March 14, 2023

Wes Rasmussen didn’t grow up playing golf.

But like a lot of players, the 27-year-old discovered the sport during the pandemic.

Unlike most others, he also identified what he hopes is a niche in the golf apparel market that could lead to a growing business.

“I’ve always had a passion for clothing, and just trying to find the right stuff and what looks good on the course, I noticed a big gap in the market,” said Rasmussen, a Sioux Falls native and 2014 New Tech High School graduate.

He moved back to Sioux Falls from California in 2020 as the pandemic drove his software company employer to have everyone work from home.

“So I got the go-ahead to work remotely from Sioux Falls,” he said. “I was out of college and needed a hobby. Once you’re inside and working 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., I think your life shifts a bit, and you want to get out and do something, so I started picking up golf and really got into it.”

But his search for apparel kept coming up short.

“Brand-name, quality golf stuff is really expensive,” Rasmussen said. “I just had this idea one day if I could start a company and keep it small and do what I need to do to manufacture internationally … that I could get stuff that’s as good as anyone is putting on the market and sell it for a reasonable price.”

His background in computer information systems turned him “into a research hound,” and he searched until a manufacturer in South Korea created the apparel he’d envisioned.

“I knew the quality of materials was high, and when I started receiving samples, right off the bat when I could touch it and feel it and see what it looked like, I knew I’d found the perfect place.”

So this month — out of his basement — he officially launched OutWest Golf Co., selling polo-style shirts and quarter-zips, beginning with local family and friends. Longtime friend Max Rysdon built him a website, outwestgolf.com, and the plan is to sell primarily online for now.

The initial line includes eight styles of polos at $48 each and two styles of quarter-zips at $57. They’re largely polyester with a small percentage of spandex.

“You might hear it as a dry fit or moisture wick,” Rasmussen said. “It’s performance material. It stretches. It moves with your body, and it’s really made for activewear.”

It looks good off the golf course too, he added.

“If you’re a guy who’s looking to update his style a little bit, come check us out. We’re going to keep it small and get people good stuff at a really, really fair price.”

The plan is to add a women’s line as well as a pullover for men and potentially expand into other activewear for hunting, skiing or snowboarding. It’s now a full-time job for Rasmussen, who is the sole owner.

“I’m all-in,” he said. “We really believe in our stuff.”