Fred Couples Never Went Out of Style
What his Malbon deal says about longevity, style and staying power in the modern game.
There are very few figures in golf who feel truly universal. Not just respected, but liked across generations, eras and sensibilities. Fred Couples is one of those people. He has existed, improbably, at the center of the game for decades without ever seeming to call attention to himself. Relevance has followed him, and so has success.
At 66, Couples continues to make headlines at the Masters, most recently becoming the oldest player to make the cut in 2023. He’s captained multiple Presidents Cup teams, remains closely linked to Tiger Woods and still shows up at golf’s biggest moments looking exactly like himself: relaxed, unbothered and effortless. It’s an aura that transcends competition and it’s why—despite not having an Instagram account—his fandom stretches from longtime golf devotees to younger players just discovering the sport.
Style has always been part of that story, even when it never felt planned. In the ’90s and early 2000s, Couples became synonymous with the tour visor and a distinctly West Coast ease. Years later, he quietly pushed norms by wearing spikeless shoes at Augusta National, a move that felt radical at the time precisely because it wasn’t framed as such. He didn’t look like he was trying to ruffle feathers, he just looked comfortable.
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That ease is what makes his new partnership with Malbon Golf feel less like a surprise and more like a natural evolution. Malbon has built its identity around expanding the boundaries of golf while positioning the game as a canvas for self expression. In recent years, the brand has worked with players across different stages of their careers, from rising talents like Garrick Higgo to established professionals like Jason Day. But the addition of Couples introduces something distinct: an elder statesman whose credibility has only grown with time.
The relationship, which took shape following conversations at Cypress Point during last year’s Walker Cup, reflects a shared understanding of golf as a lifestyle. While Malbon has never shied away from bold expression, Couples represents an understated counterbalance. His on-course wardrobe will lean into pleated trousers, cashmere layers and classic pique polos (all styles that already exist within the Malbon range).
In that sense, Couples simply sharpens Malbon’s point of view. At a moment when golf fashion is polarized between tradition and disruption, his presence carves its own lane: modernity without disruption for its own sake.
Couples will debut Malbon at the PNC Championship and continue wearing the brand in 2026 across the Champions Tour and at Augusta. The visibility matters, but the symbolic meaning might be more important: that relevance can be sustained through authenticity. In a game often obsessed with what’s next, Fred Couples remains a fan favorite because he never seems too concerned with that question. He’s too busy living in the present moment.
