LOHLA SPORT founder appreciates Oklahoma golf history

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Through much of her career as a golf businesswoman, Lisa O’Hurley’s home away from home was an airplane.

First it was 10 years as director of sponsorships, Tour relations and affiliate sales and marketing for Golf Channel during its start-up days.  Then it was running U.S. golf operations for Germany-based apparel brand GOLFINO.

Despite living on both coasts, O’Hurley holds a major soft spot for America’s heartland, especially golf in Oklahoma.

“Arnold Palmer co-founded Golf Channel and we got to know each other well,” she says.  “There were times he’d reminisce about wins and, more often than not, non-majors like the Oklahoma City Open would come up.  I guess wins breed wins, no matter the tournament magnitude or location.”

For the record, The King proved victorious in the Sooner State in 1959 at Twin Hills C.C and 1964 at Quail Creek C.C.

“I immediately loved the hospitality of Oklahomans,” says O’Hurley, who played golf at Baylor University and competed against teams from Norman and Stillwater. “And don’t discount their extraordinary taste in golf fashion.”

Which brings us to her current gig – Founder and CEO of LOHLA SPORT, the rapidly growing ladies’ golf-lifestyle brand that counts Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club  and others as customers.  The brand offers exactly what women want – comfortable and chic outfits which transition for the course to the office, dinner and other social settings.

Coordinated tops, bottoms, skorts and outwear are stylish, playful, flattering and alluring without being overtly sexy.  Staple and accent piece are colorful and classy, without being obnoxious, and blend European designs and Los Angeles flair.  Fits and designs, optimizing golfers’ movements while staying country club appropriate, is incorporated in all LOHLA SPORT pieces.

As a result, in pro shops and online, Oklahomans are buying into to LOHLA SPORT’s “GolfLeisure” thesis in droves.  Could O’Hurley’s brand one day eclipse the Lululemon’s “AthLeisure” dominance?  We’ve seen more assumedly far-fetched dreams come true, so it’s anyone’s guess.

O’Hurley and LOHLA SPORT’s roots with Oklahoma go even deeper.  Brand ambassador and the best female golfer of all time, Annika Sorenstam, won LPGA Tour events in the Tulsa area in 20202, 2004 and 2005.

Back to dressing women:  LOHLA SPORT launched in January 2021, anchored by two of its staple pieces that continue to sell like hotcakes.  The first is its stretchy The Golf Fitness Pull-On Pant and The Very Pant.  By the way, the latter is inspired by the J. Peterman character – played by John O’Hurley, Lisa’s husband – on the TV hit “Seinfeld.”  His famous line, “The Very Pant I’ve been searching for all my life,” is part of sitcom lore.

Then came “The Streets of Los Angeles” collection that caught on like nobody’s business.  Aptly named capsules Rodeo Drive, Ocean Avenue, Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard and Melrose Place capsules each represented a distinct vibe of a Tinseltown neighborhood.

And nowadays, the just-released Winter Wonderlands collection – with capsules named Lake Tahoe, Vail, Park City, Stowe and Aspen – is making its way into pro shops near and far, earning rave reviews along the way.

Will O’Hurley be in Oklahoma in the near future?  “You bet,” she exclaims.  “We have strong interest from golf shops across the state.  And I plan to visit those where Arnold and Annika won tournaments.”