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As fashion entrepreneurs, Geoff Tait and Bobby Pasternak are not representative. Most noticeably, they're young. Tait is approaching 30, but could pass for a college senior. Pasternak is 25 and ditto.

They give the impression that they would much rather be sitting on a patio drinking a couple brewskis than getting down to business. But translate these qualities into a clothing label and you've got Quagmire, a company created as an alternative to traditional fairway attire.

Tait and Pasternak have tapped into a growing trend that transcends athletics by emphasizing aesthetics. Like golf fashion pioneers J. Lindeberg, Penguin or Pringle, these guys prove that golf fashion is not an oxymoron.

Think shrunken blazers in plaid pastels, terry-cloth dresses and seersucker skirts for ladies and checkered cotton spandex shirts, stretch zip hoodies and shorts in egg yolk yellow for gents. It's amazing how a slash of colour on a classic polo shirt can attract the cool kids.

Quagmire, of course, refers to a bog or any situation that is difficult to surmount (it's one of the title characters in the adult cartoon series The Family Guy). Luckily, the name has not been a predictor of the company's fate.

Lately, boldface names such as John Mayer, Rachel Hunter and Kanye West have been spotted in the togs. Pasternak admits that having a well-connected brother helps (Harley Pasternak is a celebrity trainer in Los Angeles).

The Quagmire duo gave the shirts away in gift bags at Bob Hope's Chrysler Classic event last year only to see Don Cheadle wearing one on television shortly thereafter. It's probably a good sign that pros Kelly Kuehne, Chez Reavie and Jimmy Walker are also fans.

Despite the tag line, "Not fit for the fairway," the clothes are carried at golf clubs across North America. Lifestyle stores such as GotStyle and Over the Rainbow in Toronto also sell the brand, which retails in the $65-to-$99 range.

"Originally, we thought the young demographic was lacking in the golf industry," says Pasternak, who studied business at McGill University. "And then it started growing and we realized the niche is just a void for cool, funky, wearable golf clothes."

"Our demographic are people who drink beer, have fun, go out with their buddies or girlfriends and want to look cute without feeling like a golf dork," Tait adds.

It was during downtime as golf instructor and camp counsellor on a summer program for teenagers that the guys, previously strangers, hatched their business plan. With everyone wearing the likes of Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle and Quicksilver, they saw an opportunity.

In the past three years, they have mastered an aesthetic that is equal parts surfer and street wear. Fabrics such as moisture-wicking polyester and bamboo blends appeal to the hard-core golfer and eco-enthusiast alike. Details matter. "We took edges and frayed them and no one had seen that in golf before," says Tait, who gives credit to Toronto designer Barbara Star for bringing their ideas to life.

This includes an askew pocket, now the Quagmire signature. They insist that it was not conceived in a moment of inebriated inspiration.

"Everyone was like, did a drunk person sew that on?" Pasternak says. "And Geoff and I laugh and say, 'Yeah, we sewed it on.' "