In Conversation with Katherine Salisbury, Co-Founder of Ladies Tees

Imagine being invited to play the Old Course with friends. For many golfers in this town, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so finding the right golf outfit feels important. You check out St Andrews’ golf shops or browse big athletic brands online, but soon notice there aren’t many options for women’s golf clothes, and the ones you find aren’t stylish. That’s where Ladies Tees comes in, a women-founded golf clothing line created by two sisters who play golf competitively and for fun.

I talked with Katherine Salisbury, the younger co-founder, who is now a second-year student here at St Andrews.

What is Ladies Tees?

Ladies Tees is a brand of golf clothing that’s both stylish and practical, started by sisters Jordan and Katherine Salisbury.

Katherine shared that Ladies Tees really started in Texas, where both sisters grew up. They began playing competitive golf in high school, practicing for hours each day. Their team was intense and focused, but also very successful. As Katherine said, they “won four state titles in the last five years.”

For Katherine, it was essential to have golf clothes that looked good and worked well. She often searched Poshmark and other vintage athleisure sites for outfits she liked. As a competitive golfer, she explained that “getting ready for a tournament, [she] wanted to look good and feel good, [it was her] routine.” She also needed clothes that could last through her busy days at high school.

Katherine chose not to play Division 1 golf and came to St Andrews to avoid burning out on the sport. That’s also when she discovered how disappointing women’s golf pants can be.

Katherine’s sister, Jordan, currently plays Division 1 golf at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Katherine explained that Jordan, as a dedicated golfer, wanted clothes she could wear without worrying about them, focusing on comfort and fit. Their father planted a seed in the sisters that they should turn their complaints about the lack of style and function in women’s golf attire into an entrepreneurial venture. Thus, Ladies Tees was born!

The Message Behind Ladies’ Tees

Katherine said that Ladies Tees is focused on empowering women, both on the golf course and in everyday life.

If you don’t play golf often, you might not know that the closest tee boxes, called the red tees, are often labeled as ‘ladies tees’ in a negative way. Using that tee box can suggest that women are weaker players, or that men who use it ‘play like a girl.’

The Salisbury sisters have taken back this label and made it their own. For Katherine, Ladies Tees is about “letting women know that it’s okay to be whatever level you are in any part of your life.” Their slogan, Move Beyond the Red, means that “[women] can move beyond those expectations and set boundaries, not just on the golf course, but in any aspect of life,” as Katherine explained.

Family is a key part of Ladies Tees. Jordan and Katherine’s parents help with logistics, while the sisters handle everything from designing and choosing fabrics to testing and promoting the clothes. Katherine described the brand as “built through love.”

What role does Katherine play in Ladies Tees?

Katherine is not only a co-founder of Ladies Tees but also serves as the Chief Marketing Officer, managing their social media accounts. Her TikToks, in particular, are great.

She says she’s always been creative, so this role felt like a natural fit. But for Katherine, her “favorite thing [is the ability] to connect” with people. She wants to “build a community of people and a place where we can push inclusive ideas.”

Katherine also wants Ladies Tees to be for all women, not just professional golfers. Her social media posts are for women who know a lot about golf and for those who are new to the sport. She’s even shared advice on how to handle men who offer unwanted golf tips. “I think being able to use that platform and marketing as a whole to address those things [is important],” said Katherine.

When can I get Ladies Tees?

Ladies Tees is launching worldwide on June 1st with a collection of women’s golf outfits and dresses. If you want to be among the first to shop, you can sign up for VIP access on their website. You’ll get notified and have early access when the line launches this summer. I’ll be in the online queue too, so I’ll see you there!

• business
• entrepreneurship
• fashion
• golf
• Golfing
• sports