The U.S. golf lifestyle brand Malbon Golf is attempting to crack the China market with a flagship-first strategy. They will open their first flagship store at Shanghai’s Jing’an Kerry Centre, with a pop-up at the same mall launching from late January as an early warm-up. The opening makes the brand’s first official presence on the mainland, moving it from grey-market type stock to a controlled, boots-on-the-ground operation.
In an interview with Jiemian News, Kitson S. Kho chief exec of the Malbon Golf China venture said the company plans to roll out additional flagships – as well as concept stores – in Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Hangzhou – starting small, then scaling.
Malbon was founded in Los Angeles in 2017 and differentiated itself from the traditional performance golf label, by putting a lifestyle brand face on. It’s a young company, having opened its first store in 2022, but now operates more than 10 stores worldwide, including a Seoul flagship that opened in December 2024. It’s worth noting that Seoul is known as an early validation point in Asia, and a shopping destination for Chinese golfers who can’t get the gear they want domestically.
China is a market where golf apparel has grown, but where no single lifestyle leader has emerged. Malbon enters via a partnership with TKG Lifestyle and has set up its HQ in Shenzhen using local design and product planning teams.
Its China offerings will therefore blend its global, core product range with China-exclusive designs. The first of these kicks off in collaboration with Hong Kong streetwear brand CLOT – another indication of Malbon bucking the whole golf wear as sport gear industry standard.
Malbon’s bet is that China’s next golf boom won’t look like country-club tradition, but like social signalling. By leaning on a local edge and bucking golf’s stiff style, it’s selling membership to a new tribe as much as it is clothing. In a lifestyle market of fierce competition, that strategy could be the winning stroke.
