Palm Rat – Local Golf Apparel Startup

The numbers are adding up properly for local golf apparel startup company, Palm Rat. To begin with, Palm Rat is co-owned by two Barrington residents; one is a ‘native’ to Barrington, one is a ‘transplant’ to Barrington. In the lives of each of these two Barrington dads, Chad Bright and Evan Hoobchaak, there exist two ‘likes’ – liking the town of Barrington and both like golf.

Evan Hoobchaak, a North Barrington local, attended college out East (Middlebury College, VT), but was drawn back to the rural, quiet, and private qualities which the Village of Barrington offers. Chad Bright is originally from Ohio but ended up in Barrington in 2017; because the two are joined together as family (brothers-in-law), and share a joint idea, they both now ‘live where they work and work where they live’. The duo of Evan and Chad have had and are still maintaining other separate successful careers before starting Palm Rat.

The Palm Rat Golf idea was hatched over drinks in Florida, and talks about starting an apparel company continued more seriously on subsequent golf trips. Beginning with a simple three word company philosophy, “Work. Play. Live.”, the pair then created a vision for the company, identified a fashion designer, and importantly, got their trademarks in order.

The company’s line of five apparel products is presently available in Men’s style only. PRG offers polos, pullovers, pants, shorts, and hats in classic styles with a modern fit. There are no crazy designs and Palm Rat Golf apparel allows you to move seamlessly from the office to the fairway to hanging with friends and family.

palm-rat-hat

Five important features were taken into consideration when designing PRG’s five apparel products. Collars, cut, buttons, patterns, and fabric were deemed to be crucial to Chad and Evan as well as critical to potential customers.

PRG polos are available in two styles, the Nicobar Performance and the Palmetto Deep V Performance, differing between the two by sleeve length and inner collar and placket. The choice in pullovers is two: Mazan Quilted Performance (with shoulder quilting) and the Sago Performance (without shoulder quilting). Both men’s top products come in a choice of four colors.

Pants and shorts are available in a choice of three colors, while PRG caps are offered as mid crown, curved visor, in regular-style and trucker-style along with a knitted acrylic beanie-style hat.

Palm Rat Golf is a proud member of the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce.

Interested shoppers can find the styles at palmratgolf.com and DIBI Menswear at 28686 W. Northwest Highway, Lake Barrington 60010. (Photos and images property / courtesy of Palm Rat Golf).

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Greg Miles

Greg Miles has been a writer following golf in Chicago since 1990. For the past 30 years he has been a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and currently is classified as a GWAA "Life Member". He played his first round of golf on his 11th birthday, and since then has played more than 7,300 rounds of golf in his lifetime at 517 different courses. He has interviewed more than 280 golfers across all the professional tours along with famous celebrity golfers. Additionally, he is a member of several other competitive and honorary golf associations, as well as the Golf Nut Society.

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