Malbon Golf in Miami: From the Grove to the Shores

I threw back a couple sushi rolls and took a good look around, watching people’s face, staring at their cuffs, their shoes, their hats. It’s not often you find yourself completely surrounded by people that all fall into the same relatively small niche as you. But, on this chilly-ish Tuesday night in Miami, there were at least a hundred people inside and outside of the Malbon Store in Coconut Grove, all of whom have the same passion for golf, and fashion, and modern culture. We all gathered here during the week of Art Basel for the pre launch party of the Malbon x Undefeated collection. I didn’t hear a single person even say the word “art” all night. But, with clothes so beautiful, it felt like I was staring at works of art wherever I looked.

I love the brand Undefeated, they are one of the original streetwear titans and have some of the best stock in NYC in their SOHO store. From the marketing alone, I had a feeling that this collection would be one to watch, and I couldn’t have been more right. Using a camouflage motif as well as whites, greens and blacks throughout, the collection continues the Malbon movement of utilizing the natural surroundings of a certain area to inspire the design and function of their clothes. The idea for this collection was to be able to play rugged and in the rain; where the Ghostface Killah x Malbon bag was a luxurious leather makeup, with light colors and shiny zippers, this bag is black, made of canvas, accented with camouflage and using clip straps all over. You can tell that it was made to be used to the fullest. Pouring rain? First Malbon bag to come with a rain hood. Definitely made for the elements, and still has the Malbon details we know and love to boot.

Not just the bag, but the entire collection is chock full of pieces that allow not just for style, but for those days where weather is just not on your side. The polos are lightweight with a monotone camouflage motif, and I love how they put the two logos side by side. A lot of the collection is rain proof, with quarter zips, vests, and even pants being released in a very thin yet water resistant material, with ventilation holes in all the perfect spots. It’s definitely made to be an effective wear in many types of environments and climates. The off course clothes use the same colors but feature prominently an amalgamated Malbon UNDFTD logo, which I love, and more common materials that you’d see in your every day hoodies and tees. The hoodies here are a stand out, even though the t shirts carry the graphic design and “PLAY DIRTY.” caption that some people are sure to go absolutely crazy over. Rounding out the collection are the hats and gloves. The glove features a ball marker of the amalgam logo, a marker that can only be obtained if you buy the glove. Smart. The hats are beautiful, with classic rope hats, nylon “tech” hats, and two unbelievably beautiful and functional bucket hats. That camo one though. These things looked good, fit amazing, and helped keep the sun off my pale ass at the same time.

Malbon, as I’ve said before, operates in an almost chameleonic way, where the brand can shift and mold its vision and style to naturally become flush with its surroundings or target audience. This time was no different, as the party was a smash hit and very Miami, with people arriving late, eating sushi and drinking cocktails. I always note how Malbon really keeps it true to the local scene, and as a Miami native, I am very appreciative that they do so. Where everyone else is at the Beach, or Downtown, or Brickell, they show out for the people in Coconut Grove. And, when it came time for their Malbon Mutiny tournament the following day, Wednesday, they held it no where else but Miami Shores Country Club, a beloved local course and one of my personal favorites. It is the only course in Miami with “hills”, and it also has a few holes where the Brightline absolutely speeds past you, including right next to the tee boxes. That being said, the course is kept up beautifully with a layout that is very fun, lots of movement left and right, some elevated greens and holes guarded by water and sand. It is always a vibe at Shores, and Malbon fit right in.

The Malbon Mutiny event brought together influencers, golfers, sponsors, and for a brief moment, one burgeoning golf publication. I was lucky enough to pop by the event for a little bit and was blown away with what I saw. The entire course was Malbon-ified, from the parking lot to the restaurant. They took over the entire driving range, not for hitting, but for their reception; tables and chairs on the range, that is baller. They had a Sweetgreen matcha bar next to the Nespresso bar, a boutique hot dog brand next to the cuban cigar roller. The branding was great, with the Malbon logo all over the course in script, buckets, and new variants I have not yet even seen. They had entire Malbon Lexus which I honestly just loved to look at, with my all time favorite Ghostface bag right in front. It was a pleasing forest green with a nice livery too of white accent, and those rims man. Malbon x Forgiato coming soon??

Most people were still on course when I was there, but I saw the reception at its peak as well and it looked like a hell of a time. Art Basel and golf mixed a lot better than I thought. It’s always a big deal for a lot of locals here how Art Basel just takes over the whole city, blocks it all up and brings in a bunch of BS to a place already full of it. So, I want to take an extra second to thank the Malbon Brand for trying to stay as local as possible, and succeeding. My only thing, more local food and beverage! Imagine croquetas, empanadas, and cortadito while you’re swinging away at Shores, or a nice dosing of lechon while sipping on Bushmills. Use that local flavor to take these already awesome events to whole other level. Other than that, I got nothing to say. Malbon doesn’t just know how to translate their brand’s vibe to the city they are in. They can take the city’s vibe and figure out what the brand can do to serve it and exist within it as naturally as a local does. I think this is one of their greatest keys to success, is their genuine inspiration in and love for their surroundings, whether that be Cali, Miami, NYC, or the Philippines. Malbon holds events for their Buckets Club very frequently, and the Malbon x UNDFTD line releases today at noon, ya tu sabes.