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It'sS not so long ago that loud, collar-less shirts and colourful trousers wouldn't have gotten you further than the locker room. But times have changed. Today's new breed of Tour professionals are changing the image of the game.

They're daring to be different and are not afraid to make a statement. Just look at Ian Poulter. Five years ago, Ian was quietly making his way up the Order of Merit on The European Tour, when he decided a change of image was the way forward. Out go the finely sculpted sideburns, in comes the mad hair, crocodile skin belts and pink trousers. And the result? Every man and his dog now know who Ian Poulter is.

Nobody can put their finger on precisely when things first started to look up and golfing fashion actually started to become fashionable. Perhaps it was the Scandinavian influence. Maybe it was when Jesper Parnevik stepped on to the first tee at the Bob Hope Desert Classic in 1997, wearing streamlined trousers, offset by his fashion accessory George Burns big cigar and Popeye cap.

The whole movement, the whole modernisation of fashion in golf, started right there, explained Johan Lindeberg, designer of Parneviks unconventional look, and owner of Lindeberg fashion house. I always thought Jesper was a great looking guy but he just looked terrible in the clothes he was wearing. He looked like Bobby Ewing from Dallas. I took Jesper from Bobby Ewing and turned him into Steve McQueen.

Parnevik was arguably the first player to take golf fashion to new heights. He was the leader of the pack and others have slowly but surely followed in his footsteps. Inevitably, it has been the younger players who have adopted new styles, while players such Monty, Woosie and Bernhard Langer are more than happy to stick with what they know.

The last few seasons have seen a whole line-up of young guns upping the fashion stakes on this side of the Atlantic. Nick Dougherty was the first to step up to the challenge, unconventionally streaking his hair red to show his devotion to Manchester United FC. Polo Ralph Lauren were quick to spot Doughertys marketability and snapped him up as their representative on the fairways. Tag Heuer followed suit.

Alongside Dougherty, Poulter has emerged as the peoples favourite. Flambuoyant, with a touch of arrogance, the Englishmans dress sense is as unpredictable as the weather, but you can guarantee hes going to stand out regardless. I just like to make it fun for myself and for everybody else, admitted Poulter. We need a few characters out there, otherwise people would think it is a bland and boring sport, and that is exactly what it is not.

Poulter and Dougherty sit at the helm of golfs Brat Pack, with Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell all playing their part in bringing up the rear. All young, all good looking, and all winners on either the European Tour or PGA Tour, they are the face and the future of the game. I'm definitely into fashionable clothes, says Justin, but the real change for me is that big sports brands have made the game more sporty, which appeals to the kids more. Golf's now trendier than it's ever been.

Right now, synthetic fibres are out, cotton and linen are in. Bright colours, sleeker cuts and bolder lines are the look that the likes of Lindeberg, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Prada, Burberry and Polo Ralph Lauren are adopting. "People are now trying to find a more individual style, said Lindeberg. With all the new fabrics, everyone can be comfortable in a tight fit. You'll feel more athletic, your wives will be happier and you'll actually play better."