panel build. Measure around your head just above the ears and brow. The cabretta glove, with the tracer graphic printed on the back, is for the left hand (a right-handed golfer's lead hand) in L, XL and XXL; it should fit snug across the palm with no loose material at the fingertips, and leather stretches slightly with wear, so size down if you are between sizes.
Washing so it keeps fitting
Polos: machine wash cold, dark colors separately, and skip the dryer heat if you can — nylon-spandex keeps its recovery longest when it is not cooked. Hoodies: wash inside out on a short cycle with like colors, and never iron directly on the print. Neither should shrink if you follow the care line, which is the point of the fiber choices.
Still not sure? Ask us with your height, weight and the size you take in a brand you already own, and we will tell you which one to order.
