Sep 21, 2026 · 23 min
Golf founders turn twisted tees into a quality-first apparel brand
How Two Golfers Turned a Joke Into a Brand
The Bassettis’ leap from established careers shows how a distinctive idea becomes credible only through disciplined product standards and audience-building.
- 1Frank and Haley Bassetti built Twisted Tee around playful golf culture, premium materials, and an approachable alternative to formal country-club style.
- 2They used ChatGPT to develop their logo, then rejected manufacturing options that failed requirements for comfort, performance, and finish.
- 3Social media helped create demand before inventory arrived, turning early relationships and consistent content into a path toward broader retail opportunities.
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The Bassettis explain how they built an audience on social media before inventory existed, then used an Instagram connection to find a Hong Kong-based supplier.
The brief
Frank and Haley Bassetti trace Twisted Tee to a joke involving twisted golf tees, then explain why they wanted premium apparel that felt playful rather than intimidating.
The founders left backgrounds in finance, oil and gas, transportation, and logistics to build a golf brand around shared taste, family connections, and a more relaxed course culture.
They used ChatGPT to shape the logo, searched locally and overseas for production, and rejected options that missed standards for stretch, sweat-wicking performance, SPF protection, collars, or labels.
Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook helped Twisted Tee build awareness before inventory arrived; one Instagram connection led to a Hong Kong-based apparel supplier.
The central bet is that golfers want country-club polish without country-club stiffness, and the Bassettis are testing that thesis through quality control and humor.