Women's Golf Clothing Leader Lindsay Browder is Changing the Apparel Game

Life’s journey isn’t always a straight path. Actually, sometimes the unconventional way forward can lead to the most rewarding of outcomes.

Lindsay Browder is a testament to that. 

Browder is a PGA of America Golf Professional that has fully embraced everything golf has thrown her way, and her career journey is one of embracing opportunities and thriving in unexpected ways. From working at courses around the country, to earning impactful roles with Peter Millar, Garb and now, as General Manager of TravisMathew Women’s, her path has been nothing short of extraordinary.

But for someone who was raised in a Colorado ski town, golf wasn’t something Browder initially considered. While her father and brother were avid golfers, Browder preferred sports like volleyball and track. Then, an unexpected high school injury changed everything.

After fracturing her leg, Browder’s father encouraged her to try golf during her rehabilitation. Through practicing in the maintenance shed (pictured above) of her father’s workplace, she developed a a love for golf that set her on a new path and fueled her decision to join the Division I golf program at Fairfield University in Connecticut.

After a year, however, she made the decision to return home to Colorado and transferred to the University of Colorado in Boulder – the place where her golf career began to take shape.

While working part-time at Flatirons Golf Course in Boulder, Browder received encouragement from PGA of America Professional Doug Cook, to take the Playing Ability Test and pursue the becoming a PGA of America Golf Professional. Following his advice, she graduated early from Colorado, and secured a position with Troon Golf.

A short year later, in 2006, Browder began a new role as an Assistant Professional at Glenwild Golf Club in Park City, Utah, and by 2007, she earned her PGA of America Class A Membership.

At Glenwild, Browder’s focus on buying and merchandising led her to pioneer innovative programs that set the standard at the club. She was among the first in the nation to introduce Lululemon to the golf shop scene. She even expanded their apparel selection to include ski gear, snowshoes and luxury items from unique collaborations with leading apparel brands.

Glenwild is also where Browder had one of the most impactful moments of her career: meeting and working with PGA of America Golf Professional and the course's Director of Golf at the time, Ken Weyand. 

"I wouldn’t be where I am today without Ken's influence,” says Browder. "I started falling in love with merchandising and Ken encouraged me to be creative and innovative. I deeply admired how he built something so unique and he involved me in that process, learning all the ins and outs of the industry.

"He remains my mentor to this day, and I still seek his guidance and support on important career decisions."

Sparking her passion for merchandising and laying the groundwork for her future in the apparel industry, Browder's role at Glenwild became the launchpad for her exciting career in merchandising. After four years of collaborating with key brands, forming relationships with suppliers in the industry and taking on consulting roles for other clubs, she was presented with another opportunity: to join Peter Millar and spearhead the launch of their Women’s Division. 

The Colorado native moved to North Carolina to learn and grow under the mentorship of Peter Millar Founder Chris Knott and spent five years gaining a deep understanding of the business – learning how to translate successful strategies from the green-grass space into large scale design and merchandising operations.

As the Director of Women's Design and Merchandising, Browder was also responsible for designing all Magnolia Lane Women's Masters Collection and women's Masters merchandise for three consecutive Masters. Lindsay also created custom product collections for Notre Dame and designed the International Presidents Cup Team's Wives’ uniforms in 2013.

Talk about a cool job.

After gaining valuable experience with Peter Millar, Lindsay decided it was time to return to her roots in Colorado to be closer to family as she prepared to welcome her first son. The timing was perfect, as she transitioned into a role as Vice President at Garb Youth Apparel, where she led the design, merchandising and sales for the youth apparel division.

During her five years with Garb, Lindsay dove deep into the licensed and resort markets, focusing on the tournament business for all the major golf championships. She spearheaded the creation of custom product collections for major tournaments such as the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, U.S. Open Tennis Championship, and The Open Championship. 

In 2021, Lindsay embraced a new challenge. As a seasoned PGA of America Golf Professional with extensive experience in the industry, Browder was brought on to oversee the launch of TravisMathew’s Women’s under the guidance of CEO Ryan Ellis . . . someone she had connected with many years ago at the PGA Show as a young professional from Glenwild Country Club.

Now, Browder thrives in a dynamic role, and she leads a talented team of female designers and merchandisers.  As General Manager of the Women’s Product, her days are filled with a mix of creativity and strategy – one day might involve immersing herself in product development, reviewing color swatches and new designs to set the direction for upcoming collections, while another day she might be in the thick of financial meetings and growth forecasting.

Browder also spends much of her time guiding and supporting her team, ensuring everything aligns seamlessly with the company’s vision. She often travels, too, attending trade shows in both golf and women's retail markets and visiting international destinations like Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Peru for business.

And in an example of just how tight-knit the golf industry, Browder is leading the development of TravisMathew's Grove Collection, a project that holds special significance for her, as its name comes from the course (Grove XXIII) her longtime mentor Weyand now oversees.

"Ken mentored me and taught me everything I know about the business," says Browder. "And he's now a part of my journey at TravisMathew. Designing the Grove Collection for him is so exciting, and I'm thrilled to bring this project to life. It's incredible to see how everything has come full circle."

The Grove Collection is slated for an October 2025 launch, and Browder is enthusiastic about the opportunity to reconnect with her OG mentor through their new collaboration.

Being a PGA of America Golf Professional has been the key to thriving in a career Browder’s passionate about, and she credits much of her success to the guidance of great mentors who have supported her through all of life’s challenges and milestones.

“Being a PGA of America Golf Professional means so much to me,” says Browder. “It’s been the springboard to get to where I am today. I would not have any of the opportunities that I've had, or met the key people I needed to meet along the way to get to where I am today without being a PGA of America Member. It puts me in rooms, conversations, roles that I never imagined possible.

"Golf has been everything to me– it's been a way to pay for college, it’s given me a lifelong career, and now it’s a great way to bond with my two boys.”

As a trailblazer and leader in the industry, she hopes her experiences motivate others to explore careers within the golf world, While the path may not always be straightforward, she believes that golf offers endless opportunities for anyone willing to carve out their own path.

“I want others to understand that the career of being a PGA of America Golf Professional can be really diverse, and it’s an industry that anyone can thrive in,” Browder says. “There are now so many paths to take depending on what you love. While I'm not directly on the green grass side of the business, I still get to be around a sport I love. It's been an incredible journey for me and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

If you're interested in a career in golf, get started today by visiting pga.com/workingolf.