EDITOR’S NOTE

Ok, we need to talk.

LAST WEEK'S SPRING PREVIEW BROKE US.

Not in the "oh that's cool" way. In the "set an all-time click-through record for the blog" way.

Y'all hit those links like they owed you money, sending the clearest message since Jordan's "I'm back" fax: the hunger for vintage-inspired heat isn't just real - it's lowkey scary?

And while the idea of a Fall Preview is already keeping us up at night, a request in the meantime:

If you see cool vintage-inspired sportswear out there, Tag us. DM us. Carrier pigeon if you have to.

And speaking of cultural moments that matter... MASTERS WEEK. Even if you think golf is just rich people taking walks, The Masters is required viewing. The green jackets. The pimento cheese sandwiches. The fits that make NBA players look downright slovenly.

Which brings us to today's Cult Classics piece. We're diving deep on a golf brand that had the game in a chokehold, dressed half the legends at Augusta, then ghosted us harder than your ex during Mercury retrograde. Trust me - by the time you finish reading this, you'll be hunting these pieces like they're last-round tickets to Amen Corner.

As always, let's have some fun out there.

THIS WEEK’S GRAILS

Today’s theme, in honor of Georgia and The Masters: Jack Davis tees. Not up on Davis? Change that IMMEDIATELY.

• GRAIL ALERT: Jack Davis Toronto Blue Jays tee (Size XL) To my knowledge, this is the lowest price for one of these i’ve seen in 5+ years.

• RARE Vintage 1986 Chicago Cubs Jack Davis AOP crewneck (Size M) Sidebar: The Cubs need to incorporate this guy into their modern gear, yes?

• Jack Davis Florida Gators Tee (Size XL) Congrats to the chom-uh, champs.

• Vintage Jack Davis LSU tee (Size M) LSU Jack Davis tees are especially valuable because he went to UGA. He rarely missed, but he really put his foot in the SEC’s designs.

• Vintage Jack Davis New Orleans Saints (Size L) Same thing I said about the Cubs, but for the Saints. Look at this guy!

🛒 CERTIFIED HEATER OF THE WEEK: Homefield dropped this Tulane Baseball Pullover awhile back that looks like spring break bottled into clothing. Clean enough for weekend brunch, vintage enough for us to drool over.

Use “Grails15” for 15% off your 1st purchase. You know what to do.

A THING WE LIKE

This is an ad we made for a thing we like.

Want us to make one for your brand? 

THE CULT OF AUREUS

Augusta National, 1987.

Larry Mize is about to hit the most impossible chip shot in Masters history. But before that ball drops and the crowd erupts, take a closer look at what he's wearing. That crisp collar. Those perfectly-cut shoulders? My boy was DRIPPED in a slept-on golf brand called Aureus.

The Aureus story is fascinating. A brand that went from dressing Masters champions and dominating pro shops across America to vanishing faster than a Tiger Woods comeback rumor. We're talking $43 million in sales at their peak, the official outfitter of Team USA at the '89 Ryder Cup, and a roster of pros that read like a Hall of Fame ballot.

And then? Just poof - gone by '94, leaving behind some of the most sought-after vintage golf pieces this side of the St. Andrews Clubhouse.

A TEAM EFFORT

Picture it: 1978. Golf fashion is trapped in plaid hell, and a man named Edward Manley says "enough."

Launches Aureus (named after Roman gold coins because why wouldn’t you do that?), and proceeds to completely flip the golf world on its head.

At their peak, their roster was STUPID:

• Scott Simpson? Aureus.

• Pre-knickers Payne Stewart? Aureus.

• Chi Chi's sword dance? Aureus all day.

• Mark O'Meara and Ray Floyd looking like money? You already know.

SPEED RUN TO THE TOP

By 1990, Aureus wasn't just winning—they were dominating. Named the top golf apparel maker in the United States with sales exceeding $43 MILLION. This wasn't some niche player; this was the king of the clubhouse.

And then... poof. Gone. By 1994, just four years after reaching the summit, Aureus filed for bankruptcy, blaming "tough economic conditions."

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

Here's the beautiful part of this story: while Aureus the company died, Aureus has a cult following of vintage heads keeps the flame alive, hunting pieces like they're rare Pokémon cards.

Why? Because until 2020, we could argue that golf didn’t have any “hype” brands. Aureus stands out because you can't replicate that perfect storm of '80s excess, pre-Tiger golf culture, and designs that somehow managed to be both classic and boundary-pushing. It was lightning in a bottle, and we'll never see anything like it again.

The best part? Unlike most vintage grails that'll cost you a kidney, you can actually score authentic Aureus gear—the EXACT SAME STUFF the pros wore—for surprisingly reasonable prices. We're talking pieces of golf history for less than what you'd drop on a new Malbon hat.

Think we're gassing up a dead brand? Next time you're watching Masters highlights from the late '80s (everyone does that, right?), peep the fits. That eccentric Aureus design wasn't just a brand - it was the last pure moment before golf style got corporate and corny.

Got Aureus in your collection? Slide in our DMs with pics.

P.S. If ANYONE has a lead on an original Aureus Team USA Ryder Cup jacket in XL, hit us IMMEDIATELY. (Yes, it's for us. No, we're not ashamed.)

ICYMI

@gamedaygrails

POV: You hit @Totally Rad Vintage Fest in search of sportswear grails. #vintagesportswear #gamedayoutfit #vintage #vintagevibes #detroit #... See more

A few weeks back, we hit Totally Rad Vintage Fest when it came to Detroit. Love larger vintage events because while everyone is neck-deep in old Carhartts, we’re sniping sharks and rare Starters.

Niche down = find gold. There’s a metaphor in there, somewhere…

FROM THE VAULT

Today, we’re sharing EXCLUSIVE scans from the 1985-1986 Official NBA Merch Catalog. As far as we know, these are the only images of the catalog on the internet.

Please send this newsletter to your favorite sportswear designer and say, “This. THIS is what we want.”

Let’s Connect!

Follow us for daily inspiration and deep dives: @GamedayGrails

Do you own a vintage-inspired sportswear brand we should be aware of? Reach out.

Have feedback, ideas or want to collab? Email [email protected] with any ideas, we’re usually down to clown.

Thank you for being part of the Gameday Grails family.